Good Grief! Did you just pull that Naturapathic Doctor Degree out of your butt?

 Say what?

Hey, folks. I'm taking this space away from my scheduled blog post to rant a bit. I just read another ill-advised comment on someone else's Facebook page. Now, mind you, this was not a comment from the owner of the page. Most of the people running their own pages are pretty knowledgable.  This was a comment from a random person, answering a question from a reader with a friend who had just been diagnosed with Lupus. This uninformed person stated, quite matter of factly, that Lupus was Lyme disease! Aargh!

I went on to read other rediculous comments and advice. I honestly do not know where some of these people get this information! Seriously, do they pull it out of their butts?! They must because no where can you find this baloney.

I'm sure many are well-meaning. But by spewing this garbage to people who are just looking for help, you are NOT helping anyone. If you're going to offer advice, make sure you know what the heck you are talking about. If you're not certified, degreed, or have been through something similar yourself, keep your advice to yourself.

If you're looking for help, don't trust everything you read online. Find people you can trust. Find certified and/or degreed herbalists, homeopaths, naturapathic doctors, chiropractors, etc. Read books written by people who have been through what you're going through. There are wonderful bloggers and writers with quality information. I will do my best to weed through the good and the bad. But, I cannot protect you from the random comment goofball.

I'm not reading any more comments tonight. I've already lost enough hair for now!

Some bloggers I trust:

Whole New Mom

Mommypottamus (I hope I spelled that right)

Coconut Momma

Danielle Walker, Against all Grain

That's a good start. I'll post more later this week. Until then, trust your gut. If it sounds stupid, ignore it! Thanks for putting up with my rant! I needed that!

Being Unwell In Order To Be Well

Apparently, sometimes in our quest for wellness, we have to make ourselves unwell first.  In preparation for medical tests I have scheduled next week, I have had to stop eating gluten free, taking my daily vitamins, minerals and herbs and using my herbal treatments on my skin. This has left me an itchy, bloated, crampy mess, all in the name of science.  In order to get the most precise diagnosis, I have to put my body in it's worst possible state of the disease.  Then, and only then, can they diagnose and treat me.  This is going to be a very difficult week for me.

As anyone with an autoimmune disorder knows, pinning down the exact disorder is a difficult process.  We usually show many markers or symptoms for many of the disorders.  I have gone from a list of five, to now a list of two.  I consider myself lucky.  I know many have gone through years of suffering before finding a doctor who can pin it down.  I have only gone through three years and three doctors.

These tests next week will provide the final answer.  I will finally have the answer! 

So, what I'm saying to you, is to not give up until you have the answer.  If I had listened to the first three doctors, I would have simply lived with my symptoms until so much damage was done to my organs that there may be no saving them.  If you feel something is wrong, continue to search for answers.

I have found it helpful to keep a symptom log.  Every day, I write down every symptom, no matter how insignificant it seems.  I also take my temperature every morning and night.  Taking your temperature can provide a baseline for your doctor.  Some people, like me, may have a lower base temp. Because of this, when you have your temperature taken at the doctor's office, it may read normal to them when you are actually running a low grade temp.

Take this symptom log to your doctor.  You will no longer forget to tell your doctor about symptoms that may be key to your diagnosis.  This is especially important for symptoms that are not visible.  Write down everything! And, try to write it down when it happens.

Well, I'm going to take my cranky, rashy self to get some lunch.  It's actually harder to find something to eat once you are accustomed  to eating gluten free.  I'll be updating my blog next week with the big answer.  Stay tuned!

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