Entry for March 06, 2007

This morning I thought I would skip the fruit and have a cheese and broccoli croissant instead. All morning I start noticing the yellow colour of my hands against the other people at work. I keep it to myself but I’m starting to get really concerned about it. I can feel myself getting more stressed out and I am taking the homeopathic magnesium once every hour. I can feel the vibration and I get the occasional mild chest pain with cold hands and cold feet. The classic symptoms that I’ve had so many times before.

I look up the symptoms of a weak liver and jaundice is the only symptom I have. I’m still a little freaked out so I decide to go to a walk-in clinic after work. I’m feeling better by the late afternoon but I’m still going to see a doctor. I’d also like to see if I can get the doctor to agree to a zinc test.

The doctor’s office was full of coughing, pale looking children who looked like they had been waiting for hours. I seemed like the odd person out. After about an hour of waiting, I was called into the office. The doctor was a very young Chinese man and looked no more than 18 years old.

I start by explaining about the colour of my skin and how yellow it looks. I suggested that I may have a problem with my liver. He checks the whites of my eyes and doesn’t seem concerned. He asked me why I thought I had a problem with my liver. So I explain briefly that it may have been caused by ongoing magnesium deficiency. His response? And I quote: “A magnesium deficiency? What is that?” Okay, now I’m in deep trouble. I shouldn’t have mentioned it.

I explain that I’ve had a variety of symptoms over the past two years and I’ve discovered that they are all related to magnesium. I continue by saying I’ve recently suspected that it may be caused by a zinc deficiency and would like a blood test to confirm this.

He got defensive right away…His response: “First of all, I have never ordered a zinc blood test and this is not a standard test. You would have to pay for something like that. Secondly, I’m not even sure if the lab would be able to do a test like that and even if they could do the test and the results were abnormal, I wouldn’t even know how to treat it.”

He continues by asking me if I have a family doctor. I answer yes and I’ve clearly written his name and address on the patient form that he has in his hands. He said that if this problem has been ongoing for two years, then I should follow up with my family doctor. He continues by saying that my problem is beyond the scope of a walk in clinic.

Somewhat shocked but not really surprised, I tell him to forget the magnesium deficiency and the zinc test. Back to my yellow skin…

Again, he looks into my eyes and asks me to look down. He asks me if I have any other symptoms and offers some: Nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness, visited a foreign country and a few others. I said no to all of them and he doesn’t ask me anything about my diet.

He said he didn’t think I had anything to worry about but if I wanted a test, he would order one. Yes, I want the test…that’s what I came in for. He tells me that a copy of the results will be sent to my family doctor as well.

I take a look at his lab request form. He has checked off Creatinine, AST (SGOT), Alk. Phosphatase and Bilirubin. I have no idea what any of these things are so I look them up.

Creatinine

Endogenous creatinine is excreted by filtration through the glomerulus and by tubular secretion. Clinically, creatinine clearance is an acceptable measure of glomerular filtration rate but sometimes overestimates GFR. For each 50% reduction in GFR, serum creatinine approximately doubles.

Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST, SGOT, GOT)

U/LIntracellular enzyme involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. Present in large concentrations in liver, skeletal muscle, brain, red cells, and heart. Released into the bloodstream when tissue is damaged.

Alkaline Phosphatase

Alkaline phosphatases are found in liver, bone, intestine, placenta.

Bilirubin

Bilirubin, a product of hemoglobin metabolism, is conjugated in the liver to the mono- and diglucuronides and excreted in bile. Some conjugated bilirubin is bound to serum albumin, so-called D (delta) bilirubin. Elevated serum bilirubin occurs in liver disease, biliary obstruction, or hemolysis.

Entry for January 05, 2007

The day has finally arrived and the results are in. I was a little nervous about seeing him because I didn’t get his prescription filled for the higher dose of paxil. I’m hoping that I’ll ask him about the results, find a deficiency, agree to the injections and maybe he won’t even mention paxil.

