Deja Vu All Over Again

I've had so many major improvements in my health over the past few months. I've lost 32 pounds, gotten off several medications, seen a drastic reduction in the frequency and severity of my cataplexy attacks, and had a dramatic increase in my energy levels. So, I really didn't see this one coming: the dreaded pain in my side is back. I noticed it creeping in a few weeks ago but hoped it was just my imagination. But one night at bedtime it was so severe that I could not sleep despite the strong sedative I take at night for my narcolepsy. That's when I knew it was really back.

For four years I endured daily pain in my left side. It was a constant pull of heaviness, as if I had a small barbell inside me. Then, at various times throughout the day the sharp, stabbing pains would come. For several days each month the stabbing pain was constant and so severe at times that I would become nauseated. The only way I could function was to stay medicated with various narcotics. Over time, I actually became dependent on the narcotics. The diagnosis was endometriosis. And I had several surgeries to "remove" the tissue that was growing all over my bladder, colon, and other internal organs. But the pain kept coming back with a vengeance. Finally, I found a reproductive endocrinologist that believed most of my pain was not from endometriosis but from two pelvic hernias. He performed a surgery to repair the hernias but also removed endometriosis by cutting out the tissue along with the areas underneath, rather than just by burning it off, which is the typical procedure performed in these cases. After healing from the surgery, I was completely pain-free for over two years.

But with my recent change in treatment for thyroid disease from the substandard drug levoxyl to natural Armour thyroid, my body began performing normal hormone functions again. Unfortunately, I believe this has caused the endometriosis to begin growing again. I haven't had this confirmed by a doctor yet, but I recognize the old, familiar pain. I've been down all week with the pain, unable to stand or walk around much without making it worse. I've tried heating pads and even strong anti-inflammatories that only upset my stomach. But nothing's working. Which is why I'm blogging about this at 2am, unable to sleep again. My doctor tried to blame the pain on "muscle spasms" due to my being overweight, which is classic behavior when doctors don't want to bother with a proper diagnosis. After all, overweight women with unknown symptoms and unexplained pain are surely merely suffering from depression and symptoms caused directly from obesity. Oh, brother! What a cop-out! I'm going back to him tomorrow to strongly suggest he pull his head out of his hindquarters and take me seriously this time. Considering my extensive history, which he didn't bother to consider at my last visit, it's certainly probable I'm dealing with a relapse in my endometriosis.

But this time I'm not having surgery, and I refuse to become addicted to narcotics again. I believe we need to consider my progesterone levels, although I am already taking natural progesterone, and we should probably do an ultrasound to make sure there's no cyst or tumor and that the graft from my hernia repair hasn't become dislodged or anything. And I plan to get a high-quality curcumin (which comes from the spice turmeric) supplement to help with the pain. Apparently I still have some fungus growing in my body, so I will continue to rotate my anti-fungal supplements (olive leaf extract and caprylic acid) and keep sticking to the Phase One anti-fungal diet I've been doing for over 3 months (http://www.knowthecause.com). It would be easy to let this really discourage me and cause me to throw my hands up and surrender to the drugs and surgery solutions the doctors so quickly throw at problems like this. But I know I'm on the right track, although I clearly have a long way to go.