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Thanks, cmack! It's such a huge help to be able to connect with people who have been through similar experiences. No one in my life that I can talk to has gone through major surgery at all, so it's a brand new things for me.

When I'm not freaking out about the big stuff (like whether or not I'll be able to eat normally ever again post-op, if I'll need a feeding tube, the fact that I'm scared I'll die etc.) I freak out about the small stuff. I'm going to have a large, about 6-inch long scar from my sternum to my belly button after this surgery. Which is a small small price to pay for health, if the surgery is successful. But it's still a small concern. I'm single and am going to have to actually try to date at some point in the future and I'm worried the scar will be ugly and I'll feel unattractive. A petty thing to worry about in the midst of illness and pain, but it's still something I'll have to deal with.

Social aspects are a big deal to me. My social life has gone to hell the past few years because I've been unable to eat with other people without a lot of awkward discussion and/or pain and flaring symptoms. I feel like my world has shrunk to the size of my apartment, my doctor's visits and procedures, and talk about my medications and symptoms and pain. The risk of needing a feeding tube post-op worries me mostly because of how I'll have to deal with it in social situations.
 
Hey Izzie,

You can just call me Chris. I understand about the stuff you are going through, and though it sucks right now it will get better. The social life may suffer as it has for me too, but you find out who really has your back, and it's usually just family. This is an easy way to weed out the posers who are "fairweather friends" as I call them. I have scars that I don't like too, don't worry, I'll just get some ink put over it one day.


Chat me up any time,

Chris
 
Izzie, I personally think scars are interesting and show that you have character. It's like, you went through something rough but you're still here and have this scar to show for it, it's like a badge of bravery. And like cmack said, you can put a tattoo over it once it's fully healed. My aunt did that, she broke her neck in a car accident and had to have a metal rod put in to fuse her neck vertebrae, so she has a huge scar on the back of her neck. She put a big tattoo over it a couple years later after her doctors gave her the all clear to do so. Personally I'm not a tattoo person, but it's an option for you if you do like tattoos. And, if someone doesn't want to date you because you have a scar - they're obviously not somebody worthy of dating you anyway! Everybody has flaws, scars, emotional baggage, etc. If somebody can't see you for the good person you are, scars and all, then they're a loser who doesn't deserve you.

It sounds to me though like you're worrying about the scar because the other things to worry about are too overwhelming to think about? I can imagine it would be absolutely paralyzing to have to think about life with a feeding tube, so your worries are maybe being redirected to something that you can visualize easier, which is the scar? Just me playing armchair therapist so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. It does sound absolutely terrifying to me, and it's okay to be terrified. You're in a crappy situation for sure - you can't keep living like this, but there are potentially a lot of scary things that can happen with your surgery. I can't say anything that will make those scary things seem less scary - they are scary, and you have every right to be terrified. All I can say is I'm also here for you if you need to talk.
 
Armchair therapist has a very good point :p

It's true that all the potential negatives are definitely too much for my brain to handle. I appreciate that my surgeon is a realist who doesn't sugar coat things but at the same time I have a lot of worst-case scenarios in my head that I would prefer weren't there. I just want to get it over with so I can start a new chapter of this whole mess at least. I have a (very frustrating) tendency to ruminate over things, the wait for this and not knowing a sure date is not the best approach for my anxiety brain...

Actually I think a lot of my stress is just piled up anxiety and stress from the past few years. Now that a possible "solution" is on the horizon it's like it hits me just how much I've put up with and how not okay that feels. I'm not good at being sad but I am sad, and I don't think I know how to handle that.

And thank you, so much. The support of everyone here has been immensely helpful and a huge factor in me even having the strength to continue pursuing diagnosis in the beginning when everyone insisted I was "just stressed out".
 
I just have to pop back in and say thanks again to Little Penguin -- that site is super friendly and helpful!! I am in the SOFEED study now, and got randomized to the SFED (of course I didn't get "lucky" and get dairy only first, lol!) and it while it has been totally overwhelming these first few days, knowing I have a site with support, even if I'm just reading other past posts, and an awesome database of foods...omg, it helps soooo much!

I am trying to read and keep up, too, but I really am not good at it right now -- but Izzie, I am so sorry you're in this "sad" and stressful position, I can only imagine the stress of all the unknowns! Cat, oh, financial worries can add so much to our plates, {hugs} to you, too! -- sorry that's all I've got, reading backwards for a minute


I wish everyone health and peace, always
 
Izzie, I feel like by this point I'm pretty good at being sad, so here's what works for me when I'm feeling sad:

Distraction is the first thing. If I can just distract my brain away for a little while, it helps. When I was in the hospital last year, my hubby brought me a couple of small Lego sets, and putting those together really helped. It wasn't strenuous, but it was enough to keep my mind occupied on that task and therefore kept my mind off of how I was feeling and what was going to happen next. If you can do a jigsaw puzzle, play a game, build a Lego set, anything like that - it should help at least in the short-term. Something that'll take your mind away, even briefly, from how scared or awful you're feeling.

Pampering and treating myself to gifts is also good. When I feel sorry for myself, sometimes it helps to make myself feel pretty or buy something new. If that means painting my nails, doing fancy mud masques on my face, buying myself little presents like new jewelry or yarn - whatever it takes to cheer myself up. I've heard the term "survival bribe" which means that you either do something nice for yourself or buy yourself something nice, to reward yourself for keeping going or to keep yourself going when times are rough. So, if you need to bribe yourself with gifts and pampering, that's definitely okay. And online shopping counts too if you're too ill to leave the house.

The other thing I've found, and this might be me being a horrible person, but it's schadenfreude. It makes me feel better to see people who are in worse situations than I am. I like watching those documentary-style TV shows, like "Intervention", where people are on drugs and their lives are a mess and their family hates them and they're homeless. It's probably awful of me, but it makes me feel better, because at least I'm not as bad off as those people on the show are. When I am really sick and feeling sorry for myself, I like to be able to say, well at least I'm not on heroin (or whatever) and I live in a house. It's a guilty pleasure for sure, but it honestly does help. Again, that could just be me, I'm probably terrible because of that!

Wildmtn, thank you. Between the financial worries and my dog having end-stage cancer, it's been a rough summer. I hope your study goes well!
 
Cmack, that's true! I've done that too. Last year, prior to being admitted to the hospital, I was in the ER getting IV fluids (I think it was the 2nd time, and I got admitted on the 3rd time). I was sitting there, feeling sorry for myself. There are a bunch of little rooms with the nurse's station in the center of the ER. My room's door was open so I could hear what was going on at the nurse's station. I heard a call come in, an ambulance was coming with an urgent patient and I'll never forget the words they said - "Gunshot wound to the head". !!! Suddenly I didn't feel so sorry for myself! I felt pretty lucky all of a sudden. That sure put things into perspective.

Edited to add: I looked in the news later, and it was a teenage kid who had been shot. He survived, though.
 
