End of the rope

[ebonlock]

Yep, I'm home sick again but fortunately I was able to get an appointment with another doctor in the department, which I'll be leaving for in about an hour. The doctor's name is actually "Allegria", I'm taking that as a good sign.

Anyway, last night was the worst to date, I took some Tylenol PM which usually knocks me on my ass for at least 8 hours. I was out for 4 and I've been awake since about 12:30 until now feeling nauseated and awful. I couldn't face food last night and today I can handle some Gatorade and that's about it. According to the scales I'm down 4 pounds since Sunday. It feels weird to get on a scale and dread seeing a lower number after spending so many years celebrating that very thing. Very weird indeed.

I wish I could believe I'd get some sort of answer for all of this today, even if it's a bad answer, but I'm afraid I've lost most of my faith. I just know I can't take much more of this.

Comments

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I can get to the doctor and back, however if I do end up being admitted to a hospital in the not too distant future I could definitely use a cat sitter if you'd be up for the job :)

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I can catsit. I can also print out salacious fanfic and bring it to you in your convalesence. Or copies of the new mix disc. Or whatever.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

All would be greatly appreciated.

[tattermuffin.livejournal.com]

Would your insurance cover a hospital stay? I'm wondering if some time in the hospital, with tests being done onsite and in a timely manner while you're on a feeder IV so you're not losing weight that you really don't have to lose might be a good idea at this point.

I'm really getting worried about you.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I think it would cover it but I have to be sent there by my primary or get so bad that I call 911 which I'm not quite prepared to do yet. I will do my best to convince the doc in about an hour to take me seriously.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Warn your doctor that I will bite hir if results are unsatisfactory.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a biting is in order.

[moonlightnrain.livejournal.com]

I don't say this often, but, well, I'm praying for you. Holding you in my thoughts, lighting candles and picturing you healthy, whole and complete... you name it, I'm doing it.

I'll see you in a few of days. Hang in there.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I'll do my best, thanks.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

So it sounds like it's not the gluten.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I don't think so, no. I don't think this is related to my digestive system, rather that there's something systemic and my stomach is just a symptom of it.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

Gah. I hope the new doc figures something out. Losing four pounds in two days, at your weight, is not good.

Like everyone else said: worried about you, and let me know if there's anything I can do for you tonight, like running errands or just coming over and keeping you company if you need it.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I may take you up on that, depends on how wretched I feel afterwards.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

Just let me know.

:/

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I think I'd be lousy company tonight, my plan is to curl up fetal and hope I can sleep. Gods I'm so tired I can't even tell you.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

Gah.

To me? It sounds like you need to ask for a new doctor. The food allergy thing seems like a likely route to follow (I just had an acquaintance diagnosed with a *bizarre* collection of food allergies, including just about every single grain under the sun, soybeans, nightshades, some shellfish...)

And if you need anything tonight, just give me a call. Seriously.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I will, thanks. I can't believe how wonderful everyone's been about this, phone calls, emails, LJ comments...after being treated like a looney by the doc this afternoon I really needed this.

[jsmitty-o.livejournal.com]

Like everyone else, I, too, am worried about you, and I, too, am willing to do what I can to help.

I admit I've been curious about gluten, too. I'm gluten intolerant, but I can handle smallish amounts without as much trouble as most gluten intolerant people.

I do hope this doctor takes you seriously. If he/she doesn't, have you considered alternative medicine? (Also, I forget what you know or don't know about more detailed food allergies, but it might be good to be tested for *different* reactions to food. There are different ways to be tested for food allergies, and most doctors do the "easy" way that doesn't pick up all sensitivities. There are ways to test that are more specific that might be good for you.)

Anyway, please do let me know if I can help in any way.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to go with alternative medicine from this point on. The doctor basically said he wouldn't recommend any more testing, there's nothing wrong with me and I should just learn to live with it. He stopped just shy of recommending I have my head examined.

On the plus side I've always been curious about Eastern medicines, acupuncture, herbal remedies, etc. so now's as good a time as any to give it a try I guess.

Whiskey Foxtrot Tango?

