Bad news first. I'm doing terrible on this diet. The herx was only supposed to last four days. I've officially been on this diet hard core for seven and many items have been out of my diet for almost three weeks. I have very little energy and lots of muscle weakness. My legs feel like marshmallows when I try to stand or walk. Steps are unthinkable. If I exert myself even a little bit I am back to head bobbing and needing help walking across the room. I'm stuck back on the couch with the wireless keyboard in my lap so that I don't go nuts from boredom. I'm in way more pain than a week ago. Things are aching randomly, back, neck, hips, arms. I don't know if this is from the diet, the CFS or cortisone shot wearing off.
I've decided to give it one more week. If I'm still messed up a week from today I'm stopping this diet. I was doing so well before I started this I'm very bummed I agreed to it. I was hoping it would do me some good and it has been a disaster.
I am going to add the forbidden food back one at a time to see if I have any outright reactions to the food but I'm suspecting I already know what is going to happen. No sugar. Perhaps no corn or soy.
Second piece of bad news: my throat is swollen. I went to an ENT last week to check my throat out and make sure I didn't have cancer, tumors etc. He put me back on heartburn meds even though I told him this hadn't been a problem for a while. I'm still having trouble with my voice cutting out on me randomly even though I've been on meds for days. I'm also wondering if the meds will interfere with the results of the elimination diet. However, I like swallowing and I was having trouble with this on my worst days. I've even coughed up some of the larger pills I'm supposed to take every day after they've gotten stuck in my throat.
Onto the good news:
The biggest is that I was approved for Social Security disability on my first try. This was without the help of my lawyer and there is a 70% rejection rate on applications. Approval usually takes roughly 2 years, one appeal and a court appearance. I also managed this without a confirmed diagnosis since the doctor appointments fell after the SSD deadline. I'll write a post on what I did at a later date. I've been putting it off because I want to include some useful links but of course I don't remember them and have to go hunting for the information.
This means I don't have to move. It increases the likelyhood of winning my LTD appeal. If they are nuts enough to deny my appeal I would win in court. There is excellent precidence for people who win SSD and are denied LTD winning in court.
I've started my sofa sloth activism. I've sent emails to my local congressional reps, President Obama and sent testimony to the DHHS CFIDS committee. Next I'm going to have one of my recipes from Fast Foodie published in the cookbook to benefit WPI. I'm very excited about this. It is a fun thing to do and I will be able to say I'm published! How cool is that!?!
My packet for Dr. Komaroff is now complete and sitting on the table. I just have to gather up the energy to go to the post office and get it in the mail.
Between The Diet From Hell being almost over, my SSD coming through which will relieve my finances and my work on Fast Foodie going to help others with CFS, I've been in a great mood. I'm happy again even if I'm stuck on the couch.
Congrats on getting SSD! Good luck with the diet. I've been working on diet issues for the past 3 years; finally did tests and now am on v. strict diet and it's working really well - well enough that I'm finding it relatively easy to stick to as the "payback" is so good. Have history of heartburn and weight gain too - heartburn meds are really bad for you. All my heartburn has now stopped on the new diet. Have written about it on my blog. Hang in there - things can get better.
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