Api-birthday to me!!

For my 33rd birthday present to myself, I took myself to an apitherapist.  With the exception of my book,  which is not all that informative in terms of technique, I have not really had any guidance with this whole bee-stinging thing.  I've just been doing it sort of willy-nilly in an attempt to build my body's relationship with the venom, and I would like a little more guidance in terms of effectiveness.

Plus, I had to stop taking my medication on Tuesday because I broke out in hives. 

It being a beautiful spring day, I drove the truck with the windows down to Fairfax, California.

She was a very kind, quiet, petite lady.  She told me that she was really surprised when she met me because she was expecting someone much older.  I know, I know--you're all thinking that this is because my natural poise, dignity, and maturity came shining through during the phone conversation that we had when I scheduled my appointment, but I have to admit, it was only because her other rheumatoid arthritis patients are apparently much older than I am. 

We began by talking about the onset of my RA, and what the symptoms were, where the pain mainly is, etc.  I bitched about the first THREE useless doctors I went to who were unable to diagnose me.  I've had it for exactly 3 years now, but I wasn't diagnosed until about 6 months ago.  I showed her my thumbs.  My right base thumb joint is the worst--it is permanently (I think) enlarged.  I don't know what's in there--is it scar tissue?  Is it just swelling?  Has the bone been damaged yet?  I don't know...  My doctor says that there is no option for surgery even if it gets worse.  It's mostly a problem when I am cutting fabric or typing.  I have lost a little motion there.

She gave me some guidance on some whole food supplements to take to replace my pre-natal vitamin--bee pollen, spirulina, tumeric, and fish oil.  I picked up some bee pollen at the Mexican flea market in American Canyon this morning, and the rest I bought at Trader Joe's this afternoon.  That orange thing in the back is X's latest purchase for himself.  He's decreed that it's going to live on the kitchen table with 2 black goldfish in it. 

She also gave me some dietary guidelines.  Of course she said to seriously reduce the wheat intake. Do you know how much I love wheat?  Everything from wheat germ to Acme bread to whole wheat muffins, to pastries and cake.  And Acme bread.  And pasta.  And Acme.  And soy sauce (which I just learned from Zoe at work).  She didn't say that I had to give it up entirely, but it is now supposed to be a rare treat instead of a daily staple of my diet.  And did I mention that I have to basically give up the Acme baguettes?

And coffee and sugar, meaning sour patch kids and chocolate.  I mean my god, I already gave up potatoes.  After this, what is even left?  Do you know how much I crave these things the week before my period starts?  Once a month like clockwork I go the Walgreens and buy a bag for me and my students.  I am sure that one or two won't hurt me, but do you know how hard it is to eat just one or two of these acidic little babies? 

For the apitherapy portion of the visit I laid face down on the table, and she subcutanoeusly injected a homeopathic venom solution into the back of my head and neck.  No, she did not use an actual bee.  I felt that familiar bee venom burn, but it was extremely mild compared to the full stings, and the sensation lasted for less than a minute.  She also said that there are other options in terms of the strength of the bee venom in the injection--as little as 4% for the homeopathic solution all the way up to full strength venom with a range of options in between, and that we could experiment with them.

Next we did an accupuncture session, of which I am not all that convinced on the necessity.  I know that some people think that acupuncture is great, but I am just not a believer.  I think you need to believe in it for it to work.  I fell asleep on the acupuncture table, and it was kind of annoying because I was trying not to fall asleep, so I'd just start to doze, and then I'd wake up, but I couldn't really move because there were needles all over my upper back, and some in my arms and hands and feet.  And I was congested from laying face down, so I had to breathe out of my mouth the whole time, and when it was over my mascara was all smeared underneath my eyes.

I do plan to go back for more of the apitherapy part--it is nice to have a resource who knows what she is doing, but how do I tell her that I just don't want the accupuncture?  Its hard to tell a believer that I'm not, especially if she truly believes that it's an essential part of the process.  I've heard that many people who practice apitherapy inject the venom into the accupuncture points, so maybe I need to give it more of a chance... 


And just for the record, screw you rheumatoid arthritis.