Progress

So today was the day! I sent an e-mail directly to the GI I was trying to get in to see last week, and on Monday I received a call from her nurse. She was incredibly nice and apologetic about the trouble I've been having trying to get established as a new patient, and helped me get in to see a different doctor than the one I was scheduled to see. We met this morning, and it went...okay.

Pros:

Everyone I've dealt with at the medical center so far has been really cordial and has had excellent bedside manner. This is not as easy to come by as you might hope.

Very timely appointment. I didn't have to wait long to be taken to the exam room, or to see the doctor.

The doctor himself was nice, and easy to talk to. I was able to speak frankly about my symptoms, things I sometimes do to self medicate (wink) and didn't come away feeling judged. He made it very clear that I am welcome to call if I have any pressing concerns between now and my follow-up.

Cons:

The physical part of the exam was the equivalent of kids playing make-believe. I'm used to giving several deep breaths while my GI listens to my heart and lungs, then having my abdomen palpated to check for tenderness. What I got this time around was a brief graze over my heart and gut with the stethoscope, without even lifting the heavy sweatshirt I was wearing. It honestly lasted two seconds. I guess better brief than overly-thorough (meaning I'm glad there was no rectal exam.)

I asked for prescriptions, expecting to be handed paper copies to bring to the pharmacy next time I need to re-up. The conversation went on after that, so I didn't realize I hadn't been handed them until I was halfway out the door. I did have a page with my exam notes on it, and saw that the scripts were listed there. I went back to the front desk to ask if I was supposed to hand this to the pharmacy (and only later noted they had the wrong pharmacy listed, even though I had specified my preferred pharmacy with the other front desk clerk when I arrived.) She told me I was meant to call them to have them call the pharmacy when I needed my meds. It was confusing, but I was not in "self-advocate" mode today and decided to walk away and deal with it later since I don't need any of my meds for another month.

My previous GI sent my records, but they failed to make it to the doctor's hands before my appointment. I overheard one of the nurses say it was her bad, and I appreciate that she admitted it. Not a big deal, really, but I suspect having them prior to meeting would have made the appointment more productive. One of the issues I have with this health center in general is that they seem to have too many people going at once - too many chefs spoiling the pot, as they say. Instead of making things more efficient and effective I find it mostly causes confusion and miscommunications.

 Conclusion:

The take-away from the appointment was that I may need a colonoscopy to determine if this is a flare-up and requires prednisone, or if we should try changing course to bio-therapy like remicaid (yikes!) I, of course, am hesitant to have another scope, since the last one is what sparked me up back in April. So we're kind of at a stale-mate. I understand why he wants the scope, he understands why I don't want it. We have a follow-up scheduled in a month and, as previously mentioned, I am welcome to call in the interim if things get worse. If anything from my records or blood work from today raise any eyebrows they will call me. Somewhat inconclusive overall, but at least it's a start.

Of All The Things...

When I left New York for Vermont I anticipated a certain amount of culture shock. I knew I would miss certain conveniences. Food delivery, late-night dining, the ability to walk everywhere... But never, NEVER did I think the #1 thing I would miss would be the ease of making a doctor's appointment.

Let's recap: In April I had a flare-up. Just as it was settling down, my apartment burned down. That was in June. I have had diarrhea ever since. Some bowel movements are slighly less watery than others, but I have basically not had a solid poop since June 3rd. That is four months of the runs. For the first two months I truly believed it was just stress sickness from what we went through. We tried to make it work for us in NY, but I couldn't handle it. Everywhere I looked was a painful memory, even the good ones. Both our cats died of smoke inhalation and, having already lost my first cat to stomach cancer in March, I wasn't taking the extra loss well.  We moved back to Vermont in August, and I tried to continue my day job from my parents' house. Emotional issues and constant post-diarrhea exhaustion made that damn near impossible, so I'm now on leave while I go to counseling for anxiety and PTSD. Being here has, for the most part, been far less stressful than life in NYC. I'm enjoying being with my family, and seeing a lot of friends that I haven't been geographically close to in over ten years. The air is fresh and delicious, the foliage is knocking my socks off, and I'm getting my kitty fix by volunteering at the local animal shelter. My main complaints are the terrible drivers (always on cell phones - for some reason there are no hands-free driving laws up here, which is upsetting) and, above all else, the length of time it takes to get in to see a doctor.

