Tamara's Story
In September 2002, on September 11th of all dates, a lawn care company came to our home in Kingwood, Texas. I was told by the company that they were safely applying Pyrethrins on our lawn, trees, and shrubs. As the days and weeks went on after the application, I became increasing ill with symptoms I had never experienced before in my life (e.g., confusion, dizziness, difficulty breathing, increased sensitivity to smell, irritability, and later nose bleeds and headaches). Nothing had changed in my life and environment other than that the lawn care company sprayed around our home. I contacted the company and asked for the MSDS’s of the chemicals that were applied on my property. Sure enough, the spray contained Acephate (Orthene), which is an organophosphate (one of the most deadly and damaging pesticides in use today). Luckily, I connected my symptoms to those of organophosphate poisoning. I don’t know how it came into my home, but it did, and I was becoming seriously ill. I called the company and told them to cancel my contract because I was certain that I was having trouble with their chemical.
On October 11, 2002, an unannounced lawn care company driver showed up to treat my property again. They had not cancelled the contract, and I was not home at the time. They applied their treatment a second time. When I arrived home, I was furious when I saw the little yard signs telling us to keep off the lawn. Within three days after that, I could not walk, talk clearly (I was slurring and lisping), or think worth a darn. When blood dripped out of my nose, fell onto my desk, and rolled out of my ears, I knew that I was on my way to the morgue really soon, if I didn’t get out of my home and get some help.
Luckily I am a biochemist and had some background in the kind of help that I needed. I contacted the right physician, Dr. Robert Battle. He performed the proper blood work. Sure enough my cholinesterase enzyme was severely depressed. I was sent to Dallas to a world-renowned Environmental Medicine Clinic. It was there that I was introduced to the mechanical means of detoxifying fat-soluble toxins (like pesticides, solvents, and heavy metals) out of the body and the brain. Fortunately, I researched saunas and many other detoxification principles that I was introduced to. I contacted a Far-Infrared sauna distribution company, which ended up being more than helpful was able to get a Far-Infrared sauna to me within five days of my getting out of the Dr. Rea’s environmental clinic. I fortunately knew a great deal about nutrition and biochemistry as well as toxicology and realized that there were so many metabolic, biochemical and environmental issues to deal with in order for my body to fully recover.
As the weeks went on and the effects of the pesticide residuals wreaked their havoc on my immune system, I became chemically sensitive. It is a miserable condition where everything in your environment makes you nauseous, your skin burn, your muscles ache, and your head to feel like it is in a vice. An annoying tingling, shaking and pressure was constantly triggered with every normal exposure that never previously existed. Especially things like perfumes exhaust fumes, fabric softeners on people’s clothing, etc. It was like I could smell the manure on an ant’s leg 1,000 miles away. I was a prisoner in my own created environment for almost 2 years. Other than a move to a new city in 2003, Nashville, TN, in an attempt to get away from the 5 million people, exhaust fumes and pesticides encasing the entire Houston and surrounding area, I did not travel for 2 years following the initial poisoning.
After spending between thirty to forty minutes a day and sometimes twice a day as recommended by my physician, I became seriously depleted in magnesium and nearly had a heart attack. I soon after began magnesium injections which saved me. I am so grateful my doctor agreed to this prescription as it became a necessary life saving measure while detoxifying. I was on oxygen for 2 hours a day, saunaed daily received a comprehensive nutritional IV via a home health nurse once a week and this was my life for two years.
I quickly realized that I would have to go through the uncomfortable effects of detoxification to feel good again and that is exactly how it went. I gradually began to feel somewhat normal again in time; I was beginning to function normally, go out into the public, and was not as severely affected by the perfumes and scents that others were wearing. The other chemicals that were persistently bothering me began to become less and less noticeable; before, I couldn’t tolerate even sitting at my desk because of the formaldehyde off-gassing from it. I then began to decrease the number of times I used the sauna per week and immediately noticed an increase in sensitivity to smell and irritable symptoms returning.
Although I began saunaing religiously again, I realized that I would need to further investigate other synergistic modalities, areas of nutritional support, and other detoxification methodologies. This is how Internal Balance™ Inc. developed into what exists today. It has been 8 ½ years since I was poisoned, and the synergistic treatments offered at Internal Balance™ have evolved so much. I have discovered avenues of wellness that I had no idea existed. I am able to travel, speak, and coexist in this toxic world because of blending the synergistic approach of detoxification, clinical nutrition, and bioenergetic medicine. My lifestyle is clean, my diet is clean, my life environment is clean, but I no longer have to live or travel like a recluse or weirdo wearing a mask. My MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) is virtually gone with mild accumulation of transient exposures requiring that I boost my detoxification. To the other sensitive and immune challenged people in the world, I hope that I have shed some light on your struggles. There is a way back to a balanced immune system and living a high performance, functional life.
