Like the shirt? I do. I know I sound like a broken record, but I can't not address it. The US of A is sliding deeper down into the hole into fascism and oligarchy. I wake up each day still in utter shock that people wanted this for our country or didn't want to believe this would happen. We have the biggest conman known to man (now with dementia) in the driver's seat of our nation. Every single day I hope for an end to this. Not sure how much more my nervous system can take. Midterms cannot come quick enough - though I worry about this corrupt administration trying to do everything in their power to keep that from happening. It's depressing.
Moving on to the health front, I am actually feeling a bit better. I am actually afraid to type this because I worry that if I do, the bottom could just fall out again. It seems to be a repeating pattern in my life and I don't want to jinx anything.
In March, my gastro doctor set up a gastric emptying study for me and had me perform an at home SIBO breath test because of the stomach squeezing that I had been experiencing. We were checking for gastroparesis (which I was told I had a mild case of 15 years ago) and then bacterial overgrowth in my gut.
When I had the gastric emptying study 15 years ago, I ate radioactive eggs and then had to lie on a table for two hours straight without moving as I was scanned - it was horrible. This time, I laid on a table for 5 minutes, got my tummy scanned and then I was allowed to sit in a comfy chair with warm air blowing under a blanket for 30 minutes as I digested my radioactive oatmeal and then would get scanned again for 5 minutes. I couldn't believe how different the experience was...
Doug was sweet and drove me to the study. He worked as he was waiting for me...
The study can last anywhere from 2 to 4 hours depending on how fast or slow a stomach digests. Me - I got scanned 4 times and I was already over halfway digested in just 90 minutes. The tech said I could go home. So after all of these year, I found out that I do not have gastroparesis after all.
And then a week or so later, I had to eat a very bland diet the day before I performed a SIBO breath test. That day, it felt like the elimination diet all over again - but worse. I ate salted chicken and white rice the entire day. The next morning, I had to drink a glucose solution and then blow into little baggies every 15 minutes for two hours. That was fun...
Once I got all that done, I had to drop it off at FEDEX and wait.
Yeah, I don't have SIBO either.
And I had blood work to check my liver function and that came back fine as well.
So, why did I still feel like crap?
Doug kept telling me he thought maybe my nervous system was shot. I have had a lot of issues with my vagus nerve over the years and maybe that was causing the squeezing of my stomach. The vagus nerve does control digestion. I visited my pelvic health therapy office and had a lymphatic and vagus nerve massage to try to calm my system down.
I had a follow up with my gastro doctor in early April...
My doctor said we hit the end of the road with stomach testing. I had an endoscopy two years ago - just some irritation from reflux but not too bad. I had a colonoscopy three years ago with an "all clear." There is really nothing else.
So, she prescribed me a medication to help with my nervous system. Doug was on the right track. What is strange is that when I went to see her, it had been a few weeks since I had completed all the testing. And I was starting to have more good days than bad days when I saw her. Instead of taking the med right away, I wanted to see what would happen first. I was off the elimination diet. I cut back on the supplements. And honestly now, I am feeling pretty good. Not 100 percent every day, but so much better than I did when this first hit me on February 1st. And this is without the medication. Somehow, my system is working a bit better.
If I take a turn and feel bad again, I have the medication in case I need it. I just don't want to take something I don't need. I am still seeing my functional doctor and I had some more blood taken recently. I had a follow up with her this morning...
In a couple of weeks, I have a check up with my endocrinologist. My TSH is still within range now since I up'd my Synthroid, but I am tired a lot of the time. My bloodwork showed that my thyroid antibodies are still really high. My body is still attacking itself and my functional doctor and I agree we need to tweak my thyroid meds...
As for my diet, I am still trying to be as gluten-free as possible. I am avoiding things like bread and pasta, but when I do want something, I do find gluten-free varieties. Is it working? Maybe? Do I have a real breaded chicken nugget once in a while - yes. Sometimes I just have to lean into the craving and move on. It hasn't really bothered me. I do not have celiac disease and my gut testing showed I wasn't sensitive to gluten, but it can cause inflammation, so I am keeping with the gluten-free plan for now.
I rarely eat pizza and pasta now, but if I do, I eat cauliflower crust pizza and gluten-free spaghetti. I found some gluten-free bagels that I like. I did try a boxed gluten-free mac n cheese and it was meh. I tried a gluten-free bun for a burger that I ordered at a restaurant and it was dense (yuck) - so I just ate the burger without the bun. I enjoy sushi, chicken, beef, potatoes, tuna, rice, veggies, salads (no croutons), ground turkey and shrimp. I snack on chips, nuts, gluten-free cookies, gluten-free crackers and gluten-free pretzels. I went to Jersey Mike's and ordered a sub-in-a-tub (salad) - very good by the way. I went to Firehouse Subs with Briana one day and also ordered a salad there (that was more difficult; watching Bri eat a yummy sandwich while I had a salad). I made Reuben sandwiches for the family and I ate mine on gluten-free toast instead of rye (I missed the rye). If I do cave and have breaded chicken, I don't eat is as a sandwich. I am a big foodie, so I am really trying here...
At the beginning of the year, Doug signed up for
Tovala. We got the scanning oven and everything. Since my diet was so strict at that time, I couldn't eat those meals. But once I was done with the diet, I tried my first meal. And it is SO good! I have liked some meals more than others, but I haven't eaten one thing that I haven't liked. It is so easy to order and cook. I filter my searches to gluten-free meals (which makes things a bit more limited), but everything that has been delivered has been really yummy. Doug has ordered lots of things like pasta, salmon, bagel sandwiches and chicken pot pies.
You just prepare according to the directions, scan and cook...
Since I have been feeling a bit better lately, I have ventured out more - going on outings with Doug, family and friends. I have enjoyed my time with Briana when she comes to visit. I have been completing some projects at home that I had been wanting to get to. I was able to help my mom with her cataract surgery journey. I just got my screened porches ready for summer (had to get rid of all the pollen). I still have my off days, but I am having a lot of good days too. It's been a while.
My heel is doing amazing. I am still in awe sometimes that I am actually able to walk pain-free now. That was a brutal surgery and the aftermath was not optimal - but I can walk again. So happy to walk again.
So that is the update. I hope I can write again soon saying I am feeling even better. I still have a lot of "life stuff" weighing on me right now mentally and it is overwhelming sometimes to think about - but I just need to feel good enough physically to tackle it all.
