This week I thought I'd try to get all you multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) sufferers involved and conduct a kind of survey so we can see the most common symptoms of the condition and how it develops in different people. I hope this is an idea that interests you and you'll get involved by leaving comments below.

First of all I'd like to discuss my personal feeling on what MCS actually is. There has been a lot of confusion among both doctors and patients about whether MCS is an allergic condition or a neurological condition. My personal feeling through experience of the illness and reveiwing the available scientific literature is that it is most definitely a neurological disease caused by neurotoxicity (toxic damage to the brain).

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As part of my illness I have suffered greatly with Seasonal Affective Disorder, known also by its appropriate acronym - SAD. I notice large seasonal variations in my mood, energy levels and other symptoms and also day to day variations depending on the weather. Even a cloudy or rainy day in summer can make me feel depressed and sluggish.

I have recently tried high dose vitamin D treatment after seeing studies that showed very positive results and wanted to tell you about what it has done for me. First though I want to talk a bit about my experience with SAD.

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Trying to put it in a nutshell for my forst blog post. All comments will be warmly received. I have had Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for a few years but it has I feel slowly crept up on me. I didn't happen overnight. I no longer work. I used to be a Senior Clinical nurse in General and Mental Health. I have Irritable bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, Chronic back problems due to old car accidents and work injuries. Other things I experience are chemical/light/noise/skin/food sensitivities. I also have Depression and anxiety. Along with this I get facial nerve pain, sinisitus, waxy ears, sleep problems, fatigue, brain fog, jaw pain, flue and arthritic like symptoms

After a few years dealing with insurance companies, social security, specialists and doctors, alternative therapists , tests etc etc, I am now fairly well. I had chronic systemic candida treated, discovered my food sensitivities, sorted the sleep and Depression/Anxiety  problems. I have a doc who understands Fibro/CFS, Social Security and the work insurance company leave me alone. I take Amitriptyline 25mg and 1mg Clonazepam at night to sleep and try to get to bed by midnight. I also take Sertraline 100mg in the morning for depression. The rest are suppliments. Zinc, VitB12, VitC, Multivitamins, Fish oil, Probiotics, magnesium and cysteplus/glycene/glutamine powder all taken in the morning. The only pain meds I take are Paracetamol and Digesic (rarely).

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Hi everyone, my name is Jason and I am a multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) sufferer. Like anyone who has MCS I have had a hard time convincing anyone (friends, family, doctors) that I am actually sick. Recently I managed to get a SPECT scan of my brain carried out which has given me visible proof that I am actually sick. I thought many of you here would be interested to see the scans so wanted to post this blog. 

Just so you understand the scan more clearly- it is the scan and function of 'my' brain overlapping the 'Normal' healthy functioning image of an adult brain.  I try to point out the graphing system used on the side with my finger.  If my scan was functioning within the normal range there wouldn't be any color deviation away from the color 'gray'.  Where it is gray colored is where my brain's functioning (cerebral blood flow) is within the normal range expected.  However where it is any other color but gray is where the function of my brain is outside what has been deemed healthy and normal.  As you can see what prompted a diagnosis of a 'Neuroimmunological' process is due to the fact that in many places the function and blood flow of my brain is far below average.  Showing signs of inflammation possibly caused by a virus, toxic exposure, lack of oxygen, or all the above.  I've had varying degrees of difficulty my whole life- but it became disabiling after I got a bad virus in 2002.  I'm on disability now.  My ability to handle certain foods, chemicals, fumes, pollution, etc., is extremely low now.

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First of all Happy New Year to everyone! I hope 2009 brings renewed health and happiness to all visitors to The Environmental Illness Resource. I will continue to do my small part to bring you information and resources to make sure this is the case!

Over Christmas I couldn't help but reflect on how far I have come on my own personal journey in the last 4-5 years. This can best be illustrated with photos (Apologies in advance for the poor quality of some of them!).

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