LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

*disclaimer - I am not a medical professional. I am in no way, shape or form qualified to give you medical advice. I am just a person, sharing my experiences with others


A little while ago....a week and a half, maybe two, I got a couple funny spots on my left wrist. At first I didn't think much of them. They looked like ant bites. I couldn't remember getting bitten by any ants, but I didn't get too worked up about it. Then the bites started to itch. I tried not to itch them, but eventually gave in. After the scratching started, they seemed to spread. More bumps popped up along my arm, and then my right wrist and arm.

I was puzzled at this point. Ant bites don't spread without getting bitten again. Someone thought it might have been poison oak/poison ivy. I still didn't know what it was, but it sure itched like crazy and heat made it worse. 

Now, those of you who have been readying any of my blog posts (sorry for the lack there of, I didn't realize it had been so long since my last one) know that I've been on a journey of going as chemical and toxin free as possible. Cleaned out the nasty products from under the kitchen sink, cleaned out my portion of the medicine cabinet, replaced as many products as possible with safe, healthier ones. So, I wasn't about to go to the Dr. and let them prescribe some man made medications full of junk with nasty side effects. No thank you. 

So, I tried some home remedies. I tried swabbing the bites with alcohol and peroxide. I tried a few essential oils. I tried hot water, then I tried cold. The alcohol seemed to dry the "bites" up for a while, and the cool water seemed to sooth the pain some, but the "bites" remained. The "bites" not only remained, they were multiplying and weeping a clear water like substance. They continued to spread even after we bought new sheets for the bed, threw out the old shower scrubbies and washed everything I wore everyday, no wearing shirts/pants multiple days in a row.  I woke up last Sunday morning beyond frustrated and at a complete loss. The "bites" had spread even more, itched worse than ever and were constantly weeping. I now had them on both arms, my right shoulder, both hips, the top of my left thigh and the insides of both legs.

Feeling very defeated, I got in my truck and drove to one of the walk in clinics. You know the kind that your insurance company sees as a regular Dr. visit, not an ER visit. I was the only one there, and was seen right away. The Dr. couldn't tell me exactly what caused it. The official diagnosis was allergic contact dermatitis, cause unknown.  I got a steroid injection at the clinic, was prescribed 2 medications, and told to get an additional 2 over the counter. I got my medications, went home, and took a nap. When I woke up, I ate and took my first round of medication that had been prescribed to me. At this point, I only took the steroid pills. What I wasn't prepared for was my bodies reaction to the medications I was prescribed.

First of all, I was wired. I couldn't sleep, couldn't sit still. My mind wouldn't stop either, it was constantly going, I couldn't get any peace.  Secondly, I was hungry. All the time. Not just normal hungry, the hungry you get when you haven't eaten in a few hours. I constantly felt like I hadn't eaten in weeks, and could eat more than an entire high school football team in one sitting, even though I had just eaten. Not good for someone who struggles to make good food choices already. Thirdly, even though I was wired, at the same time I felt exhausted, blah. I had no energy, but I couldn't sleep either. I was miserable for almost 48 hours.

 I didn't take another dose of medication. I began researching other ways of supporting my body through this ordeal. If one does of medication made me feel that bad, I could only imagine what continuing them would do.

I sought out other options, and supported my body with some more natural choices instead of man-made ones. I started to feel like my old self again after a few days. I'm still using some essential oils to support my various body systems that took a hard hit from the medications. Word to the wise - if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't right! Go with your gut, trust your instincts, find people who have experience with alternative therapies and let them guide you. Don't be afraid to think "outside the box" my friends!! I'm glad I did!