The Whole Story!

This is probably more than most of you want to read :), but just in case anyone is interested here are most of the details of my health history. I'm sure I have left some stuff out, but I am trying to keep a month by month log for myself because it is so easy to forget exactly what has happened. I started this log a couple of years ago, and before going to see Dr. Clamp I worked on updating it. I will add to it with new information and hopefully improvements!

Prior to 2002, I was generally quite healthy. I have struggled with lower energy over the course of my life (ups and downs), but nothing like I deal with now. I have never had any trouble exercising and in fact have thrived on it in the past. It is a completely different story these days. In 1996 I had some unexplained back pain and low grade fever which was never figured out, although I had many tests run. It resolved itself when I quit taking birth control pills. I had a completely healthy pregnancy in 1998 and no problems whatsoever after my son was born.

2002: Two miscarriages.

Sept. 2003: Delivered full-term twins

Oct. 2003–Mar. 2004: Battled thrush (me and girls) while breastfeeding. We ended up taking Diflucan which cleared the girls immediately, but I continued to have symptoms indefinitely.

Jan.-Feb. 2004: Weight loss/heart palpitations, hair loss

March 8, 2004: Blood work done which showed slightly hyper-thyroid

March 10, 2004: Collapsed and taken to E. R.
Symptoms: Shaking, muscle weakness, heart palpitations, dizzy, tingly fingers

March-April 2004: Diagnosed with “panic/anxiety.” Given Xanax. Symptoms got a little better; then much improved until May 2004 (after traveling to Mark’s grandfather’s funeral)

May 2004: Worsening symptoms which included: chest pain, burning mouth, tingling sensations, spacy/dizzy, vibrating, unable to concentrate or think clearly, queasy, anxiety, pressure in neck. (eventually found that many of these symptoms could be from withdrawal from the Xanax which I had quit taking) Saw Naturopathic Doctor. Diagnosed with low potassium and low adrenals. Began taking potassium, Vitamin B complex, Calcium/magnesium, colloidal minerals, probiotics. Ob-gyn prescribed Zoloft.

June–Aug. 2004: Continued improvement in symptoms, although worse with stress.

July 2004: Thyroid re-checked at my request. Diagnosed hypothyroid/Hashimoto’s disease with a TSH of 10 and thyroid antibodies. Prescribed Synthroid.

Aug.–Dec. 2004: Felt fairly good except for some heart palpitations and vibrating. TSH is normal with Synthroid.

Jan.-Feb. 2005: Didn't feel as well. In Feb., joint pain began. Vibrating and hair loss continued.

March 2005: Continued joint pain and swelling in fingers began. Began taking: Vitamin D, fish oil and extra magnesium.

May 2005: Discontinued Zoloft. Saw rheumatologist. X-rays showed indications of rheumatoid arthritis; blood work showed signs of mixed connective tissue disease.

June 2005: New symptoms: nausea, increased achiness and joint pain. Prescribed Armour in addition to Synthroid (by a nurse practitioner). Discovered mold in the house after returning from vacation. This was from a dishwasher leak under our kitchen floor. All mold was remediated with Mark doing a lot of the work.

August 2005: New symptoms: Tingly sensations/pressure on left side of body, muscle weakness, exhaustion, brain fog, diarrhea, pain/pressure in neck, pain in lower left back.

Oct. 2005–Spring 2006: Digestive problems worsened with terrible bloating, alternating constipation and diarrhea. I tested positive for gluten intolerance through Enterolab. I eliminated gluten which helps some, but I still reacted to many foods I was eating. The gluten free diet eliminated the joint pain and great reduced the joint swelling. I stopped seeing the Rheumatologist with the relief of these symptoms.

Feb. 2006: Saw Naturopathic Doctor again. Diagnosed with Candida (yeast overgrowth) as well as low adrenal/low thyroid (possible pituitary problem). I had horrible die-off (mainly fatigue) when I took my first round of anti-fungals because she did not start me on a strict candida diet at the same time.

March-April 2006: I started a strict candida diet (no carbs, no sugar) with anti-fungals and probiotics.

June 2006: I finally had relief from digestive problems when I added fermented foods (homemade sauerkraut) into my diet. I am still on this diet as of November 2008 and it controls the thrush and digestive problems – unless I cheat a lot.

