- Joined
- Jan 8, 2015
- Messages
- 7
Hi everyone,
I've been lurking and reading for a few weeks now and figured it was time to intro myself. I'm currently undiagnosed, but have a feeling I'll be around a while, no matter how my tests at the end of the month turn out.
I'm 41 and a multi-published romance author, full-time Emergency Medical Technician and mom of three kids, ages 16-8 and man, I don't have time for the hell my body is putting me through. LOL It's literally putting my careers on hold and making it nearly impossible for me to be interactive with my kids outside of home, i.e. their activities and such.
So, I've had symptoms for years. My earliest recollection of something being wrong with my gut was at 12. My parents took me in and all I remember from that is that the physician said it was possible I should be taken off wheat. Of course, I wasn't... who did that in the 80's, right? I was always struggling with elimination issues (constipation and diarrhea) and abdominal pain. For the most part, it was manageable with Imodium or laxatives, but when I became pregnant with my 2nd child at 34, it all went to hell.
I had severe pains, and uncontrollable bathroom issues. This went on for months, but my OB kept reassuring me it was just pregnancy. After the birth, it didn't go away, but then I was told it was just my body going back to "normal" and lack of sleep and all that jazz. In 2008, I became pregnant with #3 and the severe, unmanageable diarrhea continued. I ended up being hospitalized with eclampsia and my daughter being born prematurely. I never fully "recovered" after that (baby is a healthy 8 year old, btw).
There are months at a time where I'm feeling well, but just as many months when it's absolute hell. I have to always know where a restroom is and can't go anywhere without having a box of Imodium. I've sought medical help 4 times in the past 8 years, and have been diagnosed with everything from Fibromyalgia to depression to simply making things up in order to get on disability (*******, doctor). I have been exclusively gluten-free for 6 years and tested "inconclusive" for Celiac disease. I denied stomach biopsies at that time because going GF did help for a while, and I take a "hands off" approach as much as possible.
When I have a "flare," it always seems worse in the morning. I have to literally plan my morning around when I *might* have to rush to the bathroom and sit there for an hour. In the past, Imodium usually helped with this, but not now.
Since early December, I've been in a flare and it's the worst one I've ever had. For the first time, I missed 6 days of work last month because of my symptoms. I had my publisher push back a book release because I don't have the energy to finish my edits. Fevers, extreme lethargy and fatigue, right sided abdominal pain, bloating and cramping, and inability to really eat or drink anything without consequences. I self treated with an IV of normal saline over the holiday because I was so dehydrated and it helped. I've been drinking through a straw and that helps, but otherwise, my gut aches and I get nauseated if I take anything by mouth. Imodium has done nothing to stop the diarrhea. I've taken up to 8 a day (yes, 8), with no relief. Little is being digested, as well (TMI), so I'm not surprised I'm so tired--little nutrients and little water do a tired mama make.
So, that's my story. Thank you for letting me share it and get it off my chest. I've rarely left the house in 6 weeks because of this. I have an appointment with a new doctor on the 15th of this month, and a family friend who is a surgeon said he will start my workup if the family doc won't do anything for me (which has been the case so often).
In the meantime, I sleep because I can't get through the day without sleeping every 2-3 hours. So, I'm going to nap again now.
Nice to meet you all, and thank you for sharing your stories. I'm sure you know the relief of solidarity.
~L
I've been lurking and reading for a few weeks now and figured it was time to intro myself. I'm currently undiagnosed, but have a feeling I'll be around a while, no matter how my tests at the end of the month turn out.
I'm 41 and a multi-published romance author, full-time Emergency Medical Technician and mom of three kids, ages 16-8 and man, I don't have time for the hell my body is putting me through. LOL It's literally putting my careers on hold and making it nearly impossible for me to be interactive with my kids outside of home, i.e. their activities and such.
So, I've had symptoms for years. My earliest recollection of something being wrong with my gut was at 12. My parents took me in and all I remember from that is that the physician said it was possible I should be taken off wheat. Of course, I wasn't... who did that in the 80's, right? I was always struggling with elimination issues (constipation and diarrhea) and abdominal pain. For the most part, it was manageable with Imodium or laxatives, but when I became pregnant with my 2nd child at 34, it all went to hell.
I had severe pains, and uncontrollable bathroom issues. This went on for months, but my OB kept reassuring me it was just pregnancy. After the birth, it didn't go away, but then I was told it was just my body going back to "normal" and lack of sleep and all that jazz. In 2008, I became pregnant with #3 and the severe, unmanageable diarrhea continued. I ended up being hospitalized with eclampsia and my daughter being born prematurely. I never fully "recovered" after that (baby is a healthy 8 year old, btw).
There are months at a time where I'm feeling well, but just as many months when it's absolute hell. I have to always know where a restroom is and can't go anywhere without having a box of Imodium. I've sought medical help 4 times in the past 8 years, and have been diagnosed with everything from Fibromyalgia to depression to simply making things up in order to get on disability (*******, doctor). I have been exclusively gluten-free for 6 years and tested "inconclusive" for Celiac disease. I denied stomach biopsies at that time because going GF did help for a while, and I take a "hands off" approach as much as possible.
When I have a "flare," it always seems worse in the morning. I have to literally plan my morning around when I *might* have to rush to the bathroom and sit there for an hour. In the past, Imodium usually helped with this, but not now.
Since early December, I've been in a flare and it's the worst one I've ever had. For the first time, I missed 6 days of work last month because of my symptoms. I had my publisher push back a book release because I don't have the energy to finish my edits. Fevers, extreme lethargy and fatigue, right sided abdominal pain, bloating and cramping, and inability to really eat or drink anything without consequences. I self treated with an IV of normal saline over the holiday because I was so dehydrated and it helped. I've been drinking through a straw and that helps, but otherwise, my gut aches and I get nauseated if I take anything by mouth. Imodium has done nothing to stop the diarrhea. I've taken up to 8 a day (yes, 8), with no relief. Little is being digested, as well (TMI), so I'm not surprised I'm so tired--little nutrients and little water do a tired mama make.
So, that's my story. Thank you for letting me share it and get it off my chest. I've rarely left the house in 6 weeks because of this. I have an appointment with a new doctor on the 15th of this month, and a family friend who is a surgeon said he will start my workup if the family doc won't do anything for me (which has been the case so often).
In the meantime, I sleep because I can't get through the day without sleeping every 2-3 hours. So, I'm going to nap again now.
Nice to meet you all, and thank you for sharing your stories. I'm sure you know the relief of solidarity. ~L
