Progress!

Good news! I’m on the upswing again. I finally have the energy to help with chores like laundry and dishes. I’ve been able to go to Pilates twice a week for the last three weeks. I even went to the movies for the first time in over 6 years! I also found out I can do the splits again. I couldn’t do them when I tried in November. I’m making progress! Woohoo!

I’m not quite back to where I was in the fall but it sure seems like things are headed in the right direction. The new apartment is definitely better for me than our old one. Keeping a window cracked open 24/7 and using space heaters instead of the HVAC system has really helped with the air quality. We got the ERMI test back and the score is excellent.

I’m coming up on two months of treatment with Cholestyramine, activated charcoal and infrared sauna sessions and I think it’s really paying off. I’ve also been getting an enormous benefit from doing coffee enemas. I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, as I’m well aware that there are plenty of articles online that make coffee enemas sound super quacky and dangerous.

Quacky or not, I felt that I should be honest with my readers about what is helping me. The theory is that it stimulates bile flow and increases glutathione production. I don’t think that’s been proven and I don’t feel qualified to have an opinion about whether the specific claims about coffee enemas are true.

All I can say is that I’m 100% sure that it’s helping me and 99% sure it’s not a placebo effect. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve believed something was going to help me and it either did nothing or made me much worse. It’s happened with countless drugs and alternative treatments. I eventually came to the conclusion that either this is not the kind of illness that responds to placebos or I’m just not the kind of person who benefits from placebos.

And to be perfectly honest, after years of struggling with an illness that doctors can’t cure and trying dozens of medications, you get to a place where you no longer just assume that a prescription drug is automatically safer or more effective than a coffee enema. You even start to wonder if your own body might have some innate wisdom that people with fancy letters after their names don’t always have.

At this point, I’m taking the approach of doing my own research, learning from other patients, using common sense to weigh risks and benefits and listening to how my body feels. So far, it’s working better than any of my previous approaches.

Anyway, I’m doing the coffee enemas while making sure to take electrolytes and probiotics to mitigate potential risks. I also ordered an amazing mineral kit that is making a big difference in my energy levels. I’m feeling really hopeful about where my health is headed. We’ve almost made it through the winter! 🙂

Disclaimer: I seriously do not want anyone to try coffee enemas just because I mentioned it on my blog. The purpose of this blog to offer hope not medical advice. If you’re interested in trying coffee enemas please go elsewhere to learn about the risks and potential benefits before you make your decision.

By the way, Brett and I made a beautiful PDF of my favorite resources for suffering souls. I created the content and he made it look fancy with his superduper graphic design skills. It’s available for free to my email subscribers. Click here to sign up and receive 5 Resources for the Suffering Soul.