Which brings us back to the four-months of diarrhea. In August I called a local GI to make an appointment. First I was told I needed a referral from my general practitioner. I explained that I had already called my insurance company, and they had said a referral wasn't needed, but they insisted, saying it wasn't for the insurance, it was just an office policy. So I called my GP back in New York, asking for her to give her blessing to get me an appointment. Her nurse called back after speaking with the practice in VT, and was confused beyond belief. So I called the VT practice myself for clarification - what they actually needed were my records from my previous GI. Ah. Now that's something else entirely. So I called the records department, had the files sent over and was given an appointment for November 1st. I took the appointment, put myself on a wait list, and crossed my fingers.

Then the letter came. Not even the courtesy of a phone call - a letter, explaining that my appointment had been pushed back to November 21st at 8am. Well God help you if you want to meet me at 8 in the morning. And it's a damn good thing I don't have plans to travel for Thanksgiving. Thanks for making these decision for me, health center. When I called to see if there were earlier appointments or better times being offered on the 21st I got a negative. So I called around to some other practices, but they all have comparable wait-times and fed me the same "we need a referral" line and I decided to just keep the appointment I had.

Then I got a UTI. Thinking it would be a cinch to get in to see my GP from my younger years, I called her office and asked if there was time to fit me in that day. Turns out because I've been away for so long, I would be considered a new patient, which my old GP isn't accepting. (Except, as my  mom learned when she ran into my old GP socially, she would have gladly taken me if the receptionist had asked.) I could make an appointment to see another doctor at that practice, but they were booking ten-weeks out. Yeah, UTIs don't wait ten weeks. Luckily I caught it early enough that chugging water and downing cranberry pills for four days staved it off. I certainly wasn't looking to go on anti-biotics anyway, considering the whole unending diarrhea problem.

Now I was pissed. I still am pissed. Every practice seems to be involved with the main hospital around here, which makes sense - but being that this is a health-center-wide issue, it doesn't allow for much freedom for the patient. Every practice I called had a sickening wait-time for new patients. I contacted my pediatric GI for advice, and he suggested I get my former GI to call the new practice and try to get me bumped up. Still no appointment. Still having diarrhea, and now abdominal pains to boot, thanks, in part, to the ovarian cyst removal I had a few weeks ago. The surgery itself went swimmingly - however, despite the fact that my chart says I have an adverse reaction to generic medications, I was given generic percocet for my recovery. Great job, health center! Thanks for taking things from bad to worse! Yesterday it dawned on me that the GI I'm scheduled with would have an e-mail address on the hospital website, so I sent her a plea to get me in sooner, explaining that typically when a new patient calls it's not just to make chit-chat, it's because they're in need. I wait with bated breath for a response.

So that's where I'm at. My appetite is lacking, my gut hurts, and I'm tired all the time. Being on leave helps hugely because I can sleep when I need to, and socializing with shelter pets lifts my spirits. I get to hang out with my mom and grandparents and friends during the day, and I'm definitely not as sick as I could be. That being said, I'm nervous that waiting and waiting to deal with this will only make things worse and that I won't be seen by a doctor until I'm in an emergency situation. Which is - pun intended - shitty.


Image Source: ehow

Hip Hip Poohray!

I did it! I finally took a poop that wasn't diarrhea! It still wasn't quite "normal" but it didn't sound or feel like pee, so that's a huge improvement. I credit the iron pills I started taking yesterday when I got my blood test results, which reported low hemoglobin (anemia). Iron can cause constipation, which is a good thing for someone like me.

Jeepers Creepers

So typically a fart is pretty instantaneous in its delivery, right? As in, it comes out and if it's a stinker you're going to know immediately. But lately I've been having creeper farts. They come out seeming harmless enough, then a few minutes later BAM! Right up the nose!

I'm not sure what's the blame for this. I've continued to have stress diarrhea for going on two months now. I've checked in with my gastro, and though he gave me some medicine it didn't really help. I'm not puking and my appetite is strong as ever, but my bowels refuse to produce anything but muddy waters. Although not the poop I'd like to be producing, the pattern has been pretty consistent, whereas this sneaky fart phenomenon is a new development that's only been happening in the past week.

