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Please write...I need support on detox.

KoaselinoKoaselino Raw Newbie

Hello everyone!

I've been 100% raw for 7 days. My story is kinda long and drawn out and it's probably similar to a lot of people who have gone raw so I'll try to keep it short. I need support because all day today I've been crying because I feel so crappy and I'm so frusterated.

Here are the cliff notes:

I've been very unhealthy from my toxic lifestyle growing up and in my early 20's. I was sick all the time as a child and I had chronic stomach issues. I think I lived on Tums, Rolaids and Mylanta through highschool and it makes sense because I ate processed EVERYTHING, was a total sugar addict and I did not eat green food period. I wouldn't touch a salad until I was in my early 20's! My mom didn't know better...she just fed me what she fed herself. She's been obese almost her whole life. My grandmother became diabetic later in life and my mom now is battling colon cancer and is a borderline diabetic now.

I've been on the path to get well for the last 3 years. I was sick all the time and had been to doctors which always gave me a clean bill of health. My bloodwork always came out perfect!

About 2 years ago I was ill constantly. I had no energy, was nauseous constantly, headaches, dizzy spells, light headedness, couldn't concentrate etc etc. The list goes on. I started doing some mega research and removed dairy from my diet...I also started drinking green smoothies. I felt better! BUT I still would have these spells that would last a week or 2 where I would get tired again, lightheaded and sick, but I my stomach problems were gone. I then became a vegetarian and felt even better, but still not good enough. Last summer I started to get this wierd joint pain. It started in my left foot and my right thumb. Wierd??

That's when I started to consider a raw diet. About 5 months ago I became vegan and started eating about 50% raw. I try to stay away from sugar and wheat too.

I've been feeling pretty good lately...better than I've felt in years. I did a raw diet cleanse in Janurary and that was really helpful.

The week before Easter I fell off the band wagon a bit and was eating some gluten free brownies and some other tasty sugary crap that was not vegan and also a lot of processed chips and such. I also had some wheat on Easter weekend. Monday came around and I felt tired and off...by Wedneday I was full on sick (not virus sick, but just unhealthy sick) and had to call in to work. I was having one of my spells....tired, lightheaded, achy etc.

SO we are up to date:

On Wednesday I started a cleanse...I was juicing in the morning and having raw dinners at night.

On Saturday I started a short Juice Feast. I went 3 days (I wanted to go longer, but wasn't prepared enough) and boy did I detox. I felt achy and tired and my joints!? They flared up a lot.

On Sunday night my joints were REALLY hurting. I had a large amount of yellow mucus coming up that I was coughing out. I also got yellow streaks in my eyes. My ears were popping like crazy too! I was starting to feel better by Sunday night though...my energy level was up and I thought I was seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

Tuesday I started eating again...I came off the fast gently and I felt so so. I was still very tired.

Today I feel super sick. I am totally congested and the whole left side of my face is swollen with pressure. I have lots of drainage happening. I have the chills and body aches. My joints hurt.

I'm sooo frusterated. I'm actually going to a doctor tomorrow to try and get a diagnosis for the joint pain. I'm pretty sure it's arthritis, but who knows. Unfortunately we have no naturopathic or alternative docs around here so I am going to a traditional doc. eek! I'm a bit nervous, but I would like to at least know that YES I do have arthritis and not MS or something else. It's not like I will take medications for it, but I would like to know.

My question for all of you is this...

Is it possible that I'm still detoxing? It's been 7 days completely raw and I plan to stay raw for the joint pain. Could the pressure and sinus build up be the detox? I just feel so horrible and I've never gone through a detox this severe. I guess it's possible that I am sick along with the detox, but I don't think so. I don't think I would have a bug that would slowly get worse over the course of a week and a half. Has anyone else ever experienced a detox this severe? Today I worked half a day and then I had to come home and sleep. I have a dull headache from the pressure and I feel so tired and "out of it" I'm hoping that this is detox. I have read that when you detox, issues that you've had come up and flair in the order in which you had them. It seems to be true with the joint pain. Interestingly enough about 2 years ago I had a lot of congestion in my head after the removal of some nasty wisdom teeth. I'm wondering if this might be part of that. Maybe I still have some healing to do from the wisdom teeth removal?

Am I really that toxic that my detox would be this severe?

Thanks to all who have read this and who reply. I really appreciate it. I'm just at this point of pure frustration and I'm scared. I want to feel better and I'm so tired of these spells.

Comments

  • From what your writing here, I believe your going through a big detox!!! Have you been eating 100% raw fruit and veggies, if so its because your detoxing from all the bad food , chemicals in the previous bad food you ate. You will get better soon. Fruit and veggies will cure you. You should get plenty of rest during this time. Relax and dont worry.

    Raw foods is the best and I just love it that I dont crave any cooked food now!!! Peace to you:)

  • KittyKitty Raw Newbie

    Detox can last a while, I still had symptoms 3 wks - a month into it. Our bodies are constantly in a state of detoxing. However it sounds like you may have some other health issues that I would recommend getting some blood work. Try to get in as much fresh fruits and vegetables as you can. What does your daily food intake look like? Are you getting enough fruit? How much fat are you eating?

