My story: Most of you know of my unhealthy year last year: three month chronic daily migraines, hospitalization for Acute Pancreatitis and the 6 months of chronic daily pain caused by that horrible and serious disease. Being hospitalized in December/January for either MRSA or Strep. Before last year I was really healthy. I practiced yoga, had a great network of friends, loved being a wife and stay-at-home mom, was active at church, did Sprint Triathlons...I felt great. After we moved into our new home, my health went downhill and fast. When I was suffering from the chronic migraines, my neurologist couldnt find any prescriptions that worked. We tried Imitrex and Fioricet with absolutely no relief. I would lie in bed and the boys would bring up ice packs for a little relief. Since we couldnt find relief, she wanted to put me on an anti seizure medication which I would have to take every day for the rest of my life. The side effects and the idea of having to take something for the rest of my life was too scary for me. During this, many friends suggested I try essential oils. Other friends suggested trying a chiropractor. I was desperate. I didnt want to spend $150 on the Young Living oil kit, so I bought some oils at Whole Foods and some online. They didnt work. Now that I know that other oils can have additives and synthetics, I understand why they didnt work. But at the time, I didnt know much about oils. I was scared to try a chiropractor. Ive heard amazing testimonials from friends. But Ive heard some scary stories. One of Joes friends in college was permanently disabled from an adjustment gone wrong. Still, I was desperate. I was in severe pain everyday. I was not living a quality life. I couldnt enjoy my children or my husband. I missed out on their school events, I wasnt able to help them with homework, I had to rely on the older two to take care of Evan. The older two had to get dinner ready while I lay in bed writhing in pain. So, the possible benefit outweighed the risk. I went to a chiropractor. He took an x ray and was able to show me WHY I was having migraines. This was way more info than I got from my neurologist. After my second adjustment, I had an hour of being pain free. This was amazing! It was my first pain free hour in 90 days. I had hope. After my third adjustment, I was completely pain free the next day. By my fourth, I went a whole week without a migraine. Now I average 2-3 migraines a month which is a miracle. But these happen when I wait to long to go for an adjustment. This Spring, I decided to have a psychological evaluation to see if I had ADHD. My kids werent doing very well in school and they had a lot of the classic ADHD symptoms. I have long thought that I had ADHD...absentminded, distracted, procrastinator, losing things, extreme difficulty staying focused on tasks, easily overwhelmed, etc. When I was working on my MBA (about 1995) I had my Primary Care Physician write me a prescription for Ritalin. I tried it and was AMAZED. I could actually focus when reading. BUT, I hated the side effects (it made me feel on-edge, nauseaus, etc.) so I only took it twice. I used to be late paying all my bills. I had the money in my account, but I put it off every month to the point where I was paying thousands in late fees, interest rates, etc. Before I got married, Joe Crocenzi took over paying my bills for me. He used my money, of course, but he organized and managed everything for me. He rocks! In my career, pre-kids, I did great in front of customers and loved meeting with people and training companies on intl shipping policies and procedure. BUT, I sucked at the paperwork, would procrastinate, and then wouldnt get credit for my work. My numbers were awful...dreadful in fact. My bosses didnt understand how I could do so well in front of customers and companies were increasing their international shipping and I had won many accounts back from competitors, yet, my numbers didnt reflect this. I was failing at my job because of my inability to keep up with the paperwork to get credit for the work I was doing. So, this Spring I decided Id be the guinea pig. I was going to go through everything at the Rochester Center for Behavioral Medicine before I subjected my kids to that. I took a three hour test. My results showed negative for depression, anxiety, bi polar etc. But I tested very high for ADHD. The people there told me I was classic ADHD and that they knew I had it before even seeing the test results. I have friends who have had this same test there and they tested negative for ADHD, so Im not concerned that they are biased and want to unnecessarily treat. This center is one of the top in the country for ADHD studies and research. So, they put me on Adderall (Dextroap-Amphet ER 10 mg). The Nurse Practitioner I met with told me this medication was going to change my life. My insurance didnt cover and it was something crazy like $200 for the bottle. The first two days I took it, I felt like I was on Cocaine. Ive never tried cocaine, but I imagine, thats what this was like. I felt powerful, confident, like I could conquer the world. I got everything done off of my year long to-do list. It was AMAZING. Then, nothing happened on day three, or 4 or 5. My doctor told me to increase the dose. Then, I started getting sick. I started swelling up after I ate. I started getting abdominal pains like someone was stabbing me. I felt like I had the flu. My doctor told me they could change to a different prescription if I wanted. I didnt get around to it because I wasnt sure if maybe it was a coincidence and something else was causing the symptoms. I kept taking the prescription, even though I was no longer feeling any benefit. Joe felt that it wasnt helping at all, in fact, he thought that it was actually making my concentration worse and