What EXACTLY is going on with me?

I feel like my skin has gotten worse in the last few days...but maybe that today is showing a little progress. I started several new supplements in the last week so it could be any number of these things either working incorrectly or "detoxing" my body. I just want to fast forward to the future...because eventually this has to go away, right?

I looked back at some of my old pictures today, comparing how my skin progressed and how my weight changed, trying to picture what it will be like to be there again. I looked at one specifically that I took right when I started the bio-identical treatment...it was my "before" picture with no makeup, hair pulled back. It's really a terrible picture. But when I look in the mirror, my skin is 100x worse today than it was that day. And that picture alone makes me want to stop all this stuff that I'm doing and taking.

Maybe my body just needs a break. Maybe this was the worst decision.

You know what, I'm making the executive decision today to go off all this stuff. Or at least most of it. If it doesn't work, then I can also go back on them. But I think I need to do this for me...I need to try.

I won't stop everything cold turkey, because that would just be stupid. And I don't want to end up in the mood swings, pain, and overwhelming fatigue again...so I'll slowly wean myself off the major factors that changed in the past year or so. The supplements and vitamins, all the other crap.

Guess I need to go figure out what to go off first...

Long Time, No Progress?

Well I've let the blog totally get pushed to the side here, haven't I? School, work, my health, everything else takes precedence. But I'm back today to update on what's been going on with my health issues in the past few months.

I've had lots of ups and downs over the past year and a half (since starting the bio-identical treatments). Stressful times make things worse. And we've changed so many different things with what medicines I'm on, how I take them, and all this other stuff that I can't even keep track anymore.

So about a month ago I decided to start going off some of these things, to simplify. The reason being that I'm not seeing the progress I want and actually backtracking on some things...so it seems right to me to just slowly cut some things out and we can add them back later. I mean, it's been years since this started...what's a few months going to hurt?

As you know, my skin had gotten considerably better last summer...I'd done a yeast free diet, was just starting the progesterone, and all that jazz. But since then, my skin has actually worsened considerably. Since about February, I've seen the worst acne I've ever had in my life. And we've tried changing and moving things but nothing seems to help.

My fatigue comes and goes, sometimes worse and sometimes much better. My joint pain is down considerably still. All my other symptoms remain about the same with my period...still irregular, still painful, still having headaches. Some symptoms have cleared and I'm very thankful for that...but I'm wanting my skin to clear the most.

So right now, I'm on a mission to get that to happen. Once my skin is clear, I will slowly try to adjust the other things if I feel it's necessary.

Last month, I went off my cortisol...slowly. I've experienced some fatigue increase from that, but I hope my body adjusts soon. Also taking a supplement that is supposed to counter act that, we'll see if it helps. I haven't noticed any other changes...good or bad from going off.

I've lost weight (I'd gained the pounds I'd lost last summer back) so I'm down about 8 pounds right now and still working to get the rest off. It takes a decent diet and lots of working out to get the pounds off, but I'm loving the way I look and feel with my new body. Although I think its easier to lose weight when I've got hormonal help, I don't think the reason is because of the supplements or hormones.

This month I'm starting two new supplements (DIM and Vitex Extract) for my hormones. I just started those in the last week. They are supposed to regulate the androgens and how my body uses progesterone/estrogen. Supposedly, this might be the answer for my acne and irregular periods. Even if I could get my periods on a more regular schedule (not necessarily a 28 day cycle), I'd take it. Right now, they are all over the place with them increasing and decreasing my progesterone. And I'm sick of it.

Which brings me to my next supplement change. I'm going off the progesterone for now...seeing how I do (maybe 2 cycles) then I'd like to slowly add a little in. If the Vitex works correctly, I shouldn't need any. But we'll see.

Everything else is about the same...I'm trying to keep a weekly log of any supplement changes I make along with where my skin and fatigue rate on a scale of 1-10. I'm hoping that might give me a better idea of what's causing these changes (if I see any progress).

If this doesn't work, I might stop everything (slowly again) completely and see how I do. I've thought over the past months...what if my body "righted" itself and now I'm the one screwing it up? I'm taking all kinds of things that mess with my hormones, so it's possible. And I'm at the end of my rope with this acne and fatigue. I just want to get back to who I was 5 years ago...not wearing much makeup, not worrying about people looking at me differently, not feeling like I was in the middle of puberty when I'm supposed to be heading into my "prime."

So here's to hoping that things change!

Setback or Failure?

Recently, all my old symptoms seem to have taken over my life again. My joint pain, the fatigue, the malaise.

For the past few weeks, I've slowly noticed how I went from feeling much better to feeling much, much worse. Right now, I am sitting here on the edge of just passing out from the fatigue. I am exhausted. And I've been sleeping, resting, and trying to eat well.

Everything seems to be falling down around me because of this. I feel like I knew it in the beginning, when I told myself not to set all my hope on this. Is this failure? Or is this just a setback?

Lovin' It

I have two great strides of progress in this journey to health and I'm so excited!!!!

1. My skin is clearing up amazingly. I'm still having breakouts, but not nearly as many and they are clearing quickly. There is still the scarring that hasn't healed from previous breakouts, but that's hopefully going to eventually lessen as well. I did one microdermabrasion which helped with skin tone and texture. I'm getting another tomorrow and hoping that will lessen the scarring as well.
2. I've lost weight! For the first time in 2 years, I've lost a considerable amount and kept it off for several weeks now. I'm soo excited for this! I haven't noticed a real difference in my appearance, but my mom has said that it's noticeable. So now I'm on a trip to lose even more weight! And I'm hoping that it will be a fairly easy process...

I can't pinpoint exactly what has caused these. It could be the pills, it could have been the diet, it could be other things.

I know one change that I am making in my life is drinking this juice called MonaVie, which is a blend of 19 different fruits including acai (an amazing Amazonian berry). It's shown considerable health benefits in many major research areas, including lessening the risk for cancer and heart disease. On top of that, many of its major benefits are directly against diabetic complications. So I am completely sold on this juice! A lot of the people drinking it are sleeping better, have more energy, have lower blood pressure, plus they just FEEL BETTER! I'm lovin' it.