I might have stumbled across an answer.
For a couple of years now, I’ve had an odd health problem. Every doctor that I see, I tell them, “I’m fat, fluffy, forgetful, and fatigued” - which translates to a full page of odd symptoms. None of the symptoms, by itself, would really be so bad. Even a couple together wouldn’t be so troublesome. But I run the full gamut of odd things wrong.
When I finally sat down to make a list of even the most trivial-seeming symptom, it sounded like I had something terribly wrong with my thyroid. So, I went off to Ken’s endocrinologist. Every thyroid test comes back normal. Well within normal.
Ken has been having odd symptoms too. Fatigue, chest pains, stomach pains, weight gain, etc. His thyroid was quite a ways off and the doctor bumped his medicine up.
Yesterday, Ken and I were evaluating yet another sick fish. It seems like every other week one of our fin-babies comes down with something. In fact, I think we’re about to lose little one-eyed Jack (our little fantail goldfish). Something keeps spiking the ammonia levels in the tanks.
Ken said, “Something is turning the bathtubs blue. I wonder if whatever that is could be hurting the fish.”
Chance comment, right?
Well, Uncle Google says that the blue is from copper. Further investigation shows that high levels of copper could be somewhat toxic to fish. Aquamain said that in a fresh water tank it shouldn’t hurt them. However - we also have a high rate of algae growth that seems to green and then turn brown quickly. Uncle Google tells me two things - one, copper is widely used as an algaecide, and two, high levels of algae die-off will, of course, raise the ammonia levels in the tanks.
Hmmmmmm. I might have come across the answer.
So all of this got me wondering what effects copper could have on US. Again, I asked Uncle Google. And guess what? A stunning array of symptoms showed up - many of which match mine. And Ken’s. Some even scarier, as copper apparently regulates brain chemicals like norepinephrine and seratonin - meaning that copper toxicity can lead to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, panic attacks, etc. It can also bring on seizures in people who’ve never had them.
Knowing that our well shares groundwater with many others, I pondered our neighbors. Within five miles I can point to a couple dozen people who’ve got fat fluffy fatigued sorts of problems, who are living with people who have panic/bipolar issues or seizures. Just about everyone we know in the area is “sick all the time” with nothing, really - just feeling sick.
Copper’s got agricultural applications, and this is definitely farmland. It can also apparently come from junk cars and fluids - remember that this is where many a racecar was birthed and buried.
I don’t know if I’ve found the answer or not - but I will have some interesting questions for my new doctor tomorrow.
September 7th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I reckon I’d recommend y’all going straight to bottled water, effective immediately.
September 7th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Sounds very fishy…Id install purification filters on your water system and undertake a liver cleansing detox (nothing too severe)….Good luck with the doc Kathi.
September 8th, 2008 at 6:01 am
I am glad I dring bottle water and have for sometime now. Kathi, keep the faith girl and all will come out okay. Wednesday we prayed for four specific things and all came out the way we asked for it to happen
September 8th, 2008 at 6:11 am
We’re going to buy a Brita pitcher today since Ant Wal has them for about four bucks. If we’re feeling like dancing in a few weeks or otherwise prove the theory, we’ll invest in whole-house system.
Anita, I’m glad you mentioned the liver detox - I’ve got some herbal detox pills that are supposed to be quite good. I’m also going to take high levels of Vite C (can anyone see Mark grinning from ear to ear? LOL)
I can’t shake the impression that God’s trying to show me something through this, though.
September 8th, 2008 at 6:16 am
Since the kids were babies we’ve had an Amway filter. A little pricey, but honestly they are one of the best.
Back in the late 70’s early 80’s my parents were very involved in Amway. I know, not too keen on how the organization’s run anymore, but from personal experience I know the products are good.
You definitely need to get something Kathi.
September 8th, 2008 at 6:20 am
We might just do that. We’ve got friends who used to do Amway, “back in the day” and they still have connections.
I know that for a while things got - well, to be nice - pretty weird at Amway. Are those problems still there?
I know their products are fabulous - the dish and laundry soaps especially. I think that R+K have one of those water filters too.
Thanks for the recommendation
September 8th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I was involved with Amway many moons ago. they do have great products tho
September 8th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
It would be interesting to see if, after your serotonin and epinephrine levels return to normal, you’re still as enthusiastic about Todd Bentley.
We just talked in my psych class the other day about how screwed up levels of those two things (and a third, I can’t remember at the moment, possibly dopamine) can cause mania and affect judgement.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:48 am
I thought TB was a to be prayed about subject now.
September 9th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Kathi, if you do end up wanting an Amway filter, and have any problems getting ahold of one, let me know. My son-in-law is able to order (my mother’s been out of it for years) - he gets us a new filter every year.
I forget how he’s able to order - possibly signed up once but then never did anything with it? I don’t know.
But let me know if I can help.
September 9th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Alycin - I’m not thinking it’ll change my opinions any
You’re likely right on dopamine being the third mood-changer.
I don’t think the docs and profs can/should make blanket statements like that. One’s response to brain chem imbalances are highly dependent on what is imbalanced and how. The last time I had a serious problem (from taking Cymbalta), my body had quite the opposite reaction. No mania. I shifted into reverse. The docs thought I had MS - couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk, couldn’t use the bathroom, zero energy at all. After I was off the cymbalta, symptoms gone.
Anyways back to the subject of TB - 99% of the stuff that freaks people out is right out of the Bible. Pretty offensive stuff.
September 9th, 2008 at 9:44 am
So I saw the doc yesterday. Actually, she’s a PA. A fabulous one, at that. She spent about an hour going over history, poking, prodding, ordering tests.
