the weekend my nose stopped working

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.

Probiotic – start of the 2nd week

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).

IBS in the news

Thanks to Digestive Health SmartBrief for finding this one!  

Possible drug target found for common bowel problem

Probiotic – Day 3

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.

blah

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.

Probiotic – Day 1

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.

sludgy week

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.

So much to say and no time to say it!

A quick and incomplete list:

1. Went to the GI doctor for my yearly follow-up. Really, all I wanted was my prescription refilled and we both managed to forget that part. I had to call back later and get them to call it in the pharmacy. She also gave me a months supply of Align samples to try. Apparently, her patients are reporting lots of success with it. So at some point here I will be trying that to see if I can back off on the meds a little. More on that and it’s possible side effects later.

2. GI doctor also decided to test me for Celiac disease. Um. Shouldn’t they have thought of that A YEAR AGO???  This is what happens when you see different medical professionals – even when they are in the same office. I am waiting on the results of that blood test and hopefully will have nothing at all to report about it next week.

3. I am down 7 pounds. I guess the point counting is working. I have made a few changes to my lifestyle – almost no soda at all since I started (and I don’t even miss it!) and except for last week when I was sick and had a really upset stomach, I have not eaten any potatoes.  A big difference since I used to have one for lunch every day. I am actually reading my cook books and planning meals and trying to get more of a balance. I have managed to increase veggies a little with a good-for-you soup but no new veggies. Cans of green beans are still the old fall back. One note worthy event – I had a hand full of fresh blueberries this afternoon. YUM! I know, it doesn’t sound like much but I haven’t had them in a long time. And I am eating a little more fresh fruit on the weekends. Last weekend I had half an apple – a big deal for me.

 

colds and doctors

My family and I have been sick for a week. It’s been great. Not eating right at all combined with lots of sinus drainage and a couple days of forgetting to take the meds on time have left me feeling in tip-top shape today. Tip-top shape for people in hell that is.

I didn’t realize it had been so long since I had been on here. The last few weeks have just been really hectic with a lot of mini crisis’ popping up left, right and center. It appears to be calming down so things hopefully will get back to normal soon.

I go to my GI doctor this week. I don’t have much to tell them really. I’m sure they’re going to ask me how I’m doing. I still have IBS – what in the world do they want me to say?  Just give me my prescription and let me go to work. *sigh*  I think I am going to ask them about probiotics. Get a professional opinion and all. Can’t hurt to try them right??

playing by the rules

Things I have learned this week while trying to follow the rules:

1. A cup of anything really is enough.

2. I used to eat more than I realized I did.

3. I can not make myself add oil to my diet, I don’t care how good it is for me.

4. I also can not figure out how to get my servings of milk.

5. It is possible for my husband and I to make a tray of brownies and not eat them all in two days! (this was a total shocker!)

6. It is worth it to eat my green beans with no butter if that leaves me a point for something sweet.

7. It is damn hard to hit the goal points when you have to eat 6 times a day. 

8. It is discouragingly easy to go over.

9. I can eat foods other than potatoes and my gut will be ok.

10. Cooking and freezing good food on Sunday is worth every minute (why have I not do this all along?? It is so much easier to not eat something that is bad for the gut when something that is ok for the gut is all ready to defrost and eat!)

11. I hate not eating everything on my plate, I think of left overs as wasted points. (hey, they add up you know! sometimes to a brownie!)

12. Number 11 has lead to a few stomach aches the last few days.

13. Budgeting anything is hard.

14. I still have a lot of work to do to figure out how to do this the right way.