I was more easily distracted. I was burning more food, lost my car keys...permanently, and did other really stupid things. Stomach pains got worse. I started having lower back pains and went in for a CT scan, my PCP thought maybe it was kidney stones. The test didnt show anything. Then, in early August, I had the most severe pain Ive ever experienced. Went to the ER and through a simple blood test, they told me I was having an Acute Pancreatitis Attack. The got the IV lines in and started giving me Dilauded (sp?). It took a couple doses. Thats how bad the pain was. The doctors asked if I had tried any new medication and I told them about the Adderall. They took me off of it. They werent sure if it caused it, but since my symptoms started at the same time, they didnt want me on it anymore. I called my doctor at the RCBM and there was no sympathy, just a very uncaring...weve never heard of this, wee can start you on another medication if you want. Did they take my info, did they document my reaction? No! So, how the heck are the drug companies keeping track of people who have bad reactions to medications? To me this is UNCONSCIONABLE. People can DIE from Pancreatitis. I experienced a lot of pain over the next several months from flare ups. My GI doctor told me that the pancreas was so inflamed that it affected my whole gut..intestines, etc. So, it could take a year to heal. People with this usually lose a ton of weight. I am lucky I didnt lose as much as others do. I was taking Creon and Levsin to help digest and for painful muscle spasms in my gut. They helped. But they didnt help with the whole body aches and feeling like I had the flu. I remember sitting at the kitchen island with Joe and just lamenting that I wish I could have one day off from the pain. My friend Joelle Kekhoua stopped by one night when I was doped up on Narcotics from the severe pain. She brought me some essential oils to help with my migraines (which I really wasnt having very often at this point) and she told me she would research oils and pancreatitis. The next time I got a migraine, I tried the oil blend and it didnt work. So, I took my migraine prescription and it didnt work either. I know others who this blend works for every time and they dont need migraine meds anymore. No big deal, I wasnt expecting it to be a miracle. I was grateful that she did this for me, even though it didnt work. So, I offered to host a class at my home for her. She did, I bought the starter kit. I called my friend the next day and told her I purchased the oils but I didnt think they worked. I told her I couldnt believe I just spent $150 to make my house smell good. Boy, was I a skeptic. Lol! At this time, and I dont know why, it wasnt a conscious decision...I started rubbing the migraine blend over my belly. You know how if you bump your arm, you automatically rub it? This was kind of the same thing. My stomach hurt and I started rubbing it with the oil blend. Three days later, I realized I didnt have stomach pain. By the end of that week, I didnt have the flu like symptoms or the body aches I had been experiencing daily for 4 whole months. Yes, approx 120 of chronic pain and surviving on pain meds and narcotics. I limited the narcotics to twice a week because I was terrified of becoming addicted. I did not have any quality of life over these 4 months. So, I wasnt sure if it was a coincidence or the oils, but I was going to learn more and keep on using the oils. I kept telling Joe how amazing it was to not be in pain. It had been so long. I received the kit and started using Lavender and Valor at first. I stopped needing Ambien to fall asleep. Up to that point, I had needed prescription sleeping pills to fall asleep because of the pain and because of my emotional state. Chronic pain can cause emotional distress. So, up until November, I had taken an Ambien every single night in 2014. Wow. I read more and more testimonials (and peer reviewed studies) of oils working for pain, ADHD, insomnia, etc. I also noticed my confidence increasing. Then I noticed I didnt need my Xanax anymore. Then I got more confident and started using more of the oils. I used Peppermint to bring the kids fevers down, to ease and eliminate nausea. I used Lemon to clean my counters. I used Thieves to strengthen our immune systems and to get rid of germs. It eliminates harmful microbes (bacteria, Viruses and Mold). I used Lavender and Peace and Calming to help the boys sleep. And this week, as you can read in my previous post, I started using Frankincense on Evan. I just started using oils this week on myself for ADHD. There are studies done by MDs on essential oils effectively used to combat ADHD. Dr. Terry Friedmann, MD, for example, was able to achieve clinically significant results in 60 days. Researchers postulate that essential oils mitigate ADD and ADHD through their stimulation of the limbic system of the brain. (from the Essential Oils Pocket Reference). We all have different body chemistry and what works for one might not work for someone else. I know I will find the right oils blend to help me and my boys. After my horrific experience, I will not put them on any prescription ADHD medicine or any other mind altering meds. I am so excited about the research, testimonial, and the possibility of healing through natural and safe products. I know this is very long and personal. Before now, I never would have had the courage to open up like this. But, if learning from my experience can help anyone avoid pain or sickness or going to the hospital, then its all worth it. Plus, none of us are perfect and now you know that I have had my own share of issues too. Thank you for reading. God Bless you all.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 16:46:45 +0000
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