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| Picture from Google Images...A: I wish I was that skinny and B: LOVE her jeans! |
Warning: the following contains information about "bowel movements"... read at your own risk!
A little over five years ago I noticed that foods I loved to eat and had always eaten were really starting to bother my stomach, and I'm not talking about having that bowl of chili at the big game party and having to wave the covers at night to share my "blessings" with the hubby. I am talking about as soon as eating a salad filled with my favorite vegetables and "tasting it over and over again" (as I describe it) all day, and sometimes the next day. I didn't really think too much about and just began avoiding those foods. Which is no fun at all.
I don't remember all of the details but do know eventually I found that it just wasn't food that was causing my stomach to turn flips. My bowel (yep said it) movements were irratic to say the least...for a few days I wouldn't go and then next thing I knew I couldn't stop going! Again I would just deal with it, and let it pass.
Then it just kept getting worse. I finally talked to a doctor about it all. They did some of the simple tests to illiminate other things, and came up with the conclusion that it was IBS and decided just to put me on some preventative medication. I was not thrilled with the idea of it all...I mean the preventative meds were anti-depresants. But after some research and discussion with my husband it was common. Medications like Zoloft are prescribed for IBS to keep stress levels lower. So let me give you a little medical info on IBS:
The signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can vary widely from person to person and often resemble those of other diseases. Among the most common are:
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- A bloated feeling
- Gas (flatulence)
- Diarrhea or constipation — sometimes even alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea
- Mucus in the stool
A year ago was probably my worst attack ever. I was in so much pain that I could not even stand up straight. I felt as though I was preping for a colonoscopy again and couldn't leave the bathroom. It was so bad that my husband took me to the emergency room. There they admitted me, so that I could have some strong pain meds and ordered ultrasounds to check the galbladder AGAIN. Once again nothing. They even did a ton of blood work to watch different blood cell counts and at one time thought maybe pancreatitis. The doctors kept me out of work for over a week (during the first month of school, now that was not easy for me at all!). Eventually with new pain meds and anti-diarrhea meds (because over the counter Tums, Pepto, Maloxx...don't even come close to working any more) I regained some normalness.
Well it happened again! Apparently my body adjusted to the meds and once again I found myself in pain and closed in a bathroom. The old meds did help keep some of the pain at bay, so I didn't have to go to the hospital again, but I did have to find new ones. Because this time I couldn't even take a shower without throwing up. So a trip to the urgent care and new perscriptions helped a little more. I am still recovering and well it was the quickest 12lbs I have ever lost, but I am finally on the mend. I have found that this time the recovery is longer, I just don't have a lot of energy...but hopefully things will be back to "normal" soon. As the doctors say I just internalize everything and eventually it catches up with me. The urgent care doctor made the comment: "I see you have pretty much had every test and scoped from both ends...so yep I am thinking you do have IBS. You may just want to find a job that doesn't cause stress, and stay zen" I told him when he knew of a stressless job just let me know.
So there it is...my not so fun illness. I have a lot of other things going on as well and plan to share as soon as I am able, along with some great freebies, tutorials, and classroom ideas. So stay tuned!