Living happily ever after

I'm sorry I have neglected this blog. I was supposed to write on my 1-year LDN anniversary, which was two months ago, but I simply haven't had the time. I was working on my CFS/ME/FM treatment book which is now finished, and after that I've worked on the website, the press campaign and other stuff. The book's website is located at http://www.brokenmarionettebook.com.

I've tried some new medications. Thyroxine didn't work and in fact caused loads of side effects. Maybe Armour would have worked better, or maybe I should have taken hydrocortisone at the same time (the morons refused to prescribe it, because "one thing at a time"). On the other hand, there has never been any evidence that I was hypothyroid. :-P

I've been taking undenatured whey since December in hopes that it will eradicate my active HHV-6A infection and any other chronic infections I may have. It seems to have slightly improved my overall condition. Also, it caused some "herx" like symptoms in the beginning and now, if I take licorice which is an antiviral and should work synergistically with the whey, I have the "herx" stuff again. So I'm hoping some microbes are actually being killed. Pentoxifylline didn't seem to do anything for my CFS/ME (probably because I'm already taking piracetam and LDN), but it did help the herx, because it downregulates inflammatory cytokines. But I'm afraid to take it any more, because it can actually worsen cytomegalovirus infections and I might have chronic CMV (and if it aids CMV it might aid HHV-6, too).

I also tried DL-phenylalanine, which is supposed to work as an adjunct to LDN, because it slows down the breakdown of endorphins. It also converts to dopamine to some extent. I didn't notice anything, but maybe I should have taken more than 500 mg a day. Luckily at least one thing I tried works very well for my cognitive dysfunction: nimodipine. It has almost eradicated my brainfog. If I could sleep 12 hours a day I would probably be 95% lucid. If I was religious I'd be singing "Hallelujah God and thanks for the new brain!" So far the medications I've chosen for myself have been great. My doctor was so impressed he prescribed nimodipine for a friend of mine, who seems to have benefited even more than I have.

My life is going incredibly well now, so well that I would have never thought it possible 1.5 years ago. At that time I was extremely disabled, could barely do anything, my brain didn't work and it looked like I would be in wheelchair soon. Now I have a good quality of life despite a variety of annoying symptoms. I moved together with my boyfriend of eight years in March. It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for LDN, and I doubt my book would have been finished either.

Lately I've been thinking perhaps I might even get well some day, maybe not fully well but almost, considering I am closer to being well than being at my worst. On the other hand I am still getting new symptoms or old ones are showing new aspects, like my stomach problems, so it's not likely to happen any time soon. But even if I never get better than this, well, life can still be great. I just wish I would again find a job I could do.

P.S. I didn't get a single cold in the winter, even though my boyfriend had several "killer" ones. I haven't had any bacterial infections either, except for a possible throat infection lately (I don't know what it was, but it was a unilateral lump), which cleared up with oil of oregano and echinacea.