I saw Dr. Kevin Harrison (current osteopathic physician) for the first time this month. His focus is thyroid and adrenals. He started me out on a small amount of Armour because my free T3 was VERY low even though my TSh was normal. I initially felt really good. Energy is good, head is clear, digestion is great.

July 2006 - Hubby comes down with a strange flu-like illness that affects his muscles. Muscle enzymes are elevated. He is very sick but eventually recovers, although some muscle function in his hands never recovers. This seems to trigger ongoing health problems such as fatigue, joint pain, muscle aches and pains, poor sleep. He takes supplements which help, and tries meds such as natural testosterone, thyroid meds etc. Everything seems to be a temporary fix, but no long term relief.

Aug. 2006: Fatigue began to set in.

November 2006: I completely crashed and sheer exhaustion set in. Some days I could barely lift my arms. I took an adrenal stress test which came back low at all times of day. Began to gain weight.

Dec. 2006: Dr. Harrison started me on an herbal supplement for my adrenals and had me back off the Armour which was probably too much for my adrenals then. Very little improvement until I added in some licorice root (at the advice of compounding pharmacist). Unfortunately, I began to get headaches form the licorice and had to quit taking it. The next couple of months were pretty rough.

March 2007: Dr. H started me on Cortef (prescription) for my adrenals and over the course of the year worked up to 31.25 mg. We also added Armour back in. I began to improve very slowly.

Summer 2007: I was up and down with fatigue, but slowly improved with each increase of Armour. I also began taking DHEA because those levels were almost non-existent.

Dec. 2007: Stable and functional, but still very tired most of the time. Taking 31.25 mg. Cortef and 3 ¼ grain Armour. I had expected more. I was sleeping pretty well, but didn’t have a lot of stamina throughout the day. Tiredness and brain fog are were my main symptoms. Almost all of the “weird” symptoms I have had over the past couple of years are completely gone.

Jan. 2008: I asked Dr. Harrison to check my Reverse T3. It came back very high which is not good and it was likely keeping my T3 from working properly. Dr. H agreed to try a switch to Cytomel (straight T3) to clear out my RT3. This was a bumpy transition, but I end up on 75 mcg. Cytomel by the Summer.

Aug. 2008: I am improved on the Cytomel, sleeping pretty well, but again most days I feel TIRED, even if I sleep well. If I don’t sleep well, I feel pretty yucky. I am achy, brain foggy, and even more exhausted. I do occasionally have a great day where I am clear headed and energetic. Dr. H. decides to add in 1 grain of Armour to my Cytomel as well as increase my DHEA from 5 mg. to 10 mg. (My DHEA won’t come up much above 20)

Sept. 2008: I began having pregnancy symptoms (nausea, breast tenderness) and not sleeping well. I am NOT pregnant and finally figured out that the DHEA was converting to estrogen and causing these symptoms. I quit taking it altogether and gradually symptoms disappear. Still wasn't sleeping night after night and consequently felt awful during the day. Dr. H. had me drop the Armour. After a week, I began to sleep better and, of course, feel better.

Oct. 2008: Saw Dr. H. and he decided to add in ¼ grain Armour to Cytomel now and switch me to 7-keto DHEA in a month (less likely to convert to estrogen). I am doing much better than I was in September. Still tired a lot, brain foggy if I don’t sleep. I am having a lot of heart palpitations at night as well as continued hair loss, dry skin, mild swelling in fingers and weight fluctuations. Supplements that are REALLY helping me are Cod Liver Oil, Ashwagandha, B Complex, probiotics and antifungals.

Dec. 2008: See Dr. Clamp and she diagnoses me (based on blood work) with low testosterone and low pregnenolone and I start supplementing with both hormones. I react terribly to both even when taken separately. Testosterone causes sleep problems, emotional reactions to everything and just plain feeling terrible. Pregnenolone interrupts sleep. Quit taking both. I also try swapping out some Cytomel for Armour. This doesn’t go well and I notice my heart skipping beats. I go back to straight Cytomel.

April 2009: Results of 24 hour urine hormone test show low in almost everything, most likely due to taking too much HC. Dr. Clamp wants me to reduce HC and Cytomel. Ask Dr. Clamp about mold testing and have blood work done. Begin working on reducing HC. Will deal with the Cytomel later. Dr. Harrison concurs.

June 2009: Mold testing shows low MSH, high MMP9 among other things. I also appear to have one of the dreaded mold susceptible genotypes. (4-3-53)