Survival bribe!!! I do that all the time (probably too often), but I didn’t realize it had a name. Even if it just cheers me up for a few minutes, I think it’s worth it. When you don’t have much happy in your life, sometimes you have to make it. I love ordering stuff online (I’m unable to go to the store right now anyway), because I get to track the package, and have it delivered, and open the box, and finally get the thing! It’s like unwrapping a present for myself.

It’s crazy how much I can relate to what you guys say on here. You don’t realize how comforting it is! Well actually you probably do....but it’s awesome to be able to read posts from people who get it.

Izzie, I’m so sorry for everything you’re going through. As therapist Cat said, I know there isn’t anything I can say to make you feel better but just know that I’m here for you and I’m thinking of you. You completely do have a right to be terrified. I’m hoping that your surgery will be scheduled soon so that you don’t have to keep worrying about it. I’m a total ruminator too, so I get it. Do you have any pets? I get really lonely sometimes, but honestly my cats help me feel like I’m not so alone. I talk to them like they’re people. I make jokes with them and laugh by myself. These are probably all signs that I’m losing my mind, but it’s helping me survive! (When I was little, I had imaginary friends that I’d play with outside, and I’d literally just be outside playing basketball by myself and talking to myself. For hours. So at least talking to my cats seems less crazy than that!)

Cat, I’m totally down to move to Sweden or Canada with you, if you want an American friend there! I’ve tried to convince my husband to move to Canada (I even looked up houses for sale to try to entice him), but he works for the federal government here, so that might not really work too well. We live in Alaska, so I told him that Canada would basically be the same, just with a better government and healthcare system.
 
oh...the timing of the "survival bribe" post was just what I needed! I have been pouty about not getting to eat so many things, and last night I was feeling especially bad after going out w/dh and not being able to have hardly anything at the place we went (pout!) so since I didn't spend much at the bar/restaurant, I took myself shopping for a bit of facial stuff and tiny bit of makeup, and now I get to play with that today! Yay!


edit - PS -- although it seems to be a trigger food for some (Cat I know it is for you) I am sooo thankful that my dietician and allergist assured me that coconut is NOT a treenut, and I'm allowed it on this diet! I am having SoDelicious brand coconut creamer in my coffee, and their "icecream" isn't half bad either!
 
If anyone is interested, I had originally heard the term "survival bribe" in an article, which I found again and the link is here:

https://www.xojane.com/healthy/japanese-7-elevens-anxiety

(She also talks about the wonderfulness of Japan in that article, which I agree with 100%. Japan is wonderful, Japanese 7-11 is wonderful, Japanese vending machines are wonderful. That would totally be my survival bribe too if I lived in Japan.)

Wildmtn, I'm glad you can enjoy coconut! I used to love it, Mounds bars were my favorite. But when I got sick, suddenly coconut was my #1 worst trigger. Even a little bit of it will make me sick for days now. So please enjoy lots of coconut on my behalf! Enjoy your facial items, too - I've also recently made similar purchases. Last week we had a cold, rainy weekend, so I had bought myself some mud masques and peel-off masques for staying in and pampering myself a bit (my skin has been a mess thanks to pred anyway).

Akgirl, I may take you up on that offer to move to a better country. As for talking to your pets, I do that all the time with my pets too! And it seems that my dog understands a fair bit of what I tell her, and sometimes she even tries to speak to me too (seriously, one day she was owed a treat, but I was putzing around too much for her liking, and she growl-woofed at me, in such a way that made it sound as though she said "hurry up!"). I have 4 pets and I'll probably be losing 3 of them soon. My dog of course has terminal cancer. I also have a gerbil who is super old - he's 3 years and one month, which is ancient for a gerbil (I've had many gerbils in the past and they tend to live to about 2.5 years max typically, so my 3+ year old gerbil has got to be like 100 years old in gerbil years!). I also have a praying mantis, they don't live very long so I'm not expecting him to stick around much longer. My cat is 14 and I keep telling her that she needs to stick around for a few more years at least!

And as for imaginary friends, I don't have them per se, but I do have an imaginary alternate life that I imagine for myself in which I'm not sick, have plenty of money, have a better job or am well off enough that I don't have to work, and have fantastic abs. :p You gotta dream big, right? ;)
 
My "survival bribes" as of late has been books and movies. Digital ones, as I find clutter incredibly stressful and don't necessarily like bringing in new stuff into my home. Digital books and movies mean I can bring a whole library wherever I go, which is awesome. Also recently splurged on a new, extra portable laptop for that same reason.

I've also needed to buy lots of new clothes quite often in the last 6 months or so since I keep losing weight and needing new pants :p
 
Chris, we’re almost neighbors. :)

Cat, I love your imaginary life! Mostly the fantastic abs hahaha. It’s good to dream! I always look for houses for sale in my area because it helps me dream about a future where I’m healthy and can work and can live in a nice house. I don’t want a mansion or anything, just a nicer place with a bigger yard.

I feel like nail polish is one of the best little gifts for myself. It’s cheap, it doesn’t take up much space, and it’s nice to have my nails look pretty when the rest of me isn’t feeling so great.
 
Hey, I'm a born dreamer and I totally get it. I just pretend my normal truck is a monster truck and I'm chillin. You peeps are great... we are all dreamers to some extent. I love to dream big. :)
 
I am having such a hard time with food right now. There's really nothing I can eat without pain, so I've tried mostly living off Ensure for the past few days, which helps, but also still gives me heartburn. I'm hungry all the time but if I try to eat anything at all with some substance, I'm in agony for 2+ hours after. I had half of a sandwich (white bread, low-fat cheese, literally the most boring sandwich ever) a while ago to try to at least not be starving when I try to go to sleep in a couple hours, but now I feel like I'm having a heart attack. Whatever inflammation I have going on in my esophagus/possibly also stomach just makes it feel like my chest is going to cave in on itself every time I eat.

I think I'm managing about 800 calories per day, maybe 1000 on a good day. It's about time to go shopping for new pants again :p

Calling the administrator who plans surgeries tomorrow to try to get some idea of when they're going to squeeze me in. Trying to convince myself I'm at least in the final stages of this particular misery and whatever happens after surgery will be something different and hopefully better...
 
Izzie - is the food list on the Crohn's forum at all helpful? I dont have Crohn's but when I was having problems after a GI infection, that list was a lifesaver. It matched what I could tolerate much better than anything else I found, including low fodmap or low fiber. I lived off fish congee when I was stuck in those calorie ranges. I also like muscle milk more than ensure. I seem to need a lot of protein, just in general, so that may be why. Good luck waiting for your surgery. I’m really hopeful that it will make things better for you.

Do you guys have any suggestions on helping depression without drugs? I have an appt with my GP to talk about changing/adding meds (on an antidepressant to help with back pain but need something else/more) but I need to try to make things better in the meantime. I’ve been having a difficult time this past week and have kind of gone numb and I’m trying to do what I can while I can still see that its not right. Any ideas? Nothing that involves sitting or driving or standing, but I’m OK walking or laying down. Hugs and petting my dog are what I have come up with so far.
 
