Last week I went in for a physical and did a little complaining to my doc. In the land of Kaiser Permanente Insurance it is easy not to see the same doctor every time you go. And, since I am usually only there for my annual basics, I don't really care. After my experience last year I made sure to set the appointment with a different doc. I thought it would be so easy. Ha. I explained all that I had been through to the doc. He proceeded to tell me that my diet must be working since I feel so good and that being tested for Celiac really wouldn't improve things for me. He said many other things that let me know that he really had no clue either. I asked for a referral to a specialist. He told me it was a waste of time. I took a little time and pointed out all the inconsistencies between what he was telling me and what I had been researching for the past 6 months. I respectfully pointed that out he was the only one telling me a different story and he finally offered that he was no expert on Celiac. Finally-we were in agreement! I walked out of there with my referral to the gastroenterologist and a huge sigh of relief.
I have to admit that I am really not happy about having to do this but today I decided that if I have to do it then I am going to make the most of it. You know, it will be a good opportunity to see what a gluten diet will do to me. But the best part is that I'll be able to eat all my favorites for a whole month- maybe longer if I can stand it! So, as I approach this with apprehension, I also am starting to salivate. Bloomin' Onions, blueberry cake donuts from Dunkin' Donuts, ooooh! I can almost taste them already! My enthusiasm may be cooled a bit as I investigate to see how many of these little tasty treats also have dairy in them. Thankfully I will not have to add dairy back. That would be the worst thing they could ask me to do.
Now I am left to decide just when I want to feel terrible. Perhaps I should call Dr. Mylanta and ask if the kids and I can move in so she can drive us around for the first week when I can't keep my eyes open. Bitterness aside, I think I'll suggest to the gastro doc that I'd like to do the grand experiment in November and December. Mom's apply pie and sausage dressing cooked in the bird.....mmmmmm! Yep! That will make my taste buds dance while the rest of me has no energy.
There is another bit of advice that my friend gave me. She thinks I ought to have Theo tested too. Oy! That really scares me! Celiac is hereditary. What if I have to take my gluten loving boy off of all gluten...even traces? I dread the thought but not doing the test would be foolish. While he has no digestive ailments that suggest Celiac he does have some pretty dramatic reactions to gluten in the area of attention span and impulse control. We have done some fun science experiments on him and have discovered a link between his attention and the amount of wheat he has consumed. My friend tells me that children with Celiac often have no other symptoms than ADD. Whoa. That made me sit back for a minute. So, when I had T in for his yearly I asked for a Celiac blood test. After hearing my history, the doc readily agreed
Bittersweet. That is what all this is. I feel so much better than I did a year ago. I can't wait to have some answers to questions and I know that God will fill me with his amazing strength as we face whatever awaits us.
2 comments:
So true, so true...Kaiser Dr's do leave a lot to be desired...I only had one in all my years with them that was amazing...the rest were just doing time, it seemed. It will be interesting to see what the tests results will be - hopefully, since you have stayed pretty true to your food plan, you won't have symptoms as bad as before. For me, it took three months of eating really bad to get back to that bad spot. Just please, please don't choose your two weeks in CO as the time you want to eat wheat - you will be on your own...I just got straight and need to stay there!!
Maybe we can figure out a way to make a bloomin' onion so that we can both eat it - let's give it a try!
yo sista
No worries about me doing that! I won't do the gluten thing until I get back. My appt. with the gastro doc isn't until July 31. I am not ruining our trip with the possibility of not feeling well. I will have T tested right before we go as he's been on gluten all summer. I figure he'll be at least gluten reduced when we are out there and I don't want that to affect his test at all.
I have started adding trace amounts back. I figure I'll do that for a time so I can do this thing gradually and not feel like garbage. I hope that is the case anyway. I used oatmeal in my meatloaf two nights ago and both Jeff and I had unpleasant reactions to that. I know oatmeal doesn't contain gluten naturally but it def can pick it up in the processing. Should be interesting!
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