I seemed to sail through 2020 unscathed. My business was doing fine, my health was good and I wasn’t catching any illnesses, and spending more time at home allowed me to get some things done. This year has been a different story.
I got the wonderful news from my oncologist that he was moving me to annual visits in early January. Things seemed to go downhill a bit after that. As people started to get vaccinated and COVID restrictions started to lift, I found myself in a strange place. I am currently not a candidate for the vaccine. I am one of those people that herd immunity is supposed to protect. Some of the chemotherapy drugs I had 6 years ago have left me without the ability to produce many antibodies, the most important being IgG. This also leaves me extremely vulnerable to catching infections from all of the pathogens out there. I am immunocompromised. People don’t really understand what that means. It could mean various things but in my case it’s the lack of being able to create antibodies against invaders. It also means that any vaccine I’ve had in the past is null and void. It was as if I was never vaccinated against anything ever. It was all wiped away by the chemo.
So as restrictions lift, I find myself in this strange limbo. The only sure-fire protection I have against COVID (and any other infectious issue) is to stay home. And then don’t let anyone come over. I have started working with immunologists to figure out what to do with my situation and this is what they would prefer for now. We just got over doing that in a big way last year and now this is how I’m supposed to live? As most people get back to normal and resume doing the fun things that were missed over the last year – I feel like the child who gets punished and can’t go out and play with friends. As you can imagine – that is depressing.
I need people to wear masks around me indoors and I need to wear one. It’s some degree of protection for me if I am going to be out in the world. It’s all I’ve got. I can’t sit home for the rest of my life. I have a business to run. If you were visiting someone in the cancer ward of the hospital and they asked you to wear a mask while you were there – I doubt anyone would complain. It’s the same thing for being around me. I had cancer and I had the chemo drugs that suppress your immune system and it’s not coming back fast enough. I am more susceptible to any pathogen than the average person.
There were other events that happened this year as well. I lost 2 beloved cats within 2 weeks of each other to cancer. One was expected and one was not. We moved (one of the most stressful things you can do). I had a basal cell carcinoma diagnosed.
A couple of months ago I realized that I was sliding into a depression. I was functional, I got up and got dressed every day and went to work, but I felt sad all the time. I felt hopeless feeling like I had no future. I stopped exercising and I lost interest in food. I lost weight which I didn’t need to do and along with it I lost muscle mass. I could see it. I didn’t look well. I felt like crying but couldn’t get the tears out – maybe I used them all up when mourning my beloved cats.
It was at this time that I decided to follow up with my functional medicine doctor and see if he would have any suggestions for improving my immune system situation. I felt that most of my concerns are related to this issue and if I could fix my immune system deficits – that would fix many of my problems. He ran a number of tests, some of which are still pending. There was one test in particular whose results were fascinating to me. It was a neurotransmitter test.
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the body. Their job is to transmit signals from nerve cells to target cells. The brain needs neurotransmitters to regulate many necessary functions including heart rate, breathing, sleep, digestion, mood, concentration, appetite and muscle movement. Each neurotransmitter attaches to a different receptor of the same type. When they attach, this triggers action in the target cells.
When I looked at my test results – I could see what was going on in my mind on paper. When I showed it to my psychologist – he said this looks like the profile of someone who has a low level of depression. Which of course was me. I thought the whole thing was fascinating. Your mind and your body really are one and what you do with one component influences the other. You can literally change chemicals in your brain by what you consume, exercise and how you manage stress. I wasn’t doing any of these things well this year. And then in turn – you produce less of these neurotransmitters which affects certain body functions like mood, sleep difficulties and appetite. It’s a vicious circle.
Neurotransmitters can be influenced by your actions. Low levels can be raised by consuming certain macronutrients, vitamins, minerals and herbs. (They can also be raised by certain medications). For example – my serotonin was low normal. Low range serotonin can contribute to anxiety, OCD, depression, anger and a sense of discontentment as well as appetite changes and poor sleep quality. Exercise has been proven to increase serotonin levels, something I had stopped doing. Other nutrients that can help increase serotonin levels include Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, molybdenum and zinc. Production of serotonin also requires Vitamin D, iron and Vitamin B6. 5-HTP may increase serotonin and L-theanine may affect serotonin function.
I had been supplementing with several of the nutrients above (Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, L-theanine) and we are waiting for additional tests to see what the levels of other nutrients are in my body to see if deficiencies there could be affecting my low serotonin levels. There also could be an imbalance in my gut contributing to poor metabolism of certain nutrients which would then affect my neurotransmitters. We are testing my gut health too and those results are pending.
There were other neurotransmitters of mine that were low or low normal – norepinephrine, epinephrine, phenethylamine, histamine and creatinine. These are also related to mood, appetite control, memory, and ability to process information.
I think what this illustrates overall is the literal mind-body connection. Our thoughts and feelings are connected to our biochemistry and our organ systems. If we support our bodies properly – we can support our mental health. If we support our mental health, our bodies function more properly. And as you stop supporting one area, it affects the others.
In my case now, I recognized that I was feeling depressed and so I am working to make the changes that will get me out of it. I am working with a psychologist. I have started back on an exercise regimen. I am having physical therapy to address the issues that scoliosis has been causing and making sure the exercises I do are done properly. I am eating more and making a conscious effort to get more healthy protein into my diet. I am continuing with the bovine immunoglobulins while I wait for testing to come back and a follow-up visit with my immunologist. And I look forward to working with my functional medicine doctor when all of my test results come back to see how we can optimize my immune system and correct any biochemical imbalances we find.
When you have had cancer, prevention and testing for recurrence is always a main focus. Every negative test is a victory. But there is so much more to our bodies and we need to pay attention to the rest of “us”. If you feel like you are sliding into a depression – there is help out there. There are credentialed mental health professionals or clergy whom you can work with. The trick is finding the right person that you “connect” with and it may take several tries. That’s OK. Not all personalities mesh to provide support for your needs.
Generally speaking – eating a whole food plant-based diet gives your body a healthy nutritional foundation. Getting some regular medical testing through your doctor or other healthcare professional can show deficiencies in some macro and micronutrients. Functional Medicine doctors do a deep dive into your biochemistry if you want to go to a deeper level. And getting regular exercise, even at moderate levels, can really make a difference in your moods and overall health. Walking is a great start – work up to longer and faster walks as you can. Meditation can help with reducing the impact of stress on your mind/body. Don’t forget about good quality sleep too. Some of these activities cost money and some are free. There are lots of free resources online for plant-based recipes, meditation and exercise. I realize I am fortunate to have health insurance that covers a fair amount of my doctor visits and testing.
When I started to fall off track – I realized the impact within a few months and made lifestyle corrections where I am already seeing the positive impact. I really didn’t like how I was feeling this past spring. The truth is – it was scaring me. Next month I am hoping to get all of my pending test results and have visits with my functional medicine doctor and my immunologist to see where I go to fix the parts of my immune system that are less than optimal. These days, this is what I now have to work on. As life gets back to normal for most people as we move through the pandemic – I want to come out and play too!
Wishing you good health and a great life – Sheryl
