My Stomach The Great Betrayer

I have this ongoing stomach thing that I take an army of medication for. Officially diagnosed as "gastritis" it basically means I have to be aware of what things will cause me to internally combust in a horrible ball of pain. It also means that I can't be sure what will affect me. Sometimes I can have something, sometimes not - it's a crap shoot. 

I drank beer on my most recent trip - no problem. I drank beer the trip before. However last night I'd been looking forward to having a beer, this new Root Beer called NOT YOUR FATHER'S ROOT BEER . I gotta go on record to say that THIS is a tasty beverage. It was just delicious, I recommend it HEARTILY to those without stomach issues.

I sat down last night at my first real night back home ready to try out the new WoW patch (my shipyard is awesome) and to enjoy just one of these lovelies. I wasn't sure how it would sit, but having just had beer a couple of nights before, I felt pretty confident I would be ok.

Right about the time I got to the bottom of the bottle, my stomach said "HEY THIS IS A NO!"

It starts out with a sharp centralized poking pain in the middle of my stomach. It grows and burns, until the pain feels like it's actually pushing outward through my back and front simultaneously. It could actually be burning a hole in my spine, based on the pain. 

I would like a "heads up stop drinking/eating" pain. Like maybe a preliminary burn - or something that would prevent me from filling my stomach with death fire ingredients.

But no, it waits until I've crossed the line and then punishes me relentlessly. Last night somewhere after the pain reached it's zenith I started to chill and ache. Why? I don't know. I piled on two sets of pajamas and socks and crawled into bed, I was so cold - despite the hot poker now seeking escape out my back. Julia came and kissed me and told me I would feel all better once I was asleep. 

She was right. 

I had one sip of coffee this morning, and a bagel -haven't had a damn bagel in forever it was good. I had all my medicine and I'm on my fourth Tervis Tumbler of water. My stomach doesn't hurt, but their is ghost aching going on - barely perceptible but it's there. I'm considering having part of a coffee to keep the caffeine demons at bay but only considering it.

I don't know if I made myself an ulcer or it was just the constantly inflamed stomach going on that impacted me. I'm reading about things I can do to reduce my inflammation and thinking I need to try something DIFFERENT. I probably need to go back and do another scope and talk to a doctor about it again. 

That is a DAMN good beer though. I cannot possibly say how sad I am that I'm not able to drink it. 

My Stomach The Great Betrayer

I have this ongoing stomach thing that I take an army of medication for. Officially diagnosed as "gastritis" it basically means I have to be aware of what things will cause me to internally combust in a horrible ball of pain. It also means that I can't be sure what will affect me. Sometimes I can have something, sometimes not - it's a crap shoot. 

I drank beer on my most recent trip - no problem. I drank beer the trip before. However last night I'd been looking forward to having a beer, this new Root Beer called NOT YOUR FATHER'S ROOT BEER . I gotta go on record to say that THIS is a tasty beverage. It was just delicious, I recommend it HEARTILY to those without stomach issues.

I sat down last night at my first real night back home ready to try out the new WoW patch (my shipyard is awesome) and to enjoy just one of these lovelies. I wasn't sure how it would sit, but having just had beer a couple of nights before, I felt pretty confident I would be ok.

Right about the time I got to the bottom of the bottle, my stomach said "HEY THIS IS A NO!"

It starts out with a sharp centralized poking pain in the middle of my stomach. It grows and burns, until the pain feels like it's actually pushing outward through my back and front simultaneously. It could actually be burning a hole in my spine, based on the pain. 

I would like a "heads up stop drinking/eating" pain. Like maybe a preliminary burn - or something that would prevent me from filling my stomach with death fire ingredients.

But no, it waits until I've crossed the line and then punishes me relentlessly. Last night somewhere after the pain reached it's zenith I started to chill and ache. Why? I don't know. I piled on two sets of pajamas and socks and crawled into bed, I was so cold - despite the hot poker now seeking escape out my back. Julia came and kissed me and told me I would feel all better once I was asleep. 

