Health Update, Winter 2016

Hi, my health took a turn for the worse late December last year, 2015. For the first time I had to spend Summer and Autumn indoors. Usually it’s just during winter (Well, since living in a water damaged building (WDB) in 2013) that I feel locked up like a vampire. My ‘Impeding Doom‘ in 2012 was spot on. However, after seeking medical attention elsewhere, still within the medicine, science-based conventional setting, I saw Dr Mark Donohoe who thought immediately I was showing symptoms of CIRS. My diagnosis of it and testing procedure can be found here. I’m still seeing Dr Marky, however, due to the nature and intensity of my symptoms [read brain feels like it’s on fire], I am seeing Mould Specialist Dr Tania Ash who is trained in the Shoemaker Protocol developed by Dr Shoemaker himself.

I’ll start this treatment when I move into my new home: The Build an ‘Eco-Friendly, Allergy-Free House’ Project in 3-6 months time. In the mean time, I am in a mouldy house and have to deal with it. Dr Donohoe prescribed oxygen for my breathing issues and the pain in my head and behind my eyes to help recovery after breathing in fragrances, solvents or petrochemicals [read driving car and visiting people], The good thing about this diagnosis is all the doctors, pathology nurses, MRI staff and the ENT specialist I’ve had to see were most helpful about not using chemicals: Saying you have CIRS does not bring out the same result as saying you have ‘Inhalant Allergies’ aka MCS!

This treatment involves more testing, antibiotics, drugs and pharmaceuticals. There are some natural mould binders I can take but I still have to hit my body with the heavy artillery. The only supplements I am taking are Thorne brand of NAC to assist in my uptake of my homemade Glutathione nasal spray, which you can actually get from a Compounding Pharmacy. As well some Thorne Zinc (I am about to try and change to pumpkin seeds to get my zinc but have had bad luck with nuts and seeds having mould in them.) I bought my first two bottles of Glutathione Nasal spray from here at Custom Medicine for $45. Go read my post on making it if you feel that it’s out of your priceline; but just know this is not medical advice, I was told by a specialist, Dr Grace Ziem, to take Glutathione like this as a treatment for my chemical sensitivities. The NAC boosts this along.

I have ceased the NSP protocol because I was diagnosed with CIRS; and I also had digestion issues that made taking 27 pills a day, just in vitamins, minerals and herbs a burning pain in the esophageal sphincter. I honestly think that taking all those supplements was making me sicker. Even more so, people with mould illness have to be careful with supplements if avoiding products with fermented ingredients like this one:

I always wondered why vitamin B—besides vitamin B 12 injections—caused mould symptoms.

The next lot of testing ordered by Dr Tania Ash will be published in ‘The Way Out’ as soon as I get the results. Testing has not happened as yet as it’s mighty costly. But it’s going ahead in the next few weeks; therefore, I’ve had to stop all probiotics, which were starting to work. I have a part-time carer, which is good and bad. This just happens to be the person I am building a house with so it’s making the build project even tighter. Yet, if I don’t get mould free premises… I don’t want to think about it.

I spend everyday hooked up to oxygen. Sometimes I use it to do yoga workouts with Yoga teacher Michelle Muench aka Banana Blondie 108. This helps with my stress levels; and with my breathing issues, The benefits of yoga are amazing for me. But more on this later.

I have committed to a whole food vegan lifestyle. Dr Ash has put me on a Low Amylose diet. Standard practice while undergoing this treatment. It means I lose 3 of my 22 safe foods. If, if, I ate animal flesh I’d have a a few more to add to this list but that’s not going to happen. I’ve lost sweet potato, which sucks because sweet potato fries are my favourite food; also carrots and rice. These were staples for me also. Bananas are off the list also but I was having issues with them including reactions that equal the bad LSD trips of my youth!

Oh well, saves me having to contact FreeLee the Banana girl to ask why the hell would anyone react to bananas (I mean, she can eat like, damn, 50 of them)? There is a fungal disease that the banana growers of Australia are struggling with so maybe it has to do with that? Any knowledge shared on this topic of bananas causing severe reactions will be much appreciated in the comments below.

With all that’s going on with testing and the results, it looks like mould may be and may have always been my only health problem. Maybe I don’t have ‘Inhalant Allergies’ aka MCS. Or maybe I have both. I’m not sure, but what I am sure about is this: I WILL make it out of the Labyrinth of chemical sensitivities.

Note: I can’t go anywhere and have been housebound for two years with most of my outbound visits being to doctors or clinics for tests. I’m supposed to go back to Uni February 2017 so the pressure is on to get better. Even if I do online subjects for my first year, I still need my brain and to have at least half the week where I’m not in pain. This is a 24/7 gig at the moment; and it’s not any fun. I’m actually glad my daughter left home.

More

The Labyrinth: My CIRS Diagnosis and the Testing that got me there

The Labyrinth: Mould

Build an Eco-Friendly, Allergy-Free House Project: Virtual Eco House Tour

Surviving Mould Illness: The No Amylose Diet

Surviving Mould Illness: Recipes for a No Amylose Diet

Surviving Mould: Brain on Fire

Next

Kitchen series: post 3

Windows series: post 1

‘How to Termite Proof Your Build the Vegan Way’ video

‘Bella’s 5th Birthday’ video

How to use a ‘I Can Breathe’ Bamboo Cotton Mask for Sleeping in due to Woodsmoke Pollution