Dahlia said:
Izzie - is the food list on the Crohn's forum at all helpful? I dont have Crohn's but when I was having problems after a GI infection, that list was a lifesaver. It matched what I could tolerate much better than anything else I found, including low fodmap or low fiber. I lived off fish congee when I was stuck in those calorie ranges. I also like muscle milk more than ensure. I seem to need a lot of protein, just in general, so that may be why. Good luck waiting for your surgery. I’m really hopeful that it will make things better for you.

Do you guys have any suggestions on helping depression without drugs? I have an appt with my GP to talk about changing/adding meds (on an antidepressant to help with back pain but need something else/more) but I need to try to make things better in the meantime. I’ve been having a difficult time this past week and have kind of gone numb and I’m trying to do what I can while I can still see that its not right. Any ideas? Nothing that involves sitting or driving or standing, but I’m OK walking or laying down. Hugs and petting my dog are what I have come up with so far.
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Thanks for the tip!

I find that when I'm depressed it helps to distract myself with enough upbeat things to keep me going through my day. Can you listen to audio books or podcasts maybe? Taking walks is usually good I find but sometimes I end up thinking too much about whatever bad things are going on in my life, so distractions like podcasts, or even music, tends to help.
 
Dahlia said:
Do you guys have any suggestions on helping depression without drugs? I have an appt with my GP to talk about changing/adding meds (on an antidepressant to help with back pain but need something else/more) but I need to try to make things better in the meantime. I’ve been having a difficult time this past week and have kind of gone numb and I’m trying to do what I can while I can still see that its not right. Any ideas? Nothing that involves sitting or driving or standing, but I’m OK walking or laying down. Hugs and petting my dog are what I have come up with so far.
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I've been struggling with my depression and anxiety worse than usual lately. What I've found helps me is watching my favorite TV shows - cooking shows, The Office, ER, Antiques Roadshow, etc. It helps me get my mind off whatever is bothering me and helps me focus on something positive. When I had anxiety attacks in my teens and early adult years, I watched Red Skelton over and over again and I have nothing but love for that man. He helped me get thru so much! His performance for the Queen is my absolute favorite show, but I laugh at any of his antics. They are available on YouTube and Amazon - watch the bloopers and ad-libs show. I promise you will not be sorry!

Just be gentle with yourself. I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to obsess over tiny things when my anxiety is out of control and that's not helpful at all. Any way you can get your mind off it until you are fully equipped to deal with any situation is a plus. :)

Red Skelton's Royal Command Performance

The Best of the Red Skelton Show
 
I've been having some pretty severe intestinal cramping today. I tried the Levsin earlier and it barely touched me. I just got another bout and took another Levsin (the other was over 8 hours ago). I'm thinking it's too weak and I may need something stronger. I remembered that a former GI recommended Donnatal which I've read is great for severe IBS sufferers. I have an appointment with my current GI on Thursday and I plan to discuss it with her then. I know I do well with scopolamine because I received a patch prior to my surgery last month and it really helped. I'm just not sure if my insurance will cover it - a lot of my medicines required prior authorization including Linzess. Anyway, I know she will have some good tips.

Also, I just got an appointment set up today with a nutritionist at a local hospital to help me lose weight and control IBS symptoms. I'm hoping they can give me more direction on low-FODMAP diets and a good meal plan because I'm having trouble coming up with variety in my diet that won't affect me.
 
MissLeopard: I've seen two separate nutritionists in the past year for my issues and they've been really kind and helpful - I hope the same will be true for the one you end up meeting! Do make sure to ask for the information printed, or bring along something to take notes on. I remember thinking my nutritionist gave me tons of good ideas only for me to forget most of them by the time I got home.

As for me, I messed up a bit today. I had a small piece of chocolate, thinking I could just have an antacid after and it wouldn't affect me too much... Oh boy was I wrong. Really bad reflux this evening. At least this time I feel like I did something to set it off so it feels less hopeless than when it happens when I've had a drink of water. At least the chocolate was tasty, I guess.

On a brighter note, my anxiety has decreased a lot over the past week. I think I've just reached a level of acceptance that I need this surgery and that I'm grateful to be able to have it done. CBT therapy is really working for me, I think. I'd recommend it to anyone else who has anxiety.
 
Izzie said:
MissLeopard: I've seen two separate nutritionists in the past year for my issues and they've been really kind and helpful - I hope the same will be true for the one you end up meeting! Do make sure to ask for the information printed, or bring along something to take notes on. I remember thinking my nutritionist gave me tons of good ideas only for me to forget most of them by the time I got home.

As for me, I messed up a bit today. I had a small piece of chocolate, thinking I could just have an antacid after and it wouldn't affect me too much... Oh boy was I wrong. Really bad reflux this evening. At least this time I feel like I did something to set it off so it feels less hopeless than when it happens when I've had a drink of water. At least the chocolate was tasty, I guess.

On a brighter note, my anxiety has decreased a lot over the past week. I think I've just reached a level of acceptance that I need this surgery and that I'm grateful to be able to have it done. CBT therapy is really working for me, I think. I'd recommend it to anyone else who has anxiety.
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CBT worked/is working wonders for my anxiety, too. I'm switching therapists, though, because mine is not doing as well for me as she used to and I'm not getting as much benefit as before. I'm continuing with her until January because there's a long waiting list for the therapist I hope to see - my appointment is 1/13. My current therapist and I meet every 3-4 weeks usually. :)
 
Today I woke up and my throat was barely sore! :yfaint:

Probably because I had a lot of Gaviscon before bed, and managed to stay on my side instead of flopping over on my stomach in my sleep, but wow, it was great!

My swallowing is absolutely abysmal right now. I tried having some sweet potato earlier and it just got stuck and it makes me not want to eat anything solid at all really. I'm going to need to prepare for that being a bigger issue after surgery.

I did however make a big investment in a Vitamix blender. First time I started it I actually jumped a little it's so LOUD and insanely powerful. But it completely obliterates anything you put into it, so it was money well spent that way. So many awesome smoothies in my future. :thumleft:
 
I'm going thru a lot of stress right now at work - I met with my boss on Monday and have a follow-up with her tomorrow but I have a feeling it's not going to go well. I really want to give my notice but I don't have another job lined up and I cannot afford to go without health insurance so I feel stuck. I have a manager who I feel is bullying/harassing me, but no one seems to validate my feelings and that makes me even more upset. If I hold in my feelings, I implode. If I air them out, I get in trouble for appearing like I am overly sensitive. UGH!

Anyway, I have an appointment with my GI tomorrow in the afternoon and I'm glad because my IBS is getting even more severe. I am not doing well on the Levsin as I was originally and need something stronger. My gut is producing all sorts of excessive mucus and I was insanely bloated yesterday and so uncomfortable! I did some research and remembered my former GI mentioned Donnatal for severe IBS. It appears to work better than Levsin but I'm not sure if my insurance will cover it - they appear to want prior authorization on anything specialty prescribed. Gotta love those HMOs! I hope we can figure something out.
 