She was right. 

I had one sip of coffee this morning, and a bagel -haven't had a damn bagel in forever it was good. I had all my medicine and I'm on my fourth Tervis Tumbler of water. My stomach doesn't hurt, but their is ghost aching going on - barely perceptible but it's there. I'm considering having part of a coffee to keep the caffeine demons at bay but only considering it.

I don't know if I made myself an ulcer or it was just the constantly inflamed stomach going on that impacted me. I'm reading about things I can do to reduce my inflammation and thinking I need to try something DIFFERENT. I probably need to go back and do another scope and talk to a doctor about it again. 

That is a DAMN good beer though. I cannot possibly say how sad I am that I'm not able to drink it. 

Nobody Was Ever This Tired

Last night at about 8pm I was done. I can't really explain it, except to say I had to sleep. It wasn't an option. I've gained an ulcer from the stupid aspirin plus toradol regimen I've been on and I've had a miserable couple of days.
But last night, from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head I was unbelievably physically exhausted. I came home from a fun night (different post) and Scott was changing diapers and potty training. I went to lay down in the boys room, even though there were no sheets on the beds. I couldn't think beyond laying down.

After he was done he brought in the clean sheets for my own bed, and Louis and I made the bed. I crawled into it and fell asleep. I know later after TV time he brought the little kids up to put them into bed. I vaguely remember it.

What I do know is that I slept like the dead for 12 hours.

When I woke up it was pouring rain, the soccer fields were closed YAY and I had a splitting headache.

I had my stomach meds, some oatmeal and a wee cup of coffee. My stomach is now telling me I've had enough coffee, which is too bad because it's delicious and I've had two sips.

Charlie and I are watching Disney Junior. I'm going to sit here with my feet up on the ottoman and watch the rain. I don't know why I was so tired last night, stress from my week maybe. But I feel better, whatever it is has passed.

I just wish I could drink this dang coffee.

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Nobody Was Ever This Tired

Last night at about 8pm I was done. I can't really explain it, except to say I had to sleep. It wasn't an option. I've gained an ulcer from the stupid aspirin plus toradol regimen I've been on and I've had a miserable couple of days.
But last night, from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head I was unbelievably physically exhausted. I came home from a fun night (different post) and Scott was changing diapers and potty training. I went to lay down in the boys room, even though there were no sheets on the beds. I couldn't think beyond laying down.

After he was done he brought in the clean sheets for my own bed, and Louis and I made the bed. I crawled into it and fell asleep. I know later after TV time he brought the little kids up to put them into bed. I vaguely remember it.

What I do know is that I slept like the dead for 12 hours.

When I woke up it was pouring rain, the soccer fields were closed YAY and I had a splitting headache.

I had my stomach meds, some oatmeal and a wee cup of coffee. My stomach is now telling me I've had enough coffee, which is too bad because it's delicious and I've had two sips.

Charlie and I are watching Disney Junior. I'm going to sit here with my feet up on the ottoman and watch the rain. I don't know why I was so tired last night, stress from my week maybe. But I feel better, whatever it is has passed.

I just wish I could drink this dang coffee.

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Failing Dairy

So, of late I've had this stomach thing going on that's different from my USUAL stomach thing. Beyond the reflux and burning and whatever that I keep at bay with medicine, I've had this weird thing happen when I eat.

Sometimes when I eat, I will feel suddenly so full that I feel like I'm going to be sick. It occurred to me one night that, the exact feeling was that sensation that your food hasn't gone down right, that your stomach isn't emptying. The food seems to just SIT there, like I'm having some weird random bout of gastroparesis. The best way I can describe it is, you know the moments before the nausea but you know you ARE going to throw up?

That feeling.

It was hard to pinpoint at first. My first challenge was, I never eat LARGE meals. I just can't, I suppose related to my other stomach issues. So, my meals aren't that big so I should NOT feel like I just gorged at the buffet. Next it was just so random, it wasn't every meal it just seemed to pop up so randomly.

