Answers: some good, some bad
After dealing with almost 2 years of fatigue, abdominal pain, GI symptoms and multiple other issues I have answers! It seems so ironic and irritating that mainstream medicine missed the simplicity of this and insisted on doing expensive and invasive tests (which my insurance gladly paid for). After seeing many specialists I was told by my primary provider that I wasn't getting any further without out a colonoscopy I decided to leave my biased opinion of mainstream medicine behind and see a naturopathic doctor (which my insurance refuses to pay for).
The first visit lasted almost 2 hours where we discussed every issue I've had and possible testing options, the associated costs and next steps. This is one area mainstream medicine is lacking, The focus turned to me as a whole person and not just my GI system and I was given control over my care. The next visit I had answers! And they seemed so obvious. I've always had some sort of GI troubles since childhood, but after giving birth to Ophelia things were so much worse which now makes so much sense. The answer: the antibiotics given during my labor killed all the natural/good bacteria in my GI tract and I basically grew back none of it. The solution: probiotics, digestive enzymes, simple things. After a couple weeks on those I am feeling so much better,not quite normal yet, but on the way.
The bad answers: I also did a full spectrum of food allergy/sensitivity testing which I got back today. I reacted to 21 foods to varying degrees. Some I don't care about like papaya and sage, but others make me want to cry!
Some of my food reactions
Milk (figured this and don't drink milk, but ice cream is a different story)
Yeast (yikes, time to stop making my pizza dough recipe)
Peanuts (a doctor told me this as a kid too and I ignored it since I have an obsession with peanut butter) Eggs (not so tough)
Pineapple, Coconut (I guess no more Pina Coladas)
Almond (I love almond milk)
Wheat, Rye (I might not have celiac, but it looks like still a sensitivity)
Sugar (I've been trying to cut down, but I love dessert)
There are a few more that are mild reactions that might be tough like onion, tomato and zucchini. The recommendation right now is to cut out all the foods I reacted too until I feel better (likely 3 months) and then add back in the foods one at a time starting with mild reactions first. Looks like back on gluten free for me with the addition of some others. I can do this (I hope) but first to rid the house of all the offensive foods again and get through my birthday next week eating whatever I want. The even worse part I recently learned that eggs are used in some red wines and didn't even think about the yeast used to ferment the wine until the doctor mentioned it, I need my wine!
The first visit lasted almost 2 hours where we discussed every issue I've had and possible testing options, the associated costs and next steps. This is one area mainstream medicine is lacking, The focus turned to me as a whole person and not just my GI system and I was given control over my care. The next visit I had answers! And they seemed so obvious. I've always had some sort of GI troubles since childhood, but after giving birth to Ophelia things were so much worse which now makes so much sense. The answer: the antibiotics given during my labor killed all the natural/good bacteria in my GI tract and I basically grew back none of it. The solution: probiotics, digestive enzymes, simple things. After a couple weeks on those I am feeling so much better,not quite normal yet, but on the way.
The bad answers: I also did a full spectrum of food allergy/sensitivity testing which I got back today. I reacted to 21 foods to varying degrees. Some I don't care about like papaya and sage, but others make me want to cry!
Some of my food reactions
Milk (figured this and don't drink milk, but ice cream is a different story)
Yeast (yikes, time to stop making my pizza dough recipe)
Peanuts (a doctor told me this as a kid too and I ignored it since I have an obsession with peanut butter) Eggs (not so tough)
Pineapple, Coconut (I guess no more Pina Coladas)
Almond (I love almond milk)
Wheat, Rye (I might not have celiac, but it looks like still a sensitivity)
Sugar (I've been trying to cut down, but I love dessert)
There are a few more that are mild reactions that might be tough like onion, tomato and zucchini. The recommendation right now is to cut out all the foods I reacted too until I feel better (likely 3 months) and then add back in the foods one at a time starting with mild reactions first. Looks like back on gluten free for me with the addition of some others. I can do this (I hope) but first to rid the house of all the offensive foods again and get through my birthday next week eating whatever I want. The even worse part I recently learned that eggs are used in some red wines and didn't even think about the yeast used to ferment the wine until the doctor mentioned it, I need my wine!
Wow. That's a long list. Sorry :( Glad you got answers. But yes, have to agree with your view on medicine!
ReplyDeleteThat looks similar to my list the first time...then when I got re-tested after cutting them out for a while I could add some back in so now it's mostly gluten and dairy (and even then I seem to be able to have them in small doses). MY NP said recently that unless one has a severe reaction to eggs they are almost too perfect a food to not eat them...totally with you on NP vs mainstream medicine - it is so nice to sit down and tell a NP everything and have them listen. Anyway I hope you are feeling much better soon and can maybe add some of your favourites back in!
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