Day Eighteen of New Elimination Diet
July 31st, 2007NIGHT: After posting the day yesterday my nose got really stuffy and throat got really congested and it took me a long time to get to sleep because of this. Once I got to sleep though I slept pretty well. Then woke up really early in the morning with a really stuffy nose but was able to get back to sleep.
11:46am – woke up – when first woke up felt pretty good, my throat was a little congested but not bad and my nose was pretty much clear. But, then as soon as I got up and stood up my nose got stuffy again and my throat got worse.
12:00pm – signed into work
1:15pm – left foot felt tingly and numb – moved it around and it got better
1:40pm – got up and had dizzy spell again. Ate some cereal with whole milk
1:55pm – ate another bowl of cereal with whole milk. Nose was clear now and felt a bit better overall.
2:20pm – drank a glass of filtered water
3:14pm – nose got stuffy again – really dry stuffy though - stuffy to the point that I couldn’t breathe out of my nose
3:45pm – drank another glass of filtered water. Had hives on head but not that bad
4:54pm – had hives on neck and chest
4:03pm – realized that the hives I had on my chest and arms was from large bug bites that were swollen in those places. It is normal for me for a normal itch or a bug bite to turn into a major hives attack – anything that starts me scratching gets me hives. I also noticed at this time that I have these weird little red dots on my stomach – right now they aren’t itching and I’m hoping they won’t start to but we’ll see.
4:30pm – signed out of work
4:42pm – put the sheets and pillow cases on our bed in the wash
4:50pm – picked up the house – emptied the dish washer, reloaded the dish washer (didn’t run it yet though), wiped down the counters, dusted, swept the floors, etc.
6:08pm – drank a glass of filtered water
6:20pm – had bowel movement – hard small pieces – had another bowel movement like this earlier that I forgot to write down
6:23pm-? –brushed teeth with baking soda, showered and used salt/sunflower oil scrub, also scrubbed up with a little baking soda and then washed my hair with shampoo
6:50pm – had terrible hives after getting out of the shower – here is the line up of suspects:
Suspect 1 – DUST – I had just finished cleaning the house – which was much dustier then I would like to admit – I have tested as being allergic to dust/dust mits in skin prick tests
Suspect 2 – Washing Machine/Dryer – I had just put a load of laundry in and had just put the load into the dryer before getting in the shower – Our washing machine and dryer are in the bathroom, they both have sort of a funny new smell to them still and I usually try and stay out of there and keep the door closed when I’m using them but this time was in the shower when they were running
Suspect 3 – SHAMPOO – I try not to wash my hair with shampoo all that often but it had been a while and my hair was looking pretty matted and gross so I washed it.
Suspect 4 – Chlorine or other chemicals in the water – this is a new thing I am looking into.
7:15pm – ate dinner – lettuce with lemon and sunflower oil dressing and a handful or so of raw cashews. Drank a glass of filtered water
8:00pm – opened window. Drank another glass of filtered water
9:09pm – nose got stuffy. Closed windows
9:26pm – nose cleared up some
10:40pm – nose got stuffy again
10:45pm – ate a bowl of cereal with whole milk and a little sprinkle of sugar for taste
11:20pm – had a shot of vodka
11:30pm – brushed teeth with baking soda
Today, was ok but not all that great. I had really bad hives all day. So, I’m thinking it’s time to eliminate something else from what I’m eating – main things I’m considering are Wheat and Dairy. Still going back and forth a little as to which would be best to eliminate first though. Well, I’ll decide for sure tomorrow for now I’m off to bed.
Health to you and yours –
Beth
Day Seventeen of New Elimination Diet
July 30th, 2007NIGHT: Slept pretty well. Woke up in the early morning with very stuffy nose but was able to get back to sleep thankfully.
