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More probiotic that is. But I am going to start taking it every other day. The PA told me to try this if I got too constipated and that seems to be the current problem so I’m going to try every other day. She had mentioned that several of her patients had told her it caused constipation and I am glad she mentioned that too me. At the very least, taking it every other day will save me money.
Now I have to figure out the best way to buy some more since it isn’t available in stores yet (Which, I’ll admit, made me a bit suspicious in the beginning but I think I am over it now. Because, after all, the doctor gave it to me and they know what’s best, right??? HAHAHAHAHA)
I have a huge sweet tooth. Any time I have tried to lose weight, the sweet tooth gets in the way. BUT! The points people make cookies! Pretty darn good chocolate chip cookies. They’re no yummy homemade ones but when the alternative is no cookies, they are damn good! I have one everyday when I get home from work. It takes the edge of the hunger before dinner AND helps with the sweet tooth and makes it much easier to deal with the whole lifestyle change. They are nice and individually packaged so there is not as much will power needed. I would be lost if I had a open bag of Oreos but I can handle to individually wrapped stuff. (ok, ok, sometimes I have two cookies. shhhh….)
So there have been some hits and misses with the lifestyle change:
Hits!
1. My jeans are loose when I put them on right out of the dyer
2. I bought a bathing suit. The first one I have bought in about 8 or 9 years. Now I have to figure out where to wear it! This is really a BIG deal for me.
Misses
1. I still eat WAY too many carbs.
2. Unless it’s a green bean, most veggies are still not my friend. I did try raw carrots again. Not a good thing.
3. I eat no healthy oils. Intentionally.
4. Keeping up with the meal planning is harder than you think. I didn’t do it at all this week and it’s come back to haunt me. It takes a lot of effort. blah.
Weight-in day is tomorrow. I have my fingers crossed.
I am trying to decide if I am going to buy more of the probiotic. I have a little over a week left of the free samples from my doctor. To tell you the truth, I don’t feel all that different. I haven’t really noticed a change. If anything, this last week I have felt worse. Not that I am blaming that on the probioitc, after all, I really don’t know why I am not feeling my best this week. But it makes it hard to decided if I want to fork over $30 a month for something I am not convinced is helping me.
Last weekend basically sucked. We went out of town and when it was time to come home on Sunday, the little discomfort in my stomach area that I had been feeling for a day or so became a BIG problem. I left the house we where staying at feeling kinda icky but I figured I’d make it home (hour and a half drive) with no problem.
I. Was. WRONG!
We got into town, about 15 minutes from where we were and visited a grocery store bathroom for 45 minutes. During that time I got to deal with the most annoying and aggravating show of rudeness and lack of bathroom manners I have seen in a long long time. It was some little shit of a kid, sounded like a preteen. Old enough to understand that you keep your, ahem, shit to yourself when you’re in a public restroom. Unfortunately for me, no one had bothered to tell her that. So it went something like this:
Her: “Hello?”
me, thinking to myself: oh please, you’re not really going to try to talk to me are you? I ignore her and go back to trying to distract myself with my cell phone games.
louder this time: “HHEElllllooooooo?”
me, sitting in the stall farthest from her, still ignoring her, starting to get annoyed.
“Somebody better answer me!!”
who the hell do you think you are you little brat? I’d like to smack you for destroying my illusion of privacy.
“It smells in here”
oh shut up you little *&%#%# !!! (I am not sure really what I was thinking, but I am sure it was unkind. hey, what do you expect?? I was in a lot of pain)
“It’s really smelly in here.”
it’s a bathroom, get over it
Thankfully, she finally left. But not before pointing out to some other poor woman on her way out that it smelled in there. (For the record, at least two other women added to the smell while I was in there. Not that I could smell much anyway. After 45 minutes, the nose stops working. )
I made it out of the grocery store, thinking I was good to go. My goal was a big rest area about 15 minutes away, with a huge bathroom area to get lost in. Paradise.
Again, I was soooooooo wrong.
There is a fast food restaurant right next to the grocery store. And I can tell you from experience that they have a much nicer, quieter bathroom that plays wonderful music. At least in the middle of the afternoon. I am sure I beat the dinner crowd.
A very long three hours after we left for home we pulled in the drive. I don’t want to go visiting again anytime soon.
So far, things are pretty much normal. I have been taking the probiotic for over a week and I have felt pretty good. The only thing is this pesky excess gas. It’s not the painful type I usually have occasionally from the IBS. Nope – this gas is the sneaking-up-on-you-when-you-least-expect-it type of gas. Not any fun. But at least it’s not painful. Just embarrassing. I am hoping that things get back to the normal gas amount soon. Hopefully by the end of the second week of pills my body will used to it. I have my fingers crossed (and the butt checks clenched! LOL).
Thanks to Digestive Health SmartBrief for finding this one!
Today is the start of Day 3 of the probiotic. Yesterday was a little gassy so we’ll see how today goes. I don’t know if the probiotic caused the gas since it’s a side effect of IBS anyway. It wasn’t any worse than normal so we’ll see how today goes.
So far, I don’t really feel any different. I think it will take at least a month before I can really say if I think it’s helping. I have my fingers crossed.
Eating healthy sucks! I am STARVING! I am trying to get back on the lifestyle change game plan after being away over the weekend. We went out of town this weekend and stayed with family so I couldn’t really control what I ate as well as I would have liked. So I’m low on spare points and trying not to go over the number I am “supposed” to have in a day. I know one bad day doesn’t wreck a diet but I find that when I eat junk all I want is more junk and it makes it hard to lose weight. Plus, party food and IBS don’t mix. Chips, fresh fruit and Ice cream cake are all off limits! Just thinking about it makes me even hungrier! And cranky. I get cranky when I get hungry. I need chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. I guess I have to settle for the turkey burger and steamed veggies that are on the dinner menu for tonight. blah.
I have finally started taking the probiotic that my GI Physicians Assistant recommended. Since I took it all of 5 minutes ago I don’t have much to report. But I am hopeful.
I waited until I had a week where nothing is going on because of the possible side effects – changes in bowel habits and excess gas for the first week. Yippie! Here’s hoping that things this week are no worse than normal.
I went to the doctor last week and told her I was feeling pretty good.
That was apparently a mistake.
Because this week I have felt horrible and had the icky sludge going on for a week! A WHOLE WEEK! WTH???? I thought at first it was because my period is lurking around the corner but that monthly upset doesn’t last for a whole damn week. Then I thought it was the fresh fruit I ate this weekend. But still messed up four days later?? That doesn’t “usually” happen either. But who knows, there really isn’t a “usual” is there?
I think it’s stress.
I’ve been waiting to get the results from the celiac blood tests back actually had to call for them today (damn doctors! why don’t they call??????) and I am happy to report that I won’t be changing the subtitle of this blog to “Living my life with IBS Celiac” any time soon. Phew! I must admit I am rather relieved.
I have another doctor appointment tomorrow (for a different issues so it’s won’t be mentioned here except to say that it may lead to relatively minor surgery and it’s causing LOTS OF STRESS!!! Have I ever mentioned that NOTHING about me works correctly? It’s not just the intestines, that would be too easy…)
Today has actually been a bit worse than yesterday IBS-wise since I not only have the painful sludge in the morning, I also have additonal always fun to have bloating and gas pain. I hope it works its way out before my appointment in the morning, if you know what I mean. Because, really, that would be embarrassing if it decides to make itself known while I’m with my doctor.