Just now I was feeling the need to let one out, and before I could scurry off to the bathroom I wound up letting loose into my desk chair. I was at first quite impressed with the lack of stench, thinking perhaps the chair had absorbed any malicious odor and yet, about three minutes later, I began to notice an undeniable stank wafting up around me. Hopefully the distance from my cubicle to my co-workers is amble diffusion space. This very thing has happened three times in the past five days, usually while I'm in bed and winding down for the night. I'll let one rip, tell J to brace himself, then tell him the coast is clear when I fail to smell anything. Then within five minutes he reels away from me, pissed off and asking why I didn't warn him about the second round in the chamber. I exasperatedly explain that there was no second round, only a delayed delivery from the first.

In other news...
J and I have decided to leave the city for a bit. We're taking at least a month to go to Vermont and have some family time and some post-fire healing. We've been incredibly lucky to have friends let us stay in their basement studio apartment for the past two months, but have not been so lucky in finding a new place of our own. The bottom line for me is that I don't really want to find a new place here. So as of next week we're off! May my mom's home cooking bring some peace to my bowels...

In the Dumps

Ever notice Oscar's eyebrows look like a furry turd?

It's been a shit year, both literally and figuratively.

I've already posted on here about how we lost one of our beloved cats to stomach cancer, and shortly after I had another nasty flare-up of colitis which lasted about a month. I was finally recovering, and had gone to Vermont to visit my family for a much needed vacation. I was rejuvenated by the trip, came home to J and our other two cats and then the next day OUR FUCKING HOUSE BURNED DOWN. Both cats died of smoke inhalation (thankfully, I don't think I could handle it if we discovered they'd been burned to death) and we're now living in a neighbor's basement apartment as we get back on our feet.

All things considered, we lucked out. We have renter's insurance and the support from neighbors and my workplace has been overwhelming and eye-opening. We miss the "kids" terribly, but we have each other and a pretty remarkable support network to see us through. My pharmacist took care of getting all of my meds re-ordered without any problems from my insurer. My appetite has been decent, which is remarkable as I typically don't eat when I'm upset. I have, however, had non-stop stress diarrhea for the past week and a half so I'm exhausted an my butt is chafed. I know you were dying to know that.

So that's the update for now. I don't anticipate updating this blog again for a while since I have too much other pressing stuff to do, unless the stress diarrhea escalates into something worth writing about (and I hope it doesn't). See you in a few months?

xox
Li'l Crohnsie

Relapse 2012

Two weeks ago I was doing pretty good. Not taking great care of myself - drinking iced coffee and mixed drinks socially - but I was doing pretty damn good by all accounts. And then I went in for my annual scopes.

Ordinarily I look forward to my annual scopes. I get to take a planned sick day off of work and enjoy the countdown from ten as the knock-out drugs warm me over on the exam table. But this time I wasn't ready to go back to work the next day. As of today I've been out of the office for almost two weeks with a full-blown flare-up.

At first I thought the preparation was taking some time to wear off. I came home and pigged out immediately after the procedures (I get my colonoscopy and endoscopy done at the same time) and felt well enough, until I tried to go to the bathroom and a river ran through me. The next morning saw more of the same and there was little changed by Friday. At this point I had my doctor paged, as per the instructions on my release forms from the endo clinic, but while he sounded concerned his advice was "if you're starting to feel better you're getting better."

By that Sunday I was getting desperate for some relief so I took an Immodium AD. This stemmed the diarrhea, but started me vomiting. On Monday I called the doctor again and he suggested Pepto Bismol, which struck me as overly-simplistic- I'm not exactly consulting a gastroenterologist for over-the-counter solutions.

So J picked some chew tabs up from the corner store and on Tuesday I stepped out to by the old fashioned liquid and some popsicles, as the puking had turned me off to eating solids. The pepto did indeed help continue to slow the flow of the runs, but it also incited a stomach pain that resulted in a two-day festival of shomiting. Every time I'd sit to poop my gut would contract and I'd shoot liquid out of my face and into the sink.