His wife weighs me on the scale and I’ve dropped a few pounds. I now weigh 179 lbs and it’s the best weight I’ve been in years. I was just over 200 lbs when I started with my symptoms. My weight dropped to 180 when I had my gastro problems and couldn’t eat properly. Once I figured out it was a niacin deficiency and I could return to eating normal, my weight went back to 200 lbs. It was only when I stuck to eating healthy that I lost the weight again. I would eat oats every morning for breakfast and a couple of apples, pears and bananas throughout the day. I’ve kept up with this healthy diet ever since the acupuncture doctor made me understand the importance of a healthy diet.

He walks in looking quite happy and cheerful. He puts my file on the desktop and reads the B6 results as 397. The test came back as normal. My heart sank and I went really quiet. How the hell is that possible? Then he asked my how it was going with the higher dose of paxil.

My worse nightmare come true. The B6 test was normal and now I have to explain that I didn’t take his suggestion of paxil.

Slowly I explain that I didn’t take any paxil and he doesn’t seem bothered this time. I ask him if I can actually see the results and he hands me the paper.

“Pyridoxine normal range 20-90. My reading was above the normal range : 397.

He explained how the above normal reading was not a concern and he had done everything that I asked for. He suggested that I take a good multivitamin and that Paxil was now an option that I should consider at the advice of the neurologist. I explained that I was reluctant to try it until we had the results of the B6 level.

I left the doctor’s office with my tail between my legs. How is it possible not to have a B6 deficiency? I need to regroup. I need to document my current symptoms and continue forward. One thing I know for sure: I have a severe magnesium deficiency but I need to find out why. Maybe now is a good time to follow up with the nutritionist. Not the way I wanted to start the new year.

Doctor Google has failed.

Still vibrating…

Entry for December 08, 2006

My follow up with the Doctor. I get weighed on the scale and my weight is 183 lbs. It’s getting better but my ideal weight should be around 170 lbs.

So the B6 test results…nowhere to be found??! He checked over his notes and he doesn’t have everything back yet.

Six weeks and no test results for a vitamin deficiency. This should really be no surprise because of my experience with the Thiamine test. The doctor said that they will follow up with the lab to find out what happened. (Why don’t they do this BEFORE the patient takes a day off work??) He mentions that there are seven other doctors with the same last name as him so usually when ever there is a delay, it’s sent to another doctor.

How reassuring…

He asks me about paxil. I told him that I had started taking it and it had no effect on the vibration. So what does he do? (I’m half expecting him to say let’s wait for the B6 test results.) Nope… instead it my worst fear. He has decided to increase the dosage and write the prescription.

He can write the prescription but this time I’m not going through with it. I’m not doing anything else until I get my B6 test results in my hand.

Entry for November 13, 2006

Follow up with the doctor for my test results. He told me that not all of them were in but the ones that did come back were normal. So I asked what my triglyceride level was. He said it was a reading of 2.4 and that it was within the normal range and that it was nothing to worry about because anything over 2.5 is considered above normal.

What an interesting comment. My last blood test with him my triglyceride was 3.55 and the only reason I knew that was because I had him fax it to the naturopath. 3.55 sounds really high and he never mentioned it. The doctor at the walk in clinic mentioned it was high but shrugged his shoulders and said nothing else about it.

So then he asked me about how I was doing on Paxil. I told him that I took his advice and did some research on it. I continued to tell him about the multiple side effects regarding this drug and I told him I wasn’t interested in taking it.

He got really annoyed with me and perhaps rightly so. He gave me a lecture about how it was such a small dosage and that it was mandatory for the drug companies to list all of the known side effects. It didn’t mean a person would get all of those different side effects from taking the drug, they are listed because everyone can have a different reaction.

He continued by saying that all of the drugs available to treat anxiety have the same side effects because they all have an effect on the neurotransmitters.

