This is my second try at finishing college. My first was interrupted by a string of serious illnesses, having a baby, getting married, and then having 5 more (babies, that is). I have always been a "type A" person - push through it, deal with it, get it done.
But there are a lot of serious illnesses, quite a few of which most medical doctors are ignorant, that need your time and attention. Your future...and your life....may depend upon it. If you have persistent illness, or nagging symptoms that don't resolve, don't wait and hope it will go away. If you don't get answers from your medical doctor, do what college students do best: research. There are some very good alternative practitioners out there; but check out what they tell you on the internet and at the library. I'll give you some examples:
1. Lyme Disease is a bigger problem than most people think. It isn't confined to the Northeast. And most people do not get the EM rash. And the "tests" are not very good: they do not test for the presence of the borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, only the antibodies (or in one case, the DNA). The problem is, if Lyme Disease is not caught right away (usually only in those who exhibit the rash), it can attack the immune system to the extent that you may not be producing any antibodies. The best "approved" test there is is the Western Blot. What most doctors will not tell you is that it has an accuracy rate of 57%. That's a failing grade in our book! The symptoms of Lyme Disease are many and varied; it has been called "the second great immitator." For more information, there is a Lyme-and-Rife discussion group on Yahoo; there is a very thorough book called Lyme Disease and Rife Machines by Brian Rosner; and there is the Lyme Disease Association's website at http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/. That's just a beginning, but it's a good beginning. Lyme Disease is primarily a central nervous system infection, but it can literally affect any and every part of the body.
2. Mercury toxicity is a big problem that is denied by the ADA. "Metal" or "silver" fillings as they are often called, or "amalgam" fillings by pros are mostly mercury, which has been described by dentists who will admit to its being a problem as the most toxic substance on the planet that isn't radioactive. That's right; more so than fossil fuels, PCBs, or other things that are said to destroy the ozone. And it's in your mouth! "Standard" tests for mercury toxicity do not reveal a problem, because mercury gets into the body and latches on to your organs; it does not float around in your blood. Hair analysis can show it, but low levels are often indicative of poor excretion, since that what the hair shows: what your body is getting rid of. The website http://www.mercuryexposure.org/index.php?page_id=29 lists possible sources of mercury; click the link following the "dental amalgam" link and read the explanation. The book Uninformed Consent by Dr. Hal Huggins is an excellent and thorough source of information.
3. Both EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) and CMV (cytomegalovirus) have been known to remain active and cause a plethora of physical problems, including swollen, painful glands, swollen spleen, liver stress, low grade fever, extreme fatigue, etc. There are tests for these viruses, but you may have to see an alternative practitioner. Either one or both of these viruses are thought to be culprits in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or as it has come to be called, Chronic Fatigue Immue Deficiency Syndrome (CFIDS) and/or Fibromyalgia. You should remember, though, these two terms are not really diagnoses, but names for a list of symptoms that is not just physical, but also includes such symptoms as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. There are treatments, and some have obtained complete remission. Try the books From Fatigued to Fantastic and Pain Free 1-2-3 by Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum and/or visit the website for helpful supplements www.vitality101.com.
4. For everyone, but especially women, candida can bring a host of miserable symptoms of its own, and we're not just talking about vaginal yeast infections. Yeast like candida can multiply in the intestines, particularly if you have consumed a lot of sugar in your life, been on antibiotics, and consume non-organic meat and dairy sources (both contain either growth hormones, antibiotics, or both). If allowed to go unchecked, these organisms eat holes in the intestines, causing a condition called leaky gut syndrome in which undigested particles enter the bloodstream and cause everything from infections to allergies and asthma. Systemic infections can any organ of the body and even aggravate neuralgia (nerve pain). The Yeast Connection by Dr. William Crook is excellent, and they have a website, http://www.yeastconnection.com/fighting_ask.html where you can ask an expert about this by phone for a fee.
5. Don't downplay the importance of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, especially the latter. This is something most medical doctors are almost clueless about, because education in this field is not required in most medical schools AT ALL. Calcium levels that get too low can cause seizures. Magnesium levels that get too low can cause severe headaches, even migraines; muscles pain and spasms; among other things. Zinc deficiency can cause MANY problems, including immune problems, digestion problems, skin problems, copper toxicity (which at levels too high is a neruotoxin), and anxiety. The list is far too long to detail here. There are tests for a few of these that are used by MD's as part of "routine" blood tests, but most are ignored. An M.D. that recognizes alternative medicine and other alternative practitioners can order specialized tests that can pinpoint the problem(s) in this area if you have one (and most people do). And it's often the easiest one to correct.
I guess I should say that I am neither a doctor nor a nurse, but I wish I'd had the above information all at once, about 3 years ago. That is when, as a home schooling mother of 6, I became seriously ill. And I do not just have one of the above-listed problems; I have all of them. Any of them can be debilitating, but if you are having any health issues, it pays to not write them off as "just stress" - although that alone can make you more susceptible to illness. As soon as you can, get things checked out, and if necessary, "patient, heal thyself." I hope some of this helps someone; more than anything, I believe that's what I'm here for.
Kim Tracey
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