By Wednesday, exactly one week post-procedure, I was done pussy-footing around with Band-Aid fixes and was ready for a real and actual solution. I was missing not only work but school, and in the middle of finals season to boot. The doc had mentioned there was very slight inflammation indicated on my scopes, but nothing that should make me sick. However, he did admit it was possible that the mere act of scoping me had caused the ruckus I was experiencing. I was eager to confirm this and left a message with his office that morning. I eventually got through to the PA, who always has it together. She was kind enough to call me even though she was out of the office that day, and advised me to come in the next day to be seen, or go to the ER. Well, had I any faith in my local ER I probably would have wound up there that night. I was having spasms every hour on the hour and it was excruciating. At one point I tried to camp out on the bathroom floor because I was so tired of the back-and-forth from my bed to the can. By 3am things began to slow down to the point where I was going every two hours and by 7am I was able to sleep for three hours uninterrupted. I was at my doctor's office by noon, and was given IV fluids, and anti-nausea med and prednisone. So I've been on 40mg for the past two weeks, and just started to taper down to 30 today. I have a slight moonface, but leg pains and sleeplessness are my current concerning side-effects. I've been working a few hours a day from home just to help out at the office, but the thought of commuting back to work on Monday is nothing short of intimidating. My boss and my professors have all been understanding, and I'm hoping to get more into the swing of things by next week.

Hello 2012, bring on the apoohcalypse!

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's 2012 already. I've been AWOL thanks to a business trip, finals and the holidays. Surprisingly, none of these events have seemed to spark much on the IBD front (knock on wood). Ordinarily I don't do to well with time changes, so the business trip had me a little worried since it was out West. Finals weren't that stressful because I was taking all design classes, so that wasn't a big deal. The holidays are usually the biggest risk, as I have little-to-no self-control when it comes to gorging myself on home cooking and drinking too much holiday cheer. We'll see if the piper comes to collect in the next few weeks, but for now everything's coming out nice n' easy.

...and on the topic of poop coming out, I just read over on io9 that wombat shit comes out in cube form. How weird is that?? If the world does end this year (and I kind of hope it does) I'm glad I lived long enough to learn that fun fecal fact.

Ploptober Musings

Isn't it cute when animals poop? 

It's been a minute since my last post, thanks in part to full-time job, full-time school and part-time tv watching. Time for an update! I turned 30. It's astounding to think I've had IBD for 18 years (22 if you count when I began having symptoms but was never diagnosed). Two of my besties got me an enormous blueberry crumble for my birthday. It was delicious, but also turned my shit neon green which gave me a good scare the next day. Still, worth it.

I had a pretty challenging summer - my grandmother had open heart surgery (she's fine), my brother and I were in a three car collision (we're fine) and one of my beloved aunts passed away from lung cancer (not so fine). I spent a fair amount of time contemplating mortality, moreso than usual (I'm a pretty morbid person).  I was also reading Jim Beaver's memoir Life's That Way which chronicles his wife's losing battle with cancer and left me bawling on more than one occasion, but it was very cathartic and surprisingly uplifting. Check it out if you or a loved-one is facing terminal illness, or if you just happen to have mortality on the mind.

I had a few bouts of depression and anxiety here and there, especially after the car accident. J and I took a trip to the Poconos about two weeks after the fact, and I spent most of the three-hour drive clutching the "oh shit" handle above the passenger side door, and had a killer migraine by the time we arrived at our destination. But this all passed, as most bad things do, and come September I was back in classes and happily distracted by work.

Gut-wise I could be doing a smidge better. I've been really, really bad about caffeine intake, and have snuck in a little booze here and there. This wouldn't be so risky if I weren't also on a lower dose of Imuran than usual. My white cell count is not what it should be, so I've gone from 175mg to 100mg per day. There's been blood in the toilet here and there, but apparently my blood work is still less than ideal, so I'll stay at 100mg and start taking my cortifoam twice a day again. (I've been using it once daily for a few months now.) I'm pooping more than usual. I'd say I run the tap at the office bathroom nine times out of ten in an attempt to drown out my trumpeting anus, but I fear running the water might just be a placebo, as I can still hear co-workers talking and typing from my position on the pot and it stands to reason they can hear me farting over the water. Hopefully they all understand this sacred wisdom: Everybody Poops.


Image source: Flickriver.com

Loose stool and other musings

On the heels of a poorly digested salad, here are two musings:

1.) Why does loose poop feel worse coming out? Doesn't it stand to reason that a watery poop should take less effort to expel and thus should be less irritating? Obviously that's not how it works, but it makes me wonder.

2.) I've also had another pressing question on my mind lately: what came first- "stool" as in a stool you sit on, or "stool" as in feces? And who decided "stool" was a good term for poop anyway?