I wasn’t really happy with his reaction I left feeling guilty for not trying it. I was really hoping for the results of the B6 test.

When I get into work, I look up the web site for the lab and I send them an email asking about the turnaround time for a pyridoxine vitamin B6 blood test. The lab returned my email within two hours and here is there answer:

“Our stated turnaround time is 15 days”

15 days? Okay, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. It’s only been 11 working days.

Entry for October 20, 2006 *D*

All last night I was planning on what I would say to the doctor and I have a plan.

First thing he ask me about was if I had any tingling. Nope, not since the first riboflavin injection. Secondly he asked me about taking St. John’s Wort. Nope, did nothing for me.

I started telling him about how I did some experiments and I’d like to go in a new direction. He seemed very interested so I told him how I found a magnesium supplement that seems to be working better than any of the others and he was happy to hear about that. Then I told him about how I stopped taking the B vitamins and I’d get a weird feeling in my head. So I continued only with B6 and the weird feeling never came back. His face was more interested and he said if I suspected a B6 deficiency, then we can test for it. GREAT NEWS!

Then he told me how he would like to follow the recommendation from the neurologist. Huh? This caught me off guard because he never mentioned anything about him until now. He said he’d like to give me something called “Paxil CR” in a very small dosage to start. He mentions that it is used for depression and general anxiety disorders and continues about the side effects and that if I didn’t like it, I could stop taking it. He said it may not have any effect and on a scale of 0-10 it may only have an effect of a 2. Hardly seems worth taking but I agreed to continue with his approach if he took mine.

He wrote out a blood test for pyridoxine and added B12 and folic acid. Since it was a blood test, I asked him to check my level of triglycerides and he agreed but he said it would now need to be a fasting blood test.

I go down to the pharmacy and they fill out my prescription. As the pharmacist hands it to me she says how it may cause drowsiness and dizziness and says it could be three weeks until I feel any benefits.

Not so sure I like the sounds of the side effects so I call my wife and explain what happened. She looks it up on the internet and reads me a few more of the side effects including suicidal and mentions that there is a listing for it on crazymeds.com! She is adamant that she doesn’t want me taking this medication and I agree. We’re both confused as to why the doctor felt it was neccesary to take paxil when I clearly don’t have the symptoms to justify taking it.

The only symptoms I still have are an internal vibration and weak muscles. All of my other symptoms have disappeared though my own methods of vitamins and mineral supplements.

Entry for September 21, 2006

Went to my doctor today for another riboflavin injection. I mentioned the magnesium injection again and he is still reluctant but we have a good discussion. I explain how I thought I was hanging on with the vitamins and that the riboflavin is only one of the symptoms and not the root cause.

He wants me to try St. Johns Wort. I’ve always heard of it but I have no clue what it does so I ask him. He says he doesn’t want to interfere with the results and wants me to try it and tell him if it has any effect so I agree to get some. I push for the magnesium injection again and says he has no problem doing it if I can find it (haha) but wants me to use St. Johns Wort for three weeks slowing increasing the dosage weekly until I see him again in three weeks.

I don’t have a problem trying St. Johns Wort but it’s still not dealing with the root cause. I’m hardly deficient in St. Johns Wort? I pick some up on my way home and I take one capsule with my lunch.

When I get home I use doctor google to find out more:

Medically Valid Uses:

St. John’s wort has been used successfully to treat mild to moderate depression. Several studies have indicated that it is as effective as many prescription antidepressants when used to treat mild or moderate depression. St. John’s wort is not useful for treating major or severe depression.

Externally, oily hypericum preparations have been used in the treatment of injuries, muscle pain and first-degree burns.

Unsubstantiated Claims:

Please note that this section reports on claims that have NOT yet been substantiated through scientific studies.

Traditionally, St. John’s wort has been used as a muscle relaxant to relieve menstrual cramps and as a mild tranquilizer.

