Thursday, March 3, 2016

It's Been a Crazy Year!

I can't believe that it has been a year since I last updated my blog.  Many things have happened.

We packed up and moved at the beginning of May.  I actually had more energy for about two weeks which was a huge blessing since we had to set up a new house.  Shortly thereafter, my daughter was born by unplanned c section which really made a bad situation worse.  Even though I've been told that you can't react to injected anesthesia, I spent the next 24 hours uncontrollably vomiting.  I requested scopolamine early on and finallyrecrived it.  Within about twenty minutes after application all the vomiting stopped.

I wear my mask and add another benadryl on top of my other antihistamines whenever I leave my house.  I close up my house whenever my neighbors do laundry and take more antihistamines.  The offgassing of at least one person's laundry gives me fairly significant cognitive changes within a few minutes.  My headaches have dramatically increased in intensity which has always been my experience with routine use of antihistamines.  My allergist said that essentially I had to pick the bad headaches or anaphylaxis.  She then left the practice and moved out of state...

The c section further weakened my core strength.  I repeatedly injured my back and experienced pain as I walked in my pelvis because my muscles couldn't keep the pelvis together.  Fifteen years of chronic fatigue topped off with a c section is not a good combination.

I was a mess!  With the support of my husband I saw my primary care doctor and left with what seemed like a zillion referrals and test requests.  I'm still working through some of those.  I started and am continuing physical therapy for my core.  I'm happy to report that physical exertion no longer seems to knock me out for three days.  I received a good report for my sinuses from the ENT but no help for the constant headache, pain and post nasal drip.  All the autoimmune testing came back normal again but I'm supposed to see a rheumatologist.

My new allergist said that he thought I had a mast cell activation disorder unprompted on my first visit.  He ordered lots of tests and I tested positive for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.  These are the tests that my last allergist said were a waste for me to have done.  :)  I'm now on gastrocom and worked up to full dose yesterday.  There might be an improvement in my sinuses already.

I have never been so happy to have a new diagnosis.  :)  This one can actually replace many of my other ones.

Gastrocom is a mast cell stabilizer.  It is not well absorbed so I am taking 200 mg (2 ampules) four times a day, 30 minutes before each meal and at bedtime.  The stomach is to be empty.  This drug can calm the mast cells all over the body so I am quite excited to see what this drug can do for me.  I follow up with my allergist at the end of the month.

So, the last two months I've had the gumption to start over my medical care and this time things are improving.  I have hope once again for a better tomorrow.  The Lord told both my husband and I that this would be a better, different year for us and 2016 has started right off in that direction.