MSG Detoxing
I did it again. Just when I thought I had a good handle on things, hadn’t had any food with MSG in it, I wound up stumbling across it in a sauce at a sushi place. I find that I can trust sushi – usually – because I’m watching it being made. But BreMonster got a bento box with some chicken tempura, didn’t like the chicken, and asked me to eat it. I tried the brown sauce that came with it – not even thinking, because most brown sauces have MSG in them, and I don’t know why. Later last night, I wound up feeling sick and when I laid in bed? The room was spinning all around me. I felt as though I were on a ship tossing about in rough seas. And I know what that’s like after my time in the Navy. And that one time I was actually on an aircraft carrier.
Anyway… it’s been interesting. I’m still nauseated, and now this evening, I’m feeling like absolute poop. I’ve got a headache brewing, but it’s focusing on the left side of my head. I know this means a migraine is pending. At this point, I’d rather a migraine than the seizures that normally happen. But with the way the vertigo/dizziness has kicked up since having this stuff? I’m sure I won’t be able to avoid a seizure for long.
I have to admit, I’ve been frustrated. But I’m trying to not kick myself too terribly much. I couldn’t have known, it’s just a small little hiccup.
But these kinds of hiccups have serious consequences.
And have I mentioned my mood’s been off? I’m so grouchy – and I have no reason to be! Rationally? I know I have no reason to be grouchy. But, and especially now with the way my hands have started shaking while I’m typing, I am.
All that said, I have come up with a plan of attack that seems to be helping, because the symptoms haven’t been raging until this evening. Thus far I’ve been trying: lots and lots of lemon water, since lemon water is known for helping to flush toxins from your system, pomegranate green tea, pomegranates have powerful antioxidants while green tea speeds the metabolism and I’m praying to quickly metabolise the MSG out of my system, and yoga. Particularly gentle twists to ease my gut and the other bathroom issues that generally tend to surface.
So far, it’s been going well. Like I said, the symptoms haven’t been raging too terribly until tonight, and the headache has been kept at bay for now. We’ll see how tomorrow goes.
I hate this stuff. Even more so, I hate that the FDA approves of its use as a flavor enhancer. Maybe if the flavors of foods weren’t demolished by all the crap the factories do to it, they wouldn’t need enhancers.
Wordless Wednesday: Rottweilers
Oh, yeah. They’re big and scary and dangerous alright.
Collar by:
Quick Health Update
Gratuitous photo of moi and the hubs. Cause I loves him and he's so handsome.
I haven’t written about my health in awhile again. I tend to forget to update, particularly when I’m between specialists and between appointments. Right now? I’m between healthcare providers. Which is hilarious, because they’re both military, but it’s the same schpeel between both.
Hurry up and wait.
I’m still getting dizzy. Frequently, but not as severely as before. There have been a few things that have had an affect on this. Or, at least, I like to think so. I have cut back quite a bit on my dairy intake. We’d been using 2% milk and others – whatever was on sale – but to be honest? It was getting really expensive between that and all the cheeses we’d go through and whatnot. So I decided to cut back. We now buy maybe half as much cheese as we used to, and no more milk. It’s all almond milk.
Now, again, I’m not entirely sure dairy is the culprit, but given what the naturopath said previously? I’m starting to take a closer look at my diet in order to see what might be causing issues. Of course, the big issue there is wheat. But I’m trying really hard to wait on the wheat until I can see whether or not an allergen test is feasible.
Which brings me to being between providers entirely. I went up and registered at the VA Hospital out here. For the next year, I’m on the VA’s health insurance and I’m waiting on my medical records to be sent up from the archives so that I can prepare for my first appointment with my new VA provider. This initial intake will cover all my health issues during and, I believe, after service, and so I’m going to have to look at my medical record to see if there’s anything that came up while I was in the service that could connect to what I’m experiencing now. I could legitimately use this to file a claim and receive disability through the VA. However, I’m mostly doing this to establish a timeline.
It’s at this appointment that I’m going to ask for a gastroenterologist or at least some allergen testing to see if we can, indeed, establish a problem with wheat. I am desperate to explore the diet aspect of this whole mess, if only because it’s the leaster related to everything else we’ve been talking about. Between the Meniere’s and BPPV and all the treatments associated, I’m ready for people to stop screwing with my inner ear and my brain and my cardiovascular system for a bit.
Really, we can look at this as me starting the journey towards an endocrinologist or a gastroenterologist. Because, really, the cardiologist, the neurologist and the ENT and the otolaryngologist haven’t been much help so far. The osteopath was amazing for my back pain, but that wasn’t relative to the dizziness and vertigo, the incredibly low blood pressure, the seizures, the severe dips in blood pressure upon standing… yeah.
So while I’m optimistic, I’m cautious in proceeding with Western medicine. I really felt like we were getting somewhere with the naturopath. But the simple fact remains? I can’t afford it on my own. So, for now, until I publish a book or hit the lottery or magically star in a movie out of nowhere, I’m going to have to stick with what I can afford, which is the continuing care I’m entitled to as a veteran of the US Navy.