Although without scientific confirmation, it is also claimed to function as a nerve tonic (has a beneficial effect on the nervous system), as an anti-inflammatory (decreases swelling), as an astringent (contracts the tissues or canals of the body), as a vulnerary (brings about healing in wounds and inflammation), as a antineoplastic (cancer fighting) and as an antiviral. For instance, it is claimed that it may possibly help inhibit viral infections, including herpes and HIV.

St. John’s wort has also been claimed to be good for nerve pain (neuralgia), anxiety, tension, nervous debility, stress, irritability and insomnia. It is also claimed to ease the pain associated with fibrositis, sciatica, rheumatoid arthritis, menstruation, itching and burning of hemorrhoids, and itching and irritation caused by vaginitis.

When used externally, St. John’s wort has been claimed to possibly speed the healing of bruises, wounds, varicose veins, mild burns and sunburns.

St. John’s wort can interfere with the absorption of iron and other minerals.

Okay, so he wants me to take St. John’s wort for anxiety and for general nervousness. But it can interfere with the absorption of minerals??!!!! You’ve got to be kidding…

Entry for September 18, 2006

I made an appointment with my Orangeville Doctor today. I haven’t seen him in sixteen years but I’m hoping that he still has my records. I want to find out the date that I went to see him for my allergies. Maybe I’ll run the magnesium deficiencies by him and mention the injection. It’s a real long shot but I’ll try it just to see where it goes.

He sure looks a lot different sixteen years later! I start with the date of my allergies. He says legally, they only have to store them for five years but he likes to hold onto his. He says my records have been archived abd he should have no problem lookig up the date for me. He asks if I have anything else and I swing into magnesium deficiencies.

He doesn’t appear convinced and says it is very difficult to actually lose the body’s magnesium. I counter with my fifteen year diet of no fruits and very little vegetables. I mention about my symptoms and the frustration over the past 18 months and suggest a magnesium injecton.

He sympathizes with my fustration but he wants me to follow up with my own doctor (Which is what I thought he would say…) I always have to defend myself or explain with convincing arguments whenever I mention a magnesium deficiency. Everything I’ve read talks about how 80-90% of people are deficient in magnesium but someone is not telling the doctors…

He said he would mail the allergy dates to my house.

Entry for August 31, 2006

Follow appointment with my doctor…

As he walks in he notices that I am sneezing and have a runny nose. He casually mentions that my symptoms appear to be sinusitis but doesn’t say anything more.

The first thing he asks is if there is any improvement since the B2 injection. Yup, the tingling on the top of my head has stopped completely. I even stopped using the vitamins that would make it stop and it never came back. He was very happy to hear this great news. Then I launch into my latest research about magnesium leading to the chemical imbalance.

I tell him that I’ve been experimenting with different dosages and he wants me to keep taking it. I ask him about magnesium injections and he said he would prefer to see me try the oral doses before we get to the injection.

He writes down some notes on my file and he’s very happy about these new discoveries. He gives me the B2 injection and it was a bit more painful than the first time around and he explains he switched to a smaller needle this time. He recommends that I also take a multivitamin daily.

My eyes are slightly red and itchy so I quickly ask him to take a look. He takes a quick glance and asks me if I drink tea? He then recommends that I put used tea bags underneath my eyes for the citric acid content.

He doesn’t think it’s anything serious although he’s not an eye doctor and it was hardly a eye exam. I don’t drink tea so I won’t bother with the teabags.

Another follow up in three weeks.

Entry for August 10, 2006

Went to the doctor’s office this morning with the riboflavin glued to my hands. I decided today not to take my morning vitamins to see if the needle would have any effect. While I am in the waiting room, my eyes are really itchy and I wash them twice with the running tap water.

He comes in and says “I believe you have something for me”. “I have a present for you” I joke with him and I hand him the injections. He looks it over and asks me where I managed to get it. I ordered it from the internet and it looks like they came from Romania. He opens the package and pulls out the intructions. The writing is in Romanian and he finds what he is looking for. He breaks the top of the vial and he’s got the needle ready to go.