The first moment it popped up isolated that I pinpointed it was at work. I grabbed an ice cream out of the machine at work, and sat back down at my desk, nibbling and doing my thing when suddenly.........OH GOD YUCK my stomach went from hungry to overfull and bloated.

I told my friend Christine I had just had ice cream, and she immediately said DAIRY.

I considered it, and I meant to pay more attention but didn't for a couple of weeks. But I've been miserable on and off for a couple of days and then I decided I had to notice. In the morning after my breakfast yogurt, ugh misery.

Dairy.

I started reading about lactose intolerance. I'm giving it a maybe and decided that I would try to avoid dairy this weekend which I've already failed. Our mashed potatoes for dinner had butter and sour cream mixed into them, however they didn't bother me. I didn't put butter on my roll. I had pork loin, mashed potatoes and green beans and a roll, and no stomach problems at all.

So then. I HAD dairy but no problem.

This morning though as I was making the twins breakfast, I was pouring chocolate milk and took a drink to lower the level of milk in the cup (sure that's why), and within a few moments my stomach was UGH FULL.

My food intake as of that moment in time was two viactiv chews for my vitamin D and calcium, a glass of water, and that sip of chocolate milk.

Dairy.

I don't even know what to think but I'm going to figure it out and if I have to stop eating dairy I guess I will. It's a miserable feeling so I feel like it's a small sacrifice but man I will miss Greek yogurt because it's truly the best stuff ever for breakfast.

This is my surprised face. I don't know why. But it made me laugh.

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Failing Dairy

So, of late I've had this stomach thing going on that's different from my USUAL stomach thing. Beyond the reflux and burning and whatever that I keep at bay with medicine, I've had this weird thing happen when I eat.

Sometimes when I eat, I will feel suddenly so full that I feel like I'm going to be sick. It occurred to me one night that, the exact feeling was that sensation that your food hasn't gone down right, that your stomach isn't emptying. The food seems to just SIT there, like I'm having some weird random bout of gastroparesis. The best way I can describe it is, you know the moments before the nausea but you know you ARE going to throw up?

That feeling.

It was hard to pinpoint at first. My first challenge was, I never eat LARGE meals. I just can't, I suppose related to my other stomach issues. So, my meals aren't that big so I should NOT feel like I just gorged at the buffet. Next it was just so random, it wasn't every meal it just seemed to pop up so randomly.

The first moment it popped up isolated that I pinpointed it was at work. I grabbed an ice cream out of the machine at work, and sat back down at my desk, nibbling and doing my thing when suddenly.........OH GOD YUCK my stomach went from hungry to overfull and bloated.

I told my friend Christine I had just had ice cream, and she immediately said DAIRY.

I considered it, and I meant to pay more attention but didn't for a couple of weeks. But I've been miserable on and off for a couple of days and then I decided I had to notice. In the morning after my breakfast yogurt, ugh misery.

Dairy.

I started reading about lactose intolerance. I'm giving it a maybe and decided that I would try to avoid dairy this weekend which I've already failed. Our mashed potatoes for dinner had butter and sour cream mixed into them, however they didn't bother me. I didn't put butter on my roll. I had pork loin, mashed potatoes and green beans and a roll, and no stomach problems at all.

So then. I HAD dairy but no problem.

This morning though as I was making the twins breakfast, I was pouring chocolate milk and took a drink to lower the level of milk in the cup (sure that's why), and within a few moments my stomach was UGH FULL.

My food intake as of that moment in time was two viactiv chews for my vitamin D and calcium, a glass of water, and that sip of chocolate milk.

Dairy.

I don't even know what to think but I'm going to figure it out and if I have to stop eating dairy I guess I will. It's a miserable feeling so I feel like it's a small sacrifice but man I will miss Greek yogurt because it's truly the best stuff ever for breakfast.