In addition to these pressing questions, here's an update: last week I finally got my butt over to my GI for my annual scopes. The good news is there's no indication of active disease, which spells r-e-m-i-s-s-i-o-n! There is, however, a fair amount of scar tissue in my bowel, and some GERD going on upstairs. But all-in-all things are going way better than this time last year. My blogging will probably continue to be slow since there's not a whole lot to report on lately (and I'm a little overwhelmed between work, grad school and volunteer stuff).

I've got the power!!

Here's a great little clip from io9 about the power-generating effects of poop.  I'll be rich in no time! I've always wondered why the powers of pooh-gas have traditionally been flushed into oblivion instead of harnessed for the greater good. Well, the obvious reason is that poop is gross, but that doesn't stop people from becoming doctors or nurses or fetishists, right?

I hope everyone's having a great start to the new year, despite a lousy new congress bent on punishing the sick and disabled and more than a few signs of the apocalypse.  Well, I hope that's what they're signs of because frankly I'm not interested in watching my loved ones grow old and die and would prefer we all just go together at once.  Also, with all the nasty medications I've been pumping into my body for the past seventeen years growing old will probably not go well for me, so bring on the rapture!  How's that for a positive spin on the end being nigh? Let's just hope it's one big quick flip of the switch and not long and drawn out. 

I haven't made any outright resolutions, but I have cut down on coffee in favor of green tea in the hopes of reducing my cholesterol.  I've also been guzzling "superfood" smoothies from the Naked and Odwalla brands, and taking my vitamins again.  I could tell last Friday that I was getting a cold, so I made a huge pot of fresh chicken broth.  I made a big batch of chicken noodle soup with part of the broth and froze the rest for future use.  I even cooked up the gizzards in the broth and ate the liver to get some extra iron in me.  I drank some fresh orange juice at one of our local diners, which is what got me on the juice and smoothie kick and I must say I think these dietary choices are what kept my symptoms from progressing.  After a few days of sniffling and dripping I've managed to stave off whatever was ailing me- no sick days, no sleepless nights, no cold meds- I win!

I did have some blood in the bowl the other day, but for the past three days everything has been coming out firm and clear, so I'm not sounding the alarms yet.  I am due for my annual scope, so having that on the horizon also makes me feel less concerned about my symptoms because I know I'll be getting checked out soon.  I actually look forward to it each year because I get to take a planned sick day off of work without it coming out of my vacation time.  And I get to be knocked out, which is my favorite part of any medical procedure, duh.

In other life news I'm going to apply my Graduate Certificate credits towards my MA- I'll probably regret it, but I've signed up for three classes. Two are online at least, so that makes things easier. I'm also working on a few creative projects that I'm really thrilled about- one is a comedy writing group and the other is a multi-media project I just got funded through kickstarter.com.  I'm going to be a busy lady in the coming months...


Image source: Jaunted.com

)<>(

So those of you who have seen Miranda July's "Me and You and Everyone We Know" should recognize the above icon is instantly recognizable as the symbol for "pooping back and forth."
I bring it up because today my friend Paul introduced me to a new fun icon:

)|(

 ...

Per Paul: "That means loose poop followed by a log"

Terrific!  I will be using this symbol every chance I get.

Unrelated: does anyone else find their poop or farts smell like corn when they haven't actually eaten corn in months? 

A New "itis" Joins the Team!

                                                     This has nothing to do with the post, but it came up when I                                                     Googled "Welcome Party" and I just couldn't pass it up

Colitis was sooo yesterday!  Move over and welcome the new bitch on the scene, Scleritis.  After checking in with my GP, I went to see an opthalmologist who gave me an eye exam, as dramatically re-enacted here:

 From what I've read if my eye issue really is scleritis I believe (knock on wood) that I have a very mild case of it at this point.  I have an arsenal of eye drops, but may wind up going back on 'roids for a few weeks.  At least if it comes to that it will only be a 5mg dose.  I'm hoping the drops will just work straight away and I can avoid taking any more prednisone, but if I gotsta I gotsta.

Oh yeah!

Hi blog.  I forgot about you.  Sorry about that.

In follow-up to my last post, I actually did submit "poohlates" to UrbanDictionary, ta-daaah!

                                                                             Ttthhhhp

Sadly (or not?) there was no discernible difference in my poop that next day, at least not in a way that's as noticeable as when I do yoga.  But it was still good for me to exercise.

