My Journey with CFS

I think I spoke too soon in my previous post. Things were going great, getting steadily stronger. I'm at a loss as to what has happened this past week, as I'm writing this from bed.

I spoke with my specialist last week & will post an update blog later today hopefully explaining her thoughts.

I feel slightly like a yo-yo at the moment. Am I up or down?

Bride & Groom - The new Mr & Mrs Cotterall

I felt so overwhelmed & grateful I was well enough to attend my Cousins wedding at the end of April. I powered through the service & meal, then left everyone too it & went back to the hotel to rest. It was such a lovely day!! I had a great time.

I put the wedding photos on Facebook & alot of people commented & text me saying how great & well I looked, I replied back "Are you joking I look ill & skinny". When I then compared the wedding photos to those of my 21st Birthday in July, only 9 months previously, of me in the same dress, same look, it became apparent I was right. I do look ill, pale & skinny.

This invisible illness is difficult when you put make-up on, do your hair & people say "Ohhh you look so well".

Their obviously only trying to be nice but I just think "No I don't & I definatly don't feel it".

What I wouldn't give to go back to my Birthday again.

23rd July 2011 28th April 2012

Anyway the healthy eating continues... I loved this curry Callum made with spinach & fresh veg. YUM :)

It's always helpful in life to make lists so I made a list of all the things I KNOW can help me towards recovery & do them so at least I feel like I'm doing something!

A random picture of me on a 'walk' with Callum, my sister, her boyfriend & the Cockapoo's

I've moved back in with Callum & Fudge again now he has finished all his university work & he is around to care for me. So to say a small thanks to my parents & sister for everything they have done to help recently, Callum & I arranged for these gorgeous tulips to be delivered. I want some for myself!

The people around me try to keep my chin up & make me giggle.

Tomorrow is another day towards health.

Hi I thought I'd fill everyone in on what's been happening lately...

I feel like my life has been taken over by my diet at the moment. It seems to be all I can think about. I'm researching this whole 'Paleo' way of life, it's fascinating! Maybe I will blog about it if people want to know more.

My cousin and his fiance gave me a fab recipe for a great smoothie so thats my mid afternoon treat, try it!!

'Green Monster' ingredients - 1 banana
Handful of berries
Handful of spinach
Heaped spoon of ground flaxseed
Coconut milk/soy milk/almond milk (whichever you fancy)

Lunchtime - veg. sticks w/ humous & pine nuts, turkey slices & a cup of 'cleanse' herbal tea.

Last week it was finalised, I have now dropped out of my nutrition course for now. I need to give 100% of my attention to resting and getting some life back. The plan is to restart in September (fingers crossed). I was very upset I had to leave because I love my course but there's always next year!

Last week I was busy making cards for the very special people in this world. I have lots of great supportive friends & family in my life, I'm very lucky. Check your mail.

I'd also like to say a BIG THANK YOU for everyone at church St. Andrews Leyland for continuing to pray & ask after me, especially the Growth Group. It means alot to know people out their care!

I felt well enough on Saturday that my sister took me for a short visit to a lovely gifty shop near us for just 30 minutes. I splashed out on a fox teddy & a sheep tray. Odd, maybe but practical for me at the moment. The fox gives out good hugs.

I loved the weather last week! It was great to sit outside & get some fresh air. Spring is on the way. A few of the flowers are poking through in the garden already.

I feel like I've had such a busy week! Callum's mum Cath and his brother Ollie came to visit me on Monday and it was great to see them! Then my friend Laura (who also suffers with M.E) turned up with this lovely plant yesterday :)

Someone said to me this week "So that doctor you saw wasn't very good then if your still like this?"

I worried prehaps others are confused or thinking the same. As I have said before M.E sufferers cannot go to a doctor and be given a pill and start to feel better in one week. The work with Dr. Myhill will take months to work and it's a very slow process but I'll get their eventually. We need to be patient.

Enjoy the rest of the week :)

Becky xox

Hi, I was planning on informing everyone on how my consultation went last Tuesday but I've really not been good since then, so not been up to doing anything really.

We had to set off for Wales at 7:30AM! So we were all still half asleep with the car filled with bottles of water my Dad always hands out on any long haul journey. In the end I took an entourage with me Callum, Mum and Dad :)

Another rare glimpse.

She literally is in the middle of nowhere! Finally we got there!

We arrived bang on time at 11:30AM for our hour consultation with Dr. Myhill. I have worked with her before but not in any detail at all, she is the top mitochondria/cell specialist in the country and one of the leading doctors in M.E/CFS working privately. But since my relapse a month ago I knew I needed to really go and see her properly and see what suggestions she had.

It was a really positive consultation, there were alot of long biochemical words, she an amazingly smart woman and seriously knows her stuff!!

1) To sum up without boring everyone she says I have a 'fermenting gut' which is yet another part of M.E and is quite common. Years of medication & your typical 'Western diet' will do this to you. Along with me having 'low stomach acid' - basically nothing is being absorbed hence me losing weight but eating a normal amount of food! She suggested a change in diet, to dramatically limit carbohydrates & sugar because they worsen the matter. I am to be really strict with the 'Stone Age/Paleo diet' - think as to how the Stone Age man or woman would eat, meat, veg... thats about it really. No preserved, artificial foods. I do have a good diet but no more treats for me. Great. She's also added in some supplements to help the matter aswell. Paleo Diet

A few people I have told about this have said "So is this going to fix you?" Well no this is by far not the cure to M.E but if I'm not absorbing anything this is a big deal and needs to be rectified because I'm not getting any of the nutrients we all need to heal.

2) Sleep is a big thing on Dr. Myhill protocol. Strict bed before 10PM. We gain the best sleep before the hour of midnight so the more sleep before 12 is a bonus and we are to wake early at 6AM (again like during the Stone Age times). But if she thinks I'm awake at 6AM she is mistaken.

3) Since I was bitten by a tick when I was 13 there's been a big question mark as to wether I have M.E or Lymes Disease. They both give out pretty much identical symptoms so it's very hard to tell. However, she feels if I did have Lymes, a things called 'Geopathic Stress/Electromagnetic fields' could be exacerbating my symptoms. This includes having WiFi in the house, mobile phones, laptops, digital clocks, TV, microwaves, telephone masts etc. I am a strong believer in this anyway. You explain to me why I always feel better in the Lake District in the fresh air with no WiFi, living a more 'natural' way than when I live here next to a intercity train line with WiFi, and the rest of modern technology we now all live with!
I know alot of people will think it's a load of rubbish (Callum being one), but I think I need to figure out a way to live away from all these gadgets.

Change in diet
Further tests to be done
Change in medication
Get some good sleep
Look at environmental factors
Address emotional problems

Dr. Myhill kept referring to me as a bucket with holes and we need to fix the holes. But at the moment I feel more like a siv I have that many holes and problems wrong with me. She wants me to report back in 3 months.

The diet is the hardest part, I have had a few paddies. End of the day I just want to be a normal 21 year old & I'm sick and tired of being sick & tired but if doing these things will help, I guess I should give it my best shot.

I wish I could go the the GP and she could give me a pill & all would be OK. Unfortunately, this illness is so much more complicated than that. It takes years to work on and can cause multiple complications, you have to chip away at the problems & do your best with what your given. I'm one of the lucky ones who has support & has access to the best doctors & treatment but there still is no magic pill. If only.

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