10:20am – woke up, felt sort of congested but not as bad as sometimes
10:24am – had hard small bowel movement
10:30am – signed into work
10:58am – had another bowel movement – this time slightly too soft
12:08pm – ate a bowl of cereal with whole milk
12:24pm – had another bowl of cereal with whole milk
12:37pm – felt a bit dizzy when got up
1:00pm-3:30pm – signed out of work, laid down on the couch and slept for a while – it wasn’t a super sound sleep but it was sleep none the less. Felt tired when I woke up, and my throat hurt
3:30pm – drank a glass of filtered water, ate a muffin and some cashews and then drank another glass of filtered water
4:00pm – signed back into work
4:03pm – had slight hives on head
4:08pm – ate a pear (peeled)
4:13pm – hives gone on head but had small batch on left shoulder now
5:07pm – hives on head again
5:21pm – drank another glass of filtered water
6:37pm – ate one lemon scone left over from the shower with a little butter
7:00pm – signed out of work and walked to the store to get some lettuce for dinner
7:15pm – got home and opened the windows to cool off the house – started making dinner
7:23pm – ate dinner – salad with lemon and sunflower oil dressing with a little sugar and salt for taste. Drank a glass of filtered water
7:15pm – got home and opened the windows to cool off the house – started making dinner
7:23pm – ate dinner – salad with lemon and sunflower oil dressing with a little sugar and salt for taste. Drank a glass of filtered water
9:36pm – ate a bowl of cereal with plain, preservative free yogurt with natural cultures and a little sugar. Drank a glass of filtered water
10:12pm – Had hives on neck, back, face and arms pretty bad
10:45pm – closed windows and brushed teeth with baking soda
11:15pm – drank glass of filtered water
Well, Day Seventeen was not too bad – I had hives off and on pretty badly today and felt really tired and just worn down. I have gone back and forth between hope (especially about the development of using filtered water) and frustration (things were getting better and better and then the last three or four days they were really bad and then got a little better but still not as good as the first few days of last week and I don’t know why). Anyway, I just finished watching the musical Into The Woods and it actually was encouraging for me…sometimes when you are in the middle of the woods and there’s no clear path it can get really discouraging and frustrating and depressing but I was listening to the song “You are not alone” and it was encouraging. I may wonder through the woods and there may not be a clear path to follow but I am not alone…I do have a Guide who walks with me…and I do have friends and family and all of you who support and encourage me and point me in the right direction. Thank you to all of you who touch my life. Watching Into the Woods also got me thinking about what I really want…what do I desire…what do I wish. Right now I wish, more than anything, for health…for normality. In realizing that I feel I have new found resolve to continue on with this journey. “Though it’s fearful, though it’s deep, though it’s dark, And though you may lose the path, Though you may encounter wolves, You can’t just act, You have to listen, You can’t just act, You have to think… So into the woods you go again, You have to every now and then. Into the woods, no telling when, Be ready for the journey…The way is dark, the light is dim, But now there’s you, me, her, and him. The chances look small, the choices look grim, But everything you learn there Will help when you return there…Into the woods – you have to grope, But that’s the way you learn to cope. Into the woods to find there’s hope Of getting through the journey. Into the woods, each time you go, There’s more to learn of what you know… Into the woods, Into the woods, Into the woods, Then out of the woods – And happy ever after! I wish…” that Day Eighteen would bring some glimpse of the path ahead.
Health to you and yours -
Beth
Day Sixteen of New Elimination Diet
July 29th, 2007NIGHT – slept pretty well once I was able to get to sleep
9:15am – woke up with very stuffy nose and lots of congestion in my throat as well. Had slight headache but not too bad
9:23am – checked email and blogs and things for a little while
11:05am – had large bowel movement
11:35am – had small patch of hives on back - only lasted a few minute
11:46am – husband had a cup of tea so I opened all the windows in family room/kitchen
11:52am – had small patch of hives on chin – only lasted a few minutes
12:03pm – loaded and ran the dishwasher - I have been trying not to run the dishwasher as I think I may react to the soap we use and as I didn’t run it the week I didn’t have hives but I am not feeling well and there was such a hugh pile of dishes on the counter from yesterday and the night before that I just didn’t want to wash that I gave in and decided it was worth it to just run the dish washer.
