You know those games at the arcade that have about 9-10 holes, and a gopher keeps popping up in random holes and you have to use the big club to keep hammering them down? Yeah, that's how I feel for the past 4 years.
As it turns out, after taking the stool antigen test (GROSS!) - - and as if that wasn't disgusting enough, I had to take part of it twice and resend it in due to some issue when they received the first batch - - it has been determined that I have a case of h pylori bacteria in my gut, as well as a case of mild candida. These two things probably explain why, despite my drastic diet change, I am still struggling with digestive issues.
I have met with my chiropractor again since these results came in, and we have a plan of ATTACK! For the h pylori, which needs to be treated first, I will be going on a 60-day (VERY expensive) mastic gum herbal treatment, with some licorice root for stomach soothing. The good news is, we know what it is, and there is a treatment that has been statistically successful. While some may choose to go the antibiotic route, I have decided not to for a few reasons:
1) I would need to go outside of my chiropractor's care and get a prescription from my MD
2) There is a high chance that the antibiotics would be extremely unpleasant and make me very ill
3) There is about a 30% chance the antibiotics would not work, because h pylori has been known to build up resistance to these at times, and I would go through that and have to repeat it or get another type afterward.
4) The mastic gum treatment is extremely successful in killing off these bacteria, more pleasantly and over a longer period of time, rather than trying to get rid of it in just a couple weeks.
We have ordered my first month's worth, and it should arrive today, and I'll begin this new process this weekend.
Nothing will change with my diet or my hormonal therapy drops and vitamins while I am on this mastic gum treatment.
I have started a liver support about a month and a half ago to assist with digestion, and he recommends I continue this while on mastica, so that I will be less likely to have adverse effects. After reading up on this treatment, most people have little to no side effects, but some have occasional metallic taste in the mouth and/or nausea.
While I still have a long and expensive road ahead, I still am gaining on this, and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Plan: Rid body of h pylori - 60-day treatment
Re-test stool for bacteria presence
If stool test is negative, proceed with treating candida - 1-2 months
Re-test adrenal and cortisol levels, and determine if adrenal program should continue.
So we're still looking at more than 6 months more of everything, but at least there is a lot more hope now.
I will update again when I know something new.
Thanks for your prayers and thoughts.
