Supplements and Still feeling relatively well physically

I got in 2 days of early morning short walks before the rain came

I am still enjoying being in less pain with my joints and muscles and not feeling like I have the flu.    I had an increase in pain for a couple of days but I was going out every day and possibly overdid it.  Now that the rain has come, my natural inclination to hibernate has kicked in and my pain levels are tolerable.  I also am feeling better in the gut since starting Nilstat on Thursday (despite some gurgly side effects) so I am hoping it is the Candida I am getting under control.  I think I had better get some more vaginal cream though - it is not quite there yet.

The big test will be when I get my next Bicillin injection after this two week break.

Anyway while I am feeling well and believe that I am tolerating all these things, I wanted to record what I am taking from Dr Andrew's list of supplements.  I certainly cannot afford them all.  I have continued with:

• Aloe Vera Juice
• Chia Seeds (as a coconut-milk pudding, stirred into smoothies or yoghurt and/or bunged into omelet or rissoles to make up about 2 teaspoons a day)
• Probiotics - Sacchromyces boulardii which 2 of the docs and the ILADS Lyme conference recommeded to prevent Clostridium Difficile infection (Jarrow Formulas from iherb with MOS) and Lactobaccilus reuteri (as in Blackmores Digestive Biobalance or iherb alternative) and Dr A said to avoid the Shirota strain ones because they can worsen reflux/burning
• drinking 1.75-2 litres water (I include any electrolyte drinks in that total) per day that I sit on the window-sill to allow the chlorine to evaporate from

I have been skipping the probiotics while on the Nilstat because I wondered if the Nilstat was killing them off anyway but I don't feel any worse.  The Aloe Vera Juice has not prevented me getting Candida and I had a lot of gut problems while still on it so I am not sure if it will be something I will let go as something else more important is suggested.  The Probiotics certainly have not prevented me from getting Candida but I swear by the Chia Seeds and water for keeping me from getting constipated and the Aloe may play a part in that too.  However, psyllium husks attract water to the bowel too and may be cheaper.  I have had reflux from psyllium in the past though and think it could be a bit scratchy on my bowel when it flares.  I prefer the Chia seeds because they provide nutrients (incl protein) unlike psyllium.

I have been taking NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) - a glutathione precursor and powerful antioxidant which is also good for lung and liver function.  It is expensive but I first noticed welcome weight loss while taking that back a while.  I read it helps with fat metabolism but my metabolic problems seem to be with starches so I do not know why the weight loss occurs for me.  It is not on Dr Andrew's list though.

View from the swings while trying to train head not to go dizzy in the process

Other things on Dr Andrew's list that I am taking now which I am not having any bad side effects from are:

• Serrapeptase - used as a biofilm buster (I am using the cheaper Doctor's Best brand from iherb)
• Cat's Claw - an antimicrobial (Nature's Way Standardized but not TAO-free which is often recommended but not proven to be necessary) but I am flat out remembering to take it more than once a day.  So many of these things have to be taken on an empty stomach.
• Salt - I have increased my salt intake but I am not measuring at this stage
• C - I still tend to forget to take it unless a symptom prompts me but I have deliberately avoided it since my reflux/gastritis was flared up by the Plaquenil
• Magnesium - I was taking Magnesium Taurate just once a day but I have read about it contributing to biofilm formation so now I just rub the liquid into my joints or muscles when they are sore
• Zinc - I was taking it last year but the biofilm argument applies to Zinc as well so I probably won't take it regularly and just keep it for when I have a cold or something

I intend to replace the Cat's Claw with the Cowden Protocol's Samento and Banderol and will probably follow Marty Ross's simple protocol.  Please note that for me the latter link rarely works in the mornings from my Australian Internet Connection.

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One more plug for buying from iherb - If you use my code RIZ901 you can get $10 off your first order for a limited time and I will also get a further discount applied to my order when you order.
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Can you see my car with the Lyme magnet sticker on it?

Family stuff
B did not come down this weekend.  His car broke down and he needs to spend the money on it instead of visiting Nick and I bet all the Australia Day celebrations were either cancelled or washed out so I was kinda glad he was not going to be driving in cyclonic weather.

S is not getting any work from his new job.  He said "They have no work".  He says he is emotional about it.  I think he has bombed out from being accepted back into his Open University course because of his fails although he has applied for special circumstances. He is still planning on doing accounting at this second college - Martin College but it does not start until Feb 14th so he is doing nothing right now.  I know all about doing nothing when you feel like doing something - it sucks.

Break Down

It has been an emotional few weeks and despite skipping the Bicillin injection last week so that I could get to the sleep study with more confidence of not being in too much pain,  I have remained teary on and off.  I am usually worse in the morning but today I broke down while I was in with Dr Andrew.  I voiced a lot of my fears about treatment but at the end of the day I have to decide whether to go the antibiotic route or not.  In the meantime I am having a treatment holiday for another week.  I think I will then agree to do the Bicillin fortnightly so that I have a chance of more good days before the next jab and I suppose I will at least try his kid's syrup of Clarythromycin which is for the L-form of Borrelia.  Dr Andrew held my hand while he was talking to me knowing how upset I was.  I think that was the nicest part of the day.  At the same time he reminded me he needs my consent to treat me.  I will be going back to see Dr. Andrew next week.  I might have to empty out the boot before going up the range from Landsborough next time.  The clinic really is Bare Bones at this stage and has a "Vetenary Clinic" sign out the front.  Unfortunately there are no grounds where one can sit outside under some shade and the sun was beating down on the 2-car parks available so sitting in the car is not going to be an option.  Inside is often too confronting for me if I have a long term to wait nervously...not to mention uncomfortable, as most seating areas are for people who prefer to recline.