[moonlightnrain.livejournal.com]

Are you fucking kidding me??? Jesus H. Christ. I fucking hate doctors (well, except my dear friend keelamonster, of course). Hard to believe they take classes in bedside manner when I hear stories like this/have had similar experiences myself.

I'm so sorry, hon. I have a gigantic book on herbal remedies (and it's not even packed yet!) which I shall gladly scour for recommendations for you. I'll start with dyspepsia, but is there anything else you want me to look up?

Re: Whiskey Foxtrot Tango?

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

To be honest just getting the nausea under control would be a fantastic place to start. If you come up with any good suggestions on that front I shall happily try them out :) In the meantime I seem to recall having had really good luck with catnip tea in the past so I may try that again and see how it goes.

Re: Whiskey Foxtrot Tango?

[moonlightnrain.livejournal.com]

I have heard that, yeah. I always have great success with peppermint tea, and now there's a product called metromint, a mint-flavored bottled water, that I like too. Ginger is good too, if I recall correctly, either as tea or in one of the micro-brewed sodas that actually contains ginger as an ingredient.

Re: Whiskey Foxtrot Tango?

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

:P I can't handle ginger, but mint I adore and can definitely get behind.

Re: Whiskey Foxtrot Tango...? Yeah, I can't spell. ;)

[moonlightnrain.livejournal.com]

For some reason the book doesn't list nausea (even though it lists just about everything else you can think of), and dyspepsia points you to the entry on indigestion. The things we've already listed above are mentioned there, but there is also a whole slew of other information which can't be easily summarized. I'll pack the book for this weekend. I've already bookmarked the Indigestion entry and the one on food allergies (which could definitely be the culprit, especially if it's an ingredient found in a wide array of foods that has built up over time).

One quick question: have the doctors tested your stomach enzymes in any way?

Re: Whiskey Foxtrot Tango...? Yeah, I can't spell. ;)

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I don't think that's been tested, at least not to my knowledge.

Re: Whiskey Foxtrot Tango?

[silkblade.livejournal.com]

I was told, by someone into herbal medicine, that catnip tea is a muscle relaxant (and a better one than chamomile). I know it seems to help with my neck issues.

[divine-debris.livejournal.com]

This is ridiculous!! You know Mom's Doctors gave her the same run around years and years ago...What the HELL is their problem?! Do you have any friends who could suggest a reliable Doctor? I can't help but think that a female Doctor might be better anyway. I have a hard time believing that there is *nothing* wrong when you're in such pain and discomfort. Have they done blood tests as well?

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I don't intend to give up quite yet, and I think that the food allergy and gallbladder directions are the way to go next. I'm going to contact my regular doctor about these two ideas and find out what steps we can take next.

[silkblade.livejournal.com]

oh, it sucks the doctor didn't take you seriously.

I don't know what you've tried or what things specifically make you worse so feel free to ignore me if this is non-helpful but I have a friend who has a soy allergy that, if I recall correctly, caused similar symptoms in her and it's in so much stuff. I don't know if eliminating it for a week or two would be worth it.

I wish I knew what could help. Let me know if you need anything. *HUG*

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

I'm willing to try just about anything at this point, so I suppose it couldn't hurt to try cutting out soy for a little while. The problem right now is that I have no appetite even at the best of times, at this point I'm just eating anything that doesn't strike me as likely to make me vomit immediately.

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

I hope you feel better soon.

I cannot help but wonder if you're problem mirrors the stomach problem I had. It sounds so similar. Months of frustration, missed work and pain, inadverntantly solved by antibiotics prescribed for something else entirely.

If all else has failed it couldn't hurt.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

The tough part is getting a doctor to try it, particularly when they seem to think there's nothing at all wrong with you.

[windrose.livejournal.com]

After we get through with the Smithsonian exhibit at work, I am free and clear should you need someone to come stay with you. Seriously. Say the word and I am on the next plane out.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Oh honey that's sweet, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate the offer. But I promise I'm feeling a bit better today especially after a decent night's sleep :)

[h0h0.livejournal.com]

:(

Hope you start feeling better soon.