For Sale: Used Immune System

Skip to the bottom if you strictly want to read about asthma. I have had a lot of health issues requiring off-the-book treatments. In 2007, I realised that I would need to direct my own health care because no one was looking for common denominators. I had seen 5-6 psychiatrists, 2 colorectal surgeons, an immunologist, a dermatologist, 2 GPs, 2 integrative, 2 naturopaths, an ophthalmologist, a dermatologist, an internist, an allergist, and others. Each thinking in their own silo and no one standing back to appreciate the whole show.

My experience with multiple health conditions

I successfully treated bipolar, CFS/ME, skin problems, eczema, psoriasis, folliculitis, and idiopathic urticaria and had partial treatment of multiple food sensitivities. They removed my colon for sessile serrated polyposis - I had over 100 polyps. This left me without an ileocecal valve and therefore I have SIBO and by default, a leaky gut. The immunologist said that I was likely celiac with a damaged gut. I am 68 and we weren't as tuned into these things when I was a kid.

I don't absorb certain nutrients well. I lost adrenal and thyroid function too. All this was because we used mercury on the farm. I was 10 years too late figuring it out and now have permanent and irreversible health consequences. That was the common denominator.

My journey with asthma

During the last 3 colds I've had, I needed puffers. Plus, there was one asthma event related to elevation illness. The first cold was a bit of wheezing and the doctor gave me the puffers to humour me. The second time (4 years ago) was a dandy cold that lasted 12 weeks. So, in hindsight, likely post-viral asthma.

This time I was infected in March, started to get better and then got a lot worse. I went to the workshop and was exposed to walnut sawdust - one of the bad ones. And then we babysat a dog for 3 days, and that was that...

In spite of taking puffers I ended up in the emergency room where 42 more puffs did nothing, antibiotics, steroids by IV push, and other things. Finally, magnesium IV got me breathing again. The doctor said that she would be intubating me someday if I didn't come in earlier. If the magnesium didn't work I would have gone to the ICU.

Is it asthma or another condition?

I visited a pulmonary clinic and I don't have COPD. My eosinophils were high in the ER and so I was tested for vasculitis and a CAT scan is pending as they look for cancer. My subsequent eosinophil level was normal though and so I think that this is just severe post-viral asthma and allergies. Just 5 times worse than before.

I have pulled my treatments for all things immune as I get ready for another allergy test... so as I sit here with hives breaking out...

Managing asthma and other health conditions

The doctor at the clinic thinks that I will have asthma from now on. He is perplexed as to how a 68-year-old without an asthma diagnosis and whose breathing is fine has a medical emergency as their introduction to the diagnosis. This is where my crappy immune system comes in. It is great at giving me skin problems to foods and no doubt decided to go mental over a dog (even though it had never done so before). But it did nothing previously for the h pylori, the HHV-6, the mycoplasma infection, yeast infection, or tapeworm.

Finally, I don't want to leave you guys with the impression that I am a whiner. I live as full of a life as my energy levels allow. I have beautiful gardens, I like photography, woodworking, and guitar. And I do Spanish language exchange 4 times a week. Life is still good.