Cohen with Stacey's little brother - his Uncle!!!!

I will be taking Nilstat for the Candida and I will be adding more herbs when they arrive.  I'm taking plain standardised Cat's Claw which is antimicrobial already.  I've also been given some homework about "What Judy really wants" - goals if you will, for life.  He wants a bucket list. I'm supposed to watch the movie of the same name.  I've never liked to think about what I can't afford to do in life and I don't think I want much more than the right kind of companionship which is hard to produce out of thin air.  I still have not found a swimming companion in all these years of being at the Coast.  Amazing!

There is no doubt I have been feeling better without one week of Bicillin in every way except the depression, anxiety, and Candida.  I still have not crashed and even if I have tears while I am doing it, I have been swimming, walking and shopping for days in a row.  Tomorrow I will be catching up with Jan for lunch at the beach locally so I know I will get a swim then if I have anything to do with it.

Jan has torn something in her knee that requires an operation via an arthroscope which will be a long time coming so she has a lot of pain and is finding her mood very snappy because of it.  She has been given permission to walk in water and I am still trying to convince her that 22 (or more by the feel of it) degree Pumicestone Passage water will be fine.   She thinks it will be too cold and on these nasty humid days is thinking about going to the thermal pool.  I could not imagine anything worse in this weather.  If I had a dehumidifier in my bedroom I would breeze through the Summer nights here.

I only told one of you that B and his girlfriend Paige are sharing a duplex with another couple in another suburb of HB.  I am not exactly sure when the move took place but I knew it was coming.  They are meant to be coming to stay at Nick's place on Australia Day so I will get to see them on the weekend which will work out well now that I won't be in moansville from the Bicillin joint pain etc.

Cohen will be at Roger's as far as I know so I will miss out on seeing him but only because I did not want to babysit the whole weekend.  That would be asking for a crash.  I need my rests still that's for sure.  And I am having a bad run with my backache that comes on for a season between my shoulder blades making it hard to sit up straight for long.

Yes B is still a very happy chappy.  Work and home life is good.  The chain is from Paige.

S is not continuing with Carrick College.  Now he is going to try Martin College to get his accounting certificate.  He's still playing Soccer on Sunday's but he was not too confident about his job last time we spoke about it.

Connor's Birthday

I was planning on Connor coming over here for his birthday presents and I had them set up ready

but it did not work out that way.  Ange asked me to come to their place so I did.

Connor was very pleased with his $25 from you Zena and he read the card out quite well.  I gave him the field microscope and I did not let him have the present from you GrandNan until he had written the card as instructed.

It was short and sweet because he obviously does not find writing very easy.  It took him quite a while even with copying words because he could not even spell "thank you" as you will see by the crossing out.  He will be starting grade 4 when school goes back and he is nine years old today.

This is the present you gave him Mum.  That is Esha in the back ground.

Xavier

On the way home I called in for a swim

Good news from S.  He will be working for an older man selling solar energy on the days that he does not have to go to college.  I am pretty sure he starts tomorrow.  He starts college on the 17th.  S won't be seeing Connor for his birthday today but he ordered something online which hopefully will get there today...but maybe not.  I also got the little lead for the scooter in the mail that he took the time to send.  It's my turn next to send down a couple of jocks he left behind.

As usual for 2 days before I'm due for another injection, I am feeling much more lively.

Bicillin Anger - the horrors of treatment

On the day of my Bicillin I was sporting a bruise from last week's injection

I'm in even a worse mood today that yesterday when it was injection anxiety.

I started feeling like doing things the day before my needle was due again. So I got one "good" day this week. The day of my needle was a wipe-out because I was so nervous (again) and then afterwards, exhausted from the worry and organizing Blue Care to come because for some unknown reason they thought I did not require any more injections.

The needle is not such a big deal. You can put up with the stings of the needle but thinking about it is 100 times worse and if I could stop thinking about it I would be OK.  I can't even watch injections on TV without feeling squirmy.  I am just not sure it is worth it. Every week I say, "this will be the last one, I can't take any more." This is because I only get one good day a week without being in too much pain and it comes straight back again by the evening of the day of the injection. I am sure extra nausea, aches, pains, joints and gut burning are side effects of the Bicillin and I am not sure that this is the sort of thing that they call a herxheimer reaction which would mean (if it was) I was killing bugs that were releasing "death" toxins. If it is just plain old drug side effects then I am putting up with them without knowing if I am killing Borrelia. That is what is making me crazy. Not knowing.

I am actually a lot steadier on my feet and in my head but I started coming good in that department and had no need of the scooter just as an aid to get out of the house, before I even started the treatment.  I am still good like that (mostly) but I don't feel like getting out of the house and I get this extra pain and joint stuff and burning gut brought on by the needle which is still ruining my days. It is not that I did not already tend to get those things it's just that I was not expecting it this badly for days and days on end. Actually it gets worse over a couple of days and gradually improves again. Other symptoms happen in between so trying to find a pattern has been hard. But I know now that I am reacting quite quickly to the injection which makes it more likely to be simply that my body does not like Bicillin.

I worry about not allowing my gut to heal and simply putting up with it like others do. I am not brave and I don't want to be stupid thinking that added inflammation is good for me. I know others who are putting up with being on four antibiotics all at the same time (if you include Plaquenil) and people being treated who are having 2 Bicillin injections 3 times a week! Here I am having big doubts before getting anywhere near that level.  In fact I want to know what it feels like NOT to be on antibiotics. It has been 2 months now. I've forgotten. I know my moods have been worse.

Too hot to stay in the house this afternoon despite the nausea