If you follow me on Instagram, you know a little bit of what this update is going to say since I shared some of this last week. I’ll admit that I kept putting off writing this post. I’ve found it hard to want to share – which feels a little strange but there’s something scary about saying “I’m feeling some better!” I feel the weight of expectation landing squarely on my shoulders. Expectation that I won’t have any more set backs. Expectation that I’ll soon be back to full health. Expectation…expectation… Perhaps it’s just all in my mind, but they have held me back. So, I’m facing them and finally writing this post because I NEED to. I need to document this. 
Overall Health: One word: improvement. Do you know how scary that word is to type? I’m noticing I’m able to do things that I wouldn’t have months ago. Fatigue is still a big struggle. Focusing on one task has been tricky.
January 16-23 – all symptoms started easing. Needing naps occasionally- cut back on dosage of dmsa which helped with fatigue a lot. Only mild flaring in evenings now, including the restless fibropain. Still struggles with mood after increasing xcht to 3/day. Started h2plx on the 20th. Am avoiding fruit in the am, since the 20th to see if I have any changes in how I feel. Increased B2 to 2/day on the 23rd.
25th – woke up tired and decent fatigue but wasn’t couch bound. Migraine didn’t kick in till around 130pm.
1-26 felt good today. Did a bunch of cleaning and took Abby to the park. One? Two? Clonidine. Increased horse chestnut to 2/day till day 28.
1-27 upset stomach all day but felt good despite that, took one clonidine late afternoon. Took Abby to the park. Quick grocery store trip ( used a basket instead of a cart!), Worked on book.
1-28 feel good but so tired- couldn’t nap so took Abby on a walk.
1-29 felt good again, took Abby to the park. Migraine in afternoon, mostly kept down with clonidine. Some minor brain fog. Increased h2plx to 2/day
1-30 IV. Cycle started. Fatigue but still feel decent. Took Abby on a walk in am.
2-7 been feeling pretty well the past week. Been able to do quite a bit. Think I overdid it today though – with a lack of veggies, causing some cramping and my left calf is very tight. Brain fog has been increasing. Not feeling able to handle decisions/lots of stuff going on around me. This is my last week of chelation!!
2-9 fatigue has followed me all week – thanks in part to the chelation. Hip has been hurting the last two nights. Some minor fibropain in my left hand and left calf. Still avoiding fruit in the am as I’ve noticed that I am not as hungry throughout the day. Have even not been hungry for some meals this past few weeks.
2-15 have been doing well this past week. A bit of migraine and fibromyalgia flare up, but it wasn’t bad. Sleeping better and sometimes longer. Energy. More mental clarity. Hip has been hurting lately. Jaw pops/hurts a lot
Migraines: These have decreased – yay! There have been a few days that I haven’t taken any clonidine – and several where I just needed one.
Sleep: This has stayed the same – with maybe some slight improvement? – where I’m getting 7 hours a night (almost to the minute). I wake up about 2 times a night. I’m not needing as many naps during the day – but often even when I do, I can’t fall asleep.
Memory/Disassociation: I’m starting to think I can take the disassociation aspect off of this list! Memory has improved slightly (?)
“and then, one day, you see a spark of your old self again.”
Vision: No visual auras at all this month. My eyes have been more blurry than normal when I’m tired lately.
Fibromyalgia: I can’t believe how much this has eased. My left calf still is tense most days. I’ve been able to crochet/ write just about as much as I want. When it does increase, it’s more in my joints – wrists, elbows, knees and ankles.
TMJ: It’s been popping a lot along with my teeth aching the past few weeks. I’ve had to push out my bodywork appointment almost two weeks and I am sure that’s a big part of this.
Fatigue: This eased dramatically once I cut back (and then finished) my chelation dosage. It’s still strong though, to where it is the main symptom I have day to day.
Weight Loss: I’ve lost almost all that I had gained in Nov/Dec. I have been able to get out and walk Abby a lot more these past few weeks.
Mood: Yay for mood consistency again!
Bladder: This has eased a bit I think. It’s at least to the point of my normal (which still isn’t where it needs to be)
All in all, I can’t quite believe the progress I’ve seen this past month. I’m finding myself saying ‘ I couldn’t have done ________ a few months ago’, quite a bit! I am still, of course, ill – fatigue holds me back daily, mental clarity is still something I lack often, etc. I just read through January 2017‘s update and can’t believe how far I’ve come in a year.
~Laura
the start of a good life 