First Real Update in a while! Might be long...

So much has happened in the last few months!  We have had a baby, lost a job, ramped up our business, moved and preparing to move again!  CRAZY!!!  So here we go :)

Shortly after having Xaylia I went and had my prolactin tested...575!  Holy crap!  No wonder the headaches were back.  I was also struggling big time with PPD and anxiety like never before. I hadn't been diligent with the oils during my pregnancy.  I attribute that to not having something to work towards!  I usually have blood tests regularly to see where I am, but it is pointless during pregnancy since my levels are elevated anyway and it is impossible to know what it is going on.  So, I slacked big time...I won't be slacking ever again though!  Anyway, I went and had an MRI later that week and sure enough my tumor had almost doubled since my MRI over two years ago after weening Tux!  Crap.  My obgyn suggested the neurosurgeon route....no thank you.  I know exactly what he would say....uh, the same thing he said 2.5 years ago....get surgery!  I had a frank conversation with my obgyn.  I asked him if it is really truly an emergency or urgent and he said as long as my headaches aren't non-stop and I'm not having weird vision problems I have a month or two to figure things out.  So, once again....hitting everything hard!

I started doing a lot of research again.  The medications that are typically prescribed for those with prolactinomas are bromocriptine and cabergoline which are dopamine-agonists.  They are also prescribed to those with Parkinson's.  I have spent days and days researching oils that have these properties.  I also talked to an essential oil expert about oils that may be considered dopamine-agonists.  Her name is Emily Wright and she told me that Rosemary and Basil are in that category.  I started looking into them and decided to give them a go.  Emily suggested I use them aromatically since that is the best way with dopamine-agonists. So, along with my regular Frankincense regimine, I put a drop of each on a terra-cotta pendant at night and place it on the pillow by my nose.  Every time I wake up to nurse I do it again :)  During the day I wear the pendant (when I remember).  Within a few days my headaches were completely gone!  A month after my initial blood results I got another test and my results came back at 474!!!  That is the fastest my prolactin has EVER gone down!  Even when I was taking frankincense with cabergoline!  I'm hoping it is NOT to good to be true.  I really think the rosemary and basil are doing amazing things and coupled with the frankincense it is hitting it from 2 sides!  The frankincense is shrinking my tumor and the rosemary and basil are boosting my dopamine levels, which in turn are blocking the prolactin!

In a nutshell, I feel amazing!  Better than I have felt in over a year!  My depression and anxiety are gone even though the last several months have been the most tiring, craziest and busiest of my life.  I plan on having another blood test soon and I am hoping the results are just as good as my last one.  I have no doubt they will be just based on how I feel.  If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask.  Email me and if you would like to talk I will send you my number via email as well.  Bless you all and I hope to hear good things from many of you as well!

Here are some interesting links.  Make sure to check out the links/references at the bottom of the links as well!:

http://www.naturalnews.com/029359_rosemary_stress.html
http://www.smart-publications.com/articles/rosemary-extract-cancer-fighter-brain-protector-and-more/page-2
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18695511

Also, for those of you that may be new.  check out the importance of choosing good oils here:

Purity, testing and potency of essential oils

Interesting side effects associated with prolactinoma

http://pituitarychatfriends.multiply.com/journal/item/2704

Interesting side effects associated with prolactinoma.  Explains alot :)  I will be writing more frequently now that we are in our new home and now that we are getting a routine with this new baby!  I have some exciting research and results to share!

We have a BABY!!!

The last 2.5 weeks have been so fun!  That is because we have a new little person at our house!  Xaylia Ray Hathaway was born 7 days late on November 17, 2011 at 6:28 am.  She was 7 pounds 12 ounces and 20.5 inches long.  She is perfect in every way and is so petite that it boggles my mind that she was bigger than Tux when on their birthdays!  I am already learning that little girls are so different than boys even though she's only been around for such a short time.  We love her so very much and can't remember what life was like without her.  Tux is the perfect brother and loves her so much already!  Stay tuned for her birth story :)

We are having a baby.....

GIRL!  Bring on the pink!  We are so excited!  I've always said I would be perfectly happy with all boys, but I am really excited to have a girl :)  I am feeling really good.  I no longer have headaches so that is a relief.  They were so bad I thought for sure they were tumor related, but I haven't had one for a month or so, so that has been  nice.  I feel like this pregnancy has been fairly easy and I just feel great!  Nothing at all to complain about.  I'll have to post a few more pics soon.  Here is the 3D picture they gave us of her :)  It is her profile with her little hands up near her face.  It took them 45 minutes to be able to tell that she is a girl!  I guess she had her legs crossed most of the time....a perfect lady, right?  We already love her so much and can't wait to meet her in November!

Busy, busy, busy....and levels

Life has a way of really HAULING BUTT!  I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted and yet....June is here and so am I :)  Here is a snap shot of the last month or so.
-Watched nieces and nephew in Las Vegas
-Sided our House
-Editing my sisters wedding pictures and making a book
-Feel baby starting to move like CRAZY
-Taught 5 classes and attended a training meeting
-Start creating an office
-Lots and lots of laundry :)
-Chasing Tux non-stop
-Tux can now read, MOM, DAD, and TUX
-Did my first booth
-Planted a salsa garden

Well, that is it in a nutshell.  Super exciting I know, but it has felt non-stop!  I have also had a couple dr. appt. scattered in there.  I have been doing my prolactin level every month since I've been pregnant even though it is hard to tell anything by them since my prolactin is naturally elevated.  Here are the results.