He says it has to go into the buttocks so I bend over and he injects the needle. He only uses one of the vials and hands me the four back in the package. The muscles around by buttocks start twitching really strong so I mention it to him. He doesn’t seem surprised and said to have a follow up appointment in three weeks to see if it has any effect on the vibrations.

I sure hope so…

Entry for July 31, 2006

My Doctor’s office called me today. I have an appointment with the Neurologist on August 29th. One month to see a specialist, that’s better than I expected. I thought it would be a lot longer…

Followed up with Sick Kids and the pharmacist said she spoke to the person who actually places the orders and it has never been ordered and it is not possible to get it. She said if I do find it, I don’t need a prescription and that I should be able to order it for personal use.

Holding out for Romania!!!

Entry for July 27, 2006

It’s now getting late in the day and I call into work to tell them I won’t be back in the office. I explain to my co-worker about the events from the afternoon and I’m about to embark downtown to Sick Kids to find out if they have B2 for injections.

She does a quick google search and apparently new born babies are sometimes injected with B2 if there is a deficiency. This is great news so she agrees to look up the pharmacy at Sick Kids and call them for me.

After a brief pause, she comes back on the phone and says they don’t have it. The person she spoke to explained that Sick Kids actually uses Shoppers Drug Mart at the bottom of their building. There is a internal pharmacy but that is only used for the kids and not available to the public.

I can’t get a break anywhere. She suggests that I call Health Canada to find out if B2 injections are available in Canada. That’s a great idea so I call them and leave a message on a machine with my cell number.

I go back to the doctor’s office and I tell him what the pharmacy said and about Sick Kids. He suggests that I keep taking my B1 and B2 suppliments at the recommended dosage until I get to the neurologist.

Not the answer I was looking for but I guess I have no choice. In the meantime I can keep looking. I contact Telehealth just to see what the response would be and they couldn’t really help me and I didn’t expect them too. She suggested contacting Health Canada and I’ve already done that.

Here we go again… and still vibrating…

Entry for July 27, 2006

My day has arrived. Follow up with the doctor today for the B2 injection. He writes me a prescription and tells me to go to the pharmacy downstairs. He said they might not have it so I may have to try a couple of them. Then once I have it, I’ll bring it back and he’ll give me the needle.

At least now I have the prescription.

Entry for July 21, 2006

Into the doctor’s office again for the mysterious internal vibration. He walks into the room and since I haven’t seen him in six months he asks me how he can help me today. I explain that I still have the internal vibration and for the past six months, I’ve done my own research and have a hunch that it’s related to a Riboflavin deficiency. I continue my story with the effect of a supplement called Benfotamine and explain about how the B1 blood test came up normal.

He thought it was weird that I relied so much on a B1 suppliment when there wasn’t a deficiency. I’ve had the vibration for over a year now and he suggests going to see a Neurologst. With Benfotamine having an effect on my neurological symptoms, he suggests that I may have something called Wernicke’s Encephalopathy. I’ve come across Wernicke’s Encephalopathy before as you can get it from untreated Beriberi.

So I continue explaining my research about how vitamin B1 is essential for creating the myelin nerve sheaths and how a B2 deficiency can cause the reduction of them. One of the symptoms includes a vibration feeling along with dry itchy eyes that are sensitive to light and the chapped lips and how I’ve had both for years. I’ve been taking B complex and high doses of B2 for months with no improvment so I tell him about the fat soluble version of B2 called Riboflavin Tetrabutyrate. He pulls out one of his large medical books and he doesn’t find it listed. He pulls out a second, then a third.

One of the books mentions about the treatment of a Riboflavin deficiency using B2 injections. He can’t find the supplement in his medical books so he suggests that I try the pharmacies to see if they have it. If they do, he’ll write a percription for it. Failing that, he’ll do the injections.

