Hi and update

[faithberry]

Hi Everyone,

Happy new year! Just wanted to say hello and let you know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth.

I feel I am getting a handle on my food/gut problems. The mast cell problems have calmed down. The gut problems seem to be the oxalates and probably gastritis/gut inflammation. I know there's a large intestine connection too because I can feel it when I eat the worst foods (but no D).

For the moment, I am avoiding foods that give me oxalate symptoms or joint/muscle/nerve pain, but I'm taking my Zantac 150 mg 2x a day and eating foods that give me some burning, but not too bad. This seemed like a good compromise so I could eat more once again. I'm staying on the low and low medium oxalate diet and on the blood type A diet excluding higher oxalate foods and I'm finding some new foods I can eat.

We are back in the States, in a warm climate, with clean air. This itself I think is helping me a lot. Most of my blood values have returned to normal or close to normal.

I started to get acupuncture 1x a week, which always helps me a lot. She has a good way of explaining my complex situation.

I think I will improve, but it will be gradually. But only time will tell.

Hope you are all good!

[tex]

Hi Faith,

Welcome back. Are you sure you're back in the States? You mentioned a warm climate, and we've been having record lows here in Texas, (and probably many other parts of the country), during the past week.

It's good to hear that you're doing somewhat better, and you're able to eat more variety.

I believe that most of us survived the holidays in pretty good condition, and we're looking forward to a better new year.

Tex

[Gloria]

Hi Faith,

It's good to read that you're back home and things are settling down for you. Hopefully you'll be able to continue to add a few more foods without problems.

Gloria

[faithberry]

Thanks, you too! Glad people survived the holidays in relatively good shape.

Yep, I am the USA...in Hawaii (you can see my flag). It is chilly at night but nice and warm (in the 80's) most days. The change has been fantastic for me. I think I really need the sun both for vitamin d and because it reduces biliriubin levels, which can be an issue for me due to Gilbert's Syndrome. My doctor says the elevated billiribuin makes for poor quality bile and that must affect us one way or the other. I'm actually having brown poops for the first time in two years (instead of yellow or yellow-orange ones). Keep that sun coming!

I'm really doing so much better with food. It's a gradual process, but I am definitely adding foods like broccoli and others and I'm eating chicken and turkey patties. A year ago a tiny piece of broccoli would give me a migraine, same with brussel sprouts, and green beans. So some healing has definitely been happening. Hope it continues. I am having fantasies about rice flour cookies and muffins! I haven't had a treat like that for years.

I do want to get a colonoscopy this year, which I should get every five years since my grandmother had colon cancer...so I have a good reason even if doctors won't believe symptoms. I'll be curious to see what it says when I get around to it but probably won't be till summer.

Hope everyone stays well.