Why am I not getting better?
#68630 - 05/07/04 04:51 PM
|
|
|
|
Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
|
|
|
Ok, I'm really not trying to be a whiny pain in the 'you know what' here, but I've been having a real feel bad for myself day and I need to vent.
I'm just very frustrated that I'm not getting any better, and I'm at my wits end. It's gotten to the point where I Hardly function like a normal human being anymore...I'm lucky if I get one roll and maybe one potato in my a day, so I'm dropping weight really fast, and getting dizzy spells and just sleeping all the time. I've got constant abdominal cramping, D almost every day (with the odd off day in between) bad gas and chest pain.
I've done everything I'm supposed to do, both according to Heather's diet and what my docs are saying. I havent' cheated at all on the diet, I take Dicetel for the tummy, Nexium for my GERD, probiotics, Acacia, drink lots of fennel tea (no peppermint becuase of the GERD)...I just don't know what else to do. And I feel like I've got no one to help me. My bf is very supportive but doesn't know much about this stuff and because we're not married doesn't feel very comfortable actually coming to the docs with me, and other than that, I'm on my own.
I'm so sick of not being taken seriously. Because I was a bit heavier to begin with, no one seems concerned about my weight loss except me and my bf, despite my having lost over 30 pounds since February. And my work and personal life is suffering, but mainly I'm just sick of being in pain.
I had that funny gall bladder result that indicates I *may* have gallbladder disesae, but my primary doc said the GI needs to interpret it, so I called the GI nurse today and she basically indicated that since the GI didn't feel the test was necessary in the first place, he likely wouldn't care to follow up...but she'd "put it in my file." So now I'm stuck with ambiguous results, something that could potentially be causing some of my problems, and no doc who will help me with it.
GRRRR, I just don't know what else to do anymore. I seriously think if this continues much longer I'm just going to wilt away, I already pretty much just sleep and watch tv...I want my life back!
Sorry everyone, I don't even know what advice to ask for, I'm just venting I guess 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I'm sorry Vicam. Sounds like you've had a really rough time!  I am really sorry for you! It's no fun when other people don't understand. I've lost at least 30lbs, too. It was really hard especially since I have other issues going on too (migraines, tiredness) so when you say you feel like wilting...yeah. I'm sorry! Don't worry about whining. That nurse was mean to you, though...at least it sounds like it to me. Well when I was the worst I didn't have enough energy to walk around, but once I got more energy after I was able to eat more, I got more energy to walk around and once I got to walk a tiny bit (just down the hall...or whatever) it helped my stomach. I'm still getting better...but I don't know. I mean..I don't really remember how I got out of my funk except for that I found Heather's site, started "breaking the cycle" ...OH!!!!! What helped the pain and stuff the most is this tea I drink..it's Yogi tea called StomachEase and it has Fennel, Anise, Licorice, Ginger...all sorts of good stuff and no bad stuff in it..I remember drinking a steaming cup of that and it REALLY helped the pain and allowed me those first few days to put some more bread/rice into myself. Once I was able to get more into myself it got everything working better. Do you take Benefiber or Acacia or something like that? I take Benefiber and I'm still going up on that..so maybe you still need to go up on what you are taking. I know licorice is also supposed to be good if you have heartburn/stomach issues, so maybe you should try that yogi tea cause it has licorice in it and i know that tea really helped my tummy and I have had heartburn issues, too (it was worse back then but prilosec has helped it..or maybe Heather's diet has!  ). HOnestly..that tea was what pulled me through cause I was like...in a swimming pool trying to come up but couldn't find anything to grab onto. So find some of that! Just try to make yourself comfortable b/c the dr's will just take their time...sounds like that GI dr. you have isn't that kind anyhow..can't you have the results sent to some other GI dr? Well..just try to keep yourself comfortable. THat's what I like most about Heather's diet/plan...you don't have to depend on any doctors or anything..I mean they CAN assist you and you need them to rule things out, but you can manage the problem by controlling what you put in your mouth. Okay..I'm rambling! Sorry!  This probably wasn't helpful at all! I hope you feel better. Just remember this thing I learned in a meditation book...God put people on Earth so that He would have people to love. See, you are here for a reason..you are loved!  So...just maintain for now..and hopefully times will get better for you soon! Update us, okay! Try a heating pad, too to put on your tummy..it is really soothing! OR a hot bath! And.....just take care of yourself first and then if you can get your results analyzed by another dr. do that, okay? Good luck! When you are falling asleep think of bunnies in a meadow with pretty flowers!!!!!!
--------------------
If you live life to love, you'll love to live life.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi there!
When I read your post, I thought that you were so unlucky cause it seems to me like you're doing everything right and it's still not working...