12:05pm – did a little bit of hand wash and wiped down the counters
12:19pm – ate a bowl of cereal with whole milk
12:33pm – wrote in my journal for a while
12:53pm – left foot felt numb and tingly – got up and moved around a little and it got better
1:19pm – noses got worse
1:45pm – nose got a little better
2:36pm – dish washer done running by now – nose starting to clear up
2:50pm – drank a glass of filtered water
3:00pm – ate a lemon scone left over from yesterday with a little butter and a handful of cashews and a muffin. Drank another glass of filtered water
4:33pm – drank another glass of filtered water
4:35pm – took vitamin B12 and a calcium supplement and drank another glass of filtered water
4:38pm – had a slight hive on my chin but it didn’t last too long
5:38pm – had small hard bowel movement
6:04pm – stood up, closed windows, felt dizzy
6:43pm – changed into different cloths and nose got worse soon after – also had hives soon after
8:04pm – took birth control pill and drank another glass of filtered water
8:05pm – nose is clear now but still have slight hives
8:25pm – throat felt congested and scratchy – had a bit of a cough
9:40pm – ate some couscous with a little butter and salt and a handful of cashews
10:00pm – had a muffin and another glass of filtered water
11:46pm – hives on head – hadn’t had any the last few hours but just took my hair down off my head and got hives in the process
12:00am – had a bowl of cereal with whole milk
12:50am – brush teeth with baking soda
Alright, so, today was pretty good. Not great but not that bad either so I’m hopeful that tomorrow will be good. Don’t have much else to report – although I am more sure than ever that my dish washer soap is a problem. Every time I’ve ran it I end up with a stuffy nose half way through the cycle and then once the dish washer stops my stuffy nose stops – I tried again today and had the same results. So, we will start trying other dish washer soaps – I can’t continue to hand wash everything with baking soda as it ust takes too much time. Anyway, it’s been about a week now since I started trying to recreate my week without hives and though I still have had hives this week they were remarkably better then normal and so I think there is definitely some evidence that the things I avoided this week could be at least part of my hive problem. I am trying to decided what my next step will be from here – if I should eliminate something else…and if so what…add some form of protein/iron…or some combination of both eliminating and adding things…not sure yet. So hopefully tomorrow I will be able to figure all that out and start this new week of figuring things out and searching for answers. Day Sixteen is over tomorrow will bring Day Seventeen and the start of a new week.
Health to you and yours –
BethPS – My period finished today…so hopefully that will help things balance out as well.
Day Fifteen of New Elimination Diet
July 28th, 2007NIGHT: Slept pretty well – dreamed.
9:52am – woke up – nose was stuffy and throat felt scratchy and soar
9:53am – checked email for a little while
10:46am – ate cereal with whole milk
10:54am – started making scones for the baby shower I’m going to this afternoon
11:21am-12:02pm – put first batch of scones in the oven and went to take a quick shower. Nose was cleared up now, but still felt a little congested in my throat not too bad though. Showered (used salt scrub my husband made, it’s just salt and sunflower oil) then scrubbed down with some baking soda, brushed teeth with baking soda and got dressed
12:43pm – ate a muffin and had a glass of bottled water. Started making second batch of scones
1:09pm – had a handful of cashews (raw of course)
2:00pm-10:00ish – Took the tram to a friend’s house for a baby shower – got a bit of a headache on the tram (as normal the tram smelled pretty smokey and perfumey). Really enjoyed the shower – it was the best shower I’ve ever been at and was really refreshing for me emotionally and spiritually. And most of the time I felt pretty good physically took. Had a little bit of a headache off and on and did have hives while I was there and have them still now and had the cough for just a little while but it didn’t last long at all and wasn’t that bad. So, over all I felt pretty good but not totally great which is understandable considering that people where wearing perfumes and drinking strong smelling teas and things like that that can potentially be problems but aren’t always. So, yeah, it was good though and I was really glad I went. I am feeling pretty tired now though – I’m an introvert with health issues so long social gatherings in uncontrolled environments can be pretty exhausting for me. So, I’m ready to just cuddle up on the cough at home and relax. Oh, while I was at the shower I ate quite a few slices of pear and one of the lemon scones I had made (it was just lemon zest and juice, yogurt, flour, butter, salt, sugar and baking soda). And I only drank water while there – three glasses of cold water (I think it was bottled) and one glass of hot water
10:08pm – drank a glass of water – filtered water – my husband went to Tesco when I was at the shower and bought a water filter – haha – that’s what I was going to do then I walked over there and automatically drank a glass of tap water. So, NOW I am going to go drink a glass of filtered water.
