Things started snowballing over the last few years with stress, brain fog (really since I had my third child in 2010), thinking I had ulcers from stomach pain (eggs made it worse, plus bananas and ibuprofen damage), anger, depression, you name it. 2011 is kind of a blur. I probably had no business driving or being out in public, let alone with my kids. Lexapro helped over the next couple years, although I was really living in neutral to get by...Then the last couple years I've dealt with chronic sinus issues, tension headaches, migraines, dizziness/lightheadedness, ear and jaw pain, plus constant heartburn. There were factors of course that compounded all that, but I was an emotional, exhausted mess.
When everything really kicked in and hit me the hardest was July 2014-ish. I was driving and felt like I got smacked in the head with a bat. I was having the worst headache of my life, my face, nose, back of my head, everything hurt. I went straight to urgent care thinking it was a crazy sinus infection. The doctor concurred based on my symtoms and sent me home with antibiotics. Those didn't work, so I waited a couple weeks, went to my regular doctor and got a Z-Pak. Those didn't work, so on and so on...that fall I had horrific back pain that I thought was a pinched nerve (ortho and xray said otherwise). I couldn't stand without sweating and getting nauseous b/c of the pain, but chiropractic and physical therapy, plus some Naproxin, relieved that nightmare (except for it tearing up my stomach, basically ibuprofen x10).
In January 2016 I had enough of getting no answers, decided to finally see my friend Cori for some holistic nutritional help. I jumped into the Autoimmune Protocol plan (which if you have any autoimmune issue - diagnosed that you take meds for OR undiagnosed, chronic issues I highly recommend it) to restart my nervous and digestive systems (among other things). It's basically stripping down and out everything processed, any grains, dairy, legumes, eggs, nuts, it goes on. I thought it would be extremely difficult to cut out so many things, but I was more desperate to feel well, and drive somewhere without getting nauseous from pain resonating from my eyes to the back of my head.
Now, it wasn't just food, but herbal supplements, sleep and water were all pivotal changes I needed to examine and change. I also wasn't exercising consistently. I still don't, but it's improved :) Actually, on AIP you're not supposed to do a ton of strenuous exercise, but to just not be stagnant, which is easy to do when you feel crappy all day every day.
AIP isn't meant to be a lifelong solution, some people successfully reintroduce things like eggs and nuts, but I am completely more aware of my body, how my body reacts to foods. I can count on one hand the amount of times I've taken ibuprofen in the last 6 months. What started with one to two migraines a week, has gone to maybe 2 or 3 since starting this journey. TMI but Aunt Flo is a thousand times more tolerable, lighter and shorter. Most people who go through AIP transition to Paleo, which I wouldn't call a diet because it's really just about eating real food and making conscious decisions with what you put in your body. If I do have that brownie, that bday cake, eat out, I'm just more aware. It's also made me use more ingredients and foods that I've never bought or tried to cook before (YAY for spaghetti squash). I like cooking even more than I did before, and trying new recipes as alternatives for my sweet tooth (YAY for raw cacao and maple syrup).
My most recent hurdle is functioning without the Prilosec. I had started it years ago when I first noticed heartburn symptoms, eventually upped to the Rx Dexilant, then higher dose Rx omeprazole, last month went back to otc Prilosec; but that was kind of my crutch to still be able to have coffee and chocolate when I want because I wouldn't have the heartburn afterward. Since I stopped taking it this month I still have the occasional heartburn, but I know why! That coffee I had this morning gave me that esophageal burn til lunch, but then the salt and garlic I had in my cabbage/kale saute didn't help. I thought I was doing good by choosing the coconut ice cream tonight, but it had chocolate. This was an uncomfortable day. I might to do a restart on those fronts and cut them out :-O. Next hurdle will be getting off Cymbalta. Work in progress...
I'm so thankful I knew who to go to, that I didn't have to keep starting over with new doctors to find something that they'd never physically see on a scan. I feel "lighter" mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and unburdened by the unknown I was trying to find. Every day is different, I still struggle with choices, I cheat :-P I get pains, I'm not 100% YET, but I'm so much more encouraged and feel like I'm out of the pit I was in. Thank God for peace, encouragement, answered prayers, and for friends and moms who have prayed for me.
If you have "invisible" pain, or an unnamed autoimmune issue I totally recommend looking up Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D. (a.k.a. The Paleo Mom) @thepaleomom for scientific and dietary resources.
http://www.thepaleomom.com/about-sarah-2
www.facebook.com/thepaleomom
If you don't know where to start, Cori will help you out too :)
www.facebook.com/good4thesol
www.good4thesol.com
I also starting adding recipes and things to an AIP/Paleo Pinterest Board.
www.pinterest.com/lcclifton
Don't give up on yourself. It's been a while since I'd seen that jaw and collar bone. ;)
