I lost the ability to work in 2004 and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This was one of the lowest and darkest times of my life.  I lost my career, country dream home and most of my hope. Worst of all I lost countless precious years with my children. I was having so many health issues that none of my doctors would attribute to anything other than the bipolar disorder or the medications used to treat it.

There were almost daily headaches, terrible brain fog, joint pain, muscle pain, extreme fatigue and many cognitive issues. I also had anemia, very low blood pressure, low body temperature, hair loss, impaired vision and dizziness. My brain just didn’t work anymore. Once at a doctor’s appointment I couldn’t remember my address or my son’s middle name. I often had to pull over in my car because I couldn’t remember where I was going. I couldn’t drive anymore as I just didn’t have the normal reflexes to navigate traffic.

I suffered along for the next 8 years and was given a Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia diagnosis with no further help whatsoever. Every single doctor blamed all of my symptoms on the mental health diagnosis, and so I suffered….

I usually woke up with left-sided numbness and tingling. I would limp to the bathroom, as the soles of my feet were so sore I could barely put weight on them. Headaches were a daily issue, as were extreme fatigue and muscle weakness. Every day of my life felt like I had the flu. If I had to measure my un-wellness on a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being the worst, I spent most days between 8 and 10.  I was exhausted every single day and dragged myself along, often by sheer force of will.

A very lonely time

I was finally diagnosed with Lyme in August 2012.  By this time, I had lost most of my friends. Friendships take energy and I was mostly housebound by this time. Most family members offered little to no support. I received blaming and shaming comments like, “we know she suffers from depression” or ” why don’t you bake a cake for someone” or ” you really do have a lot to be grateful for” or “so, are you working anywhere?” or “she just needs to be prayed over.” My personal favorite was when that one person would declare over and over for all to hear, “Oh! But you look so good!” In other words….you can’t be sick.  What people didn’t realize was that when I was really sick, I never left the house.  Most never saw me at my worst.  Needless to say, these kinds of comments just drove me further and further into isolation.

Eventually, I just stopped trying to explain to anyone what I was going through.  It was better for me to just stay quiet and not invite the judgemental comments. I began limiting the number of visits with people who had not been supportive or interested in what I was going through. The only support I received was from my husband Tony and a number of friends from my recovery groups. I was so grateful for their love and care. These were the ones who watched me almost crawl into a meeting and turn 50 shades of yellow before the hour was up.  They simply said, “Wow you look bad. Hope you feel better soon.” I also had the support of my fellow Lyme warriors on many different Lyme forums. This was probably what helped the most because they knew exactly what it meant to live with this disease. Many were quick to offer encouragement and help with treatment options.

 Lyme treatment and feeling worse

What most people don’t know is that when a person begins treating the Lyme, things usually get worse. When something is taken to kill these pathogens, they release endotoxins that make the person feel exponentially worse. In the early stages, we have to deal with active infection plus all of the endotoxins creating die-off reactions (also called Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction). Here is a post that offers some strategies for dealing with die-off.

Common die-off symptoms for me were nausea, dizziness, feeling hungover, body pain, constipation, migraines, vomiting, headaches, weakness, fatigue and emotional upset. These symptoms can be very similar to those accompanying an active Lyme infection but magnified.

It took about 5 months before I started feeling better on the herbal protocols. By this time I completed a bowel cleanse, parasite cleansing and Buhner’s Lyme Protocol.  It takes time to get the infectious load down low enough to finally experience some relief. 

Many missed occasions

There were so many missed birthdays, weddings, family gatherings, retirement dinners, school events, sporting events, coffee dates, lunch dates, shopping trips and everything else that required personal grooming. This would mean having the strength to take a shower, get dressed and leave the house. Most people don’t understand that the simplest of tasks requires a Herculean effort on the part of the Lyme sufferer. Many days it would take all the energy I had to get showered and wash my hair. But I rarely had the strength to lift my arms above my head for any length of time. So hair washing was an infrequent occurrence. There were so many times that I was too weak to walk from the house to the car or even sit upright in a chair.

I learned to say that I couldn’t commit to anything anymore. This took a huge burden from my shoulders and I no longer let the guilt of canceling bother me. I was too sick to care anymore about what others thought of me. It was a very liberating time.

It was a good day if I could get dressed. It was a better day if I could take a shower and do my hair. It was the best day if I could leave the house and go to a recovery meeting. While there were some good days, they were unpredictable. I might have one good day every 2 weeks if I was lucky. I could only make plans based on how I was feeling each day.

