Gluten Free: One year later

Well it's officially been a year since I started a Gluten-Free lifestyle. After almost dying of Crohn's disease last year (I lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks), I found an awesome doctor who suggested from my symptoms and medical history that I might have gluten intolerance. While, I thought that was crazy, I was desperate, so I gave it a try. 2 weeks later, I woke up without pain for the first time in 15 years. I was able to discontinue the 4 medications I And it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be.

This year I learned the following about Gluten Free living:

1) It's not just for hippies.
2) Wait staff usually don't look at you funny when you ask for a gluten-free menu or what they have that is gluten-free
3) Making gluten-free pastries from scratch with weird flours (coconut flour does NOT work like wheat flour) is NOT the way to go. These are much easier to work with:

  

             Cup 4 Cup                                                             Betty Crocker Brownies and Cake Mixes

4) Bring something you can eat to potlucks in case no one else does.
5) Splurging on something not gluten-free is NOT worth being sick for a week
6) Making your own GF treats is actually kind of fun :)
7) There's lots of stuff you CAN eat... replacing wheat stuff with rice (but check the spices for MSG), potatoes, and corn products is pretty easy.
8) Hotdogs are gluten-free.... soy sauce is not (but the GF version tastes mostly the same).
9) I miss doughnuts and ranch dressing the most!
10) Mexican food and Japanese food have tons of GF options... even though they may not know it at the restaurant themselves :)
11) The biggest thing I learned is how supportive my friends could be! (Thanks again, Sarah for the birthday fiasco of 2012!)

 

 

Update

So over the last 2 months, I have lost 21 lbs. While I was looking to lose some weight, this was not the way I wanted to do it. I have been on steriod medications, anti-spasmatics, anti-nausea, and pain meds. I still can't wear normal pants, but the pain is a little better today. The colonoscopy showed I do still have Crohn's disease (no joke), but it's not severe enough to be causing the symptoms I am having. So the next test will be a camera swallow. I've had it down before, it's kinda weird. It's the size of a really big multi-vitamin and has a light that blinks on every few minutes to take a photo inside. It's kind of a cool little thing. You wear a belt with a transmitter and they download the pics after it passes through.

I'm working with another doctor thanks to one of my besties Natalie:

(This was so long ago, but I LOVE IT)

She's a fellow Crohn's sufferer and had great success with the approach from Dr. Lawrence. So for the next 2 weeks, I am flooding the body with good bacteria, enzymes, and gluten-free diet (I was supposed to do dairy and gluten-free, but I can't do it... I need my dairy). I've made it 2 days so far... lol... Not noticing a difference yet, but hopefully soon....Anyway, that's the update on my health.

In other news, my birthday is on Tuesday. Last year of my 20's... Maybe it's cuz I've been so sick, but I'm not excited about it like I usually am. I mean, I'm not depressed either... just don't really care... Maybe it's the promise of gluten-free cake that makes it sound less than fun...lol

Crohn's Update

Back on the prednisone, a longer dose than before. So I'll probably puff up this time. I think I need to invest in maternity clothes until this all subsides. As if the nausea, vomiting, and other stuff wasn't enough, time to get fat... No one have a wedding or other special event requiring life-long treasured photos in the next few weeks/months, ok?!

New adventures in Crohn's Disease

So I learned something today: When you're gastroenterologist orders a CT scan for your Crohn's disease, this includes a LARGE tube with contrast shoved where the sun doesn't shine and a huge bag full of liquid emptied in the WRONG direction... My dad informed me later that I am the only person who didn't know this... And while that part is really unpleasant, the aftermath is really what gets you.

Needless to say, I decided going back to work after that fun was not going to happen. I spent my Mom's birthday on her couch watching tv while she played on her new iPad :).

I knew it was probably serious when I described my symptoms for a nurse to call me back and the doctor called me himself and fit me in on Monday and ordered an immediate CT scan. When I came in they did a blood draw to make sure my kidneys were functioning correctly in order to filter the contrast. Unfortunately, they were unable to get any of my veins to work, so they only used the oral and rectal contrast and not the blood. Oh well, hopefully, it will be good enough. Whew, what a day!

The good news about all this is that I got a thorough examination of all my "lady parts" last week and they are in perfect working order. So when I get ready to use them to house a 9 month resident, we're good to go, lol.

Anyway, more updates next week after I see the doctor.

Wedding Weekend- Part I

Well lots has happened since the last blog... I went to the ER, I got married, I went to the Bahamas, I changed my legal name, I started studying for my MSW (Master of Social Work) licensure examination, and I went grocery shopping (those who know me, know this is kind of a big deal).

So 3 days before the wedding, my Mom and I went to pick up my soon-to-be Mother-in-Law from DFW airport. We picked her up and went to dinner at carrabbas. I had a special of the day, a chicken dish with cream sauce and cheese with an Italian Margarita. It was fantastic conversation and I think the moms enjoyed meeting. On the way home I started feeling very sick, nausea, cramping and decided we needed to pull over. I was violently ill at several gas stations for the last hour of the trip home. I was so embarrassed... and miserable. I assumed it must be ill-timed and very inconvenient food-poisoning...Then the bleeding started. If you've never has colon bleeding, let me tell you, it's a little terrifying.

A little background, I have had trouble with my stomach since I was in high school. I became a vegetarian for a few years and that helped quite a bit, but it was really inconvenient, so I gave it up. Now I just don't eat beef. Anyway, it got really really bad when I started grad school (turns out stress made it worse) and I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (after several trips to the Houston medical center and lots of crappy tests--no pun intended). I can tell you lots of funny and disgusting stories about living with Crohn's but the blood thing was totally new. Plus I have been in a solid remission for about the last 2 years with only minor, short flare-ups.

After 15 hours of this (and being up all night), the vomiting started and I decided it was time to take a trip to the hospital. So it's Friday, the wedding is in 2 days, guests have begun arriving in town, I'm supposed to pick up my college roommate and one of my best friends ('cause let's face it, the 4 ladies who were my bridesmaids are all my best friends) at DFW Airport in the afternoon, and my dad and I are sitting in the waiting room of the ER (Hadn't told the fiance I went to the hospital yet, because he was in Austin picking up family and I didn't want him to worry). And this wouldn't even be so bad, except that since it was Memorial Day Weekend, many people were visiting family in their nursing home and panicking at the sight of their love one's illnesses and calling ambulances. 21 nursing home patients were brought in during the first hour I was there; and apparently you have to immediately treat the nursing home patients regardless of who else is in the ER... So 4 hours later my dad reminded the nurse that I am still bleeding from my insides. Apparently, my dad is an intimidating person (heehee) and I got a room.

Once I saw a doctor, I explained my symptoms, Dad blurted out that I had Crohn's disease; differential diagnosis over! Any time you mention Crohn's disease to a doctor, nothing else matters... sprained ankle? Probably related to the Crohn's... Headache? I'm sure it's related to your Crohn's... You've grown a 3rd toe? Yeah, Crohn's can do that... WHAT?!? Anyway, long story short, they gave me IV fluids, pain-killer, and steroid medication. I had to cancel the "Pre-Wedding Weekend Kick-off Party" and my poor Amyfriend had to be relayed around by various friends (thanks, Sarah) to get her to my house. But the bleeding stopped and we were able to continue on the next day with wedding festivities...