Hello, fellow sufferers of Environmental Illness or Multiple Chemical Sensitivity !

I HAVE AN EXTREME VERSION OF EI.

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Some personal thoughts I felt compelled to share. Highlights the complexity of emotions and feelings when one has multiple body wide symptoms.

Broadly speaking physically and mentally it kind of feels like the culmination of almost a lifetime of not being 'free', instead being overly sensitive and stimulated by my surroundings that has culminated in a body that simply can't keep up, ahearing to ideologies and unhealthy traits outside of myself that have caused a disharmony that I'm battling to balance. The reliance on sugar and a manifestation of these feelings have left me where I am today, constantly looking for solutions. I've always looked to others to tell me what to do, and feel frustrated that I can't conjure up my own feelings of love, courage, commitment, creativity and joy. I'm stagnent in my ability to experience true happiness. One quick signal from the body, whether it's a sleepless night, a reminder of my slim frame, or 2 days without a bowel movement disipates any positivity I am able to conjure up. Considering the harmonious attachment of mind and body, how can I possibly overcome the body's cries with a mental calmness and stability? Lots of people are out there willing to help me but my barriers are strong, and I relenquish almost all control to them in the hope of a miraculous turnaround. This is how I feel perfectionism manifests. I'm searching for someone or something to tell me 'the right way'.

I feel like I'm chasing a lifestyle or normality and continue to punish myself for being further and further away from that ideology. With each new symptom and or life situation that drags me further from this ideology, the thiner and longer the tightrope wire becomes. I constantly crave feelings of improvement, akin to a sprinter finally getting out his blocks on his way to the finish line as fast as possible. Instead I never feel like I start the race, and self perpetuate running backwards in the opposite direction. Do I have anyone to beat? Only myself.

I'm a smart, good looking, funny, articulate and intelligent young man. My random insights and quick wit make me favourable company when I am in a positive mood and not physically burdaned. I ultimately want to share my life with others on a deeper level but fear what they think of me. I feel I have the potential for true achievement but this translates into a yearning that clouds a level of acceptance for who I am in this second of this minute of this hour. I don't want to play out my life sick, on a computer and stagnant. I want to experience the freshness, stillness and exuberence of mountain biking through a english forest in the mild heat of spring, or once again commanding the defence of my local lacrosse team - not through boisterous volume, aggression, and anger, but instead encouraging and experiencing unity and passion for spending those moment with others, all striving for a common goal. I want to experience the vibrant colours and scenary of some of the most beautiful places in the world such as the blue caribbeans beaches or an african sunset. I want to embrace cultures, particular those where happiness and contenment come from within, not from a society where the size of your paycheck rules.

Almost as instantly as I conjured up those thoughts I'm back in my bed, lying in my dressing gown constipated with a throbbing right side at 4.20pm. Could I have done more today regardless? yes.

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Quick synopsis of my situation...

I have had what I found to be MCS since a head injury in Sept '05.  I donated blood, passed out and hit my head, waking up on the floor.  A week to the day after, I started to experience symptoms and through much trial, error, and turmoil, my husband and I partially converted our house away from natural gas use, I had to quit my job after 7 months of enduring feeling terrible there post injury.  I have found some relief to my digestive issues by avoiding most foods I have tested sensitive to, taking a probiotic every other day, and drinking lots of water. 

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Trying not to let me anger and frustration overflow too much, however I was given a stark reminder into the orthodox view of sub clinical chronic illnesses by my GP.

As I have been experiencing more digestive related symptoms of late, including abdominal/stomach ache, pop bellied feeling, occasional nausea, flatulence, gas, bloating, loose stools, stomach burning and constipation, I decided to approach my GP for a general rendezvous, and perhaps the option of doing a H Pylori breath test.

 Almost immediately I was ‘diagnosed’ as having IBS, then told my physical symptoms were a manifestation of my mental state, then told to take up yoga, rounded off nicely with the comment ‘M.E is a disease of despair’.
So not only was I denied a simple test, but I was hit hard with some ignorant orthodox views. I left mildly flustered to say the least.

 I’m trying to look at this symptom set rationally, with the following scenarios....

IBS as a result of adrenal fatigue – Definitely likely. Not experiencing much relief from AF supplements alone. In fact these symptoms, especially constipation can further weaken the adrenals and if absorption is a problem, adrenal supplements may not be affective.      
Stomach ulcer – Quite possible again. I occasionally get burning after meals (often in the eve) and experienced burning from taking a single HCL capsule. Not quite sure whether the full range of symptoms can be attributed to this.

H Pylori – A potential cause of the above

Candida – Again likely. I had a colonic a week ago and didn’t experience any lasting relief. Hard to gauge whether problems are occurring before or in the gut.

Acid Reflux – None of the symptoms appear to be any higher up than my belly button. This is where the burning and abdominal aches are occurring.

Hiatus hernia – Again would probably rule this out similar to above.
Sluggish liver – Feels burdened at the moment, but I assume is not directly related to
Food allergies – I already have a supremely restricted and hypoallergenic diet. If it is anyway it will be something obscure like kale or spinach! Unlikely I suspect. Trying a 4 day constant diet to see if things change.


Current approaches.....

 
General digestion and stomach – zinc, B vitamins

H pylori – Mastic gum – 2g a day

Ulcer – Licorice root (for the adrenals as well) – ½ a teaspoon in the morning, slippery elm – 1 teaspoon in a gruel once a day.

Candida – Haven’t really started yet due to shot adrenals and a sluggish liver. Was hoping for some improvement in other areas however that day may not come! I have florastor in the cupboard and may try some probiotics/kefir.

Liver – LivaTone plus - Predominantly milk thistle. Pantethine 900mg.

Not getting flustered, depressed!


I really should do some testing as well but I have no cash.
I’m now more determined than ever to prove my GP wrong and get well.

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 For those who suffer from allergies and intolerances, or have a partner that does, Valentine's Day is often not a simple affair. Places to eat, romantic home-cooked meals,  and traditional gifts all have their problems.

Food allergies are a particular problem and can cause  symptoms including nasal congestion or a scratchy throat after eating a food. They can also cause serious problems such as throat closures, tightness, swelling of the face, breathing trouble and anaphylaxis (a life-threatening blockage of the airways).

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Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) is something that those suffering from environmental illnesses often struggle with. Poor thyroid function has been linked to many of then illnesses covered on this site and is often the hidden cause of a host of chronic symptoms including fatigue, poor cognitive function, low mood, low sex drive, cold intolerance, weight gain or inability to lose weight...and many others.

Assuming you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (not easy in itself), unless the cause is obvious such as a tumour or autoimmune disease and is detectable using routine tests, chances are you will simply be given a prescription for thyroxine (the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland and also referred to as 'T4') and have your blood levels monitored, along with levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) - a pituitary hormone that stimulates production of T4 by the thyroid gland.

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