Huge financial drain

Those of us with Lyme not only have to deal with the loss of income but the huge expense of trying to treat ourselves out of pocket. We spent thousands and thousands of dollars and I mostly self-treated:  herbs, supplements, tests and visits to see alternative health practitioners. Many of these are not covered under our health insurance plan. The Lyme Literate Doctors (LLMDs) are very expensive and beyond what we could have afforded. In Canada Lyme was not even acknowledged yet. So there was the constant worry about paying bills and making ends meet. Due to decades of illness, I do not have a big retirement fund to fall back on. 

I live in Mexico because I can live simply here on 1200 USD per month. It would cost me a lot more to live in Canada. My hope is to be able to spend more time there in the future.

Lack of research, proper testing and treatment

Many of the Lyme tests are inaccurate. This is why I chose to see a health practitioner that could provide a clinical diagnosis. Lyme is such a complex disease that requires a functional medicine approach. It is important to address not only the Lyme and co-infections but correct the diet, fix digestion, address food allergies, nutritional deficiencies and detoxification strategies. There are often other issues that need to be addressed like balancing blood sugar and adrenal and thyroid disorders. Most medical doctors will not take this kind of healing approach.

There is hope!

People are recovering! I have been in complete remission since November 2014 and no longer deal with that long list of symptoms every day. I feel better than I have in decades and I have a new freedom and appreciation for life.  I can hike, swim, snorkel, socialize and feel very proud of all that I have overcome.  I chose Buhner’s Original Lyme Protocol , bowel cleansing, parasite cleansing with my own herbal recipe,  Wahls Paleo Diet and a few other natural therapies. So if you are suffering from Lyme just keep fighting and search for what you feel will work for you. The human body is an incredible self-healing machine if given the right nutrients and care. I do believe we all have the ability to help ourselves to not only overcome Lyme and co-infections but to emerge better than ever. I know I have.

Best of Health!

Brenda

Everything that I have done to heal myself is available for free on my blog. If you are interested in some additional help I offer online health coaching. Please go to this page for nutritional therapy and hair analysis.

Related Posts

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By 2007, my health had reached an all-time low. I was given a chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia diagnosis. I was on heavy psychiatric medications for bipolar disorder, major anxiety, chronic migraines and post-traumatic stress disorder. Most days I relied on painkillers for my increasing levels of pain.  By this time I had been sick for over fourteen years. My life was a constant battle to find some kind of stability in the midst of symptoms that included the following:

• severe body aches
• headaches
• migraines
• ongoing constipation
• intense head pressure
• chronic coughing
• extreme fatigue
• overall body weakness
• depression
• suicidal ideation
• anaemia
• weight gain
• bloating
• chronic left sided pain
• dizziness
• blurred vision
• bloodshot eyes
• dry skin
• dry and brittle hair
• ridged fingernails
• body numbness and tingling
• heart palpitations and shortness of breath
• panic attacks
• debilitating anxiety
• chemical sensitivities

On many days, I was barely strong enough to sit up in a chair. I would put on a brave front at mealtime and afterward collapse onto a couch or my bed.

I went to several doctors and received little to no help. The psychiatric diagnosis comes with a bias that seems inclined towards, “you are depressed, and these are the symptoms of your depression,” or “these are the side effects of the drugs.” None of them ever asked me about my diet; no one seemed to be able to offer me a solution.

The problem with this approach is that a drug is seen as the answer: a new chemical, perhaps in combination with a different coping strategy will make life more bearable… without really addressing the underlying problem. And so, I was repeatedly told I was depressed and would have to put up with the side-effects of the medications – a necessary evil.

Finally realizing that the allopathic medical system could not offer real and lasting solutions, I decided to do a little research. Thank heavens for the internet. I knew that something had to change or I wasn’t going to live much longer. I spent many, many hours online, and discovered that the body is a highly adaptive self-healing system. If given the proper fuel, and toxins removed, the body can function the way that it was designed.

Researching online, I slowly began to understand that I needed a holistic approach – one that considered the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of chronic illness. Each aspect is equally important and needs to be addressed. What we eat, drink, think, breathe and believe have tremendous repercussions on the state of our health. Over time, I came to understand that wellness is like a three-legged stool. If one leg is broken, the whole stool will fall over and not function as designed.

The body is a self-healing system.

There were so many testimonials online from people who were healing themselves by taking a body-mind-spirit approach to finding optimal health. Intuitively, I knew this was the way for me. I became hopeful and determined to regain my health using natural interventions. Finally, I would start to address the cause instead of just getting treated for symptoms. It just made plain old common sense, the kind that my Baba (grandmother) from Ukraine would have used.

And so I began my return journey to health. Here are the major steps that were involved.

