The signs had been there for a few weeks. Bloating some days and loose stool on others. I was having anxious night sleeps and cramps. We all know that I love to indulge in my sweets, but my NEED for sugar/constant hunger was next level. Yup, I was definitely having some sort of candida or bacteria flare up.
And then it happened. Let’s just say that on October 14th, the day before my 30th birthday, I did NOT return from Mexico… but BOY DID IT FEEL LIKE IT. Not even a sip of water would stay in my system!! Enter freak out mode. Not only was the next day my 30th birthday, but that Friday I had family and friends flying in and on Saturday I was throwing my birthday party and having 100 people!
*note: at the early onset of my symptoms I consulted my doctor and we did a stool test that showed slightly elevated levels of candida and bacteria, so I started taking saccharomyces boulardii and at least had a very good idea of what the culprits of this major flare up were.
HOW was I going to make it to my party?! And IF I made it, would I feel well? Be running to the bathroom? I needed HELP. I immediately started thinking I needed an antibiotic, but I wanted to hear my doctor’s opinion, too. She totally agreed. We needed to get me better, and get me better quick. She prescribed me three days of Flagyl, an antibiotic known to fight bacteria and yeast. Most people go on the pill for 5-10 days, but it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY that you DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL while on the prescription (0r any prescription), and my party was in 5 days. Nevermind the alcohol, eleven years ago when I swore off gluten, dairy, and soy, I also swore off antibiotics (story for another time, but my doctors felt as though years and years of unnecessary antibiotics had caused my immune system to shatter and autoimmune issues to present). I don’t even take Motrin!!
I had two fears:
- Was I going to destroy all of the bad, but also all of the GOOD bacteria in my body, and completely destroy the eleven years of progress I’ve made with my gut and immune system!?
- What were people going to think?!
So here’s the update!
- After two days on the antibiotic, my stool started to form and I was definitely getting better. By the last day of the pill I was FOR SURE well enough to go to my party… but I was definitely no where near healed.
- Given I indulged in alcohol and GF cake at my party, I set myself a little bit back, so come Monday my doctor and I decided I should do ANOTHER round of Flagyl (3 days) to get me back on track and knock this all out.
- I was PARANOID the entire time about destroying the GOOD bacteria, too, so here was (slash still is) my supplement regimen to ensure the good bacteria keep flourishing.
AM:
Probiotic (Seed)- more to come on this soon!
CBD tincture under my tongue: BEAM (as always, code NOBREAD for 15% off)
saccharomyces boulardii
Vitamins B, C, D, Fish Oil
With Meals:
Flagyl
Digestive Enzymes with breakfast
HCL (increases stomach acid- same brand as enzymes)
Midday: Activated Charcoal
Early PM: Cup of Bone Broth
Before Bed:
Melatonin (I wasn’t sleeping)
Turmeric Pill
CBD
Treatments: Infrared Saunas, IV Vitamin drips at The Hydration Room in Santa Monica (clearly I had a leaky gut, so that means my nutrients weren’t staying in me either), Lymph drainage (DETOXXXXX) and/or massage.
Products: Liquid IV (bless your heart). I was for sure dehydrated from everything coming out of me, so these kept me hydrated and electrolyte-filled.
In terms of diet, I added turmeric wherever I could, MAJORRR limited carbs and sugar, added a lot of steamed veggies and lean proteins, and cut nuts and fruit (I only eat berries anyway). I’ve been reading a LOT about the benefits of Manuka Honey so I’ve been experimenting with it a bit, too.
NOW. This is what seems to be working for ME. I am NOT a nutritionist or doctor of any kind; I am working closely with wellness experts to get better. In taking the antibiotic I wasn’t so much concerned with whether or not others were going to judge me, but I really struggled with judging myself. I do everything in my life, from my day to day decisions to my diet and wellness routine, based off of my intuition and my intuition was STRONGLY telling me to take the antibiotic. I trusted myself and listened to it.
Antibiotics may be a quick fix, but now the hard work begins. Sticking to a program of healing and continuing to get better naturally. I wanted to share this story because we put SO much pressure on things like antibiotics and doing what we or society deems appropriate. No one knows your body better than YOU and it is important to always listen to YOURSELF. I also share this because this all has been going on in the last few weeks, and I am still very much emerged in it, so I would love to hear from YOU! Have you been through something similar? Any healing recs?! xox, Nicole
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