MissLeopard83 said:
I'm going thru a lot of stress right now at work - I met with my boss on Monday and have a follow-up with her tomorrow but I have a feeling it's not going to go well. I really want to give my notice but I don't have another job lined up and I cannot afford to go without health insurance so I feel stuck. I have a manager who I feel is bullying/harassing me, but no one seems to validate my feelings and that makes me even more upset. If I hold in my feelings, I implode. If I air them out, I get in trouble for appearing like I am overly sensitive. UGH!

Anyway, I have an appointment with my GI tomorrow in the afternoon and I'm glad because my IBS is getting even more severe. I am not doing well on the Levsin as I was originally and need something stronger. My gut is producing all sorts of excessive mucus and I was insanely bloated yesterday and so uncomfortable! I did some research and remembered my former GI mentioned Donnatal for severe IBS. It appears to work better than Levsin but I'm not sure if my insurance will cover it - they appear to want prior authorization on anything specialty prescribed. Gotta love those HMOs! I hope we can figure something out.
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MissLeopard, I hope they can get you on something that helps soon.
 
Izzie, glad to hear you had a moment of feeling somewhat better! As for the chocolate, that sets off my reflux in a big way, too. Usually I can get away with one piece of chocolate but not more than that. Yesterday though I couldn't even get away with one piece. I hope the smoothies help! Hopefully they can allow you to stop losing so much weight. Any word yet on the surgery date? I hope it happens soon!

MissLeopard, I'm in a similar boat. I'd love to quit my job too, but like you I also cannot go without health insurance. I feel pretty stuck. As for your feelings, I think you need to find a constructive or creative outlet. Can you punch a punching bag to relieve some of the stress? Or take a long walk? Exercise always helps me feel mentally and emotionally so much better. Of course, if you're not feeling up to it, then exercise isn't always feasible. Do you do anything creative - paint, sculpt, draw, sew, knit, etc? I sew and crochet, and those activities help me relieve some stress and relax and focus my thoughts. Even just meditation might help. Good luck, I hope you can find another outlet for your stress & emotions besides bottling it all up or getting in trouble.
 
Cat, it's usually not a huge trigger for me but something I definitely normally do not have and have not had for... months and months. Biggest trigger for me is coffee, which I gave up ages ago. Everything sort of sets me off these days.

Though to be fair many of my worst problems are strictly mechanical in nature. My poor motility which causes swallowing issues is a big one. They're thinking surgery could help it or make it worse, they don't know since they don't know the cause of it. I could also have a general motility problem that hasn't been diagnosed yet, in which case it will be worse after and I might need a feeding tube...

And I also just have pain from my stomach herniating into my chest every time I breathe. I get a lot of stabbing chest pains that aren't really from reflux in and of itself but rather from the hernia.

Reflux in the traditional sense is really only one of many reasons I decided on surgery.

Symptoms have been a bit calmer and more manageable the past couple of days, I've had a few hours here and there that have been terrible, but not 24/7 like it usually is. Starting to feel a bit more human and am actually hoping to go to an event tomorrow to escape my apartment for a while.

And regarding jobs, I quit my job recently actually. Since my health insurance has nothing to do with my employment I was able to do so without much of a fuss. Again I'm reminded of how different it is to be sick depending on where you live. My illness, while it's set me back a whole lot in terms of my education and job development, has not had much of a financial impact on me at all. The one thing that's cost me money is the fact that it's affected my teeth. Dental care you do pay out of pocket here if you are over 20 years of age. I sympathize with those of you who have to weigh in finances when you make decisions regarding your health!
 
Cat-a-Tonic said:
MissLeopard, I'm in a similar boat. I'd love to quit my job too, but like you I also cannot go without health insurance. I feel pretty stuck. As for your feelings, I think you need to find a constructive or creative outlet. Can you punch a punching bag to relieve some of the stress? Or take a long walk? Exercise always helps me feel mentally and emotionally so much better. Of course, if you're not feeling up to it, then exercise isn't always feasible. Do you do anything creative - paint, sculpt, draw, sew, knit, etc? I sew and crochet, and those activities help me relieve some stress and relax and focus my thoughts. Even just meditation might help. Good luck, I hope you can find another outlet for your stress & emotions besides bottling it all up or getting in trouble.
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It's starting to cool off so I can start exercising again - I don't handle heat well at all. I used to have an exercise bike but had to move it out of my room into the garage due to lack of space after my room was redone. I have been trying to convince my mom to allow me to get an emotional support animal - my doctor is on board, but my mom says we don't need another dog in the house (I was supposed to move out next month, but that's a long story). I'm trying to slowly present why I feel I would benefit and ease her concerns. It would be helpful to have a dog specifically for that purpose. Our dog is really sweet, but she gets distracted easily and is not really suited for anxiety problems since she has anxiety herself (hence why another dog would be helpful; she came from a 4 dog household when we adopted her). :)
 
MissLeopard, you're in Florida, right? I didn't even think of that, I bet it is quite warm there most of the year! I also don't do well with heat so I can completely understand that. Too much heat & humidity make my guts cramp up horribly. Fortunately (?) I live in Wisconsin, and it's been in the 40s here this week (it was 75 degrees on Saturday so the weather got cold in a hurry!). I can't seem to win, though. My guts hate the heat, and my joints (hips in particular) hate the cold. So in the extreme temps, I do poorly. I do okay this time of year, though. It's not bitterly cold or snowing yet, so my joints are mostly okay, and even when it's 75 degrees, my guts are okay with that.

As for getting an emotional support dog - would you have to get a specially trained dog, or would you train the dog? Would you just look for a dog with the right personality and temperament and train it to suit your needs?
 
I think dogs are great, but regarding the punching bag. I do put the gloves on and punch the heavy bag a couple times a week, I kick it too! LOL ;) I know it lowers my stress levels.
Even our Prime Minister is a boxer. :)
 
Cat-a-Tonic said:
MissLeopard, you're in Florida, right? I didn't even think of that, I bet it is quite warm there most of the year! I also don't do well with heat so I can completely understand that. Too much heat & humidity make my guts cramp up horribly. Fortunately (?) I live in Wisconsin, and it's been in the 40s here this week (it was 75 degrees on Saturday so the weather got cold in a hurry!). I can't seem to win, though. My guts hate the heat, and my joints (hips in particular) hate the cold. So in the extreme temps, I do poorly. I do okay this time of year, though. It's not bitterly cold or snowing yet, so my joints are mostly okay, and even when it's 75 degrees, my guts are okay with that.

As for getting an emotional support dog - would you have to get a specially trained dog, or would you train the dog? Would you just look for a dog with the right personality and temperament and train it to suit your needs?
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Yes, I am very heat intolerant - I can't stand to get sweaty because I feel miserable and dehydrated. I like the crisper, cooler weather that we are experiencing right now but I can't stand damp, dreary weather with a wind chill - that flares my bursitis and I feel TERRIBLE.

