Not Sure What Happened To Me

[Guest guest]

Warning: Very long post.

Background: Was taking 125 mg Lugol's topically, mixed with castor oil, in an

alternate day pulsing mode, when the following ordeal began. I went off the

Lugol's right away, not sure this was a detox, but afraid to add any possible

fuel to the fire. I began my topical application again as indicated below.

Note: I've not seen any posts on this forum for the last three weeks, so don't

know if I missed something that might be pertinent to the material below.

Sat, Jan 22 – the day before had been great, and I was finally getting back to

full strength after my three week detox in December. But Saturday started with

a sudden swelling of lymph glands on the left front of the neck, down to the

breastbone. Over the next week, the impacted glands grew enormous and grotesque

looking and painful and were accompanied by a fever ranging from 101 to 102

which never broke, not even in the middle of the night or early morning. (As

usual, though I was unable to sweat during this time.)

Mon 1/30 – After nine days, the swelling spread down to the elbow of my left arm

which caused me further pain and alarm and that night I went to an ER. There I

accepted the blood tests and ultrasound but refused the cat scan (involving

x-rays and an intravenous dye). The test results indicated an extended blood

clot which I was told could break off and move to the brain or lungs or heart,

causing stroke or death. At 3:00 am I was transferred by ambulance to my HMO

hospital about an hour away.

At the hospital, after a night without sleep, the atmosphere/set up of the

hospital exacerbated my stress (blood pressure up to 174) both physically and

emotionally. After speaking with two doctors there, it was clear that they

presented me with no choice except to have the cat scan (to determine if the

cause was a cancerous tumor) and to immediately begin treatment with the drug

warfarin. I was there only 7 hours before I signed a waiver releasing the

doctors of responsibility for me and securing a discharge. It was with enormous

relief and comfort that I dressed to leave.

Back at Home – I started taking Tylenol (1/4 dose) to get through the day and

the night. (I hadn't taken any pain killers or fever reducers prior to this.)

Research (when I managed to do any) revealed that warfarin is sold as a blood

thinner for humans and also as a rat poison. Treatment involves constant

monitoring for internal bleeding in the brain and elsewhere as a result of the

blood being unable to clot. Warfarin is incapable, however, of dissolving any

existing clot. I found I could instead safely take nattokinase (an over the

counter supplement), and eat natto (a traditional Japanese food containing

mattokinase), to dissolve the existing clot, and any future clots, without

impeding the needed ability of the blood to clot, and I began a regimen of both

the food and the supplement.

In the days that followed, the glands in my neck began to recede, but the fever

continued and the pain increased as the swelling descended down into my side,

enlarging my left breast, my lower arm and my left hand. I could barely move my

left arm which was about double the size of my right, and I had developed a rash

of red pustules on my arm and also on my neck and stomach.

Initial research indicated that I had lymphedema (usually incurable and

considered by the medical community as pretty much untreatable except for

palliative measures). Afraid of a wide spread infection I began applying the

Lugol's again, topically, in the castor oil mix, but at a lower dosage – 75 mg.

I also used coconut oil to prevent the tautly stretched skin from breaking or

hardening as I read could happen.

Further research turned up the idea of a rebounder (mini trampoline) which,

through the mechanism of jumping, forces the valves of the lymph glands to a

healthy and active opening and closing of the valves. I also learned it would

help dissolve blood clots! I've ordered a rebounder and meanwhile am using a

doubled over 2 " slab of latex rubber, under my barre, to enable me to " jump "

(not much off the slab) while pressing down on the barre. From my first try,

this felt surprising good. Hopefully it is helping clear the impacted glands

and dissolving my clot. It is certainly increasing much needed deep breathing

and blood circulation.

As time went by (three weeks now) my sleep was increasingly disturbed by severe

leg pains at night. For years, I would have these pains maybe 3-4 times a year.

Now I was getting them every night and having to get out of bed to walk for 20

minutes or so to make the pain go away. It turns out I have a variation of

Restless Leg Syndrome (pain instead of itchy, crawly feelings) and the increase

was simply due to all the stress I've been under.

Some of my stress was due to fear and confusion. Some was the due to the

dispiriting and difficult interactions with five different doctors who, while

they did give me some valuable information and seemed genuinely concerned about

me, also made everything more difficult by becoming angry and offended when I

turned down their recommendations. Although they were careful not to come out

and say they thought this was cancer, it seemed clear they wanted the cat scan

to confirm that diagnosis so they could proceed to whatever

radiation/chemotherapy they thought necessary. It was hard for me to defend

myself and explain why a confirmation of cancer would not change anything in my

lifestyle – which for the last eight or so years has been designed to combat

cancer.

I believe I'm going to be okay, and I now see small, daily signs of that -- but

it is clearly going to happen slowly. If, instead, things get worse, I'm really

not sure what my next step would be. I would have to be in very bad state to

return to the ER and accept what it is they have to offer me.

I have been looking for an alternative doctor nearby (in Oceanside, CA). I'm

not sure though, if this would really work for me. They each seem to have their

own viewpoints (often vegan-based) and protocols -- and would any of them have

known about or thought of nattokinase? Or a rebounder? Would they even be

willing to work with me if a have a clot which could become lethal? I am

beginning to think I need my HMO (Kaiser) for tests (those I feel they are

safe), diagnoses (they were able to tell me I had a blood clot, one suggested I

might have Restless Leg Syndrome, in spite of the unusual symptoms). Armed with

that kind of info, and the internet, I may be safer, as well more comfortable,

than working with any kind of alternative doctor. But I am open to any

suggestions on this.

I'm also wondering if anyone can make sense of all this in terms of whether or

not it was a detox – or in any way a result of the iodine protocol.