She suspects several things and wants to rule them in or out, in no particular order - Vitamin D deficiency. MS. Copper toxicity (YES! She said that very well might be the problem!). Anemia. Thyroid. The start of menopause. Any or all of the above, or something else entirely.
She also diagnosed me with a severe sinus/ear/throat infection. Might be strep. She elected not to test, just to treat. No wonder I’ve been feeling like mud.
September 9th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
well glad you got a check up Kathi
September 9th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Blanket statements? What do you mean? Saying that something can cause ________ is not saying that it is the only thing that can cause it, nor is it saying that it must cause it. It’s just reporting a correlation.
By the way that was mostly a joke–probably in bad taste, I admit.
Different medicines e(a?)ffect everyone differently. There are a million different factors that go into how the body responds to certain meds, and that is precisely the reason why most people, whether MDs or PdDs like my professor, don’t make blanket statements like “______ causes ______” but instead make sure to say “_______ can/may cause_____” or “There is a correlation between” or “It is associated with”…
Our second lecture of the class was discussing the differences between causation and correlation. Many people think correlation must mean causation, but alas, it does not. Hehe.
Strep is the worst!!!!! Hope you feel better.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
By the way, many things in the bible can be and are scary, when out of context or when one doesn’t understand said part within the whole of the Word–or has an errant interpretation.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
that was supposed to say “PhDs” up there.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:55 am
If it was just you, I’d be inclined to look at menopause or pre-menopause. As it seems to affect your local area, it could be something like low-level pollution ie copper toxicity, but what about general lifestyle for the humans? Diet and exercise?
I can’t remember your water tasting of anything strange - it certainly tasted better than our fluoridised water here in London. Might be good to do some research on the history of your area - any mining activity for example, or the use of pesticides. What are your plumbing fixings made of ie. could the problem be caused at the very end of the trail where it physically comes into your sinks and tubs? Have your faucets corroded? Have you noticed any staining to your clean laundry?
September 10th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Jules you add good advice there
September 10th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Yes very interesting advice Jules - I never thought about plumbing materials. Hey - do you guys over there get your mercury teeth fillings replaced? (no not with gold lol)
September 10th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
I’ve still got a couple of old mercury amalgam fillings, but for years now I’ve paid extra for dental composites ie. white fillings.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Mmmm, I find it interesting that people are often told (well to be exact my mother was told) that to remove the old fillings is even more dangerous than just leaving them in - anyway, Im goint off track from Kathis original post.
September 11th, 2008 at 5:55 am
Well - I’ve been on fast-acting antibiotics for 3 days and I still feel like last Thanksgiving’s yams dried in the hot sun and reconstituted and reheated. So I reckon I’ll call the doc back today.
Back when I was 16 I had a filling - it might be amalgam but I think they used the white stuff. It’s all the way in the back so I can’t see it. I’ll ask the dentist. The rest are the white stuff. I won’t get mercury fillings, period.
Jules, you KNOW my general lifestyle consists of donuts and the couch
BUT - We had about a year where we joined the Y, exericsed regularly, ate much better - and there was no difference at all in how we felt. None.
I know we don’t have copper PIPE, but we do have copper fittings in between some of the pvc pipes. It’s probably a good thing we don’t have copper pipe - copper is so valuable right now that people are coming home to discover that while they were at work, thieves broke in under the house and removed all the pipe!! People are finding the catalytic converters gone on their cars!! It’s crazy.
As far as the area - heavy pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers, plus the burial of I don’t know how many entire vehicles (oil, tranny fluid, battery and all) virtually under our feet. I’m suspecting the latter might be the problem, actually.
There’s no odd taste, though. What comes from the tap tastes the same as bottled water, and there’s no diff in taste with what I run through the new filter. The faucets and drains are corroded. Not sure if that’s from the copper, or from harsh cleaning chemicals from previous owners. And no staining to the laundry. Sometimes an odd smell - but I think that’s the iron… the health dept said it could smell.
I dunno… hope I get an answer soon!
September 11th, 2008 at 6:33 am
What’s your water supply? Is it a well? I can’t remember. If the water ever has a slight red tinge, that’ll be iron.
But I reckon you’re pre-menopausal - won’t work for Ken though. I don’t care what anyone says - men are not allowed to have a midlife crisis!
September 11th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Heavey metals Kathi? You could get tested for it. What about aluminum - do you cook with it?
September 11th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Well - I don’t know, Anita. I’ve got some silver pots but does that mean they’re aluminum?? I don’t cook in them often. I have three “sets” - stoneware for baking, Visions glassware for boiling, and cast iron for frying. I only break out the big silver pot if we’re having pasta or something else that cooks big.
Heavy metals - copper apparently is one (I didn’t know before doing this research). We’ve got a couple symptoms that could point to mercury as well. We do eat a lot of fish, but according to the government’s handy calculator, not enough to make us THIS sick. We’ve never lived close to a mercury-producing plant, that we know of (there is one north of Greensboro, causing all sorts of probs - too far away to directly hurt us though).
Jules - yes, it’s a well. And I reckon you might be right - the doc’s testing female hormones to see.
Does Ken asking me if he can buy a motorcycle count as midlife crisis?
September 11th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
on motorcycle no way, i want one to
September 11th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Just maybe check your pots and the stainless steel is much heavier and thicker than the aluminium cookwear which is a dull, light and easily dented material. Ive gotten rid of my aluminium cookwear. A friend of mine lived near an aluminium smelter and developed migraines 24/7 for years until they have now moved away but he is still not 100% in his health. Our environment is crucial and soil is a huge factor because the health of soil effects the health of our food meat, veg, dairy the works. No wonder so many people are doing their own vegie gardens. Oh and the whole thing of what your house is made of *sigh* asbestos, lead based paints, fire retardent chemicals etc etc etc.