Also, in follow-up to two posts ago, I have determined that it was my Celexa dosage making me puke.  I'm now taking half the dose in the am, and half in the pm and not puking (except for when I do things like have crab bisque for lunch and follow it up with an iced coffee.  That sure got my juices gurgling!)  My mood has been okay, even when I do get my little bitch-snaps I try to remind myself to not hate on strangers so much, and try to move past things a little faster.  Gut-wise things are pretty steady.  I admittedly played with fire a tad a few weeks ago by taking two lemon-drop shots at a Karaoke bar.  Luckily most of the consequences I faced were directly linked to staying up until 3am and not so much the consumption of sissy shots.

The hair loss finally seems to be slowing down, but the acne doesn't seem to want to leave.  I'm sure humid polluted air doesn't help. But all-in-all I'm rebounding, and my Gastro even dared to put "nearing remission" in my chart last I was there.  Fingers crossed and cheeks clenched!

xoxo
Li'l Crohnsie

Serenity NOW!

I can't recall if I mentioned my increase of Celexa, but I've gone up from 10 to 20mg a day, and it is working wonders!  Of course there will always be people I want to punch in the eye, but I can now advance beyond that impulse faster than I could before.  This is not to say I don't often wonder if it's a bad thing to be masking my natural instincts and reactions, but I think the pros outweigh the cons.  I don't see us leaving the city any time soon, so for now it's necessary.

I'm not sure if being calmer is helping, or if it's all credited to the Lialda, but my poop has been great lately.  I've been eating whatever I want and have succumbed to my summer indulgence of Iced coffee every morning, and touch wood it hasn't wrecked me yet (tho I am still avoiding booze at all costs). I've been trying to get to the gym at least twice a week, usually on my lunch break.  I'll do some push ups and yoga stretches, then ride the exercise bike while lifting 5lb free weights for 10-15 minutes.  J and I also walk dogs for our neighbors, which is a great little workout in itself- especially when the dogs are three pit bulls and a giant chow mix.

So overall I'm feeling better, holding steady and hoping to stay that way.  I've been going to a great new pharmacy, where there's never a line and the service is excellent.  I think my hair is coming out a little less, and maybe my skin is clearing up?  Send some positive, pore-clearing thoughts my way.

xoxo
Li'l Crohnsie

Blogstipation

So now that I'm back on my feet (not 100% but still much more functional than I have been) and not struggling with any super-diets, I haven't had a whole lot to write about.  I've had some false starts and some ideas for little web videos but nothing that's actually inspired me to come on here and produce anything.  I realized I've been blogstipated, so here's a long rambling update for you to skim at your leisure.

I used to try to always post a picture of something that could be compared to my latest bowel movement, but nowadays my poohs are looking like Cadbury flake bars pretty consistently. I do have a lot of pics of my hair, like this one:

 And that was only one of the clogs in the sink!  That's some nastiness right there.  I'm just happy I have hair left on my head.  It's kind of nice that it's thinning out in time for summer, come to think of it.

I was home in Vermont for a week, making up for the Christmas visit I had to cancel due to my flare-up.  It was great because we got a good two feet of snow for about three days!  I hate cold weather, but since I had nothing to do but sit at home and be mommied it was a real treat and helped me feel like I'd gotten a proper winter fix. Of course, having no self-restraint I ate tons and tons of crap the whole time I was there.  Everything my mom cooked was delicious and quality, which should go without saying- but that didn't stop me from eating liverwurst sandwiches and chips and dip every day for lunch.

I was super depressed when I got back- happy to see J and the kitties, but really unhappy to be returning to a city I'm sick of.  I had a weepy few days last week, and I think I owe that not only to PMS but perhaps to some late-breaking Prednisone side-effects as well.  I had a blow-out with J, which didn't help (it's all resolved thankfully. It's a lot easier to end a fight with someone when you know they're just as committed to working shit out as you are) and then I watched "Lost" which didn't go well.  Whenever Hurley gets upset I get upset and last week something sad happened (I won't elaborate a- to avoid spoilers and b- in case you just don't care) and it had poor Hurley bawling his eyes out which got me on the waah-wagon as well.  After the sob-fests I finally remembered that mood-swings and emotional outbursts are a potential side-effect of the 'sone, and considering my hair only just started falling out I suppose it's not too late for other things to start up as well.  Lucky me!  I'm going to up my anti-depressant anyway.

