MastoGem
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I Love YaBB 2!
Posts: 62
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I was diagnosed with MCAD about ten days ago by Dr. Glover at USF using Tryptase immunhistochemical stains that were done on tissue samples from my GI tract.
I think I've been dealing with this my whole life. I was started on powered skim milk at 4 months old (I’m very reactive to dairy) and had my first allergy shots at 3 yrs old. At 17 I hired my first psychologist because I felt so sad. It took me two decades to realize that psychologist and psychiatrists were not able to help me. By that time I had tried living in Europe and also daily exercise, positive thinking, CBT and every depression medicine at least once and a few in combination with other meds. I had been diagnosed with severe, chronic depression; bipolar; bipolar without the mania (really?); dysthymia; and tourettes. And I'd also been hospitalized for a sincere suicide attempt by then (at around age 30).
Aside from one idiopathic anaphylaxis event in my 20’s and a rare inflammatory eye condition, there was nothing anyone could see that “proved” I was sick and not crazy. Please don’t be upset with me for saying that I wish I’d broken out in a rash or passed out and bled from my ass or something visible.
Around 37 I decided to try non-mental health professionals, such as nutritionists, endocrinologists, allergists, GI and functional medicine doctors. I started with my GP who was convinced that my breathing difficulties were anxiety and prescribed valium (which started my addiction to benzos and took me years to wean myself off).
What I realized after about $30,000 was that if they were ‘conventional medicine’ docs they said there was nothing wrong with me (or tried to give me anti-anxiety and anti-depressant meds). If they were not covered by insurance they managed to diagnose me with something they could fix in about two years with a boatful of money. For example, heavy metal poisoning, yeast, thyroid problems, food sensitivities, adrenal insufficiency, gluten sensitivity, hormonal imbalances, leaky gut, sinus infections, mold toxicity, etc. I spent SO MUCH $$$$$$ on things like IV chelation therapy to remove the heavy metals; supplements; tests not covered by insurance; and dental work to remove my mercury fillings; etc., etc.
THANK GOD I work at a doctor’s office, because after seeing me struggle with food for four years, a doctor I work for got me into a university research institutional facility to see Dr. Glover. I explained my physically symptoms - fatigue, breathing problems, nausea, sore throat and ears, insomnia, itching, coughing, headaches, serious abdominal pain, heart burn and depression that came and went. She told me that anti-depressants were not a good idea for me based on both a strong negative reaction to them and the fact that they didn’t help me feel any less depressed. I have only been on the Gastrocrom for a week, so I'm still hoping it'll do the trick.
If anyone has had their mood changes and/or depression improve on Gastrocrom or other related meds, please let me know. I feel like I've been on CRISIS MANAGEMENT my whole life. I'm thrilled there's a community who understands!
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