Like the hot, hot fire in my belly...
I need to go to the doctor. Something has been wrong with me since 2008. For about a year I thought I'd just become more sensitive to food that wasn't prepared well, and was getting frequent bouts of food poisoning.
Then I started paying more attention. About four times a year, HUBS and I would eat the same thing ( I would eat less of it, even) and I would get horribly ill. It always hits either around 2 a.m. or 7 a.m. And?
IT'S VERY, VERY BAD.
It's the kind of ill where you're forced to spend two full hours in the bathroom. The kind of ill where once everything finally stops you're tired and sore for the rest of the day.
I've had several near misses so far this year; where I woke up, thought I was going to be sick, but was able to medicate it away with Rolaids or Tummy Drops. I had another one last night.
I must be allergic to something, but I have no idea what. I've gotten sick eating a wide variety of things: pasta sauce, salsa, BBQ spaghetti, baked un-breaded fish, chicken & dumplings, Mexican food, Arby's (that was last night). It's usually something I've had before and kept down just fine.
I have put this off for way too long, being worried about doctor visit copays and medical test copays. I have to just do this now and hope they find that something easily manageable is wrong with me. (Which I think they will. I mean, if something MAJOR was wrong it would have shown up in other ways after five years...I think.)
Wish me luck.
10 comments:
Good luck!! Stomach issues are horrible. I'd never wish them on anyone. And the tests and diagnosis aren't a joy either. I'm normally pretty good at suggesting what the trouble could be considering I have suffered from digestive issues for the majority of my life but it seems like you get symptoms from a wide range of foods. My stomach is quite the same. Things that I should be able to eat with a stomach disease I can't, but then I can go eat a pound of hot wings and be fine. Your stomach's reaction also has a lot to do with your mood. If you are highly stressed out or depressed, your stomach feeds off of these emotions and can not properly digest food or creates stomach ulcers. I know that in times of high stress I end up in the bathroom way longer than usual. As far as symptoms not coming out until now, most stomach diseases aren't as apparent when we are children. Some people can get diagnosed at a young age, but for most, signs of stomach troubles don't show until our teens or 20s. Now, I don't know how old you are, but I know that it is completely normal to have a perfect digestive history and suddenly experience symptoms. If you need any advice or somebody to talk to along the way, I'm here to listen and help :)
Thanks MK! When this started back in '08 I was highly stressed. Between then and now the stress led to anxiety and depression. I have a better handle on that stuff now, so hopefully that won't get in the way of me getting better!
I'm not looking forward to the poke tests they do, but I'd rather it were an allergy and not an ulcer or something bigger and badder.
No problem. If they put you on medication since 08' that could be the cause of the problem or perhaps being put on medication for your anxiety and depression could be all it takes to fix ya up. I know back in around 06' when I was having severe issues they determined it was stress and depression related and prescribed me an anti-depressant that I didn't end up taking due to all of the side effects, but it is not uncommon to be prescribed something like this as it helps relax your digestive tract. The poke tests aren't horrible. They do suck but the prep work sucks more. But hey, if you want a good system cleanse and to drop a few pounds that test is great :) See! There is a positive to everything!!
I do understand your stomach troubles. For many years when I was younger I had major stomach problems. When I finally went to the doctor they said it was the start of an ulcer. Every person is different so I cannot diagnose your problem, but I too hope that it is something that can be helped with simple medication.
MK: Most of this time I've been off the anti-depressants; I only started those again last November. So, who knows. Maybe it is just the constant anxiety/stress/depression plus my body changing as I age.
Either way, I'll see in a few weeks. I tracked down an allergist yesterday and made an appointment for next month. I'll be glad to get to the bottom of this!
Edward: I have a friend who's had stomach issues since we were in high school. I'm getting a taste of her troubles now.
Hopefully I can make some small dietary changes and get better. I absolutely hate taking pills, but I will if I have to!
Stomach problems are absolutely no fun. I don't know much about the issue, but sometimes I wonder if these things are cumulative. What if you were allergic to tomatoes. Having a bit wouldn't be an issue, but if you had them at breakfast and then spaghetti for lunch and tomato soup for dinner you might get a reaction. On another day you would have just had the soup and gotten no reaction. In any case, the only real way to know, is to go to the doctor.
Aw, I am so sorry to hear about your stomach issues. I have them from time to time and they are a bear to deal with. I also hate trying to figure them out through a medical provider... yuck. In my case it all got down to stress and acid reflux and it was an easy fix, as long as I take my meds that is. :-) I hope that is the same for you. :-), Susan Cooper
I'm one to drag my feet when it comes to going to the doctor, though I've gotten better about it. Thank goodness for great health insurance. Still though, when I was a kid we never went to the doctor. It's funny how such things become engrained. Good luck with your visit.
Adrienne, I really think you should look into food chemical intolerances. You sound so very much like myself. The big difference with intolerances to allergies is that they don't just show up every time. The more you have of a certain chemical and reach you limit then you will react and it doesn't mean the same food, it is the same chemical contained within the food item.
Look up information on the elimination diet. I don't know if it is possible to do it without a doctor or dietary person to assist you, but it is worth a look.
I am also looking at a thing called leaky gut syndrome (keep an eye out on my blog in the next few weeks as I start to go down this path).
I hope you can identify what is causing this and you are able to access the medical care you need.
I'm so sorry to hear of your tummy issues but you're absolutely doing the right thing. It could very well be something very minor, like a simple food allergy. All the same, tummy problems need to be addressed! I once had the weirdest, seemingly unpredictable problem with my digestive system - the doctor sent me for ultrasounds and counselled me to change my lifestyle. After four months, I changed doctors! And found out that I had a parasite. Go figure! Good luck with everything.
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