WARNING: Graphic images may frighten some..(lol). 

In my last post, I told you about my most recent aliment: acid reflux.

I was prescribed ®Nexium and had started it on May 9.

I felt a bit better but at one point, got worse, then a little better.

But things changed in the early hours of May 16th.

I woke up at 4am (ish) with incredible burning and blockages in my throat and chest (this was beginning to be the norm).

When I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror (asking why me?), I noticed my left eye was extremely bloodshot. Then I noticed my eyelid was all puffy and a bit droopy.

I thought, ‘wtf?’ but went back to my self pity about the reflux.

In the morning, it looked better but I was concerned.

At my scheduled follow-up appointment with the doctor who had prescribed the meds, I brought it up (after he diagnosed me with severe reflux osophagitis and told me to take ®Nexium for 2 months).

He had a quick look and brushed it off as a touch of conjunctivitis or “maybe you rubbed it in your sleep”.

Okay then.

Fast forward to 4am May 17.

Again, I was up with severe heartburn and the blocked feelings.

This time, I could feel that my eye was swollen and when I looked at myself, I saw that the right eye had decided to get in on the action.

When I saw how I looked at 4am, I went straight onto google and sure enough swollen face, lips or other parts of the body are side effects of ®Nexium.

Needless to say, I didn’t take anymore nor have I been back to the doctor.

What I did do was go for a session of Bowen Therapy.

It was my first time and I didn’t know much about it but it was recommended.

I will tell you more about it in a separate post, so stay tuned.

What I know for sure though is that night, without the meds and after Bowen, I began to feel better. I actually did not get up out of bed all night (a first in 2 weeks) and it’s been like that since.

I’m almost sleeping through the night.

I’m still get a bit of heartburn at 9pm so I take 15ml of Gaviscon. Once I’m rid of it for good, I will go back to natural remedies like bicarb and water or apple cider vinegar and water.

I’m still restricting a lot of food and today, I’ve actually started Dr Mark Hyman’s Ultramind Solution 6-week program.

This is very much like the elimination diets I’ve done in the past: no gluten, no dairy, no caffeine, no alcohol, no food from a pack or can, no sugar, no flour of any kind.

I’ve done this so much over the past 3 years but it never stuck for too long before I was abusing and misusing food and booze again.

This time, I’m determined to stick with it to the END and properly re-introduce some of the things I may miss (like flours and sugars so I can still eat my home-baked goodies).

I’ve still not had any coffee and I guess I won’t now for another 6 weeks at least. Who knows, maybe I won’t bother going back to it.

Considering I’ve been on a restricted diet for 2.5 weeks now, the next 6 weeks will not be too hard. I’m looking forward to getting my health, energy, motivation and brain back!!!