Remove the bad stuff

1. Processed foods and sugar
2. Foods that create allergy or intolerance – most common are gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, shellfish and nuts
3. Amalgam dental fillings
4. Toxic drugs – I quit all psychiatric medications and painkillers in 2007 and began treating the mania and depression naturally. You can read more about this here.
5. Personal care products – Commercial body lotion, sunscreen, bug spray, toothpaste, make-up, hair care products, hair dyes, soaps, body scents and teeth whiteners, to name a few
6. Toxic household products – Heavily scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners, cleaning products
7. Environmental toxins – Of gassing from new furniture, carpets, new vehicle upholstery, fresh paint, mold in the home or workplace, EMF and dirty electricity exposure, cigarette smoke, air fresheners and  scented candles
8. Chronic infections – I started with a bowel cleanse,  treated parasites, and Lyme disease and co-infections.
9. Stress
10. Unhealthy relationships

Add the good stuff.

1. Real food, plenty of water,  Wahls Paleo Diet that provides all of the essential nutrients for great health.
2. Natural supplements, probiotics, superfoods and herbs to target individual infections, address nutritional deficiencies, correct digestion and heal the gut.
3. Exercise that is enjoyable and you look forward to.
4. Spending as much time as possible in nature.
5. Sweating – sauna or naturally in a hot climate is ideal.
6. Beach therapy – sunbathing, soaking in the sea and walking barefoot.
7. Straightening out the body – chiropractic therapy.
8. Laughter, fun and lots of love.
9. Living as simply and stress-free as possible.
10. Develop a loving relationship with a higher power.

This is what I have done to regain my health. It really seems like a daunting set of tasks. It began as a very steep learning curve and took me six years to complete them all. Why so long? Well, think of regaining your health like peeling back the layers of an onion. I just happened to be an onion with many, many layers.

I was very, very sick when I started to work at reversing my physical state. The report back from my first hair tissue mineral analysis looked like someone that was slowly starving to death. I was extremely low in all minerals except for two of them.

The slowest and most frustrating part of this entire process has been dealing with chronic infections; I spent about 4 years on this alone. I finally was diagnosed with Lyme and several co-infections in August 2012. I tried and failed with several different treatments for Lyme Disease and co-infections. I have now been in complete remission from everything since November 2014. I have just celebrated another year of Lyme Free Living! You can read about it here.

Some people may be restored to health in a relatively short time by changing their diet and perhaps doing one or two other things. I think it really depends on the level of toxicity, length of illness, nutritional deficiencies and level of damage to the body. In other words, there is no set timetable for recovery from illness. The body sets its own pace, based on what it needs.

It doesn’t seem fair for one person to have to deal with so many health-related issues. However, in many ways, my poor health was not unlike that of many others today. In a real sense, our health is a product of our times. And we are living today in what is probably the most toxic era in the history of humankind. Here are 12 Myths I Ignored to Recover 20 Years of Chronic Illness.

Despite this, it has all been worth it. The changes I’ve made have become a lifestyle that I wouldn’t give up for anything. To wake up each day without a headache or debilitating body pain and be able to walk five or six miles is a blessing beyond my wildest imagination. I am in complete remission from depression,  mania, Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia, all co-infections,  hypothyroidism, chronic migraines, adrenal fatigue, anaemia and nutritional deficiencies, since November 2014. I  have been medication-free since October 2007. Food is powerful medicine!

If you have Lyme Disease and are not recovering please read this article –
10 Reasons You Can’t Get Rid of Lyme Disease, Parasites, Candida and other Co-infections

Everything that I have done to recover my health is available here for free on my blog. If you would like a little extra help, I offer health coaching and hair tissue mineral analysis for a fee. Please go to this page for a list of my rates and to book an appointment for health coaching.

Blessings and Best of health!

Brenda

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For most of my life, I just followed along. Like a sheep, I did what “they” told me to do. These were my family medical doctors, surgeons, psychiatrists, dentists, nurses, nutritionists, media and big pharma.  The problem was I was getting sicker and sicker as the years went by. By 2004, I completely lost the ability to work and was on loads of medication. In 2007, I hit bottom with my health. I knew that if I didn’t change what I was doing, then I was going to die. Diagnoses included chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder, major anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, chronic migraines and a ton of symptoms relating to lyme disease. I knew it wasn’t possible to feel any worse than I did, so I began researching alternative health. Here you will find that I started to do the exact opposite and the results have been astounding.

They Said

1. You need drugs
I quit all drugs in 2007. I was on heavy drugs for over 14 years and my health continued to decline. These included antidepressants, painkillers, anti-anxiolytics, laxatives, mood stabilizers, sedatives  and antibiotics. The mental illness and pain were actually the result of Lyme Disease, mineral deficiencies and eating foods that caused an inflammatory response. 