Have you maybe thought about seeing a new Gastro Dr? The first one I saw was awful and then I switched to this other one (who is younger and most probably more up to date on ibs) and he's so much better! When I went to my first appointment with this new doctor, I told him why I wouldn't see the first one and made my expectations clear. He really did take me seriously and has helped me a lot... I don't know if this can actually help you or not... Another thing that helped me was hypnosis. Then again, I made sure he was very qualified. Have you seen a nutritionnist? THis could be something else you could try.
I don't wanna seem like I'm giving you too many advice .. It's just that when I was in terrible pain (like you) It helped me to know that there were still many things left I could try. I actually made a list of those (okay... don't laugh!!)
and just the fact that I knew I could eventually try them if I wasn't feeling better later on helped me get rid of this cause of stress (oh my god!! what will I do if it doesn't work??!!! -- this was my biggest cause of stress -- and you know how important it is to feel relax, eh?!!)
You're probably not very far from seeing improvements. Don't hesitate to talk to us on the board!
Take very good care of yourself
Bye!!
--------------------
Chantale
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi,
I am so sorry that you are feeling bad. I think everyone on this message board can sympathize with you in some way or another. I think after reading your other post about gallbladder problems you really need to have that checked out further....Can you change doctors ...maybe try an Internal Medicine Specialist?? It doesn't sound like you are getting much help from your present doctors.
Good Luck
Barbie
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Sweetie pie, you can whine all you want! That's what we're here for. You just vent away any old time and every old time. We all need to do that sometimes. It's just a good thing we don't all need to do it on the same day. Can you imagine!!
My only suggestion is to just take it one day at a time. Or one hour at a time. Don't assume you're going to feel this way the rest of your life. There's no way anyone can know a thing like that. You're sick right now. IBS is a serious medical condition. You're allowed to feel lousy, you're allowed to just sit and watch TV. One day soon, you'll start feeling better too just like all the rest of us. Just don't give up five minutes before the miracle, okay?! Deal?!
Ooh, I just had an inspiration! What about the hypnotherapy tapes? Maybe your poor little old overexcitable autonomic nervous system just needs a little help calming itself down. It's worked like magic for bunches of people here. Just a thought!
--------------------
Laura
Keep it simple!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hey there, Girlfriend!
I'm surprised you haven't gotten better. You're certainly doing everything right. That leads me to believe it's the gall bladder thing. Normally I would agree with LS about the hypnotherapy, but if you DO have a gall bladder problem, I don't know if the hypno would work until you got it "fixed."
I'd go back to that doc and ask her to pull it back "out of the file" and DO something about it! I think you're just gonna have to be a little more assertive. Either that, or simply hound her with repeated office visits, letting her know how much pain you're in and how much you're suffering. Eventually she'll hear ya and pull that thing out of the file.
And I'm with everyone else here -- you're not venting, you're asking for help, and that's what we're here for. I also agree, it's time right now for you to be a couch potato, even if only until that doc gets off her a** and HELPS you!
GRRRRRR.... 
Bev
P.S.: I have a suggestion. If it IS your gall bladder, then it's an issue of your body not processing "fat" very well, right? What if you cut out all fat from your diet -- just briefly -- and see if you start feeling a lot better? If so, then you might have the answer -- and you could take your results to the doc and say, "here! I did what YOU wouldn't do! Now fix me."
--------------------
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Vicam,
I feel like I am readng my life's story. I can completely and totally sympathize with you. I have been doing everything right with no cheating - zero - nada and I STILL feel like crap every single day of my life!! Ihave had IBS for 6 months now and have MAYBE had 5 symptom free days in all that time. I am always in pain and I have diarrhea at LEAST once a day every day. My doc now has me on Bentyl 10 mg which seems to be doing nothing for me. I feel like I am at my wits end as well. I feel like there is nothing that is going to help me and I am just going to be like this for the rest of my life. I know I am not offering you really anything but to say that there are still people out there who are going through what you are going through and that can be a comfort in and of itself. You are NOT alone! If you wouldl ike to e-mail me to talk or vent please feel free to do so.
If I am to offer any advice I would say to try the hypno tapes. That is going to be my next line of defense. I have heard nothing but very good things about them and it definitely can't HURT the situation.
I'll be thinking about you and if I find something that is working for me I will let you know.
--------------------
Dana
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi. I am sending you a great big mental hug right now. I hope you feel better soon. I agree with the other ladies about finding a new GI Doctor, if you can. I wish you luck. I stand with the other ladies, you are not whining, you are expressing yourself, that is what this website is for. I thank God every day for this website.
Daisy
--------------------
Daisy
"Sometimes you are the Windshield, sometimes you are the bug".
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
Posts
