Your posts are helpful and hopeful
Posted , 9 users are following.
I'm reading all your posts with interest. I'm 66 and I've had LS since 2002 that I know of, and it's getting better with changes in treatment, but I'm not all the way there yet. It's so hopeful to know some of you have accomplished a recovery. Good on you!
I just intend to confirm some of what I've read here by telling my story. I think my LS started with yeast infections decades ago. I was taking over-the-counter meds for years for recurring vaginal yeast infections. By the time LS was diagnosed by my integrative practitioner, yeast was systemic in my body. I'd also been a lifeguard in the 60's, so lots of exposure to chlorine! Just a theory but my alternative practitioner agrees that would be a factor. That and polyester swim suits.
As for my gut, I had five years of constipation before I was diagnosed with LS. I think that was related to the yeast. I also went through a spell of being acidic systemically. At that point my doctor said stop! just stop - there was too much stress in my life. Since I had very little energy due to acidity, that wasn't hard to do 
Now I use digestive enzymes, psyllium twice daily and lactobacillus and drink plenty of alkaline water. Also drink green smoothies daily blended with seeds of all sorts incl. flax seed. Plus avocado, a small amt of beet (great to combat constipation) and tons of spinach and/or kale plus whatever other raw veggies I've got in my fridge. No more constipation and I'm feeling really good!
Diet: no dairy, wheat, flour, sugar for years now. The good news: I make my own "cheez" - cashew based - requires a high-speed blender. But it's tasty. The book I use is called Artisan Vegan Cheese by Miyoko Schinner. It even has a recipe for cheese fondue that tastes like the original. Only downside - using veggies to dip instead of French bread....
My mainstream doctor prescribed mometasone ointment twice a week but my alternative doctor said testosterone cream would be better because it's not a chemical (still cortisone though). So now it's testosterone. My systemic levels of testosterone were low anyway, he said.
My last flare-up was a doozy and it was after December holiday when I'd cheated on sweets. I cut way back on sugar and the symptoms started to subside. My sugar levels were still high and I was experiencing "brain fog" so I finally cut back on processed sugar altogether. I use stevia a lot and only eat the equivalent of two fruits a day, usually less. At the next appt my doctor told me I had been borderline diabetic the previous visit, so now I stick to minimal sugar and the brain fog's gone. That is such a relief.
I am retired, so have time for yoga, mindfulness meditation (both are relaxing) and exercise which allows me a good sleep at night.
That's me; hoping this info is helpful. Thanks for your posts. It would be so good to lose the LS.
3 likes, 34 replies
sarah33278 andrea58721
Posted
Thanks for all your replies. I get so many incomming alerts from Patient UK and all the posts are very similar.
I have never heard of a live blood cell microscopy or analysis to determine food sensitivies, i'm sure that it would indicate to me that I have sensitivites to all the foods I like to eat best. Would this test be the same as a Dark Field Microscopy where they examine a person's cells and tissues under a special light via microscope, other than the general examination under general lighting?
Is interesting what you say about systemic acidity, I have no energy daily and are always constantly drowsy and always need an afternoon nap if time permits, not easy when you have kids home on school holidays. When I mention this low energy/drowsiness to my GP he only checks iron levels which is fine, he does not investigate further.
I am unsure why there is a perception that chlorine water can be a contributor to the worsening of LS. The only information I've found here in Australia or have been told about chlorine in the water is the damage that it inflicts on our teeth and indeed chlorine is used in toothpaste and many believe that its poison and has ill affects on our health, I have a girlfreind who will swear that its poison to our bodies.
I need to look into alkaline water for drinking, do you mean spring water? Our supermarkets here in Australia have lots of bottled spring water, not sure if spring water is alkaline, I just know of it as a natural source of water only. I drink it every now and then as I don't usually like to drink the tap chlorinated water.
I will have a look at the AOR brand of digestive enzymes and perhaps bring it up on next medical appointment. Interesting how you say doctors treat Diverticulosis with antibiotics, they don't seem to treat it at all here in Australia, they only refer someone with Diverticulosis to a Dietician for a special diet and there is a special diet for those lactose intollerant but can think of the name of it, usually a high fiber diet treats Diverticulosis before it progresses to Diverticulitis where I'm told, then requires antibiotics. A low fiber diet is linked to causing diverticulosis. I've only ever had one polyp (non cancerous) which they removed during a colonoscopy, none since.
In relation to LS and genatalia in women, I think a very important factor is what we put into our bodies particularly sugar, where we become too acidic becoming a breeding ground for infections, cancers, different yeast infections etc, I think we need to regularly check how acidic or alkaline we are as women and I'm really surprised that doctors do not promote this test to women as a standard and regular test for women who have problems down there. As with a swimming pool if its too acidic you add more alkaline and vice versa to keep a healthy environment. Wonder why they haven't developed a pill for this yet given its the 21st century and women do have lots of problems down there, like they do everything else, pop a pill and you'll feel much better and your symptoms will improve they say and encourage like thrush treatments. I can only think that they are obviously not on top of their game with women's health issues.
I've been advised recently that I have a non-albicans candida which is not the normal type of yeast such as thrush, now that I am with a female specialist, I am getting a lot more diagnosis and now have to go to a womens sexual health and vulvadynia clinic where I guess the real specialists are for further followup.
I know you probably wouldn't have this product where you are but for those who have bowel, gut and thrush problems, we also have different probiotic food products here and one is YAKULT, you can see information about it at www.yakult.com.au . It has a beneficial bacterial strain scientifically proven to assist environments where bad bacteria flourishes. Each small 65ml bottle contains 6.5 billion of highly acid resistant bacteria, meaning every millilitre of Yakult contains 100 million live Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain. You don't need a script for it and its regularly stocked in our supermarkets.
All these conditions that us women have, makes our LS seem less important and only a smaller picture of what is really going on.
Thanks again for feedback.