Back in the day before cell phones and email, I wrote my family a letter every week – except in two circumstances. If I was too busy, my letter would be delayed. If I was unhappy I would postpone my letter, because I would rather write happy news.
The same thing has happened the first two months of the New Year. I have been trying to find a solution to a health problem and I have been unsuccessful – so far. It has kept me from being regular in my blogging – again because I would rather write about success than failure.
Almost a year ago, I became aware that I had fluid in my right ear. I went to the doctor. At first she told me to use saline spray and antihistamines. I went back for a follow up visit two months later. The fluid was significantly down, but was still there, so she added a steroid nasal spray.
I can keep the fluid under control by following her directions, but I have been searching for a natural way to deal with the underlying allergy.
I was plagued with allergies most of my life. But after about a year on the BTD, they all went away. I was thrilled! They stayed away for 12 years. Why did they return?
I eat virtually no avoids. I tried eliminating beneficial and neutral foods that I eat often. Nothing has made a noticeable difference.
I bought the Type O allergy protocols that Dr. D recommends in the Complete Blood Type Encyclopedia. I couldn’t see any improvement. So I tried eliminating all my supplements for a week, thinking maybe I was sensitive to something. There was no change in my allergies. However, I didn’t fill my poor husband’s supplement box that week either. Without calcium, magnesium, and Vitamin E, he wound up with leg cramps and plantar fasciitis! It took several days to get him back to normal. I felt so guilty.
I have three antihistamines that work, but after about a week they lose effectiveness, so I rotate them. I also rotate guaifenesin, pseudoephedrine, and the steroid spray for the same reason.
A natural cure has eluded me.
One thing that came to mind was that perhaps I was not getting enough sleep. For a long time I rejected that idea. I get 8 hours almost every night. But about a month ago, I tried going to bed earlier. I was surprised to find that I continued to sleep until the alarm went off. My body wants more than 8 hours. I’m experimenting with just how much sleep I need, hoping that will help.
One of the symptoms that initially sent me to the doctor was a change in the hearing in my right ear. It returned to normal when I started my doctor’s recommendations. I periodically check my hearing with ear buds and my hearing is about the same in both ears. I am very thankful for that!
My husband says I should go back to the doctor, and I may do that. However I have found two friends who are also having problems with fluid in their ears. One of them had tubes put in one ear, like they do for infants. The first time it worked beautifully. But senior ear drums are not as resilient as child ear drums. When she had tube put in the second time, her ear drum tore and she had to have it surgically repaired. The hearing has not returned to that ear, though her doctor tells her it should.
Since I am able to control the fluid with over the counter medications, I am inclined to keep experimenting with myself for now.
I am an optimistic person. Every week I think – well I didn’t find the answer this week, so I won’t write a discouraging blog. Maybe next week I will figure it out. Then I can write an encouraging blog. This week, I thought you deserved a candid blog about what I have been struggling with.
Everything else in my life is going well, and I continue to reap many benefits from the BTD…just not with allergies…at least for now.
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