Reflecting on 2020 feels like it was just yesterday, a year where our hard work was supposed to flourish, but instead, our sustainable fashion business collapsed, and I fell severely ill, enduring a three-year battle. It was a time that seemed to stretch into eternity.
Transitioning from the corporate world, I ventured into creating dress solutions for businesswomen, aiming to empower them to look and feel their best. Our sustainable fashion model was revolutionary—made to order, crafted with Italian fabrics, and produced in London with a focus on quality and fair pay. The innovation continued as we embraced online-only sales, rejecting traditional shows and wholesale.
However, unforeseen challenges emerged in 2020 with the onset of Covid, disrupting our business and my health. The double blow of Brexit and the pandemic forced us to close doors, leading to a two-year health battle. Basically Brexit killed the demand and Covid the supply.
🔴 Since it all started in the first lockdown hospitals were closed and doctors help was only available online. They recommended me to take Nexium for six weeks and Gaviscon three times a day after every meal. It was the time when breathing was difficult since my throat was glued together by inflammation. My sore throat pain was excruiting and my breathing caused me a lot of panic and anxiety attacks of dying of suffocation. Sleep was not existing and the nights were just the worst. This condition lasted about three months. Swallowing anything was difficult including the medication. After taking the medication four weeks I started to have stomach cramps and my stool was turning lemon yellow. I stopped with the medication, because I felt it didn't work.
At the same time I lost completely the capability of my voice. I simply couldn't speak any more, which was frightening . My husband had to speak on my behalf to the doctors on the phone. They recommended PPIs like Omeprazole, which I took for two moths, but they caused me Gerd, bloating and severe IBS.
I stopped with that again and had a break with medication before I tried another PPI called Lansoprazole of 60mg, which is high dose. Shortly after I took the first tablet I feel very ill. I thought my stomach was on fire and I hardly could stand upright. After taking the second medication in the evening it felt like having acid in my stomach and I couldn't move. While I persevered for three days with this medication I spent the days in bed in crying and screaming of pain. The doctors did not understand why I had this reaction. After taking Lansoprazole my stomach and gut completely damaged and I experienced severe pain under by right rip cage. I didn't know if it came from the pancreas, damage to the bile conduct or liver. The doctor's didn't understand why I had all these reactions and didn't know what else to do.
🤦♀️While I was a mess. I was in so much pain. I couldn't breathe, talk, swallow, sleep and I was so afraid. My husband and family were doing everything they could, but I felt so alone, helpless and depressed. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't understand why all the medications were not helping, why the doctors didn't know what to do next and I didn't know how to get better. Since I didn't know what to do I started to do research online and decided to not take any medication anymore, eat completely bland food, no acid, no sugar, only fresh cooked meal, small portions and no food 4 hours before going to bed. Amid severe gastritis, laryngitis, Gerd, acid reflux, ibs and gut inflammation caused by Covid and medications, I delved into self-healing.
Navigating through trial and error, I discovered the healing power of natural remedies, particularly in tea. I experienced some relief, but I soon discovered an alarming truth. The beneficial ingredients listed on the front of the packaging were only part of the blend, often included merely for marketing claims. The remaining ingredients were often fillers that aggravated my condition. Frustrated by misleading commercial teas, I embarked on creating my own organic blends, free from fillers and artificial additives.- I do not hold a medical degree or certification as a doctor or nutritionist. My advice and tips are based solely on my personal experiences with managing and healing from gastritis and acid reflux
- It’s essential to consult your healthcare professional for personalised guidance and care.