This is great news!!! I check at the pharmacy in his building for Riboflavin Tetrabutyrate. They don’t have it in their computer but she suggests going to a hospital pharmacy as they might have more distributors to order from. Great idea! Sunnybrook is one of the largest hospitals in the city, it’s close by and on the way home.

I stop into the Sunnybrook pharmacy and ask for Riboflavin Tetrabutyrate. After a bit of research she pulls up nothing. One of Toronto’s largest hospitals and they don’t have it and can’t order it for me.

Entry for June 16, 2006

To the walk in clinic and I explain to the receptionist that I would like to speak to a doctor about nutritional deficiencies. It’s a friday night so it’s not too busy and I’m called in within 5 minutes.

The doctor comes in, reads my file and says “I hear you would like to speak to a doctor…well, I am one.”  I thought that was funny and I like him almost immediately. I give him the coles notes version of my history of symptoms starting with the mysterious internal vibration. I tell him about the various tests and procedures done by my regular doctor that all came up with nothing. I explain about how my research indicates that it could be a nutritional B vitamin deficiency and it’s my hunch that I have Beriberi. I’ve read that there is a blood test and I would like it done.

He says he hasn’t heard the term Beriberi since medical school and admitted that he wouldn’t even know how to treat it. I’d say he’s an older man in his mid-fifties.  I told him that from what I’ve read, it’s very easy to treat with high doses of B1 vitamins and in some cases, vitamin injections. He’s heard of B12 injections but not B1. He mentions about folic acid and I told him about my research regarding the chemical reaction of B1 with folic acid so I would really like to have that tested as well.

He questions why I think I have a nutritional B vitamin deficiency and hesitantly, I mention about how I think electromagnetic radiation had an effect on my stomach and disturbed the normal absorption of vitamins and minerals from my food. I continue my story with the purchase of the wireless intercom system and how when I discovered the symptoms to be EMF, I bought a meter to test around the house. I was probably low with B vitamins to begin with and the EMF exposure created a nutritional deficiency. Then he asks about how I learned about electromagnetic radiation. So I explain the story about the global tv show and Dr. Riina Bray.

At the end of my story I told him how I thought it sounded like something from a science fiction novel and he agreed saying this was the first time he had ever heard a story like mine.

So he writes out the lab requistion form for a blood test.

Entry for April 07, 2006

Today I receive a message that the walk in clinic from last week wants to see me about the ECG test results. This is interesting. He said he would only call if there was something other than the RBBB. I arrive there straight after work and meet with the doctor.

He shows me the results from the ECG and yes there is a Right Branch Bundle Block just like I said. There is also something else scribbled “J-Point Mutation ….” and beside that it reads “Normal Variant”. Never heard of that one before but if it’s a normal variant, I won’t worry about it.

He reviews the blood test results again and says my Triglycerides (3.55) and Hemoglobin (172) were slightly above normal but everything else looked fine. I have no clue as to what he is talking about so I take the test results and head home.

Triglycerides (3.55) Greater than 2.30 is above normal.

 Hemoglobin (172) Greater than 170 is above normal.

So nothing found again. Not really sure why he called me in. I do know one thing, people don’t get sick on Friday nights…the place was empty. Took my blood pressure at Sobeys and it was 130/79. Perfect reading.

Still vibrating…

Entry for March 22, 2006

A very interesting day to say the least…

Mornings are usually very tough for me but today was completely different. I woke up around five o’clock and felt like I could run in a race. I had a glass of warm water, a bowl of oats and it was off to work. I was so happy about the way I was feeling because I’ve never felt this good.

For lunch I had a tuna sandwich with apple juice. It’s something I’ve had on a regular basis from the Coffee Time downstairs. Around two o’clock I start feeling lightheaded, I feel “weird” like something is going to happen and the internal vibrations are a bit stronger. I have a burning sensation in my chest and I notice that my mouth is dry. The only thing I’ve done differently is I didn’t drink as much water in the morning and I forgot to take my Vitamin C.

