I'm a Freak of Nature

I swear though, I have so many things wrong with me it's ridiculous, and I'm always wondering what's next, ya know? It's not a hypochondriac thing at all, and Kat, I know you can relate as can my friend Andrea. Some of us just seem to end up with all the extra crap, LOL. I mean, I ended up being one of those 1/1000-1/2000 having gestational trophoblastic disease, otherwise known as a Molar Pregnancy. I had such a fast onset & quick progressing case of Grave's Disease the doctors were astonished, and I had to undergo near immediate RAI (radioiodine) therapy just to save my eyes. Following that, I had severe & dibilitating Menorrhagia/hypermenorrhea that I had to undergo a total hysterectomy, upon which they also diagnosed me with severe Adenomyosis which was caused from PCOS. Ordinarily in PCOS you wouldn't have Menorrhagia, exept in the case of the Adenomyosis! Go figure, but those small percentages always happen to ME. I also am insulin resistant. PCOS and insulin resistance are related, and guess what they can both be linked with? Yup, gluten! So anyway, after going through RAI and a total hyst, I am now on hormone replacements for the rest of my life for hypothyroidism and menopause, and now supposedly have dibilitating Fibromyalgia on top of everything else. Yay me, huh? LOL

Now, whether we have Celiac or not, I think that at the very least we are gluten sensitive, and am convinced that we need to do the testing, especially for Brittney who has many symptoms, and has battled Encopresis and MPA her entire life. We have seen a huge improvement since getting off milk protein (casein, whey, you know them all), but now over time, I am feeling like I see that we are also sensitive to soy, especially soy protein (and have you been reading on all the negatives regarding it? Scary). All the more reason I will not be surprised if it's gluten protein doing us in as well. I, especially, have major reactions after having soy & gluten proteins, but I do think that those things are what is still giving Brittney her remaining issues as well. And there are SO many studies now that show gluten as a DIRECT link to Encopresis, Fibromylagia, ADHD, Austism, Psoriasis, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, and of course Celiac at the very top of the list, along with many others. And another interesting find,.. there is now some question as to a possible link between NF1 (Neurofibromatosis Type 1 -- my youngest has this) and Celiac (Take a look at this article: http://www.functionalneurology.it/materiale_cic/27_XX_1/191_unusual%20association/article.pdf). She also has symptoms of gluten sensitivity/intolerance (especially the diarhea part for her whole life), and has very short stature. Classic. More and more pieces of the puzzle seem to be coming together to indicate to me that testing & elimination is warranted.

In addition, to now figuring in the possibilities of casein, soy & gluten protein sensitivities, I am concerned about the possibility that I also have reactions to lectins (oh, of course more protein related crap,...) I have been battling Dyshidrosis for YEARS. I'm highly allergic to nickle, mildly allergic to corn, and now most recently seems to be mangos (I'm having the same reaction as with the corn),... no, say it isn't so, not my mangos! I'm sensitive to acidic foods, too, and have to especially avoid tomatoes. I also am finding that I need to avoid oxalate containing foods (tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, beans, asparagus, beets... some of my favorites!) for another condition I won't identify publicly (it's not contagious, it is AWFUL for the sufferer & there is no cure)......... Anyway, is there anything left I can eat?? LOL,.... I need GF/CF, soy-free, corn-free and as oxalate-free as possible. :(

I am planning on getting the Breadman with the gluten-free cycle as well as I want Bette Hagman's recipe books. I have some others on my list as well that come highly recommended. I still need to get an icecream maker. Everything is going to have to start being homemade......... and affordable. Seems the more you have to eliminate, the more expensive things can get, unless you go back to scratch anyway. I've already switched us over to rice & almond milk and I want to get that new MimicCreme, have you tried it yet? How about Teff? I'm really interested in that also. I want to avoid processed foods as much as possible so want to start going back to scratch and the OAMC. That's helpful when you feel awful most of the time.

Now that I've written another book,... help, Kat!! And anybody else with suggestions... Nora, Big T, Niina, or anybody else?