So how am I doing?
Aug. 31st, 2010 11:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mamagotchaHello, all. I know you've been on the edge of your seats wondering what's going on in my exciting life, so here's a quick update:
After many hours on the phone and scouring the Internet, I found a physician who seems aware of integrative medicine, practices within 50 miles of me, AND is covered by the BC/BS HMO we're enrolled in. Her name is Silvia Panitch, and I will get to see her next Tuesday.
The main issues I want to address with her are the depression and the psoriasis. The depression comes and goes... I've had three mini-periods and one major one in the last two months, so I would not be at all surprised to find that the low moods are hormone-related. This has been dragging on for years now... argh.
The psoriasis is getting much worse. I've eased up on the supplements for the anti-candida diet due to some intestinal unhappiness, and focused on the no-sugar/no-wheat part. Almost my entire scalp is now involved, the itching/burning/tightness is really driving me crazy, both ears (in, on and behind) are pretty well covered. There is some relief when I douse myself in coconut oil, but as soon as I wash it out (and I have to wash it before I leave the house), it starts back to the itch phase again. The flakes are horrible... I'd say I'm seeing a solid tablespoon of them a day.
But hey, all that's not enough! No, there's yet another little twist I'm noticing: I've lost a huge amount of hair. The remaining stuff was in really bad shape, so I cut off about 8". Now I'm really kicking myself... because the remaining stuff is becoming so thin, I can see my scalp through it. I will never, ever have long hair again, at least not as nice as the stuff I just whacked off, and it's really hitting me viscerally very hard... I see a woman with long hair, and my eyes well up.
There's a single inflamed lymph node behind my left ear. I'm also having a lot of trouble with energy... I don't think it's related to the apnea, because I wake up pretty much refreshed around 7:30 a.m. most mornings.
I'm really reluctant to try the steroids... a number of accounts I've read seem to indicate that, while people do get good immediate results with them, they wind up having a really horrible rebound effect when you stop... and you have to stop every once in a while, because they become less effective the longer you use them.
A friend who has been grappling with psoriasis called and talked with me a long time about it, and it looks like a UV comb might be helpful. I'll ask if my insurance covers it, or if there's a way to try it somehow.
There's a part of me that hopes against hope that it's not psoriasis, that I have some funky food allergy and I'll just have to stop eating tomatoes or something and it will get all better... but realistically, I know the odds of that are about zilch.
Ah well. Stay tuned... more after next Tuesday!
After many hours on the phone and scouring the Internet, I found a physician who seems aware of integrative medicine, practices within 50 miles of me, AND is covered by the BC/BS HMO we're enrolled in. Her name is Silvia Panitch, and I will get to see her next Tuesday.
The main issues I want to address with her are the depression and the psoriasis. The depression comes and goes... I've had three mini-periods and one major one in the last two months, so I would not be at all surprised to find that the low moods are hormone-related. This has been dragging on for years now... argh.
The psoriasis is getting much worse. I've eased up on the supplements for the anti-candida diet due to some intestinal unhappiness, and focused on the no-sugar/no-wheat part. Almost my entire scalp is now involved, the itching/burning/tightness is really driving me crazy, both ears (in, on and behind) are pretty well covered. There is some relief when I douse myself in coconut oil, but as soon as I wash it out (and I have to wash it before I leave the house), it starts back to the itch phase again. The flakes are horrible... I'd say I'm seeing a solid tablespoon of them a day.
But hey, all that's not enough! No, there's yet another little twist I'm noticing: I've lost a huge amount of hair. The remaining stuff was in really bad shape, so I cut off about 8". Now I'm really kicking myself... because the remaining stuff is becoming so thin, I can see my scalp through it. I will never, ever have long hair again, at least not as nice as the stuff I just whacked off, and it's really hitting me viscerally very hard... I see a woman with long hair, and my eyes well up.
There's a single inflamed lymph node behind my left ear. I'm also having a lot of trouble with energy... I don't think it's related to the apnea, because I wake up pretty much refreshed around 7:30 a.m. most mornings.
I'm really reluctant to try the steroids... a number of accounts I've read seem to indicate that, while people do get good immediate results with them, they wind up having a really horrible rebound effect when you stop... and you have to stop every once in a while, because they become less effective the longer you use them.
A friend who has been grappling with psoriasis called and talked with me a long time about it, and it looks like a UV comb might be helpful. I'll ask if my insurance covers it, or if there's a way to try it somehow.
There's a part of me that hopes against hope that it's not psoriasis, that I have some funky food allergy and I'll just have to stop eating tomatoes or something and it will get all better... but realistically, I know the odds of that are about zilch.
Ah well. Stay tuned... more after next Tuesday!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-01 02:06 pm (UTC)The coconut oil reference reminded me of a cool product I used to use (not for psoriasis). Have you tried Skin Trip? Does oral Benadryl help at all? You can take 50mg at night, get some good sleep, and diminish itching.
Good luck with the doc.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-01 04:05 pm (UTC)Go off the eggs and BAM! All better!
If I stay completely away from eggs except a baked good here and there I do OK. If I eat something ultra eggy, or have eggs from several sources then BAM it's back!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-08 12:10 am (UTC)I'd actually LOVE to hear that it's an allergy... knowing there was SOMETHING I could do to avoid this would be terrific.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-08 12:14 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-02 05:44 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-02 08:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-02 08:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-04 01:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-07 06:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-07 06:49 pm (UTC)Heading out there now. I'm vacillating between being worried that I'll be told it's nothing and all in my head, or having her gasp and tell me I have cancerous dandruff or something like that.
Man, I HATE going to doctors!