How did I get here? (part 1)

Written By Erin .

The Early Years

As a baby, I experienced chronic ear infections which led to multiple rounds of antibiotics and a few sets of tubes. However, as I got older, I grew out of the ear infections and lived the (mostly) typical 80’s-90’s childhood. I grew up eating the Standard American Diet mixed with traditional Japanese foods. Other than seasonal allergies and occasional IBS-C, I was a relatively healthy kid until I got to my 20’s and started experiencing frequent digestive issues.

Fast Foward to 2018

In 2018, at 38, I was diagnosed with CELIAC DISEASE and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), after spending nearly 20 years with digestive issues and a smattering of seemingly unrelated issues ranging from:

  • Alternating constipation (IBS-C) and diarrhea (IBS-D) that led to chronic IBS-D for 6 months before diagnosis

  • Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) / Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

  • Bloating

  • Food sensitivities

  • Hives

  • Worsening seasonal allergies (pretty much year-round)

  • Weight gain (and inability to lose weight)

  • Hair loss

  • Joint pain

  • 8 cavities in one year (until 38, I hadn’t even had 1 cavity)

  • Vertigo (and misdiagnosed with Meniere’s Disease)

  • Fatigue

  • Brain fog

  • Headaches

  • Severe anxiety and panic attacks — at one point, I couldn’t leave the house for nearly 12 months without having a full blown panic attack

Until the 6 months before my diagnoses, my symptoms would come and go and not always appear at the same time or for the same duration. I actively sought answers for at least 10 years and was told:

  • Lose weight

  • Exercise more

  • Eat more vegetables and grains

  • Take medicine — proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) for acid reflux, anti-depressants, and anti-anxiety medications

  • Reduce stress

All the while, my blood work was perfectly normal — cholesterol, blood sugar/A1C, thyroid panel, CRP, etc. I was told: “Stop stressing. You’re healthy!”

So, if I was healthy, why was I barely making it through a day of work, or why did I struggle to go to the grocery store, or why did I struggle to walk to the end of my driveway to pick up my mail?

After, at least, a decade of no answers and worsening health following the prescribed treatments and methods, I was motivated to know WHAT was happening, WHY it was happening, HOW to fix/stop it, and a desire to feel “normal” again. A few good doctors and the recommendations to focus on nutrition & lifestyle led me here…

Erin . https://www.simbw.com