Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome (MCS) is a frustrating immune and neurogenic dysregulation causing symptoms that significantly handicap a persons life. Often beginning with an environmental exposure of some kind which is followed by symptoms in response to previously tolerated low-level exposures, resulting in in reactions affecting the central nervous system, respiratory and mucosal, or gastrointestinal system. Once a person is sensitized this can spread to unrelated compounds, becoming more easily reactive, until the person is “sick” all the time. An extremely wide variety of symptoms can result including: fatigue, difficulty concentrating, depression, memory loss, weakness, dizziness, headaches, and pain. This may also be called Environmental Illness or sick building syndrome. MCS is often debated with skepticism in medical circles, but for the sufferers it is all too real.
My story:
About 10 years ago, I was living in Los Angeles, raising 4 children ages 2-13, with my husband. Life was very busy and I’ve always been subject to stress and some anxiety. Altogether I was really pretty typical of a woman in the middle of raising her family. My only ongoing health issues were migraines (genetic), insomnia, and a little bursitis in my hip from an injury. This bursitis led me to take prescription strength Naproxen for 7 years. I was becoming concerned that this might eventually hurt me in some way so started looking for herbal remedies to relieve the inflammation. Boswellia is an ayurvedic herb often used for arthritis and I was excited to find that this worked even better than the prescription! However, after taking it for 2 weeks I felt like I had the flu. I was suspicious that this wasn’t a normal flu, and stopped taking the Boswellia just in case I was sensitive to it. I recovered and a couple of weeks later, because I loved the pain relief of Boswellia, I tried it again. My body went CRAZY! My skin was on fire, I had blisters in my mouth and a sore throat. Completely freaked out, my husband took me to the emergency room, where the doctor, who had no idea what was wrong with me, gave me an opioid and said he would like to know what was wrong with me if I ever figured it out. Well, it appeared I was extremely allergic to boswellia. However, as the weeks went on I discovered I began reacting to my migraine meds, then fruit that had chemicals sprayed on it, then perfumes in the air, then any drug, cleaners, anything that was chemically based, then…I was reacting constantly and I had no idea to what anymore because it seemed like everything!
At this point I was in tears everyday. I was trying not to speak because my throat was so inflamed, not easy with four kids! I was having four untreatable migraines a week. Doctors looked at me like I might be crazy because they couldn’t fix it, and they couldn’t give me a prescription because I’d react to it. This was really the lowest, most desperate time of my life. I went into research mode and finally found something talked about on health boards called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. How amazing it is to find that you’re not alone in the suffering! This is what led me to something called Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET).
I read that NAET helped people to tolerate things that they had previously reacted to. It really seemed like voodoo, but when you’re desperate….! I had no experience with alternative medicine whatsoever. But my husband and I agreed that I had to try it as life was unlivable at that point. I saw an Acupuncturist/Naturopathic doctor who said she thought NAET was rather perfect for what I was experiencing. Finally someone who didn’t think I was crazy and had confidence that I could be helped! I began going once or twice a week. The first thing she treated me for was Grains. This resulted in an 90% decrease in the frequency of my migraines! I was impressed. Even better, after being treated for 3 months, I no longer was reacting to things all the time. I felt normal again, I could take a prescription again if I needed to, life became alot less hazardous. NAET allowed me to go on with my life.
I was so amazed by this treatment that I went to school and got my Master’s degree in Oriental Medicine and eventually trained in NAET. It is my privilege now to help others struggling through similar health issues.
If this sounds like something you need Please call me for a complimentary consultation 973-454-8594 Services in Montclair NJ.