2. The sun will give you cancer
I increased sun exposure. Research shows clearly that low blood levels of vitamin D are linked with a higher risk of cancer. Our most natural way to get Vitamin D is still the sun – despite the fact that it has been demonized over the years. Vitamin D is an important infection-fighter and key ingredient for a healthy functioning immune system.  Note: Those of us with chronic infections do not have healthy immune systems, and typically have very low stores of Vitamin D.  If you are fair or have avoided sunbathing for many years you will have to condition your skin to receive direct sun. Start with a few minutes per day and work your way up. Do not burn your skin. Most days I get at least 1 -2 hours of sun per day. I walk, swim or do aqua-fit most mornings.  You can read my article on Beach Therapy for a better explanation of why I love the sun, sea and sand. My skin is lovely and I get many compliments on it.

3. Use Sunscreen 
I quit sunscreen. Sunscreen is full of toxic chemicals. Read the labels. The skin absorbs everything we put on it. If you are not prepared to eat it, then don’t use it. Coconut oil serves as a mild sunblock and I use it often. If I am out for long periods of time I prefer to cover up or sit in the shade.
Dr. Bruce Fife author of  Virgin Coconut Oil- Nature’s Miracle Medicine
“One of the oldest uses for coconut oil is as a sun screen/suntan lotion. Islanders have been using coconut oil for this purpose for thousands of years. In the tropics where the climate is hot, islanders traditionally wore little clothing so that they could keep themselves cool. To protect themselves from the burning rays of the hot tropical sun they applied a thin layer of coconut oil over their entire body. This would protect them from sunburn, improve skin tone and help keep annoying insects away”.

4. Get regular mammograms
I quit these completely. I do not want to expose my breasts to ionizing radiation which can contribute to breast cancer. Thermography is a much better option.

5. You need amalgam fillings
I got all of mine removed. Mercury is one of the most deadly neurotoxic metals known to humankind. You can read about it here.

6. You need flouride dental treatments
I quit these. I only go to the dentist about once every 3 years for a cleaning. I also stopped using toothpaste with fluoride and other hazardous chemicals. Dr Mercola has a good article, ” The Toxic Flouride Toothpaste”.  I just brush my teeth with baking soda mixed with coconut oil.

7. Get the flu shot
I quit these. According to the CDC, these shots contain thimerosal, aluminum,  formaldehyde and neomycin (antibiotic). Once I discovered the ingredients, I decided that this wasn’t for me. The flu shot isn’t that effective anyway. I know several people who caught the flu even though they received the flu shot.

8. You need a hysterectomy
If you are female and over the age of 40 and have any issues, this is probably what you will be told. I had 3 doctors tell me this in 2004. The problem was prolapse and painful menstruation.  These were solved with magnesium, parasite cleansing and correcting constipation, which was causing the internal pressure and contributing to the prolapse. I did eventually agree to a lift surgery, but that was all.  I am now entering menopause with very little difficulty. Removing any organ, in my opinion, is a serious matter. I always feel it is better to find the cause so a solution can be implemented. Not just treat the symptom or cut out an organ.

9. Eat a low-fat diet 
I ate a low-fat diet for most of my life. Now I  eat a lot of butter, bacon, organ meats, sardines, salmon, eggs,  avocados, fish oil, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil. We need good fats for proper functioning of the nerves and brain, the production of hormones, transport of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and for healthy skin and tissues.

10. Reduce eggs and red meat
I eat about 12 – 18 organic and free-range eggs per week. We eat organic, grass fed red meat at least 3 times per week. These are very nutrient dense foods that have really helped me heal and build muscle. Here is a study that confirms that there is no relationship between egg intake and coronary heart disease incidence.

11. Eat 42 servings of bread, pasta and grains per week
I ate a high carbohydrate diet for most of my life. The Canada Health Food Guide encourages this type of diet. I cut out all grains, bread and pasta and moved to the Wahls Paleo Diet.  Now that I have recovered my health I have added in some white and sweet potatoes, rice and beans. If you live in Mexico there’s going to be some rice and bean eating.

Today

I no longer just blindly follow along. I question everything and do my research. I stick with a  nutrient-dense, traditional diet and plant-based medicines that have been around for centuries. The road to recovering my health has been long and slow because I made many mistakes along the way. I also didn’t know that I had Lyme Disease.  It took me almost 7 years to heal myself. Here is an article that explains in more detail all that I have done to get well. I no longer suffer from Bipolar Disorder, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease, migraines, hypothyroidism, anaemia, candida overgrowth, parasites and other co-infections. With proper nutrition, detoxification and healthy lifestyle the body can and will heal itself.    

If you are interested in booking a consult, please go to this page for nutritional therapy and hair analysis.         

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

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