I tried to split this post into three sections- insights from the last week, background, and a summary of each day. If you are a friend or family member, I’d recommend sticking with the background and insights. If you’re someone who is having digestive issues or is wondering what treatment might be like, I’d recommend reading everything.
This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to treat or diagnose anyone. Go see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Also, my brain fog is pretty intense at times. I try to make sure what I write is correct, but I may get things wrong from time to time.
Insights from the last week:
There was a lot that happened over the past week. I switched treatment pills, participated in wedding festivities, and my step daughter was at our house this week.
With the new treatment pill I thought sleeping wouldn’t be an issue, but it turns out I was wrong about that. I have been more fatigued this week than previous weeks and therefore had trouble tracking symptoms in the app I use, and there were some days I missed some of the supplements I take in liquid.
I realized that when I have expectations on how a day will go and then something changes and I can’t do things in the same order or need to delay a task that it causes me stress. Now that I realize it’s happening I can address my level of expectation.
Even though I have several issues with my digestion, the symptoms I experience most frequently and with higher severity are related to stress and hormones.
Even though I have several issues with my digestion, the symptoms I experience most frequently and with higher severity are related to stress and hormones.
With starting the new treatment pill, there have been some new side effects: loss of appetite, weird taste in the mouth and dark colored urine. There have been some like trouble sleeping and feeling light-headed, that have stayed the same. With the lightheadedness, I only notice it on days I have experienced higher stress or didn’t sleep well.
At my doctor’s recommendation, I tried melatonin to help me sleep later in the week, and it appears to be helping.
At my doctor’s recommendation, I tried melatonin to help me sleep later in the week, and it appears to be helping.
I had a few conversations this week that made me realize that I may be isolating myself more than I realized. I also found that conversations that focus solely on my physical issues are draining, whereas conversations that include faith are energizing and uplifting. I need more faith-filled conversations!
Many people ask if I’m getting better. That’s actually not a straightforward question. I physically do not feel good because of lack of sleep and because of some of the treatment side effects. It is possible that my body is getting better even though I’m not capable of noticing at the moment.
This treatment plan is heavily focused on my digestive issues.
This treatment plan is heavily focused on my digestive issues.
As previously mentioned, my more prevalent issues have to do with stress and hormones. I have been on supplements that help support my hormone issues for several years now. The new doctor has switched the brands of hormone support supplements I’m on, but the glands that are supported are the same (adrenal, thyroid, ovaries).
While I’m hopeful that treating the digestive issues will help my body overall, I’m trying to be realistic with how I may feel at the end of the treatment plan at the beginning of November. It may very well be that I still feel fatigued.
I’ve had hormone issues since at least 2001, and I started to see a counselor for anxiety in 2005 or 2006. I had digestive issues since at least 2009. That’s 17 years of thrashing my internal bits to some degree. I’m not sure if one 10 week treatment plan is going to ‘fix’ ALL the things that are wrong.
The way I’m thinking about it is that my digestion will hopefully improve after the treatment, and after it’s working better for a while it will help the other body systems function better. I don’t know if anyone can give an exact timeline for how that might go.
So, am I getting physically better? Probably. It at least seems like the treatment plan helps with forward motion.
I'm happy to report that emotionally and spiritually I'm doing really well. With the help of a counselor, I'm unwinding the poor mental wiring that I feel led me to make poor life decisions which in turn led to the extreme stress I experienced a few years back.
On a spiritual level, I'm learning so much. My faith is growing exponentially and I am able to share that faith with others. I have several blog posts about faith planned that I haven't had time to write yet, but you'll be able to find links to them here when I do.
Background:
This particular bout of health issues flared in 2015. My job had become extremely stressful and travel intensive, in conjunction with some major life changes: moving in with my boyfriend, becoming a Christian, getting married 2 weeks after being proposed to, becoming a step parent, then planning a wedding reception for the following summer.
In 2016, I was finding I could no longer work full days, and my hair was falling out. When I felt that work was finally slow enough to go to the doctor, I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue and told to take a month off of work to rest. HA! It didn’t seem possible at that point. However, I did take 2 weeks off then go back at half time in May of 2016. Over the summer I was able to do less and less, and I finally ended up quitting my job in October 2016.
Between October 2016 and June 2018 I had the opportunity to learn how to rest and was able to work on a treatment plan for adrenal fatigue. I was feeling like I was making good progress in the first 3-4 months of 2018. Looking back now, I can see where I was sliding back a bit in April and May. In June, I experienced an extreme energy crash that left me looking for answers, since I didn’t think I had done anything significantly different than I had previously. In the beginning of July 2018, I went and saw a functional medicine doctor who ran a bunch of tests up front to figure out what other things might be wrong with me.
