Stomach Update!

Today I had my follow-up appointment with my GI specialist. Since everything from my EGD from clean, it's kind of ruled out a few things having to do with my stomach. He decided to have me get blood-work done to check for weird enzymes or low counts, as well as an ultrasound of my gallbladder. Hopefully this will all get done before graduation even thought that only gives us a month or so. Luckily, the blood-work can get done at Lab Corp, so I scheduled that for Thursday. The ultrasound can't get scheduled until my insurance approves it.

He also said that if everything comes back normal from the blood count and the ultrasound, he would start treating me for IBS, which is basically a pill before I eat. After we finished talking he said that "if he had to guess," he would guess it was IBS...even though the doctor I saw before him said that my symptoms didn't sound like IBS, or at the most MILD IBS. *sigh* I just hope this gets figured out before I move because I really don't want to have to explain my symptoms to another doctor again--though at least this time there would be lab work to back me up from other doctors.

We also laughed at how my mother keeps sending me different diseases she reads about that "fit my symptoms." Yeah, that can stop, too.

COME ON STOMACH, LET US FIX YOU!

April Goals

I recently joined a group on MyFitnessPal that requested we list our goals for April. I decided to list them here as well because writing goals down sometimes makes them more attainable.

(1) Start running again to train for my 5K on the 29th.
(2) Get below 180 (Even though this was supposed to be met in March, I WILL meet it this month.)
(3) Keep switching up my exercise routines and stay on track with my new zig zag calorie plan.

Come on, April. Bring it on.

Dear Stomach, STFU

I have to just get this off my chest. No one wants to hear me whine about it in person or over the phone, but it's driving me crazy so I have to get it out somehow. I know that most of you know that I had that EGD last week, and the results came in. There were no physical problems that they saw, and the biopsy of my small intestines came back clean. That may sounds good, but that means that they still don't know what's wrong with me.

It's been almost four months since this started. Do you know how much it sucks when every time you start to eat, your stomach freaks out and threatens to make you puke it back up? To feel nauseous after every meal? To not be able to eat in public, not be able to go out with friends anymore, not be able to drink wine or coffee or eat cheese or yogurt? To have NO IDEA what the fuck is wrong with you and just want someone to tell you what it is, even if it's AWFUL, just so you know that it can go away and get better? 

It's gotten to the point where I'm scared to leave my house too soon after eating in case I get sick. I'm scared to be in a car after eating. I've cut out so many of the foods I love to no avail. I just want to be normal again. Where is Dr. House when you need him?

And to top it all off, my "follow up" appointment with the GI specialist is in more than a month. So I have to wait until April 24th to even meet with him again to discuss further possible problems. This is bullshit. At this rate, I'm not going to be able to attend my own wedding because I won't be able to eat all day and I'll pass out or I will eat and then vomit all over the wedding party.

Fuck this bullshit. AND NOW I'M MAD.

Lenten Update

Well, it's been almost 3 weeks since the beginning of Lent, and I've successfully kept up my resolutions. I haven't stepped on the scale ONCE since before Ash Wednesday, and I've exercised at least 30 minutes everyday (minus my procedure day). It's actually really nice to not stress about the number I'm going to see on the scale every Thursday morning. Even after Lent, I might change my routine to weighing only once a month; it's so nice to just focus on my eating and exercise goals and feel better about myself.

I did set a goal of weighing under 180 lbs by the end of Winter Quarter so I will step on the scale once during Lent just to see if I met that goal. I'll probably do that either this Thursday or Sunday, only because Spring Break is the following week and my fiance is coming. I'm sure I won't be keeping track of calories, but I will keep up my 30 minutes everyday! The weather has been so nice lately that I'm sure we will be doing lots of hiking and walking around while he's here (assuming it stays this way).

Just wanted to write something since it's been a while. Cheers!

Hello Spring!

Okay, that title may be a little preemptive, but it is SO GORGEOUS outside today that I knew Spring has to be just around the corner. It's 60s and sunny, with a nice breeze. I'll take it! Because it was so nice outside, I couldn't fathom working out in the gym. I tried to figure out where to run, whether to drive to Wash Park or just run around campus or drive to a new park. Instead of wasting time, I just set off down Asbury Ave. I kept a slow pace so I could run the whole 30 minutes without stopping (minus stoplights) and ended up running all the way to Clarkson. Then, I turned around and headed back.

In total, I ran 2.23 miles in 29 minutes and 45 seconds. It felt great! I'm trying to get in some good workouts before Tuesday since I have to take a rest day after my procedure and might have to take it easy on Wednesday as well. We'll see...

NOW STOP READING THIS BLOG AND GO OUTSIDE! Geez :)

You win stomach, you win.

I've been doing pretty well on my Lenten resolutions. Haven't looked at the scale since Wednesday, and even though I visited Robbie in North Carolina over the weekend, I kept fairly active. Besides running through the airports with a 30 lbs bag on my shoulder, we went hiking on Sunday and painted on Friday and select other vigorous activities that I'm sure I got my 30 minutes in each day.

I didn't log calories or pay attention to what I ate while I was there, and maybe last night was punishment for that, but my stomach problems came back in a whirlwind last night. Sometimes I think it's dairy. Sometimes I think it's acidic foods. Sometimes I think it's gluten. So all in all, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING MY PROBLEM. After last night, I decided to call the GI specialist this morning and set up an appointment. While I'm scared to go and I don't want to pay for it, I'm really hoping they will just be able to run some tests and tell me what the issue is. I would like things to go back to normal.

Hopefully after Thursday, I'll either have an answer or have an appointment to find the answer. Wish me luck!

LENTEN RESOLUTION

Since today is Ash Wednesday, I needed to figure out what I was doing for Lent. I've never been a fan of giving something up. Does it really improve life when you give up chocolate for 40 days and then go back to eating it on Easter? I prefer taking up something, which was a little harder this year since I have changed my lifestyle quite a bit and already include lots of healthy activities. But I finally decided on my resolutions!

1. Exercise for at least 30 minutes everyday.

2. Don't look at the scale, AT ALL.

The first one will be kind of hard since sometimes, especially when I run or do a workout DVD, I only hit 20-25 minutes, but I'll just add in some walking to get the time up. The second one, however, might drive me insane. I think I'll just have to hide the scale in the closet, take out the batteries and duct tape it closed. Ha.

Happy Lent everyone!