Frustrating Health problems- need help!

[Jeeperh]

I am a 14 year old female, and for my whole life basically I have been struggling. Since I was a child I could never lose weight no matter what I ate, and I had a slew of medical health issues (bladder leakage, obesity, scoliosis pain), but they did not get bad until 2012. In 2012, I had spinal fusion surgery from about T3 to L4 due to scoliosis that was at 58 degrees. After this, my health has seemed to be a never ending train of problems. I had an infection 1 month after surgery, and got antibiotics, which is now believed to have set everything off. I began having terrible abdominal pain and reflux in the beginning of 2013, but nobody would  take me seriously. I tried gluten free and dairy free diets, until finally in January of 2014 the doctors found I had reflux during an endoscopy. During this time, I began to get a chronic headache along with joint pain and fatigue. Though the headache is most likely due to tension in the muscles, I still suffer from joint pain and exhaustion even on my better days. I was recently told I have a ton of inflammation which could be causing it, but I truly believe these problems are all connected. In 2014 I also began to form anemia; my ferritin was almost dangerously low and I had little Iron saturation. That was taken care of, but then I developed what was believed to be Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. To this day, the doctors still go back and forth about whether it is my thyroid, but I do not believe this is an issue, for my TSH, free T3, and free T4 were all in a good range.I was also believed to have had PCOS, when I got irregular cycles, hair loss, and ovarian pain. The hair loss began in about summer of 2014 when the anemia and thyroid issues began, but I still currently have about half as much hair as I did before. I used to have thick healthy hair, but now my hair is brittle and my ears poke through! Recently, I have been getting trigger point injections along with physical therapy for the back, and I am on about 10 different medications/supplements for everything. It is so ridiculous, I get a new theory every time I see a doctor! They believe I have fibromyalgia along with lumbar ridiculopothy, but that is nothing compared to the past theories. I recently saw a bio-energy doctor, (which is like a better version of a holistic doctor) and he has been the only one who has seemed to help. He drew blood and we have now figured out that I have a lot of food allergies, and the antibiotics have possibly caused some leaky gut which set everything off, but I am still struggling. I know eating a paleo diet is best, but I don't know how when I am allergic to so many things! The results show I am mostly allergic to any form of yeast, dairy and gluten, which is not a problem for the paleo diet, but I also am mildly allergic to eggs, coconut, grapefruit, banana, tomatoes, and I am aiming for  low sugar/no sugar additive intake as well. It is very hard for me and my family to think of any meals, when I can't have coconut or eggs, which seem to be a big part of the diet. I currently hardly eat; 1 maybe 2 meals a day, and I still seem to be having reactions. I am exploring my body care products, because I believe maybe I am allergic to those products too..? I am very stressed right now and in desperate need for help, because I have not been in school for over a year and strive to return in the fall; that does not seem possible though when I am 100 pounds overweight, and always hot/red faced, exhausted, achey, and in general pain. I am currently taking activated B complex, COQ10, methyl folate, ATP fuel, muscle relaxers, armour for thyroid (I wish to discontinue it soon since it is not necessary), probiotics, biotin, nystatin (the doctor also believes I have yeast buildup), and I take a multivitamin along with an omega 3 vitamin. I have been on the paleo diet for about 2 weeks, but I still feel crappy, and I currently believe I have an infection due to swollen lymph nodes on armpit/breast/groin area. I just want to be normal again, and I am willing to give it my all and take time, but I do wish to be better in a few months, and it seems impossible with so many allergies. We have ruled out basically every other condition under the sun, so I do believe these food allergies are the root problem. Any help would be appreciated!

[eveheart]

I have been on the paleo diet for about 2 weeks, but I still feel crappy... so I do believe these food allergies are the root problem. Any help would be appreciated!

From this forum, you can get a good idea about how to start a RAW paleo diet. Raw makes a big difference in the toxic load that you put in your body with cooked meats.

For allergies, I find that an elimination diet has helped me identify foods that were inflammatory to my body. I used Dr. Coca's heart-rate variability method http://www.soilandhealth.org/02/0201hyglibcat/020108.coca.pdf to test for food and environmental allergies that I didn't even know I had, because the allergic response was inflammation, not a runny nose or skin rash. I also get good ideas about reducing inflammation from Dave Asprey's website and podcasts https://www.bulletproofexec.com/. Almost everything that Asprey suggests can be done 100% raw or very gently cooked.

If you are eating a paleo diet already, it should be easy to pinpoint your allergic foods. Try each animal food that you eat, including egg whites and yolks separately. Then check out oranges, tomatoes and all nightshades. Test nuts, if you eat them, and a positive reaction will point to mold more likely than not. If you react strongly to molds, clean out your house of all molds, even if you have to rip out carpets! Or move for a while and see if you start to improve. There are companies that can test your house for you. You sound sick enough to be looking that deeply for a cause of your inflammation.

[TylerDurden]

 Since the main cause of cooking is vastly increased inflammation, going raw will help you. Some of us RPDers find that they can handle raw versions of foods they are otherwsie allergic to when cooked.

Like eveheart says, go in for an elimination diet to see what raw foods work best for you. Once you switch to a raw, palaeolithic diet, you will probably experience some unpleasant minor detox symptoms for a few days, maybe even weeks in rare isolated cases. These are just temporary symptoms  and occur because the body finally can get a chance to get rid of toxins built up from decades of eating cooked foods. Once you have gotten used to going RPD, come here and ask further questions. There are some very useful things that people can do but it's best to wait until they have gone RPD already.

In the meantime, here are some useful links:-

http://www.rawpaleodietforum.com/important-info-for-newbies/

[goodsamaritan]

I will suspect your spinal surgery is the culprit.

If time could roll back you should have seen the chiropractors and the dorn professionals first.  These professionals could have fixed you up without surgery.

I suggest you see both chiropractors and dorn pros.  Show them your xray details.

[Jeeperh]

I will suspect your spinal surgery is the culprit.

If time could roll back you should have seen the chiropractors and the dorn professionals first.  These professionals could have fixed you up without surgery.

I suggest you see both chiropractors and dorn pros.  Show them your xray details.

When i was younger I already tried chiropractor, and physical therapy but my spine still just progressed so rapidly I had no other option. Thak you for the response though I appreciate it!