Wellness

[GingerPeach]

@LilacTree 

I hesitate to ask you to post here exactly what you eat in a week, or even a day, but if you can connect with someone you trust, like @cherry, away from the boards, it just might help with the details. 

I  know from personal experience that it's difficult to stick to food limitations, and even to stick to them long enough to make a difference.  

And as you said, a new physician who is more open to other approaches.  

I am familiar all too well with the ones who lift your hand, look at joint damage, and ask you "where does it hurt?" (or even worse, have their assistant check off some chart of pain levels) as if that's all there was to these conditions.

More hugs coming your way.  

[LilacTree]

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@GingerPeachwrote:

@LilacTree 

I hesitate to ask you to post here exactly what you eat in a week, or even a day, but if you can connect with someone you trust, like @cherry, away from the boards, it just might help with the details. 

I  know from personal experience that it's difficult to stick to food limitations, and even to stick to them long enough to make a difference.  

And as you said, a new physician who is more open to other approaches.  

I am familiar all too well with the ones who lift your hand, look at joint damage, and ask you "where does it hurt?" (or even worse, have their assistant check off some chart of pain levels) as if that's all there was to these conditions.

More hugs coming your way.  

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@GingerPeach

OMG!! Did you ever hit the nail on the head!!  My gastro doc always kisses me on the cheek when I come in and hugs me when I go out.  I don't need that . . . I need someone who looks at me and sees a patient who needs serious treatment.  I may only have a few years left, but I surely don't want to spend them this way.  (((hugs back to you, sweet lady)))

[Big Joanie]

i completely agree with food combining ... i never feel sicker than when

i have a meat and a potato together ......

[chrystaltree]

I get it, I went through something similar with my chronic pain issues.  I could write a book!  And I'm a medical professional, there's nothing I haven't seen in review of medical records and research (which I am certified in and qualified to do).  I knew enough to know what I did NOT have, so I knew when a doctor was guessing and I knew what meds I should NOT take, even when prescribed.  That didn't help me me with my years and years of chronic pain.  I made a few doctors mad becasue I would NOT accept fibromyalgia as a diagnosis.  That great "catch all" for "we don't know".   Finally, I found an endocrinologist who took the time to work with me and really listen to me and he didn't have a preconceived dignosis in is mind.  I won't go into the boring details but I had 3 or 4 different things that were all contributing to my pain and one the meds I was taking also had a little seen side effect of muscle pain.  So seldom was it seen that it was not even listed in the literature.  Your story...my story are not unique because the thing that patients don't understand is that medicine is murky.  It's not science on it's own, medicine and the process of diagnosing is an ART that is based in the sciences.  And no physician knows it all, especially our Pcp's.  I don't know what doctor you saw but it's well known fact that RA which is an inflammatory disease does indeed affect the GI system.  People with RA are known to have more GI issues than the average person.  They have bloating, abdominal pain, constipatio, diarrhea and so forth and so on and it comes from the the inflammation and their imparied immunity AND from the meds they take for the RA.  Doubly whammy!   I don't how any doctor you saw could not have known that and how serious this is.  I don't want to alarm you but you have take ownership of this and see a GI specialist sooner rather than later.  Also, take a written copy of all of your symptoms including severity (use a 1-10 scale) and times and when they started and anything else you feel is pertinent.  

[Big Joanie]

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@LilacTreewrote:

@GingerPeach

What a sweetheart you are.  I know I shouldn't be talking about myself as much as I do . . . but most of you here help me so much, and I really do not often burden my girls with this because it scares them. 

I know I need a new good, young, smart doctor who is not as set in his ways as my 30-year gastro doc friend. 

But I am going to try all of yours, cherry's, and others' advice also.  I have always received so much help here, and I know it helps some of you also to discuss issues we don't like to discuss with our children, or even our RL friends (although you folks are all friends to me). 

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Talk about yourself all you want ... we are here to listen and help ... and

be supportive ....

[Big Joanie]

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@Danielle46wrote:

I don't know  your entire history but is it possible that you could also have a food allergy?  I was really sick last summer with bloating & terrible GI problems.  We figured out that I had developed an allergy to gluten (not celiac disease).  Within a week or two of cutting gluten completely out of my diet, all the problems stopped and I feel like a new person.  Also all the bloating stopped and my stomach is like a pancake now.  Little did I know that I was reacting to it for several years then suddenly it became really bad and developed into a full blown allergy.

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My DIL ... was tested for Celiac ... tests were negative .. but she still felt gluten

was bothering her .. so she gave it up and her bloated stomach has gone right

down .. it was amazing ....

[GingerPeach]

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@Big Joaniewrote:

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@Danielle46wrote:

I don't know  your entire history but is it possible that you could also have a food allergy?  I was really sick last summer with bloating & terrible GI problems.  We figured out that I had developed an allergy to gluten (not celiac disease).  Within a week or two of cutting gluten completely out of my diet, all the problems stopped and I feel like a new person.  Also all the bloating stopped and my stomach is like a pancake now.  Little did I know that I was reacting to it for several years then suddenly it became really bad and developed into a full blown allergy.

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My DIL ... was tested for Celiac ... tests were negative .. but she still felt gluten

was bothering her .. so she gave it up and her bloated stomach has gone right

down .. it was amazing ....

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This is important, too, @LilacTree@, as I'm sure you already know.  I know it's been mentioned before but thank you for confirming this, @Big Joanie.   I think anything we can do to help each other is sure to help more than even just the one who asked in the first place.  And not everyone reads every post.

[Big Joanie]

You are right .. anything we can do to help each other ...

You never know where a good idea or helpful hint can

come from .....

[LilacTree]

@GingerPeach

I totally agree.  Folks who have been through an ordeal can bring more insight than any doctor who hasn't experienced an illness in his life.

I always read Wellness even when I don't post or even respond.  I always learn something.

No one is asking for a "diagnosis," as we are often accused of doing.  We are asking for "experiences," or writing about our own issue . . . which very often help others in the same boat.

[GingerPeach]

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@LilacTreewrote:

@GingerPeach

I totally agree.  Folks who have been through an ordeal can bring more insight than any doctor who hasn't experienced an illness in his life.

I always read Wellness even when I don't post or even respond.  I always learn something.

No one is asking for a "diagnosis," as we are often accused of doing.  We are asking for "experiences," or writing about our own issue . . . which very often help others in the same boat.

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This exactly, my dear!