As for an ESA, they are different than service dogs in that they don't go everywhere - they can fly with you, but they stay home the rest of the time. They are there to provide companionship. Most ESA dogs are not trained to perform tasks, but I plan to train it to sit in my lap when I need comfort because applying weight during anxiety really settles me down. Just cuddling my current dog helps, but she has a short attention span - although she saw I was visibly upset on Tuesday and came to my aid and wouldn't leave my side. She was very sweet and helpful. I need a dog to do that regularly. I plan to take it to obedience classes and crate-train it. I'm on a list for a puppy from a reputable breeder who has knowledge of ESA dogs and what traits would be the best. She has promised to help me find a puppy to meet my specific needs - I just need to get my parents on board. My doctor has already written my letter of recommendation for an ESA, so I'm allowed to get one. :)
 
BTW, the Donnatal website has a voucher where patients with and without insurance can pay only $15! If my doctor says it's OK for me to try, I won't have to pay so much! My insurance will not cover it so I had planned to see if she could prescribe the active ingredients in the same dosage and I would combine them, but I really wanted to try the Donnatal elixir liquid as it works better than the pills. The only other thing that I can think to try is the Scopolamine patch like the one I had for my surgery - that really helped! And then I would use the Linzess for constipation issues. My appointment is today so I'm really glad. :)
 
Hi guys, I'm new to the forum but just after a little advice, I've suffered with IBS for around 18 years, but symptoms have been very minimal for around 4 years now and had no medication at all since. For the last 3 months or so I have had mucus & bleeding, sometime feel like a need a BM and all I get is a little bloody mucus..occasional constipation but no diarrhoea or pain, no other symptoms.
I've been to the GP who's done bloods and 2 stool samples. Bloods and first sample came back fine, second sample has come back as inflamed bowel. I'm not sure on my readings until I speak to the GP tomorrow, but I'm starting to panic that it may be something really serious. Thank you in advance for any advice x
 
Kirstym91 said:
Hi guys, I'm new to the forum but just after a little advice, I've suffered with IBS for around 18 years, but symptoms have been very minimal for around 4 years now and had no medication at all since. For the last 3 months or so I have had mucus & bleeding, sometime feel like a need a BM and all I get is a little bloody mucus..occasional constipation but no diarrhoea or pain, no other symptoms.
I've been to the GP who's done bloods and 2 stool samples. Bloods and first sample came back fine, second sample has come back as inflamed bowel. I'm not sure on my readings until I speak to the GP tomorrow, but I'm starting to panic that it may be something really serious. Thank you in advance for any advice x
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Welcome. I hope it is nothing more than IBS . If you think it is more, keep fighting until you get answers. Let us know.
 
Nhs.....if its a borderline result they may repeat the test again, if its a higher result, they send you off for usually a colonoscopy.
Try not to panic too much.make you feel worse!
Good luck tomorrow
 
It’s good you’re going to speak with your GP tomorrow. I’m sure further tests will be ordered. The inflammation could be due to an infection. Blood in your stool always warrants a work up but try not to worry.
 
Thanks for your replies guys. I know I'm a worrier anyway, but it is difficult not to. I'm starting to worry about cancer and things like that which I know is silly, at this early stage, but I have a 7 month baby which only makes me worry more. I spoke to my niece today who works in the GP surgery, and she says she thinks my result came back at 130, I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
 
Finally found some Boost Simply Complete to try (the Vanilla flavor, my fave!) at Walmart. I put a bottle in the fridge and plan to try it either tonight or bring it to work with me tomorrow for breakfast. I have to say, I find it ironic that the Simply Complete is more low-FODMAP friendly than the ProNourish - both made by Nestle. The Boost has less ingredients and all of them are pronounceable. I hope it tastes good!

I think my new antidepressant might be starting to work - I've been on it for 1.5 weeks now and notice a difference. The crazy thing is that I'm starting to wake up without my alarm clock (often times, way before my alarm goes off) and I'm feeling less moody. I'm glad because work and my health have both been pretty bad lately and I've had 2 instances of suicidal ideations - the first passive and the second active. I talked to a counselor on the Suicide Hotline who helped me with some positive outlets. Today, I bought materials to knit and crochet so I'm hoping that will help with my anxiety and stress levels. I also like to color and I have a lot of adult coloring books. I plan to play my flute again. Hopefully, all this will allow me to transition to feeling depression and anxiety-free very soon (it takes about 8-12 weeks for this medication to reach full effect). I hate having suicidal thoughts and I'm praying that they do not return. The active thoughts scare me the most because I have never thought seriously about killing myself than I did at that moment. That was horrible and I really don't want to do something I'll regret. :(
 
Hi MissLeopard,

Be sure to tell your doctor if you keep having those kinds of thoughts. I hope the new medicine is helping, but be aware that antidepressants can often times have the side effect of suicidal thoughts or tendencies. As long as things are getting better and not worse hopefully all is well. Feel free to reach out if you need to vent, I'll lend an ear if you are feeling down.


Warm regards,

Chris
 
Welcome Kirsty,

I think your best course of action is not worry too much and just let the doctors do what needs to be done to treat your bleeding and inflammation. Keep asking questions and make sure to get them answered. Hopefully you will have a diagnosis soon and you will be able to successfully treat whatever it is that ails you. Keep in touch.


Welcome again and good luck,

Chris
 
MissLeopard83 said:
Finally found some Boost Simply Complete to try (the Vanilla flavor, my fave!) at Walmart. I put a bottle in the fridge and plan to try it either tonight or bring it to work with me tomorrow for breakfast. I have to say, I find it ironic that the Simply Complete is more low-FODMAP friendly than the ProNourish - both made by Nestle. The Boost has less ingredients and all of them are pronounceable. I hope it tastes good!

I think my new antidepressant might be starting to work - I've been on it for 1.5 weeks now and notice a difference. The crazy thing is that I'm starting to wake up without my alarm clock (often times, way before my alarm goes off) and I'm feeling less moody. I'm glad because work and my health have both been pretty bad lately and I've had 2 instances of suicidal ideations - the first passive and the second active. I talked to a counselor on the Suicide Hotline who helped me with some positive outlets. Today, I bought materials to knit and crochet so I'm hoping that will help with my anxiety and stress levels. I also like to color and I have a lot of adult coloring books. I plan to play my flute again. Hopefully, all this will allow me to transition to feeling depression and anxiety-free very soon (it takes about 8-12 weeks for this medication to reach full effect). I hate having suicidal thoughts and I'm praying that they do not return. The active thoughts scare me the most because I have never thought seriously about killing myself than I did at that moment. That was horrible and I really don't want to do something I'll regret. :(
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Sending support
 
cmack said:
Hi MissLeopard,

Be sure to tell your doctor if you keep having those kinds of thoughts. I hope the new medicine is helping, but be aware that antidepressants can often times have the side effect of suicidal thoughts or tendencies. As long as things are getting better and not worse hopefully all is well. Feel free to reach out if you need to vent, I'll lend an ear if you are feeling down.


