This is for anyone who has been following my asthma story, now turned saga. If you don't know the goings-on, feel free to look to the right and click on the "Health" tag for the beginning of the story.
In my last post, I left off with a blurb about my looking into natural antibiotics. My intent in doing so however, was not sufficiently clear. I still fully intended to try Dr. Hahn's recommended treatment protocol, but after my experience with the Biaxin, I just wanted to give my body some time to detox a bit first. I was experiencing nasty side effects for several days after quitting the Biaxin, and in addition to that, my chest congestion and constriction came back, and was even worse than before. I expected that this was going to happen, but I figured that I would just try to stave off anything worse by taking some natural antibiotics in the interim.
Despite being somewhat informed as to natural health, and striving to live a healthy life, natural supplementation, and particularly which supplement was good for what ailment, always alluded me. I figured I'd ask people who were more informed on that topic, and I got some really good suggestions from this very kind couple I met through Twitter. I took what they and others said, and did a little of everything. I took colloidal silver for a period of about 10 days, high dosed vitamin C (about 10,000mg/day), and added turmeric and garlic to everything. I also cut out sugar and dairy, which I had been having in small amounts in my coffee, which I also quit. I had already cut out gluten, although I had had a few slip-ups prior to this period. I greeted every morning with a mega dose of vitamin C and yerba mate. I had already been taking probiotics due to being on the antibiotics, so I continued that, and I had some kombucha every few days. I did this for almost two weeks. I noticed that after I took the colloidal silver, I would have a short period of productive coughing followed by a period of some relief of my symptoms. But the periods were brief. I had to keep to the air conditioning at all times. It didn't help that the weather was just awful--at times hot and muggy, and at times cold and damp. Nevertheless, I kept up with these natural antibiotics, and I believe they kept me from getting too much worse. Nevertheless, I was having asthmatic episodes daily. They weren't like isolated attacks, but just large periods of wheezing and chest constriction. Talking was difficult, so I just stayed silent. I was uncomfortable as well, so it's not like I could even concentrate on doing anything like reading. I did my best at silently directing the kids to keep up with some of their independent work while I was essentially confined to the air conditioned areas. After a week and a half of this, I decided that I had had about enough. I wanted my life back. I figured it was time to try another doctor.
My husband called to make the appointment. As mentioned, I couldn't even speak. I was so hoarse at that point, and sleep deprived, that I probably wouldn't have made much sense anyway. We got all of the relevant information together, and stuck it all in a manila folder. I was to be the first patient of the day. I had seen this doctor before, and I wasn't sure what to make of him. I knew him to be especially chatty, unlike many of the other doctors I had seen in my life, but I figured that this was a good thing. He had another physician do the preliminary "interview" for him, and I was pleasantly surprised that this man seemed to be well aware of the effects of diet and nutrition on overall health. Most doctors, in my experience, play down this connection, as nonsensical as that may sound. One of the first things he told me was that I should eliminate gluten and dairy from my diet. He was pleased when I told him that I had already done so. He then proceeded to urge me to high dose vitamin C. Check. I was doing that, too. He also told me that it appeared that my adrenals were spent, and that I would need to take something to help with this. This, by the way, was something else my knowledgeable Twitter friends suggested. During this part of the appointment, I mentioned Dr. Hahn and his research on antibiotics and asthma, but he wasn't very receptive. At first I think he assumed that I was bringing up some unsubstantiated internet claims. Well, there was that and the fact that he generally seemed to be into pursuing more natural options to supplement my traditional prescription corticosteroids. I explained that while I understood the risks of long-term antibiotic use, that I was considering the big picture--i.e. a few months of regulated antibiotic use as opposed to a lifetime of steroids to treat my asthma. Now, to be fair to those who counseled me to eschew all forms of standard pharmacological options in favor of healing via diet and lifestyle, I freely admit that perhaps I didn't give the non-standard dietary course of treatment enough time to take. But frankly, I was miserable, and my family was suffering the consequences of having a mother and wife that was unable to function at the capacity required of her.
After that patient interview, I was ushered in to the next examining room where I would see my doctor. I overheard the first physician speaking with my doctor, and heard mention of a few words in fleeting--something about the internet, and a cure for asthma. I immediately figured that my first assumption was correct, and that they thought I had fallen for some unsubstantiated internet claim of a cure for asthma. A few seconds later, the doctor entered the room and proceeded to tell me that there was no cure for asthma. Gutted again. Then he went on to tell me for over an hour (yes, this is no exaggeration...I was in there for a very long time), that all I could do was move to Arizona. He assured me that the drier climate would be as close to a cure as I could hope for. I am not the sort to break down into tears in front of strangers, but I almost did just that. My husband had been with me in the examining room for the interview part of the visit, but had to leave abruptly when he got a call from his dad, asking him to come right away and pick up our kids. An emergency came up, and he had to take my mother-in-law to the hospital (she's much better now, by the way) and would be unable to watch the children after all. When my husband ran out, as he had to of course, I felt I was missing my advocate. Thankfully, he was back long before I was done, and helped me find my voice again. As mentioned, I was in there for a long time--just over two hours I'd say. After finally getting the opportunity to plead my case, the doctor actually agreed that I might be a good candidate for the treatment. I nearly died of shock when he started writing the prescriptions. Because I was in such bad shape when I came in, he suggested I take a Z-pack first, then follow that with a 3-day burst of 1800mg of azithromycin. That would come to a total of eight days of daily antibiotics. Once that course was followed, I was to graduate to the once per week dose of 600mg.
It was suggested that in addition to high dosing vitamin C, that I needed to increase my intake of probiotics, start taking SAM-E 400mg for liver support, take green tea extract to ward off any yeast infections, and take Adrenotone to enhance my adrenal function. I have taken all of these daily, as well as following a healthy diet free of dairy and gluten. Once upon a time, I followed a vegan diet and felt the best I had ever felt when on it, and I have since considered going strict vegan again, but I'm not quite there yet. I'm not completely discounting this as a possibility in the near future however, especially as I think that particular diet would only enhance what I'm already doing to cure myself.
My results so far? Normally when taking antibiotics, I get immediate relief. This time it took a bit longer. I had completed the first eight days' worth of doses before feeling a significant difference. I am now currently at the one dose per week part of the regimen. Today I will take my second weekly dose, and so far so good. I was able to return to my kung fu classes last week, and I'm feeling stronger with every passing day. There have been a few rough patches here and there, but nothing like what I was experiencing before. I'm planning on staying the course, and I'm not letting those little rough patches deter me. I've read that in some cases, the full benefits of this treatment can take up to a year or so to become apparent, so I've got a long way to go. I expect to be taking these pills until some time in September. I'm hopeful that this will work for me. It's a glass half-full kind of day.
NOTE:
See Here and Here for the beginning of the story. I hope to get another post up on this soon!
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