For the last few weeks I have been having some serious memory issues. Not the typical, why did I walk in this room?, or where are my sunglasses? (when they are firmly planted on my head). For about two months now I feel like I've been walking around in a fog. Basic thoughts are hard to process. Making decisions is painful, and trying to talk without sounding like I'm drunk is a chore. At first glance, some friends and I thought perhaps Mother Nature was chiming in telling me I'm starting to get old. At first I was shocked, how could I, a spry young 43 year old be pre - (insert the M word here)? Since I was having serious issues remembering things and screwing up at work and forgetting really important things at home (I'd give you an example, but I can't recall...) I decided to go to my doctor. After a very thorough interview, she set up some tests and informed me that it's definitely more serious than just the impending arrival of the big M. My typing and talking dyslexia, the inability to do math in my head (which I used to do for fun - geeky, I know), the constant brain fog - all point to inflammation in my brain. Fortunately, because I am not having other neurological issues like problems with my gait as well as problems reaching out and grasping things, they have ruled out a brain tumor - insert big SIGH here. I'm not normally a nervous Nelly about being under the weather. A cough is just a cough, not a precursor to lung cancer. A headache doesn't mean I have a brain tumor. But I've got to tell you, this has me more than a little on edge.
I see a two person team, a homepathic MD and a Naturopathic Doctor, and as a result of my doctor's appointment, we are working on healing my apparent systemic inflammation. In addition to the brain fog, all of my joints seem to hurt, my heels, my knees, my wrists and my shoulders, oh my goodness, my shoulders. I'm a side sleeper and they've been hurting so much lately that I wake up in the middle of the night when I roll over. No fun there. I would think now that I'm eating so much healthier (being gluten and dairy free for 5 months, supporting my daughter - see here for
her story), that I would be feeling better not worse. In general, I do feel a whole lot better. Since stopping gluten, I am no longer itchy all the time. Can I get an amen for that?! I don't think I'll ever go back. Since stopping dairy, I no longer have the most annoying post nasal drip ever. Woohoo! Unfortunately though, they do think that whatever substitutions I've made since going GF/CF are causing some full blown allergic reaction.
I got some blood tests done on Tuesday which will hopefully shed some light on the situation. They are testing my thyroid, testing for dyslexia (who knew they could do that in a blood test). They are also looking for immediate as well as delayed immunological food allergies. I am now on an anti inflammation diet, and I'm taking a few supplements as well.
I feel like some dizzy girl moved into my head and I want her out and I want the old me back!!