Warm regards,

Chris
Click to expand...

Thank you. My psychiatrist is aware and thinks that we need to give the medicine time to work. I live at home with my parents still, so she doesn't feel I need to be hospitalized at this point. I was on Prozac before which really caused problems with my mood swings and was the catalyst for suicidal thoughts - it appears to be leaving my system completely and the Celexa - which I am now on - appears to be working without causing more problems. She thinks the Prozac provoked anxiety attacks in me and made my symptoms worse. I see my doctor again this week on Thursday, so I'll provide an update.
 
cmack said:
I'm glad you are doing okay. :) I'm at home with the folks too so I can relate in some ways for sure.
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Me, too. I was really worried last week because I have been having problems with a manager at work and told my boss about it. She and the HR director do not agree with me, unfortunately, so I'm looking for new opportunities elsewhere. This is not a one-time thing, either - it's been going on for over a year and I'm tired of it. Obviously, nothing will change if my boss (also the manager's boss) doesn't agree that the situation is a problem. I talked to my doctor and therapist about it and they think I need to get out of the environment. I wish I didn't feel the need to leave - I made a lot of friends there and did really well when I started to about a year later and then things changed for reasons I'm unsure of. I'm looking at Indeed for job opportunities and hope to get callbacks soon. The only problem that I foresee is not having FMLA at a new job for a year and having doctor appointments for my chronic conditions. I need to find a boss who is understanding of my need to keep my appointments - especially my psychiatrist and therapist.
 
So I've mentioned it in another thread but not in here yet - I got laid off last week. My financial woes just went to a whole new level. I think I'll be okay - am getting severance pay and can also collect unemployment, and can cobra my insurance. It's so stressful, though. I'm really trying to do as much self-care as I can. I was having walks and going to the zoo and botanical garden (both free), but then I caught a cold, so I can't take walks again until I get over this cold. Ugh ugh ugh. I worked for the same company for nearly 15 years and they threw me away like a piece of trash. It sucks.
 
Well, I tried crocheting last night and it's not easy. LOL! I'm definitely starting slow. I watched some YouTube videos and think I figured out the chain crochet but the second row part is messing me up! My chains won't stay tight, either, no matter how tight I hold them. I tried knitting instead, but I don't remember how to do the set-up so I'm going to have to ask my mom to remind me tonight (she was sleeping last night while I was trying to figure it out). I thought crocheting would be easier because it's one hook, but it's very difficult to learn!
 
Well, I think I figured out why I'm having so much trouble! I bought plastic hooks to start out with but every video I see has aluminum hooks and the hook end looks much bigger than the plastic ones. Mine don't seem to want to "grab" the yarn like it should. I will try to stop at a store tonight on my way home and see if I can get the correct hooks. Hopefully, it will make it easier. I also found an easier tutorial video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAxGTnVNJiE
 
I know I've been posting a lot today and I apologize but I wanted to share some good news! My depression definitely seems to be lifting and I am much more clear-headed today (I suffer from brain fog due to depression, hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia). Of course, it's a day-by-day thing and I need to give the medication time to reach it's therapeutic level (8-12 weeks) but I'm just thankful for any good days. :)
 
Hi Cat,

You are certainly having a tough time, I hope you get over your cold soon and can enjoy more activities. You are a great person and I'm sure someone will be very happy to hire you. In the meantime try to relax enjoy the moment. :) I believe everything happens for a reason, hopefully that is the case for you.


Best regards,

Chris


P.S. I laughed when you told us all the stuff you had in your desk! ;)
 
So I'm having surgery in three weeks! Finally got my date. Which set off my anxiety all over again :p

I've been having a pretty good week so I've put it out of my mind a little, getting the date brought it rushing back in. I'm trying to steer clear of the disaster thinking (What if I die, I'm probably going to die, what if just because I keep thinking I'll die I will because the universe hates me, what if I'll need a feeding tube, what if I'll feel worse after etc. etc. ad nauseam) and instead focus on the fact that I am very grateful to have access to good healthcare, that my surgeon is awesome and experienced, that I have helpful kind family members who are going above and beyond to help me get through this.

Spending my day shopping for lots of soft PJs to wear in the hospital, and trying to picture a post-op life where I can have some consistency, hopefully feel better overall, and maybe actually go back to school full time next year. Being able to sleep on a regular flat bed, not waking up with a horrible sore throat every morning, and maybe not having to take so much medication all the darn time; that's the dream.

Cat - so sorry to hear you got laid off, working somewhere for so long and getting laid off just like that must feel pretty awful. I hope you'll at least get over your cold and feel better soon!
 
I'm definitely learning to take each day as it comes and not worry about the future. I was supposed to go to Church tonight (All Saints Vigil) but had trouble finding a nurse for the retirement community I work for due to a call-off. Fortunately, we found someone, but my sinuses are killing me and I think I might be getting an infection. I have an allergist where I get weekly allergy shots so I will get in touch with her office if it doesn't go away in a few days for an appointment and/or antibiotics if needed. Flexibility goes a long way and I need to learn to be flexible with myself and not so rigid like I normally am. I get so bent out of shape if my plans have to change, but they had to change for a necessary reason tonight - work. I have the option to go to Church tomorrow if I'm feeling well enough, so that's good. :)
 
When I went in for surgery, I always wondered and stressed if something would go wrong and all of the above (literally... and then some). I woke up every time and it hurt, then I had improvement. I hope everything will be okay for you too Izzie. The good news is you may even get better. :)
 
My abdomen to the left of my belly button has been hurting all day today and has gotten progressively worse. I emailed my GI's nurse but didn't hear back yet. I took a Linzess but I don't think it's due to constipation because I've been quite regular lately, but I just wanted to be sure. I've also been getting stomach cramps whenever I eat. Not sure what it could be - it might be non-pyloric gastritis again like I had last year. I took 14 days of Nexium about 2 months ago for GERD so I'm not sure what else I could do. Hope to get some answers soon.
 
Unfortunately, the pain is worse today. I still haven't heard from my GI doctor. I just took a Zofran for pretty bad nausea and 2 Levsin to see if that would help. I'm also drinking a ginger ale I remembered I had in my office. If I didn't have a doctor's appointment this afternoon by work that I need to keep, I would ask to leave early. Usually, the thing that helps me the most is laying on my bed flat on my back with a heating pad on my stomach. I'm about to join my friends for our lunch break and don't want to eat. :(
 
I was up all last night unable to lay down because as soon as I did I had really crazy regurgitation, even though it had been many hours since I last ate. Ended up falling asleep around 7 am this morning and not waking up until after lunch... Very unproductive day, to say the least. Managed to stop by my volunteer job for a few hours at least. First time I've been around more than one or two people at a time in a while, which was nice.

