When I started this blog, I made a list of my symptoms. In yesterday's post, I talked about some of the vast improvements I've made. I thought it would be fun to go back and look at that list to exactly what's better, what hasn't changed, and what's worse. I'm about six months into my helminth therapy, and know from talking to others that my progress is likely to continue. I have very high hopes at this point!
SYMPTOM Pain/swelling in hips and SI joint Pain/swelling in wrists Pain/swelling in hands Pain/swelling in left shoulder Pain/swelling in right foot and both ankles Malar rash Heliotrope rash Pleurisy and costochondritis Recurring nephritis Frequent shortness of breath Pain/weakness in arms and legs Extreme photosensitivity Cold urticaria Mouth ulcers Raynauds syndrome Weight gain Esophageal swelling/hoarse voice/frequent choking Scalp swelling and pain Irregular hair loss Allergy to alcohol Worsened seasonal and environmental allergies. | BETTER, SAME, WORSE Much better. Intermittent sciatica and muscle fatigue only. Much better. No wrist pain in several weeks. Much better. My hands have actually returned to proper size. Still some intermittent pain and weakness. Much better. No noticeable pain in left shoulder. Much better. My feet hurt on Saturday night, but that was after wearing high heels for several hours (SQUEEE! High Heels!) They didn't swell despite my choice of foot wear. Worse. I talked about this in my last post, but I am a little perplexed. Somewhat better. My eyelids are definitely not as dark, but they are sore. Much better. I've only had one instance of costochondritis and it was after a long day of raking leaves. Much better. Only a couple of days of sore kidneys and was able to treat at home. Better. Still rebuilding lung strength though. The pain is better. The weakness is the same. I have more energy, but am frequently reminded by my body that it will take time to rebuild the strength I've lost. To be honest, I haven't tested this one yet. My gut instinct is that the since the malar rash is worse, the photosensitivity may also be worse. But I'm not taking any chances. Much better, as yesterday's post pointed out. A little better. I was already having fewer anyway, and now it seems to have improved slightly again. About half better. No issues in my hands, but my feet are still acting up a little. Better. As I feel better, I lose the weight. I've lost about 10 pounds so far. About half better. My range is much improved, and I've only choked a couple of times in the last few weeks. Better. It's not as red, and doesn't hurt as bad. Better. Not only am I not losing abnormal amounts of hair, regrowth has begun. Haven't tested it. (But the holidays are just around the corner. If I continue to feel better, I may just spike my egg nog!) Much better. I've eliminated my night time dose of Benedryl with no ill effects. I've had no major allergic reactions in the last several weeks. |