As mentioned in my post about the results from the last visit, my test results show that I have a yeast overgrowth, a parasite, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), and gut dysbiosis.
Previous test results indicated I have low stomach acid, nutritional deficiencies, and hormone imbalances with the adrenal glands, ovaries, and thyroid.
Previous test results indicated I have low stomach acid, nutritional deficiencies, and hormone imbalances with the adrenal glands, ovaries, and thyroid.
I have been on supplements for the hormone imbalances (previously diagnosed as adrenal fatigue) for a while. They started with my previous doctor. The new doctor is continuing to work on those issues, but with different supplements.
I started the fourth week of my 4 phase, 10 week treatment plan on September 24th, 2018. Phase 1 will work on the yeast, phase 2 will work on SIBO, phase 3 will work on SIBO and the parasite, and phase 4 will continue with the SIBO. The supplements for everything else will continue through the whole treatment period. This week has some of phase 2 and 3.
I currently take 11 different supplements throughout the day. One is a phase specific treatment pill. Three are for the hormone imbalances, 3 are for nutritional deficiencies, and 4 are for digestive support.
Day 22
The wheels are starting to come off the cart a bit. I woke up late. I took my treatment pill after I woke up, but didn’t eat anything until noon. I forgot my liquid supplements this morning because I typically take them with breakfast, but I didn’t actually eat breakfast.
I had a somewhat stressful conversation this morning, and decided that if I ate my feelings in the form of potato chips that would probably be fine. The things I did today felt rushed because I didn’t leave the house for errands until 3:30ish, and I needed to have dinner ready at 6:30.
I know most of my poor choices today are due to feeling tired and then feeling rushed because I’m sleeping so late. At this point, I’ll take sleep whenever I can get it.
Switching topics- this has been the third or fourth day using the squatty potty and it’s awesome.
It’s about 8:30pm and the wired/tired feeling is already present. I’m going to try and go upstairs and get in bed sooner and see if I can actually fall asleep earlier. I have just been staying up and going with the wired feeling, so I have been awake much later.
Tomorrow will be a hectic day, so going to bed earlier would be super helpful if I can manage it.
Day 23
While I did fall asleep sooner last night, it was super windy, and the wind woke me up a few times in the middle of the night.
Today has been long and I’m at the point later in the evening where I’m fatigued and can’t quite make whole thoughts.
I craved junk food today, wondering if it’s because I’m not getting enough calories?
Day 24
Today is the last day on Xifaxan! Still didn’t sleep well despite going to bed early again last night (those bedtimes stories for adults on youtubethat I mentioned in the week 3 post are really helping in getting to sleep!).
I mentioned in an earlier post that I try and chart my symptoms, foods, medicines, etc. in an app called my symptoms. I’ve been really bad at that the last few days. I’m not sure if it’s because I stopped caring, or it’s because I lack motivation from being tired.
Typically, I would feel stressed about not having kept up on tracking everything. At this moment:
I.just.don’t.care.
I’m both excited and nervous to be switching pills tomorrow. Excited because I’m hoping to sleep better. Nervous because I’m a bridesmaid in a wedding this Saturday and I don’t know what new side effects, if any, might pop up.
The rehearsal dinner is tonight and I did ok energy wise!
I.just.don’t.care.
I’m both excited and nervous to be switching pills tomorrow. Excited because I’m hoping to sleep better. Nervous because I’m a bridesmaid in a wedding this Saturday and I don’t know what new side effects, if any, might pop up.
The rehearsal dinner is tonight and I did ok energy wise!
Day 25
No change in sleeping or fatigue level. I started the new treatment pill (Metronidazole) today, and it tastes pretty bad. The taste lingers after the pills taken, but it’s not over powering. I did feel a little nauseous after taking the second dose, but it’s possible that was due to car sickness.
I’ll be interested if I sleep better tonight.
I’m hoping that if I start sleeping better that I can start going back to doing some elliptical workouts at the gym this week.
Day 26
I slept worse last night than the previous few nights. I had a weird bowel movement this morning….it looked mostly normal, but there were parts that looked grainy.
I was looking up the side effects of Metronidazole on stool when I found this:
Wayyyyyy down on the bottom of the page I did find that trouble sleeping IS a side effect! DANG IT!
Trouble sleeping was not mentioned in the sheet that came from the pharmacist.
I’m feeling super fatigued right now. I’m getting real tired of the whole not sleeping thing, so I called the doctor and asked if there was anything I could do to help with sleeping. She mentioned natural calm, melatonin, and CBD oil. Since I already have natural calm, I opted to try the melatonin. I would have no trouble trying CBD oil, except for that it’s rather expensive, and I’m only on these pills another week or so. I got some melatonin on the way to the vet appointment, so we’ll see how that works.
