I have had (new and different) ongoing digestive issues since the end of February (feeling full after only a few bites into a meal, feeling full for hours or days after even small meals, lack of appetite, feeling bloated, cramps, rapid weight loss, accompanied by lack of energy & light-headedness) so I finally caved and went to see my Primary Care Physician last week. He thinks it is either my gallbladder (which would mean surgery) or Gastroparesis (which would mean medications and a new diet regime.) I am going for an ultrasound on Wednesday. If they see nothing, we can rule out gallbladder and test me for Gastroparesis.
It is hard to say what I am hoping the results of my testing will be. On one hand, I’ve had 14 surgeries so far, so the idea of my poor abdomen and body going under the knife yet AGAIN, and the ensuing lost time from work and recovery period, leaves a lot to be desired. On the other hand, having yet another digestive condition that may result in longtime dietary restrictions, in addition to all the ones I already have, isn’t really something I can “Woohoo!” about, either.
In the event this turns out to be gastroparesis, I have been following a recommended gastroparesis diet I found on the web, which requires me to limit myself to liquids for 3 days, then liquids and soft foods for 3 days, then a select few other food types for the next 3 days. Also, this diet allows me to incorporate the 2 suggestions my PCP made to increase my protein and calorie intake: muscle milk and peanut butter (as tolerated.) This is not a permanent diet, but a way for me to give my body a chance to get back in balance so it is functioning properly. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try it, since I wasn’t eating all that much lately anyway. Worst case scenario: it has no impact; best case scenario: I start to feel better in a few days. I’m on day two of the liquids, so far, and haven’t felt much better.
We shall see.
Idle Eyes and a Dormy 
Wow – hope it turns out more benign than anything. I am fortunate – I was born with what people term a cast iron stomach. I can pretty much eat anything and it doesn’t bother me. And they’re finding out more and more that the microbiome in our gut is responsible for a lot of the ailments we suffer. In fact the medical community has even done fecal bacteria transplants and it has shown remarkable success.
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I am always saddened to hear you are suffering .
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I’m sorry to hear all of this is happening. I hope they find out whatever it is soon so you can feel better.
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Curse it all, S/b. It just goes on and on. Will your life never get even just to within sniffing distance of what might pass as ‘normality’ healthwise? You’ve been bearing this cross much longer than is fair. Here’s to fervently hoping that the ‘best case scenario’ happens.
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So sorry to hear this. I hope your new diet helps and you get back to your regular appetite soon.
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my poor sassybear 😦
I wish someone could wave a magic wand and make all your guts normal functioning.
much love to you on this new quest.
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That just sounds miserable. I sincerely hope they can figure out what’s wrong and FIX IT, regardless of what it is.
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I’m sorry you’re going through all of this. It is very aggravating, to say the least. I have severe Gastroparesis with a feeding tube. But, getting the diagnosis was a long haul. I was told it was IBS, of which I do have, too. I was then told my gallbladder was barely functioning, after a Pipida scan of my gallbladder, and had to have my gallbladder removed, being told I would feel so much better……ha ha……..I did feel a bit “better” for a short while. It then just got worse and worse………..I finally went into my GI doctor’s office one day and said, “this is something much worse than just IBS, and someone better do something.” This is how I finally got a Gastric Emptying Study done. That showed that I’m severely delayed, as far as my stomach emptying…..actually anything emptying. I was sick, so sick, and kept getting worse. It got to the point that I was being hospitalized all the time for dehydration and malnutrition…..oh, and the rapid weight loss. It finally became an emergency. I needed a feeding tube to keep me alive. I was told to go home, pack my bag, head straight to the hospital for surgery the following morning. I was immediately started on TPN. I’ll be writing about my journey with Gastroparesis this month, since it is Gastroparesis Awareness Month. So, I’ll save the rest for my blog. I’ll probably tell my story in several posts, as it’s a lot. I wish you the best. I hope you get some answers sooner than later. At least if you have a name to put on your illness, you can begin treatment of some sort and hopefully get some relief. Hang in there and take care. Be persistent with these doctor’s. No need to suffer for
years. XX
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Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I will definitely read about your journey. It always helps to “meet” others with similar experiences.
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Thank you. I’ll be following your journey, too. Sometimes I’m too sick for awhile, but I always come back. This is the place where there are many, many other’s that DO understand this terrible disease and the battle we face every day. I look forward to learning more about your journey. Hang in there and take care. XX 🙂
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I forgot to say that I love the title of this post; “I Hate My Guts.” Good one. Sorry you have the problems that lead to this title, but I just thought it was pretty clever. 🙂
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