Went out and got myself some new nailpolish, thanks for the tip Cat, it really does perk you up a bit! :)

MissLeopard - sorry to hear you're not doing well! Hopefully your doctor will get in touch soon.
 
I really wish I didn't have to attend this doctor appointment. Still haven't heard from my GI doctor and I don't think she works Fridays. Ugh! The stomach pain is so bad that I'm having trouble standing upright even though I took a 2nd Zofran. I feel like crap. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up calling in sick tomorrow. It feels like someone punched me in the stomach. :(
 
Cat - I’m so sorry that you got laid off! Was it sudden and unexpected? It’s crazy that they’d do that to you after you’ve worked there for so long. I’m glad you feel like you’ll be okay financially though. And the good news is that this’ll give you more time to focus on yourself and to spend time with your dog. But I hate when something bad happens to me and someone tells me to look at the positive. Sometimes I just want to be mad for a while. So I give you permission to punch some things. And if you need to punch the people who laid you off.....I’m good with that too. :)

MissLeopard - I’m glad to hear your depression is getting better, but I’m so sorry to hear that your stomach isn’t. I hope it starts improving soon! Keep us posted.

Izzie - Yay, you have a date! It’s one of those things where you’re happy to finally have a date, but then you feel a sudden surge of panic. All the bad thoughts you’re having are totally normal. It seems like you can read my mind, because I’d be thinking the same exact thoughts. I swear the universe hates me too! I’m going to be sending you positive vibes for the next few weeks. I really really really hope the surgery makes you feel better!!
 
akgirl said:
MissLeopard - I’m glad to hear your depression is getting better, but I’m so sorry to hear that your stomach isn’t. I hope it starts improving soon! Keep us posted.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I just saw my psychiatrist this afternoon and we agreed to up my dose of my medication since it's helping me quite a bit, but could still use some help since I'm still in my stressful work environment (currently job searching for new opportunities).

I'm thinking I may have a stomach bug. I really feel like I was punched in the stomach. Every time I try to eat, I feel even worse. It really sucks! I'll be sticking with my safe foods like rice, rice ramen with chicken broth, potatoes, etc. Hopefully, it will be gone by Saturday since I have something really exciting to go to in the afternoon that I do NOT want to miss! :)
 
Cat - I’m really sorry to hear about your job. What a rotten way to repay 15 years of loyalty. I hope things start looking up soon.

Izzie - I’m glad to hear your date is scheduled. I hope the anxiety improves. Its really great to think it might be able to make your symptoms much better, that would be womderful!

Miss Leopard - I hope things improve. It sounds like things are really difficult now. Hang in there! I was reading up on therapy dogs because of you and it makes me really want one. What breed were you lookng at? I think our dog wants to be an only dog, though. He is a weird combidation of very bouncy and snuggly. Maybe I can get him to snuggle more and calm down a bit. He is about 50 lbs, tall and lean, and its oddly reassuring to have him flop against me.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am not really having a problem with anxiety or dwelling on bad thoughts, its a bit different. Just different depression symptoms. Distraction does help sometimes and it seems to work best with comfortable favorites so I’m doing that. I’m seeing my GP next week about meds and I’m hoping it will help. My husband has been very supportive and gentle with me, too, which really helps.
 
Dahlia said:
Miss Leopard - I hope things improve. It sounds like things are really difficult now. Hang in there! I was reading up on therapy dogs because of you and it makes me really want one. What breed were you lookng at? I think our dog wants to be an only dog, though. He is a weird combidation of very bouncy and snuggly. Maybe I can get him to snuggle more and calm down a bit. He is about 50 lbs, tall and lean, and its oddly reassuring to have him flop against me.
Click to expand...

I was looking at getting a Golden Retriever puppy from a highly reputable breeder an hour away from me. I am in love with the breed but I haven't convinced my mom to allow me to get one since I still live at home and will for a while now that the apartment fell thru.

As for my stomach pain, I woke up this morning and felt much better! Whatever it was must have been a 24 hour thing. Hopefully, it's gone for good!
 
Akgirl, Thank you. I saw it coming, but the timing of it surprised me. I work(ed) for the Wisconsin region of a national company. Earlier this year, they decided to merge our region with another (Illinois). They ousted our Wisconsin regional president and made Illinois' regional president in charge of us. Illinois already has a regional HQ - I work at Wisconsin's regional HQ. They obviously don't need 2 HQs, so I figured they'd get rid of us.

But, the timing was really odd. They literally just had our CEO fly in for a meeting, in which he told us that we're doing great and are going to have big profits this year. As soon as the CEO got in the elevator to leave, they called me back to HR to tell me that I'm being laid off due to budgetary reasons. I was like, wait, what about all those profits that they just told us about not two minutes ago?? But I guess they can use whatever reasoning they want, it doesn't have to make sense.

As for punching someone, there's a few people I'd love to punch in the face! But I'd probably have my severance pay taken away plus I'm sure I'd be arrested for assault if I tried it. :p Fortunately I have a punching bag in my basement, so I can hit that when I'm feeling angry. I've had a wicked cold since right after I got laid off, though, so I'm not up for doing much besides resting right now.

I am getting a decent severance - it's one week of pay for each year that I've worked there, so that's 15 weeks of pay. Plus I can get unemployment and can cobra my insurance. I'm really looking forward to taking a bit of time off. And I plan to apply to work at the local hospital when I am ready to go back to work. I'm pretty sure they offer really good health insurance, and they have a lot of administrative job openings right now. I looked at one listing and it said you must have at least 3 years of experience in an administrative support role - well, I have 12 years of experience there (my first 3 years at my current company were in a customer service call center, and after that call center closed I moved into an administrative support role). So I have more than enough experience and I hope I'd be a shoo-in for a hospital administrative job. And if I can't get a job there, I have multiple friends who work at a local insurance company, so I could always work there. So yeah, I'll be okay. Going to focus on rest and healing and health a bit first.
 
I was able to work all day today! I am so glad I didn't have to call in sick! As much as I want to leave, I really want a good reference for the future because this was the first job I had after graduation so I want to make it last. I really hate to leave, but I'm tired of the long commute, the high turnover of nursing staff (we let 2 CNAs go today), the lack of communication, and the overall quality of the management staff. I'm really hoping to find a position in a company that provides good benefits and I'm looking especially at companies that offer tuition reimbursement. Hoping I hear something soon. :)
 
Good luck MissLeopard, I hope you find just the right job for you. It sounds like it's a little rough where you are at now, hopefully it will improve. I'm certainly happy to hear that you made it to work, references can go a long way. Good on you buddy!
 
Cat - It sounds like getting laid off could be a blessing in disguise for you! But they still definitely didn’t go about it the right way. I’m glad you have some time to relax though. You deserve it.

Chris - Nothing new to report from me. Same shit, different day.....literally! Ha. How are things going with you?
 
