y now you have probably guessed I am a big fan of Dr. William Rawls and his book “Suffered Long Enough.” I began following the protocol Dr. Rawls sets out in the book on the 24th of November and I wrote about how I found the first month here.
At the end of that blog post, I mentioned that Vital Plan offered the “Restore Program” to help you implement the advice given in the book and that I would love to be part of it. I thought, being in the UK, I either couldn’t receive it or that import taxes would make it too expensive. Well, I really should have done my research first! You’ll be able to guess from the photograph above that I was wrong and that my supplements have arrived. I am starting them from today. What the Restore Program is allowing me to do is take a greater number of herbs at a lower cost. I’ve come to learn in these past few weeks that herbal medicine is at it’s most powerful when multiple herbs work together. The power of synergy!
I have seen great progress over the past couple of weeks in particular now that my herbs are up to therapeutic dosages. As I was coming off gabapentin, I kind of just went for it with the herbs (after talking about increasing them slowly). I figured my body would need as much support as possible. My Mum keeps telling me every day that she is amazed at how well I am doing. In fact, just a moment ago my husband came home from work and remarked that it was awesome to see me up and sitting at the computer (it’s Saturday evening as I write this). For weeks upon weeks he has came home from work in the evenings to find me either asleep or an exhausted mess lying in bed. To be feeling well enough to be writing this now is a big achievement in itself.
I plan to take the Vital Plan supplements and top them up with ashwaganda and additional amounts of reishi and cordyceps. I have been taking a higher dose of the latter two than what is included in the Vital Plan supplements. I had contacted Dr. Rawls for advice regarding this and he assured me that the combination of herbs work very well together at the lower dosages. Some of the supplements have also been designed so that they can be taken at greater doses if needed. I guess because I have seen such a positive improvement in my health I am clinging onto what I know! I have plenty of capsules of reishi and cordyceps left so it’s not an issue for me to keep taking them. I think if I had started out with the Vital Plan supplements from day one, I wouldn’t even be considering this. I am excited to see how I get on with this new regime over the next month.
Additionally, I am no longer taking gabapentin at all as of Friday past. Coming off this drug has been interesting to say the least. It’s been hard! My pain shot through the roof with each decrease in dose but after a couple of days it leveled out. My sleep has also been majorly disrupted but this is sorting itself out too. Oh and the numbness/tingling nonsense with my left leg has worsened- this must definitely must be a nerve issue. I am of course in more pain off it than I was on it but it is manageable. I therefore don’t feel the need to start taking pregabalin. On the bright side, I no longer feel so unwell, my nausea is lessening and I am feeling more ‘with it’. Mental fatigue has definitely decreased and it wasn’t until I began reducing gabapentin that I realised I had low-level anxiety on this drug. These positives are keeping me going. That and the fact I continue to feel stronger with each day.
I have no doubt that I will continue to have ups and downs and face challenges as I continue along this path but I am feeling very hopeful. I am determined I am going to well and truly kick fibro’s ass and get a life back!
