Recent Test Results

I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday afternoon to check my progress. Some good news and some not so good news. My prior sediment rate was 107. It's only down slightly to 97. When I got the 107 results, I thought it was artificially high because I had been snowboard instructing the weekend before, and was wicked sore. Every muscle in my body seemed sore from walking up and down the mountain with all day students. But clearly, my new test results of only 10 lower probably means that the 107 sediment rate was primarily due to my colon inflammation, not muscle inflammation.

I have not improved as quickly this time on the medication as I did the first time. My cheating on the diet last week is not what's making the difference, because when I was first diagnosed, I wasn't on any special diet and within one week my sediment rate went down to 86. I've been on the medication for a little over two weeks when this recent test was taken, yet I'm not as low as the previous one week on meds produced. I clearly need to keep to the healing diet while taking the meds in order to expedite getting into remission since my body is not reacting on the medication as it had prior.

Unfortunately, that was the somewhat good news. The not so good news is that my hemoglobin has dropped to a new low. It was 10.2 my last test about five weeks ago. It dropped to 9.0:( So my anemia has gotten worse. I had not been juicing with iron rich foods (this is noted under "How to Cure Anemia" post) because the vegetable juice increases and loosens your bowel movements. And currently those changes would make each day a bit more difficult since my bowel movements are not yet back to normal. In any regard, juicing with iron rich foods and a prescribed iron supplement has immediately been added to my daily routine.

I feel much better than these results show. I clearly do not feel 100% but I've had some very good days. My energy is enough to make it through the work day without needing a nap, and I awake after about 9 to 10 hours sleep. So my fatigue has improved. Even my bowel movements have improved in frequency and consistency, yet they are not normal. Ultimately, the test results are just confirmation that I need to stick to the healing diet! That added to the medication will likely be the quickest way to remission, and once I'm in remission my anemia will likely improve easily as it had before.

My plan is to wean off the meds when it is clear that my sediment rate is normal or close too, indicating the my colon inflammation is gone. Once I'm off the medication, I have to stick to the diet. I refuse to go through this again due to my own diet decisions.

If you don't recall what the healing diet is and want a refresher, it's detailed under a post called "My Healing Diet."

Wish me luck, I'll be going back for additional tests in about 30 days to ensure that my hemoglobin is not still dropping. I'm going to be perfectly adhering to the diet, meditating, getting my vitamin D from the sun, and getting plenty of rest. Next test results are sure to be much better than these:)