Trouble sleeping was not mentioned in the sheet that came from the pharmacist.
I’m feeling super fatigued right now. I’m getting real tired of the whole not sleeping thing, so I called the doctor and asked if there was anything I could do to help with sleeping. She mentioned natural calm, melatonin, and CBD oil. Since I already have natural calm, I opted to try the melatonin. I would have no trouble trying CBD oil, except for that it’s rather expensive, and I’m only on these pills another week or so. I got some melatonin on the way to the vet appointment, so we’ll see how that works.
As I’m re-reading the entry for this day, I’m wondering why I didn’t ask my doctor sooner about help with sleeping. I’m going to blame it on brain fog and not thinking clearly.
Day 27
Today was a big day! My best friend got married, and I was a bridesmaid in the wedding. I left the house around 10:15 am and didn’t get back til around 9:30pm. With events like this, it seems like I get surges of adrenaline that will carry me through an event. I did notice that I would get tired when there were periods throughout the day when we were sitting and waiting on the next thing. This happened at least 3 times.
But it was oh-so-worth it! What a joyous occasion!
I slept about 8 hours last night! Not sure if it was the melatonin, or if I’m so exhausted from not sleeping the last few days that I kind of crashed.
Today was a big day! My best friend got married, and I was a bridesmaid in the wedding. I left the house around 10:15 am and didn’t get back til around 9:30pm. With events like this, it seems like I get surges of adrenaline that will carry me through an event. I did notice that I would get tired when there were periods throughout the day when we were sitting and waiting on the next thing. This happened at least 3 times.
But it was oh-so-worth it! What a joyous occasion!
I slept about 8 hours last night! Not sure if it was the melatonin, or if I’m so exhausted from not sleeping the last few days that I kind of crashed.
I didn’t have a bowel movement today, and I didn’t stick as closely to my eating plan as I should have. Since my symptoms are more hormonal in nature, I figured a little bit of cheating would do much to my digestion, especially since the foods I ate were still low FODMAP, just not paleo.
Since I’ve been failing at entering things into my symptom tracker, I don’t remember if I took any psyillum husk yesterday. I did well with bringing and taking my pills. I just didn’t bother taking the supplements, like the psyillum, that I typically add to a liquid.
I rode down to the wedding with a friend of mine who is having some similar health issues. It was so good to talk to someone who understands what it’s like to have chronic stuff! We also spent a good deal of time talking about faith, and Jesus, and staying connected.
It’s so easy (and mentally draining) to focus on the physical, that when I get a chance to talk about and focus on the spiritual it’s like a battery recharge!
It’s making me realize I need to be connecting with people and having spiritual conversations at least once a week, if not more.
Day 28
Today has been a little rough, as I suspected.
I was able to go to sleep at a reasonable time, but woke up several times in the middle of the night, then woke up at 6:15 ish because of low blood sugar. When I finally ate a little I was able to go back to sleep for a bit.
I was fatigued for most of the day. I was able to rest after we came home from church, but not sleep.
A few friends from church set up a meal train for me a few weeks ago and we received two different meals today. With all the wedding festivities going on the last few days, I haven’t been making food. I now have food for a few days, so I’m super grateful for those who brought meals today!
After the evening metronidazole dose, I noticed I had a headache and felt a little light headed.
After the evening metronidazole dose, I noticed I had a headache and felt a little light headed.
One of the Metronidazole side effects I read about was urine that was darker than normal, which I noticed last night and this morning. Today I tried to drink more water than normal in the event I got dehydrated from yesterdays events. I’m at about 2.5 liters for the day.
Speaking of side effects, one that I forgot to mention is loss of appetite. I find that it’s especially prevalent in the morning. Since I normally update the post in the evenings, I always forget to write about it.
This evening, I did notice that I wasn’t really hungry for dinner. However, once I started eating it, I wanted more as soon as I was finished.
This evening, I did notice that I wasn’t really hungry for dinner. However, once I started eating it, I wanted more as soon as I was finished.
After dinner my headache was growing worse and I felt overtired. I went to lay down around 9:15 or so. I laid there for a while and continued to feel worse. The headache became the worst I can remember, and I started to feel nauseous. After 15 to 20 minutes I ran to the bathroom, because it became a situation where there was going to be something that came out of some orifice.
Surprisingly, I had a normal bowel movement, but while it was occurring I had chills and felt like I might pass or throw up.
Surprisingly, I had a normal bowel movement, but while it was occurring I had chills and felt like I might pass or throw up.
When I went back to bed the headache had lessened, but I still felt shaky and had chills. Despite all of that, I actually slept pretty well!
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