  • rawpretzelarawpretzela Raw Newbie

    I have to say after reading your post I feel so sad about you!! When I became raw vegan (7 months ago) I wasn't even a vegetarian I went 100% to SAD diet to 100% raw vegan, my diet before being vegan was very likely to a raw diet, just that I consumed salmon or tuna, that's why I think my detox wasn't that hard, but I do have to say that for about 2 weeks I felt terrible!! I had headaches, low energy, bad mood.. horrible!! I was desperate, but I kept believing in raw foods and after a some days everything started fine, until I felt great, you just have to give your body some time to understand this big change, don't give up, everything will be ok but try to focus on fruit and veggies first and add just a few fats like nuts or seeds, FRUITS AND VEGGIES will be the change!!

  • As Kitty suggested, blood work sounds like a good thing to do. I metioned thyroid to another poster (she had similar problems) and it did remind me of something I have been finding reports of on the internet. From what I understand, traditionally when a doctor test your thyroid level they withdraw blood in a tube and send it to be tested. This form of testing is being found to miss actual thyroid problems because the tubes of blood are not usually refridgerated in transport and whatever chemical they are looking for actually decreases during the time the blood sits. I'm not explaining it well I'm sure. But, many doctors are turning to a drop of blood that dries quickly on the test strip that is then sent out. For some reason, this form of testing find those "hidden" cases that have been falling through the cracks. People who have been suffering for years (and have been tested many times before) and finding that they do have thyroid problems. Just something to think of if you get tested (to ask for the pin prick drop of blood test).

    Also, could you have lymes disease? (from ticks) Not trying to scare you, both these conditions ARE treatable:-)

  • freewitheftfreewitheft Raw Newbie

    It does sound like detox. Switching to all raw can bring on detox, but a juice fast will be an even quicker detox. Since you've done both, I think it's the likely suspect. If your joints are bothering you, that is a likely sign of inflammation. Turmeric and fresh pineapple are both wonderful anti-inflammatories to consider adding. Hang in there! I had a similar lifestyle as a child and young adult, there can be quite a bit of work for the body to repair everything and bring you back in balance.

    Also, I agree with sisterbecky that Lyme is a possibility. Your symptoms of fatigue, lightheadedness, inability to concentrate, etc are similar to the MS symptoms I used to have. MS and Lyme frequently present in the same manner and are often mistakenly diagnosed as one when it's the other.

  • KoaselinoKoaselino Raw Newbie

    Hi everyone!

    Thanks for commenting and for the ideas.

    I went to the doctor yesterday to get some testing done. I got a full panel done, but I also requsted a Lyme disease test. I have been considering that for a while and it's totally possible. I haven't been bitten by a tick in quite a long time, but I know that the disease can sit dormant. My mom informed me yesterday that when I was very young (4-5yrs) I got bit and got lyme disease. She took me to the doctor immediately and I was treated, but maybe it didn't fully get rid of it. ?? I was bit when I was older though and it wouldn't suprise me if I did turn up with the disease.

    BUT...most likely I probably won't get diagnosed. The doctor seemed to think that whatever I had going on was probably auto immune, but figured that we wouldn't get a diagnosis. She just didn't think it would be that easy. She was really great..young and she listened. She also suspected Celiac's disease. I should find out next week.

    sisterbecky-I'm not sure if they will run a thyroid like that or not...most likely not as I only saw them put but my blood in 3 tubes, one being for the lyme's test.

    I'm feeling a little better today. Still a little tired. I'm really stopped up...I think part of that may be allergies because it went from cold blizzardy conditions on monday to 70 degrees and sunny wednesday. I know the raw diet will help me with that too. My joints are feeling better. I can still feel them...but they aren't aching.

    freewitheft- It's funny because I've been craving pineapple. I've made sure to get plenty of it and I've had some tumeric as well.

    I also had ordered some powdered MSM and that came yesterday so I started taking that.

    I'll make sure to make an updated soon.

    Thanks again!

    Niki

  • Perhaps consider a colonic. They can help the detox quite a lot.

  • Hi Koaselino,

    Not to harp on the Lyme thing, but I've had my fair share with this insidious disease, and your symptoms sound very familiar! Lyme is certainly a potential explanation for what you are going through, especially considering you have been bit twice to your knowledge. Lyme CAN and DOES lay dormant. Please be advised that Lyme tests are very fickle; there can be false positives and false negatives, particularly if the disease has been lying dormant. If your PCP is running the tests, s/he is most likely unaware of what specifically to look for in your blood work. I won't go into great detail (for the sake of forum space!), but if you have any questions re. Lyme Disease, don't hesitate to contact me.

    I also agree that Celiac Disease may very likely be a cause of your symptoms. Extraintestinal manifestations include fatigue, arthritis and nuerologic symptoms (similar to Lyme). Since the disorder results from an autoimmune response, your doc will be testing for antibodies and/or antigens. As with the Lyme tests, CD tests are not always foolproof. For complete conformation of CD, they may want to take a biopsy of your intestine. Obviously, a completely gluten-free diet is a less invasive way to "test" for this disorder. Within 2-8 weeks, symptoms should subside. How long were you off gluten (aside from your Easter wheat)? You said you "try" to stay away from gluten. Haha, this sounds like me! But even a little bit can evoke an immune response if you have CD.

    I guess right now is a waiting game until the tests come back. Hopefully, some questions will be answered! If not, there are always further steps. In the meantime, hang in there and I hope you're feeling better!

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