trust your gut
This post is a little different for two reasons. First, it started as an Instagram post but was way too long - hence why it’s not edited. Second, my MacBook was involved in a water accident today and is currently in rice jail - so this post doesn’t include photos. I’ve been forced to work from my phone ONLY today. That basically sums up my Thursday. So without further ado...
Mexico was a crazy whirlwind that was completely last minute. Every aspect of that adventure was on a whim. When you are as desperately sick as I have been for months on end, you’ll take even the most insane risks.
“But wait? I thought you had already gotten better since you had your implants removed?”
While having my implants removed helped with 90% of my symptoms, it didn’t address the war that was waging in my gut. The persistent and life threatening diarrhea and weight loss was terrifying. Not so much for me but for the people around me. I was so impressed by not feeling so sick from my implants that the improvement outweighed the concern. That’s not to say that I wasn’t concerned, it just wasn’t my focus. I wanted to live once I healed from explant! ... and I did. I accomplished a lot in the last few months. I was also getting a little tired of having to still take it easy because I’m so weak. So when I learned that there is treatment available elsewhere that isn’t available here in Canada for parasites - I jumped at the opportunity to explore it. Which lead me to Mexico...
We landed back in Ontario Thursday evening. I started the medication that was prescribed by the doctor in Mexico. Then I was hit with what is called the “Herxheimer Reaction”. That’s where all the toxins from the dying organisms build up in your system, making you feel a whole lot worse before feeling better. The last 6 days have been an intense detox for me. Also known as the Herxheimer Reaction. The craziest part is that I’m finally feeling better... like better, BETTER! The last of my GI symptoms are almost gone! I can’t tell you how incredible it is to be able to eat and not worry about diarrhea and to actually be able to just enjoy eating again! I’m in disbelief at every meal.
I’m left wrestling with the fact that I am elated to be feeling better and hopefully being able to gain weight, but I’m also disappointed that our medical system continually failed me. If it’s failing me, how many others are in my position!? There’s so many people who just accept a diagnosis without actually finding out the cause. I could have lived for THE REST OF MY LIFE fighting to gain weight while popping anti diarrhea medication but instead I asked WHY my body was now malfunctioning and then I figured out how to fix it.
Luckily for most people who have IBS, Gastritis, food intolerances, allergies, ect, these things are much less dramatic to resolve. It goes to show you how quickly we can be to accept that an illness is “just ageing”, “can’t be fixed” or even “needs surgery”!