I've admittedly been making terrible decision in terms of consumption- I was home sick on Friday after eating two frozen pizzas that kept me up all night puking.  I've also been drinking way too much caffeine, but eff it, I NEED that shit.  I was fine without it when I was all strung out on high doses of Prednisone, but now that the buzz has worn off I'm basically useless without some sort of stimulant and I've never been one for illegal uppers (downers on the other hand...Oh, I'm kidding!  I'm kind of kidding.).

So that's where I'm at.  Just kind of floating along like one of my fibrous turds.

Quickie Update

Well, my bowels seem to finally be recovering from Aunt Flo's latest catastrophic visit, knock on wood.  Last Saturday I began taking my 5mg of Prednisone every other day, and so far things are stable enough (although not perfect by any stretch).  I've definitely been pooping more, and the results have dropped from 4 to 5 on the Bristol stool chart, but I can probably blame myself for that.  I've been in kind of a foul mood, and haven't wanted to think about the IBD much, so I've been neglecting the blog and Twitter as a result- this is very irresponsible of me since I keep this blog as a way of keeping myself in line. I'm supposed to come here and confess the IBD "sins" I've committed- like drinking coffee on the weekends and eating too much junk food.  Then I'm supposed to feel guilty and atone for my sins by behaving (can you tell I was raised Catholic?).  Basically what I'm saying is that I've been making stupid food choices this week, and that's probably playing a role in the decline of my pooh quality.

My hair is still constantly shedding, and I've had some new joint problems this week.  My right wrist has been giving me trouble (this may simply be due to computer use) and my heels/Achilles tendons have been stiff to the extent that I limp when I walk.  I'm hoping these new issues will go away as the Prednisone works its way out of my body, but I might check in with my doc next week just in case. 

And that's all for now, folks.  More to come (eventually)...

Yep, that's my hair.

So I've been collecting the hair I've been losing for the past few days.  Yes, I'm gross, we already know that.  I just wanted to see my hair loss quantified, and there it is. Not all of it, of course, but most of what comes out when I comb and wash my hair.  I have a really thick mane to begin with so there's no discernible difference to my appearance in that regard, but it does make for a nasty shower drain.  I try to comb the loose hairs out several times a day (especially before getting into the shower) just to keep my shedding in check.

In other news I've been cruising along pretty OK on 5mg of Prednisone.  I've been terrible with my food choices this week, and I PMS is to blame.  I've been pooping more and with greater urgency (all still 4s on the Bristol Stool Chart tho, so that's good) and I've been wanting to eat nothing but crap.  Not that I don't usually want to eat nothing but crap, but my self-control can usually help me out there. 

I am getting really frustrated with the moon face and acne, and all the friggin' zits popping up on my back as well.  I also have zero libido which sucks when you're a twenty-something with a hot live-in boyfriend.  I like to keep my sex life private, but it really has been bugging me that my little gal seems to be completely broken. I don't know if it's a med side-effect or just my own head (it's very, very hard to feel sexy for someone who's been so close to your pooping and farting eccentricities) but I feel lousy about it.  J's a trooper, of course, so he's been a peach about it, but I can tell it frustrates him to no end.  OK, that's all I'm comfortable venting about on that topic, moving on...

I'm not about to declare myself in remission, but I am getting much closer to where I was before I had this re-lapse.  My energy is still pretty low, but daylight savings must also claim some responsibility in making me sleepier.  I did have some leg pains this week, but I had a bone density scan and everything looks good so I'm taking the leg aches in stride now that I know the bones aren't secretly crumbling.  I have to say, I really miss the speediness of being on a higher dose of prednisone.  I feel like I was more focused in a lot of ways, and in a way much more enthusiastic about things.  Now I'm back to being tired and unmotivated.  But at least my pooh is formed, right?

Holding Pattern...

Saw the doc on Monday, nothing too remarkable to report.  I've been pooping less, down to about 1-2 solid movements in the morning, and occasionally a nooner will pop out depending on how much I've had to eat.
I've been holding at 10mg of Prednisone for over a week now, and on Saturday I'll go down to 5mg and see how that does me. 