So I take the Vitamin C and start drinking lots of water and splashing it on my face. With the acupuncture doctor saying I should follow up with my regular doctor for the high blood pressure, I really don’t like the feeling so I leave work to go to a walk in clinic.

I take a taxi to the nearest one and I fill out their patient form and wait. I have my water with me so I make sure I’m still drinking. I go to the bathroom three times before he sees me and I don’t appear to have any of the strange feelings I had earlier in the day. I tell him about the high blood pressure and that I’ve been monitoring it and he talks a reading. 130/80 Normal range. He listens to my lungs and says everything sounds normal. He offers to have an ECG done if I’m concerned about it so I agree. It’s been eight months since I had my last one and back then the only symptom was the internal vibration.

The nurse takes a reading and after a while the doctor comes back with the chart. He shows it to me and it has a small variation in the rhythm. I tell him about my right bundle branch block and he agrees that it’s probably the case and says he is only trained to know what a normal ECG looks like so he’ll send this to a specialist to get his opinion. He also says he wants a blood test just to make sure. If the heart is in any kind of distress, it will release traceable enzymes. He said to follow up with him next Wednesday the 29th for the results.

I’m looking at the blood test form and he’s written the letters “CK, TSH, LDL and HDL”

Because I’m in the same area as the acupuncture doctor, I drop in to see if there are any side effects from the cupping procedure. My doctor doesn’t start until five o’clock so I start talking to another lady. I tell her my story and she explains how the treatment of acupuncture and cupping could not cause my chest pain. She explained things very thoroughly and I’m happy with what I am hearing.

I’ll die another day.

Entry for January 09, 2006

Anyone with a new born baby knows it can be quite stressful sometimes. One night after a very stressful week of our baby crying and us not sleeping properly, we finally get to bed and as we are both lying down my wife turns to me and says that she’s vibrating. WHAT!!!??? How is this possible? She thinks it was caused by the stressful nights with the baby. I tell her to try taking a vitamin C. She does and the vibration stops instantly.

I follow up with my regular doctor again to get his opinion of the results from the Colonoscopy and Gastrocopy and to tell him of my recent discoveries.

He read the report from the surgery and said everything was in perfect health and I told him about the successes I had with the Acidophilus and high doses of Vitamin C.

He told me he believed in the art of medicine. If it makes you feel better then keep doing it. I was now convinced there was nothing seriously wrong with me because it would’ve showed up by now from all of the testing. I showed him the bottle of Ultra Flora and he made a notation in his file.

The tapeworm theory was at my direction and the gastro specialist was at his direction and we have both come up empty. After the appointment I realize that I never followed up with the results from the Hair Analysis with the naturopath. Let me call her office.

Entry for Nov 11, 2005

I’ve been taking B6 Complex for a couple of days now and I have a mild pinch in my chest so I stop taking the pills and the pain goes away. Did some googling again to find out if there are any side effects. Most of what I find says B6 is very beneficial to the system so I don’t understand what the problem is. Last year I was diagnosed with RBBB or Right Branch Bundle Block. It’s a fancy term for a leaky mitral heart valve. It’s a similar type of pain so I wonder if it’s related? I’ve had it checked out by a cardioligist and it’s considered a normal variation with nothing to worry about.

No sign of the baby the natural way so we call the hospital, they have the room to take us in and want us there by nine o’clock. We scramble to get our suitcase, camera and video camera.

They start by showing us to the Outpatient Fetal Monitoring room. It’s a small room with about four beds. They hook my wife up to the fetal monitor and a printer is printing out the baby’s heartbeat. This goes on for about an hour and now we have to wait until the doctor comes in to make an analysis.

She finally comes in and begins the induction process and recommends using Prostaglandin Gel to get things going. About five minutes after using the gel, my wife starts having contractions and almost immediately has a huge contraction. Each dose is given six hours apart, depending on the contractions and what changes have occurred.

