Lupus and Gut Health: The slow (but effective) process of Functional Medicine

Searching for answers. 

It's something I haven't had to do for myself in a long time. 

I think the last time was when my hair was falling out, and I was researching reasons for my hair loss. It seems kind of funny now - because OF COURSE the cause was systemic lupus - but back then, I was just sure I was going to find a different way to approach it and be able to reverse it.

As an aside, I recently found one of my baby hair clips that I used once I'd lost a good portion of my hair, but hadn't cut it off yet. I still had literal strands to pull back, and the baby clips were perfect. Here's the post I wrote about them, but here's a pic from that old post. Man, were those clips small! 

To think that the big ones in the picture used to barely hold my hair because I had so much, and then because I'd lost so much, one little baby clip could hold the remaining strands. Huh. That's significant hair loss. 

However, focusing on improvement, I haven't lost my hair for almost 10 years. Now, it just keeps growing and thickening...and greying. I'm not grey YET...but the white, wiry strands are hiding everywhere! My current head of hair is proof that systemic lupus CAN improve and symptoms CAN subside. Never give up hope. (Note that discoid lupus can have different results, and never hesitate to consult a dermatologist about your hair loss. That was one of the best moves I made in my journey with lupus. It made all the difference to talk to a derm about my hair loss, rather than just a rheumatologist.) 

Returning to the trying experience of "searching for answers", I think what I was really searching for back then were answers to what would help my hair loss and what hindered it. 

And that's what I find we've been doing with my sweet Deirdre for the last two years. Searching for things that will help her symptoms and avoiding the things that hurt them. 

Two years of searching is a long time. 

Two years of food sensitivity tests, dietary changes, and lifestyle adjustments. 

Two years of new supplements, different vitamins, and an ever-changing pill regimen.

Two years of blood work, lab tests, and GI lab kits.

Two years of specialty pharmacies, specialty supermarkets, and increased grocery bills. 

Two years of tracking and tracing and trying. 

Two years of doctor's appointments, skin treatments, and body treatments. 

And still, we're not there yet. 

I was diagnosed with lupus within 6 weeks of my symptoms. My sweet, wonderful, beautiful daughter continues to wake up every morning, put on a brave face, and searches yet another day for answers. And it makes me sad. 

Has there been progress? Absolutely! We feel very much heard and taken care of by our functional medicine doctor. And there have been MAJOR strides made in many areas. Migraines have completely subsided, appetite-suppressing nausea and acid reflux are gone, energy is up, mood has improved, and the benefits of Deirdre's dietary changes surface daily. She is way more functional than she was when we began two years ago. 

But it takes time to reverse the body from the inside out. It takes time to heal the gut, reduce inflammation, and fire up the body's detoxification system. 

I'm so proud of my daughter for continuing on this journey and not giving up hope. She is proving what a strong character she has by facing these health challenges head on. 

She's not running away. She's continuing to search for answers. She is on her health journey. 

I heard a rendition of the song, "The Middle", on XM yesterday, and it reminded me of her: 

"It just takes some time

Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride

Everything, everything'll be just fine

Everything, everything'll be alright, alright"

To those of you in the middle of the journey or searching for answers, we see you. 💗