March Levels (day I found out I was pregnant):  17
April Levels ( 2 months along):  114
Late May Levels (4 months along): 246

Me at 4.5 months!

Normal levels while Pregnant are between 9 and 201.  I am slightly more than I should be at this point, but I am hoping they will drop.  I don't have any "tumor symptoms" right now.  I have headaches, but they are not constant and have been tapering off now that I am in my 2nd trimester in intensity and regularity.  I'm pretty sure they are hormonal.  I'm hoping I can get them down again.  I am going to increase my frankincense intake and start yoga in all my spare time!  hahahaha!  Yeah, no yoga probably, but I am trying to get more exercise in now that I am not feeling so yucky :)  Thanks for your continued prayers in my behalf!

P.S. Apology

So,  I just read my last couple posts and realized that they may have sounded harsh and judgmental towards those that rely on surgery or Rx's.  I want you all to know that I completely respect everyone's decisions regarding these things.  I understand that many people have very little say over whether or not they have the surgery and or meds.  I feel so very blessed that I am able to control mine so far with such noninvasive means.  I imagine if I start having major problems I may have to do one of the two of those things as a last resort, but I am hoping and praying that I can keep it under control as I have children and there after!  I greatly appreciate all of the prayers and good vibes that many of you have sent my way and I ask you to do the same for everyone with our problem!  I know I have felt your love and support and hope you all know you have mine as well :)  Keep smiling and shrinking those tumors!!!

What I have done...

Ok, I'm sure lots of you are wondering what I did to get pregnant.....well, I should say, what I did medically :)  ha ha!  I have made myself a guinea pig of sorts and I am so excited and thrilled to have another little miracle coming to our family!  I will give a brief nutshell history of everything so far for those of you trying to catch up or just refresh on my story.  If you have questions on the oils I use and why I use them see THIS post.

Diagnosed with 7mm tumor March of 2008.  Went on Bromo and clomid was pregnant within one month.  I miscarried after 9 weeks had a D&C in June and started all over.  Bromo made me miserable.  Major sinus problems, vertigo, severe nausea, bloating and dizziness.

In December 2008 we were pregnant again with our little man!  Had an uneventful pregnancy and gave birth to a beautiful perfect bouncing baby boy on August 6, 2009.   After nursing for 3 months and many many severe headaches I went to the doc to see what was up.  MRI in November showed a 12mm tumor pressing against my optic chiasm.  I was recommended to an endo and neurosurgeon.  At this time I had no inclination towards "alternative" or "natural" remedies.  Endo wanted me to quit nursing and go on meds.  The Neurosurgeon wanted me to quit nursing and have surgery.  I didn't feel good about either and started writing this blog and went on my quest for natural alternatives to what was recommended.  I just knew that God had put some sort of natural remedy on this earth to help me!  Started vitex.  After several months there was no change.

January of 2010 I went off vitex and started Frankincense February of 2010.  Headaches were gone within days and after a few weeks my prolactin levels dropped from around 250 to around 200.  A few weeks later they were at 150 and over the course of a few months they were down to around 100 while nursing!  They plateaued at 100.  I stopped nursing and got another MRI at the end of June.  My tumor had shrunk from 12mm to 10 mm while nursing and on frankincense.  I started other oils to push me past my plateau.  My levels went down a bit, but not as much (or as fast) as I wanted....I am so dang impatient!  Wanting desperately for my period to start again for pregnancy and anti-osteoperosis reasons I started on caber in August.  Within 3 weeks my prolactin was at 7.  The lab lady made me come in and retest as she had never seen prolactin go down so fast.  I attribute it to the synergistic combination of cabergoline and frankincense.  I took cabergoline very minimally and had zero side effects except for the two week period in which I ran out of frankincense.  In those two weeks I suffered severe depression and headaches.  Once I started ovulating in Oct. I never took it past ovulation day...so about half of the time.  My prolactin levels stayed between 6 and 17.  Once I realized my periods were lopsided (follicular phase was at 24-25 days and LP was at 7-8 days) I started using oregano and thyme on my adrenal and uterine reflex points on my feet an ankles to increase my progesterone and clary sage to help with cycle regularity and fertility.  I also used Whisper blend to help with hormone balancing and Balance blend to reduce stress and help balance hormones.  Every month my LP would lengthen by about 1 day.  Cycle 5 my Ovulation day came before day 20!  That is the magic number apparently.  If your egg is released after that day it is past it's prime and may not fertilize or even if it does it will probably not implant.

Anyway, I am still continuing with the frankincense at this point as well as cycling lavender, grapefruit, wild orange, and patchouli.  I have cut the doses in half, but I want to keep this thing under control so I don't have to bring my levels down from 250 again or my tumor from 12mm!  Also, I have been using peppermint to keep my nausea at bay and wild orange to quench the heartburn and acid reflux!  I have been so much less sick with this one and I attribute it solely to the oils, grapefruit and ginger ale :)  Thank you all for your great support, well wishes and prayers!