Most of my 'roid side-effects have calmed down, except I've just started to experience hair loss (no biggie, I have a lot of hair so it's not really noticeable.  Except to J, who keeps finding it in the shower drain much to his chagrin!).  I still have minor shin splints, and my eye sight could be better.  I have also been really, really bad about my eating habits since stopping the SCD menu.  Before starting the diet I had already removed refined sugars, red meat, and most dairy from my regular rotations.  I wasn't gluten-free, but I was definitely low-gluten which was a huge change for me.  And now I'm eating anything I can get my piggy little hands on!  Chocolate and cheese especially.  I'm hoping to get out and buy some healthy groceries this weekend to get me back on track. Regardless, my poop has been in good shape, knock on wood!

In other health news I woke up yesterday with that tell-tale scratch in the back of my throat that says "you are getting sick."  I started taking my multi-vitamin again yesterday, and today I've taken vitamins c, e, and b-complex as well to try and stave off whatever is trying to hurt my healthy cells.  I've been eating SCD chicken soup for lunch every day for weeks, and I had a huge bowl of it today.  I've also been drinking a lot of tea with honey but I just feel more and more woozy and sick-headed.  Oooh, I wish it were Friday!! Not that I enjoy being sick on the weekend, but after my last epic sick leave I'd feel less guilty not taking more time off.

Well, that's it for now...

I'm a Proud New Mommy!

 

I woke up this morning with a really tight stomach, it was absurdly uncomfortable.  I wanted to go back to sleep, but the more I rolled around in bed the more sore my tummy got.  So I finally decided it was time to get up and poop.  This has been happening somewhat frequently lately, and I've learned this pain means I have a big ol' pooh baby waiting to be birthed. Sometimes the little ones are reluctant to come out, and I find that walking around the apartment while massaging my gut helps to sooth the labor pains and I'm able to pop the buns out of the oven with greater ease.  

I'm pleased to report I've been hitting 4's on the Bristol Stool Chart with more consistency, and hope the trend will continue.  I did decrease to 10mg Prednisone this week, but I also increased to 175mg of Imuran.  I see my doctor tomorrow afternoon, I have to remember to make a list of stuff to report/ask.  I always bring a tiny notebook with me with a little list of talking points prepared. It's also helpful for jotting down notes from the doctor so I don't forget anything important.  

I was really, really tired all week, and kind of touchy, but I'm feeling a little more awake and chipper today.  Of course it's really sunny out and kind of warm, so that could be helping out also.  I'd like to note that I only ever have flare-ups during the winter months.  I wonder if seasonal depression might play a role in this? 

Oh, and I realized I haven't kept up with the cheek watches at all.  I basically leveled off, and think I'm starting to see a decrease in the puffiness.  Acne and facial hair are still the same- did I ever mention my little mustache? Yeah, I have a mustache now.  And my hair is coming out, but it's thick so I'm not worried about it getting to a point of being noticeable.  My appetite isn't as crazy as it's been, and I'm sleeping through the night regularly which is a huge relief.  I am, however, going to bed really early by my standards, and sleeping for about 10 hours at a stretch (and still waking up tired).

And that's that....

Quickie Update

Trucking along on 30mg of Prednisone, steady so far although I'm noticing more side-effects popping up despite the tapering.  I'm getting acne on my chest and back, my appetite is increasing, and my skin has been getting really dry despite consistently applying moisturizer.  I went to the gym and did some kickboarding and leg exercises in the pool which felt really good at the time, but now my right knee is kind of acting up.  It was actually in the locker room that I realized my whole body is breaking out, that was a wonderful environment to be in for such a discovery.  It wasn't that bad, it was actually pretty empty, but still, it's hard not to feel self-conscious about it.  I'm also bruising easily, and clumsy, so I have a ton of little bruises all over the place that I didn't know about until I was changing in front of a wall of mirrors.  So all the UES snobs at my gym must think I'm some weird, unhygienic, battered trust fund kid to be showing up at their luxury sports club looking like I do*.  I hope it makes them squirm!!

I got my blood results back- my cholesterol is a bit high so I'm going to try to start taking Cholestoff this weekend to see if I can get that back into the mix without affecting my gut.  The good news is my hemoglobin is up, so I'm not really anemic anymore.  I'll keep taking my iron for a while longer though, and keep finding ways to get more in my diet just for giggles. 

Well, that's that.  Things have been pretty boring, which is a good thing-a great thing- so I'm not complaining.  I lie, I'm always complaining, but I'm not seriously complaining this time.




*I got a recession special at this gym next to my office-no contract, so enrollment fee- all classes are included and they have a pool which is what sold me, in case you are also wondering what the hell a slob like me would be doing at a luxury sports club.