10:20pm – ate some couscous with butter and salt
10:30pm – opened a window to cool the place off a little
10:46pm – ate two muffins
11:00pm – nose got really stuffy – it’s been pretty clear all day and now it’s really stuffy – only thing I can think of is that I did accidently drink one glass of tap water about an hour ago. I also opened a window about 30 minutes ago. I guess it could also be some sort of delayed reaction to something I was exposed to outside of the house today, but that seems less likely to me.
12:00pm – watched tv – knew my nose was too stuffy to be able to sleep
12:23pm – ate a bowl of cereal with whole milk
12:50pm – drank another glass of water (filtered this time)
Ok, so it’s late and I should get to bed so I’m not going to write much on the overall day. But, to say that most of the day was really good – I felt fairly normal – then after getting home tonight felt pretty terrible. Not sure what the reason is – there are speculations above. I’m hoping that all day tomorrow will be like most of the day today. Day fifteen is done and tomorrow brings Day Sixteen – can’t believe it’s really been that long and I still have so few answers. Hopefully tomorrow will bring health and answers.
Health to you and yours –
Beth
Day Fourteen of New Elimination Diet
July 27th, 2007NIGHT: Slept pretty well actually.
6:30am – woke up with sore throat and stuffy nose and a bit of a cough.
6:44am-7:18am – took long shower – just sat in the steam for a while. Brushed teeth with baking soda. Used Crystal stick deodorant and got dressed
7:19am – had slight hives on my head for a few minutes
7:20am-? – wrote in journal
7:31am – headache started up again. Ears really hurting, especially the right one
7:41am – had a bowel movement
7:57am – drank a glass of water
9:27am – had a bowel movement. Drank another glass of water
9:44am – ate a bowl of cereal with whole milk
9:45am – signed into work
10:00am – drank a glass of water
11:26am – got up to drink another glass of water and lost peripheral vision again
12:30pm – made muffins and ate a spoonful or so of the dough
1:04pm – took B12 and coral calcium. Drank a glass of water
1:07pm – took temp and it was 95.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Still have slight headache though not as bad as yesterday
1:08pm – ate a handful of cashews
1:25pm – nose was really bothering me
1:46pm – drank a glass of water
1:52pm – ate a muffin fresh from the oven
1:54pm – nose started to clear up
2:02pm – ate another muffin
2:07pm – drank another glass of water
2:26pm – took temp and it was 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit – pretty normal, well not normal for me but normal for a normal person which is good J
2:40pm – had small patch of hives on lower abdomen
3:40pm – right ear hurting. Drank another glass of water
4:00pm – signed out of work. Head starting to really hurt again decided to relax for a little while
5:34pm – took temp and it was 97.2 degrees Fahrenheit
5:35pm – drank a glass of water. Had pain in chest when swallowed – have been having a lot of drainage down the back of my throat
5:57pm – ate dinner – half a head of lettuce with sunflower oil and lemon and a sprinkle of salt and sugar as dressing. Ate a big handful of cashews. Drank a glass of water
7:12pm – had two muffins and a glass of water
7:57pm – drank another glass of water
8:47pm – had small patch of hives on my chin
8:48pm – took temp and it was 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit
9:00pm – drank a glass of water
10:11pm – drank another glass of water
10:36pm – had a lot of flem in my throat – cough started again but it wasn’t the same kind of dry cough I’ve had the last few days it was more flemy
10:50pm – drank glass of hot water thinking it might break up the stuff in my throat
11:10pm – brushed teeth with baking soda
11:11pm – sat in the bathroom with the steam going to try and break things up then brushed my teeth with baking soda
Today wasn’t as bad as yesterday and I only had a few small short lived patches of hives so that was good. But, it still wasn’t great. I was pretty congested all day and had a headache again for a good portion of the day. I’m still feeling hopeful that tomorrow will be better. I’m suppose to go to a baby shower for a friend tomorrow which I’ve really been looking forward to for a while so I’m really hoping that I will be feeling well and not have any problems tomorrow that would make it so that I wouldn’t enjoy the shower. Well, here’s hoping Day Fifteen will be better.
Health to you and yours -
Beth