Usually they send people home but the contractions are strong enough that they told us to wait the six hours and the doctor will do another check to see how things are progressing. They told us do walk around the floor and get some exercise. That will often speed things up. I called my parents to give them the update: No sign of the baby yet.

During the afternoon they move us to a private room and after six hours the doctor come in to check the progress. She’s only one centimeter. Not enough progress so they recommend oxytocin. They start her on the oxytocin. As we are watching the fetal monitor, the contractions were very strong, close together and very painful for about an hour. To ease the pain, they suggested taking morphine. The effect was almost instant and she feels so much better that we start playing cards.

They check her again and she’s now 5 centimeters. At this point the water hasn’t broken yet and there is still not the progress they need to start the birth so they recommend an epidural. Originally she didn’t want one and was going to try natural birth. I wasn’t keen on the side effects either but we decide to have the epidural. The page goes over the intercom for the anesthesiologist to come to the birthing suite. He was taking so long they paged him three times. After about an hour he finally shows up and he’s extremely quick.

The doctor now decides that with the epidural, and little progress made so far, that it’s time to break the water. She breaks it and she can’t believe the amount of water. She comments on the fact that it’s the most water she has ever seen with a birthing patient. Two litres of water! With the water now gone, she told her to rest and they’ll check the progress again first thing in the morning.

What a stressful day. All of this drama and still no sign of the baby.

Entry for August 10, 2005

EGGS IN MY STOOL!!!! AGAIN!!!

A few days ago I noticed the little tiny tapeworm eggs in my stool. Holy cow…I thought we killed it!! A closer inspection this time and boy do I feel stupid. They look like watermelon seeds and yes I had watermelon yesterday. That is probably what it was the first time too.

I’m such an idiot.

Back to my regular doctor for the ultrasound results. Feeling slightly embarrassed about the tapeworm fiasco I tell him the Praziquantel had no effect and I mention the watermelon seeds.

I still have all of the weird symptoms. I feel tired and weak all of the time, don’t feel hungry, my muscles feel stiff, weird pressure pokes in my chest, head pinching with a flush sensation, a light tingling that feels like nerve endings and of course the internal vibrations.

I’ve lost even more weight now so he decides to look further and refers me to a gastro specialist.

I thought it was weird that he was sending me to a gastro doctor when my main consistant symptom was an internal vibration. Wouldn’t it make more sense to send me to a Neurologist? I guess he figures there is something in my intestines causing the vibrations. Who cares, at least it’s a specialist.

He said he would have the ultrasound results in another week. The receptionist made the specialist appointment for Sept 12th. Another month away! Oh well, at least I can follow up on Friday with the Naturopath.

Entry for July 26, 2005

The doctor walks into the room with the results from my stool sample. Everything was normal. IMPOSSIBLE… I’VE SEEN THE EGGS!!

Explained the tapeworm theory to the doctor and because of the timeline with the cats, he agrees that I’m probably right. Tomorrow is the ultrasound and he said to have it done anyway. He checks my weight and I’ve lost another five pounds.

He flips through a couple of his medical books looking for the medication for a tapeworm. He then percribes a drug called Praziquantel. Yes that’s the one I tell him!! I reconize the unusual name from my googling.

I go straight to the pharmacy in his building and after I drop off the prescription and I wait around for about 10-15 minutes. The pharmacist calls me over and says they don’t have the medication and that she’d have to order it. No thanks, I want this today! My work is close to a Shopper’s Drug Mart so I’ll try there when I get to work.

I get to Shoppers and drop off my perscription. The pharmacist tells me the same thing but they could have it by the afternoon. Great, I’ll pick it up after work.

Because I ‘m having the ultrasound tomorrow, I didn’t want to kill the worm before I had some evidence that it actually existed. I’ll take it after my appointment.