This is my surprised face. I don't know why. But it made me laugh.

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Modern Medicine - I Am A Fan

I went two weeks ago to have an endoscopy done. Some time in my 30s, I started living with a bottle of tums beside my bed. And one in my purse. It became so normal that it didn't occur to me to mention it to a doctor for years. When I finally did, he gave me the heads up that THIS WAS NOT NORMAL.
Since then, it's probably been 12 or more years of a dance of increasing/changing my medicine to try to halt the burning death that was occurring inside my stomach.
Nothing ever really completely fixed me.
I took stuff that helped, but even on a lot of medicine, every day about 4 or 5 my internal furnace would kick up and my stomach would start eating itself.
After I had my gallbladder out though, I ended up back in the hospital a year later in stomach agony and they got me referred to a specialist at tummy stuff. I put her off for oh...8 months or so but finally on the 9th we went over and I had the procedure.
The place where we did it was a special center that simply does tubes up the bum or down the throat depending on the day of the week, and truly it was easy peasy. It was a very nice place, and they put me completely to sleep.
A brief aside, a friend of mine in Italy had this procedure done last year. He described the horror show of how you can't really breathe or talk and you're choking and gagging and it feels like you're going to die, and then says "But don't worry. They tie you down."
NOTE TO AMERICANS - DO NOT HAVE THIS PROCEDURE DONE IN ITALY.

Anyway, they found I have a hiatal hernia and severe inflammation. No infection or anything so yay. But they put me on a drug that she warned me my insurance might not cover because it's the bad ass of stomach medicine and we know insurance companies never want to cover the drugs you ACTUALLY need.

But miracle they covered it and for the first time in years, my stomach never hurts now.

It's sort of amazing the husband and I even had drinks Saturday night and I didn't aspirate the booze into my lungs in the middle of the night, and I didn't wake up with burning death all might so, I think we might've found the cure.

It's such a little thing, but you learn to live with little miseries until they become a way of life. I've got to stop doing that.
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Modern Medicine - I Am A Fan

I went two weeks ago to have an endoscopy done. Some time in my 30s, I started living with a bottle of tums beside my bed. And one in my purse. It became so normal that it didn't occur to me to mention it to a doctor for years. When I finally did, he gave me the heads up that THIS WAS NOT NORMAL.
Since then, it's probably been 12 or more years of a dance of increasing/changing my medicine to try to halt the burning death that was occurring inside my stomach.
Nothing ever really completely fixed me.
I took stuff that helped, but even on a lot of medicine, every day about 4 or 5 my internal furnace would kick up and my stomach would start eating itself.
After I had my gallbladder out though, I ended up back in the hospital a year later in stomach agony and they got me referred to a specialist at tummy stuff. I put her off for oh...8 months or so but finally on the 9th we went over and I had the procedure.
The place where we did it was a special center that simply does tubes up the bum or down the throat depending on the day of the week, and truly it was easy peasy. It was a very nice place, and they put me completely to sleep.
A brief aside, a friend of mine in Italy had this procedure done last year. He described the horror show of how you can't really breathe or talk and you're choking and gagging and it feels like you're going to die, and then says "But don't worry. They tie you down."
NOTE TO AMERICANS - DO NOT HAVE THIS PROCEDURE DONE IN ITALY.

Anyway, they found I have a hiatal hernia and severe inflammation. No infection or anything so yay. But they put me on a drug that she warned me my insurance might not cover because it's the bad ass of stomach medicine and we know insurance companies never want to cover the drugs you ACTUALLY need.

But miracle they covered it and for the first time in years, my stomach never hurts now.

It's sort of amazing the husband and I even had drinks Saturday night and I didn't aspirate the booze into my lungs in the middle of the night, and I didn't wake up with burning death all might so, I think we might've found the cure.

It's such a little thing, but you learn to live with little miseries until they become a way of life. I've got to stop doing that.
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