Entry 14 - My Luckiest Number, My Suckiest Entry

Yeah, haven't posted for a while.

But I hate my stomach. Hate it hate it hate it.

So, things were going nicely. I was eating all non-processed foods, cooking with fresh veg, etc. I was getting so much energy back during the month of June, and was actually feeling pretty danged good and confident. I'm all over this thing!

Then, Monday June 28 hit.

I'd been feeling a little ouchy in the tummy for about a week. It's come and go in duration and intensity. I rested up the weekend of the 26th, and felt pretty good about work on the 28th.

Part way through the morning, the stomach pain started up. I kept pushing through.

By that afternoon, I was in childbirth-level abdominal pain. I put my head on the desk and breathed through it until I felt well enough to drive myself to the doctor.

He gave me a new proton-pump inhibitor as well as a stomach pain medication, ordered me off my beloved NSAIDs and muscle relaxants for my jaw, and ordered an upper GI and a gallbladder ultrasound. (Told me it was scheduled for the 29th, when actually they scheduled me for the 30th, which is just the latest in a long line of incidents, and I really probably should fire that doctor, but whatev.)

I get my results back, what lo and behold – my gallbladder is covered in small cysts ("too small to have much chance of being cancerous, and it's probably not what's causing the pain" – thanks for the encouragement!) and my lower esophageal sphincter (what an unfortunate name) isn't flapping down right. So yeah, GERDy GERDy GERD GERD, my acid reflux is in full swing, and stepped it up a notch.

Cut out more foods. Somewhat unsuccessfully. There's only so much you can cut out, ya know? I've already cut out all gluten, now I'm supposed to give up tomatoes, coffee (ha!), Diet Coke (HAHA!), Red Bull (DOUBLEFREAKINGHAHA), chocolate (Sweet Jebus, no!), orange juice (okay, I'll relent there), etc.?

So whatevs, I've been eating stuff that makes my tummy feel comfy. And I'm back down to no energy. Oh, and since I’m off my NSAIDs, not only does my jaw hurt like hell (but I'm still gonna chew, dammitalltohell), but I discovered the NSAIDs were also preventing pain in my neck, shoulders, hips, ankles, knees, lower back, upper back, and I think even my blinkin' stupid traitorous elbows. So yeah, can't eat a damned thing (well, not supposed to eat a damned thing, it feels like), and activity levels are down, and sleep is crap because I wake up in pain 2 – 3 times a night.

I'm sure I've put weight back on, but I dare not look.

I'm just gonna sit here for a bit and be pissed. Every time I make a bit of progress, I get thwacked with something else. And it's really, really pissing me off.