Where have you been?

I have had several calls and more than several questions on FB asking me so I am writing this post to briefly answer the questions. I also wrote a note for FB.

Earlier in the summer, I was diagnosed with a stomach problem which left me pretty much restricted to a liquid diet. I blogged briefly about it before. I am allowed to eat any food that does not have fiber, fat, or spices. Some of the things that are allowable are: cottage cheese, no fat saltine crackers, jello, ice tea, water, chicken broth, white rice, and a few others.

I drank "Boost" and vitamin water for nutrients and of course the foods listed above.

My GI doc recommended a prescription that is not available in the US. The only drug available in the US had some serious side effects for many patients.

I visited my grandkids the last week of July and when I got home, my new medication was here in the mail. I started the new med and went back to work that Monday. By Wednesday I was extremely ill, which continued until the following Sunday. During most of that time, I was so sick that I didn't know day from night most of the time. I started to feel better and then worse. I went to my chiropractor on Tuesday and then to my Doctor on Wednesday.

I learned from my Doctor that this med can effect you neurologically as well as physically. In his words, "the medication sometimes does the same thing to your brain as it does to your gut"

He told me that I will have to wait it out and drink lots of water. I also learned that my potassium was extremely low. It was a 3 and should be between 28-38. That explained why my muscles hurt and I couldn't walk (my legs were bent under and I couldn't straighten them)

It also explained the sensory hallucinations I had been having and while that was a relief (knowing why), I still had to wait until the medication was out of my system.

It is now Saturday and I am just beginning to feel normal again. Yesterday I was feeling pretty good so I tried a few bites of banana and some avocado. That evening I started hurting again and the diarrhea started over. I couldn't believe that I had messed up and didn't look up the food content of banana and avocado - - - they BOTH have fiber!!

NEVER AGAIN will I eat something without checking it out first - even if I "think" I already know it's nutritional content.

At this point, I have missed 7 days of work and I expect to miss the next 5 days. I HOPE to be able to return to work by the 24th.

If you read this all, you MUST have extra time on your hands.

Thanks,

Vicky

PS. I had a WONDERFUL time visiting my grandkids and will post about that shortly.