> Environmental and Health Concerns > Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

Toxic Immune Syndrome
by author Dody Dines

My daughter Dara became ill long before I did. She battled Crohn’s disease with fatigue for 15 years, but eventually managed to get through university, a testament to her indomitable spirit. She was 32 and it had been a struggle.

Shortly after graduating in autumn of 1996, she landed a teaching position in South Korea and left with trepidation. She had already begun yet another downward spiral. It was an all-too familiar path.

Looking back, my own body had been giving me warning signs for quite some time too. I had been healthy and fit my entire life and slipped into my 50s without missing a beat. All that was about to change.

It was 1992 while in Nepal that I came down with a bacterial infection: high fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Anxious to get out of Katmandu to trek in the mountains, I had no qualms about taking antibiotics. Three months later, I could not shake persistent diarrhea. Back home tests at the Medical Travel Clinic in Ottawa turned up parasites for which the prescribed treatment was Flagdyl. It was a mistake. Worse still was that I was moving up a blind alley, associating my problem with something I had picked up in Nepal.

Over the next three years I bounced up and down; got better, got worse. In the spring of 1995 I returned to Nepal as unofficial "tour guide" for my husband and a group of friends. The stress of arduous mountain hiking, coupled with a sense of responsibility for my group pushed me over the edge. I came home exhausted with diarrhea, my constant companion. I was treated by good doctors and bad doctors and reluctantly went through all the tests. I was offered prednisone and Prozac. I declined. I began to lose faith in allopathic medicine.

By 1996, my symptoms worsened. I was no longer able to work on a regular basis. I had spent 15 years building a reputable stained glass business but now the accumulation of dust in my studio was evidence of my declining health. I spent most of the day in bed, not even having the energy for daily routines. What was happening to me?

Comparing Notes

I took stock. I wrote down all my symptoms. On paper they seemed even more frightening. Fatigue and loss of energy topped the list. My appetite had decreased, with accompanying weight loss. I had constant ringing in my ears and an ever-present metallic taste in my mouth. Long-term bowel problems persisted. My muscles ached and I felt tired, even in bed, with migrating joint pain as an added extra. I bruised easily and suffered hypoglycemic reactions such as sweating, nausea, sudden weakness and jitteriness.

My memory and concentration were poor, with an inability to focus on even the simplest of tasks. I had significantly decreased strength and a tingling sensation in my hands and feet. At times I was confused and uncoordinated, tripping over my own feet. When asked a question, minutes would often glide by before I could process it and reply. I was dysfunctional most of the time.

I talked to my daughter Dara in Korea. She was not well, but still on her feet. We compared notes. Our symptoms were alarmingly similar. Could we possibly have the same problem with the same root cause? I started looking for answers and read everything I could related to chronic fatigue and bowel disease.

Dara had operated a small framing business out of my studio for three years. She often helped me finish stained glass projects when I was snowed under. We had no ventilation and did not wear masks. The possibility of lead being a factor soon became evident. At the same time, the name of an Ottawa doctor specializing in environmental medicine dropped into my lap. I made an appointment.

Metal Discovery

Dody Dines lives in the country near St Eugene, ON and has resumed her career in stained glass and her passion for hiking.

Source: alive #215, September 2000