We actually don’t have any snow right now here. It snowed and then it melted. I can’t remember the last time there wasn’t snow in November. It was actually raining on Halloween. So strange!
 
Oh boy, today is not my day.

On top of my stomach being generally a bother, today I took a tumble down the stairs. Slipped and landed with my full weight right on the edge of a step. My lower back took quite a blow and I'm very swollen and in a lot of pain. Talked to a nurse on the phone who didn't think it seemed serious enough to have to go to the ER or anything since I can move and have full sensation but MAN it hurts bad and is going to be so blue tomorrow.

It's so typical, I'm so clumsy and things like this happen to me often though it's been a while since I did something this bad/painful. I'm bummed because I'm only 2 weeks out from surgery and was hoping to be able to be active and enjoy these weeks, but I'm pretty sure this injury will keep me pretty still for at least a week...
 
I hope you are okay Izzie, that sounds awful. If it makes you feel any better I fell off the roof and landed on the balcony once,(good thing there was a balcony or it would have been a 20 footer instead of about eight), so you aren't the only one who can be clumsy. I was trying to do three things at once... as usual, so ya I had it coming. I hope you didn't break anything...Yikes!
 
cmack, thank you, I'm kind of wallowing in self-pity at the moment :p Hopefully I'm not too injured, it seems like it's mostly a soft tissue thing but it's so painful to even wear pants that press on it! It could've been worse but so unnecessary!

Falling from a roof sounds terrifying, definitely a lucky break that there was a balcony around to catch you ^^
 
Izzie said:
Oh boy, today is not my day.

On top of my stomach being generally a bother, today I took a tumble down the stairs. Slipped and landed with my full weight right on the edge of a step. My lower back took quite a blow and I'm very swollen and in a lot of pain. Talked to a nurse on the phone who didn't think it seemed serious enough to have to go to the ER or anything since I can move and have full sensation but MAN it hurts bad and is going to be so blue tomorrow.

It's so typical, I'm so clumsy and things like this happen to me often though it's been a while since I did something this bad/painful. I'm bummed because I'm only 2 weeks out from surgery and was hoping to be able to be active and enjoy these weeks, but I'm pretty sure this injury will keep me pretty still for at least a week...
Click to expand...
I am sorry.
 
I woke up in a puddle of sweat this morning. This was happening with my old antidepressant and I thought, when I got off it, that it would be gone. Not sure what is causing it now but I hope it stops.

I also woke up this morning with that pain to the left of my belly button. If I press in that area, it hurts. I did not hear from my GI doctor last week so I plan to call the office tomorrow. Not sure if my emails are not going thru or if the nurse was off last week, but my GI told me to contact her if my symptoms worsen. I'm wondering if it is what my mom thought it was - diverticulitis. I certainly hope not, but I have almost all of the symptoms except for blood in the stool (at least I cannot see it if it's there). :(
 
I went to Church with my mom but we didn't stay long because we both felt terrible. I'm at home, taking it easy, not sure if I'll be able to make it to work tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be able to get in touch with my GI doctor's nurse tomorrow. :(
 
Okay, wow, so after a nurse took a look at my back I was promptly sent to the ER for an x-ray, it was bruised and nasty and they thought I had a spinal fracture. Thankfully, there was no fracture, just a really nasty bit of inflammation in the soft tissues.

However, my point in all this; I had to lay down flat for about 5-10 minutes for the x-ray and that alone is enough to completely mess up my stomach and give me really crazy reflux for the rest of the night and a sore throat for probably days.

So ready for this surgery. I really feel SO very ready for it.
 
My GI nurse finally emailed me back. Turns out, I was right - she had a family emergency last week and was out for 2 days. She asked if I was still having issues and I told her what happened yesterday - I ended up leaving church before it even started because my stomach hurt so bad on the left side (I actually forced myself to go because I hate to miss) and then, I got home and a few hours later ended up taking a leftover Vicodin because the pain was so bad, it was radiating to my left hip area. I was laying down on my bed before that trying to nap and just couldn't get comfortable. I was also getting an "ice pick" headache in my left temple - so, basically, my whole left side was just malfunctioning yesterday. :(

Because of all the problems this weekend, I did not get to attend the event I was really looking forward to. I'm being extra gentle with myself because my health is important and I really wanted to get to work today (I'm typing at my work computer right now). I'm hoping that my GI doctor will be able to figure out what is causing this. In fact, I thought earlier that she might want to do another scope series since it's been over a year since my first one and the symptoms have worsened/changed.
 
cmack said:
I will keep you in my prayers MissLeopard. I hope things settle down soon.
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Thank you. My mom seems convinced that I may have what my dad's family has problems with, including him - diverticulitis. She's even had it herself which puts me at higher risk and my paternal aunt just experienced it last month. My dad is on sulfasalazine to prevent his chronic diverticulosis from turning back into the inflamed version. I, however, cannot take sulfa drugs as they cause asthma issues and rashes in me. I'm going to let my doctor know and see what she wants to do.
 
I think that's a good idea to let the doctor know as much family history as possible. I was told to avoid seeds, especially small ones, as a precaution at one time when the doctors thought I may have had diverticulitis. I eat them now and I'm okay, as my doctor said it was an off chance, and seeds have been found to be fairly insignificant regarding this particular problem. You may want to ask about that too.
 
cmack said:
I think that's a good idea to let the doctor know as much family history as possible. I was told to avoid seeds, especially small ones, as a precaution at one time when the doctors thought I may have had diverticulitis. I eat them now and I'm okay, as my doctor said it was an off chance, and seeds have been found to be fairly insignificant regarding this particular problem. You may want to ask about that too.
Click to expand...

I've been doing some detective work on WebMD and other websites to see if there is anything I should stay away from but they seem to have debunked the myth that seeds and nuts cause further problems - in fact, they are saying now that they may help. Of course, most doctors probably have the "old school" way of thinking and may tell you that you need to stay away. I think it's probably more important to stay away from particle-causing foods when you are confirmed to have diverticulitis.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-...pert-answers/diverticulitis-diet/faq-20058333

I can't eat a high fiber diet anyway due to my IBS-M - it causes me pain and discomfort. My doctor gave me Linzess to keep me regular.

I'm hoping to hear back from the nurse today. I'm thinking about cancelling my appointment with the dietician on Thursday and trying to get an urgent appointment with my GI instead. I need to get this under control. I had really bad stomach cramping again today after having bad diarrhea last night. I found some organic Gatorade that is low-FODMAP friendly and am drinking that so I don't get dehydrated.
 
So it appears my mom was right - my GI doctor wants to treat me for diverticulitis and is giving me another strong antibiotic. The nurse also told me to take an acid reducing medication such as a PPI like Nexium which I took back in August for GERD but she wants me to use it in case my pyloric-negative gastritis has returned. Looks like I'm going to have to take it easy for a while. If my symptoms don't improve, she wants to get a CT scan of my abdomen/pelvic region.
 

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