About 10 years ago I fell in love with an X-Box game my kids used to play called Need For Speed. It was a racing game in which as you earned points you could buy better and faster cars and race against other drivers in beautiful locations around the world. If I ever got stuck or couldn't maneuver, I could push the black re-set button and my car would be re-positioned and ready to go. I have oftened wished for a re-set button in life.
As the month of May ended and June began, it marked the seventh month since my journey to regain my health began. The question as to whether or not I actually have celiac disease remains debatable, though my personal inclination is to lean toward a gluten intolerance brought on by something else, possibly a virus. Swine flu was running rampant through the town last year, and in fact I believe one of my own children came down with it as well. Perhaps there was something in all the viruses floating around that attacked my system in a different way.
Week 23 started out with almost no sleep again, with my personal GPS (code for vertigo) still out of whack, frequently causing bouts of nausea and an upset stomach. And if that wasn’t enough, I was walking around with an internal ‘buzz’ for most of the week, like some kind of massive caffeine high (I haven't had any caffeine for 7 months).
With the onset of the vertigo last week I decided I’d had enough with all the drugs and vitamin supplements. I rebelled and quit taking the prescribed ergocalciferol, and all the vitamins with the exception of calcium/magnesium, iron, and 325 mg enteric-coated aspirin (prescribed by the internist when they thought I might have had a TIA).
I went to my internist on Tuesday to discuss the results of the thyroid blood draws the previous week and the vertigo. The blood tests were all within normal range, and though he had no explanation for the vertigo, he performed the canalith repositioning exercises on me (a good description of this procedure can be found here) and in the process taught me how to do it myself until the vertigo went away. He explained that he experienced it himself last summer and took care of it successfully.
I performed the repositioning exercises faithfully at least four times a day, and even though most of the reactions seemed delayed (about 20 seconds after changing positions) and sometimes the reactions hit with a bang, the vertigo gradually improved until it was completely gone within 48 hours after my first repositioning session.
The end of the week brought more pronounced internal (and nocturnal) trembling in the chest area. Sometimes it even seemed to migrate down my arms towards my hands. Was it because I eliminated the extra vitamin supplements from my diet? Was this yet another withdrawal reaction? I don’t know. Only time will tell.
My exercise routine was very successful throughout the week with just over 4 hours of strength training exercises including 150 minutes of Pilates and 100 minutes on the Reformer. Additionally I walked 19 miles on the treadmill at a brisk pace.
It was a good week, but one which was clouded with apprehension with the reminder that anything could go wrong with little warning.
Showing posts with label Celiac triggers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celiac triggers. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Week 19 Recap: The Road Ahead
The week started out with more trembling and fluttering than I care to deal with, particularly because it worsened at night and often lasted till morning. If you’ve been following this blog, then you know that I found a possible connection between these bizarre symptoms and PPI (Prilosec) withdrawal (or any drug withdrawal, for that matter). Once I figured this out, I knew it would pass and determined not to take any more drugs for anything, if it can be helped.
I saw a dermatologist during the week with regard to the rash on my right wrist/forearm which I have had for almost six years now (possible dermatitis herpetiformis), as well as the rash near my left elbow which showed up about a year ago. She did not say what she thought of either rash, other than the one on my right wrist is clearly quite aged. She proceeded to take a biopsy of each, and I left her office with an unexpected six stitches, three in each arm. It will be interesting to see what she finds, if anything.
Toward the end of the week the night-time trembles began to die down in intensity, and other than being extremely busy sewing costumes for an upcoming talent show in which my dancing girls were participating, there were no new symptoms or return of any old symptoms. In spite of the exhaustion that comes from very little sleep and too much to do, it was a good week.
I tried to maintain my “physical therapy” even during this very busy week because it is the one thing I am not yet willing to trade-off for more time. I have to take care of my body, and the physical exercise is probably the biggest and best thing I can do right now. All of my treadmill walks went very well (walking 18.8 miles), and I feel my heart has finally reached a significant point of healing. Though I still get a heart palpitation about once a week or so, I have had none during any treadmill walks, nor have I had any chest pain of any kind.
I was not as successful in maintaining Pilates during the week (only 30 minutes), probably because it is usually the form of exercise I do last (in the evening) and all my evenings were absorbed in sewing and fitting costumes. I did, however, keep up the weight-bearing exercises on the Pilates Reformer (110 minutes)—which I know will continue to benefit my bones.
ODD THINGS THIS WEEK:
From where I stand now, the road ahead appears to be a good one. I am not even so sure I want to "test" myself with gluten because I am doing so much better now, even though it has been a long time coming. Yet I know the dreaded "test" must probably be done at some point in the future so I have a certain answer, one way or the other, as to what was/is making me sick, and so I know how to react in the future should I be "contaminated" in any way.
I can only say that prior to last year, I had never been sensitive to any foods, nor any medications whether it be over-the-counter or prescription. I do know that I suffered a traumatic event when my husband suffered a massive heart attack, and though it was the hardest thing I had ever had to deal with from all aspects of my life up until then, I felt it was behind us. And then there was the added stress of the "heart attack fallout" -- no money, no way to pay the bills, and watching my credit that I had worked so hard to build take a nosedive. As if that wasn't enough, dealing with my husband and his erratic mood swings was apparently more than my body could take. I felt I was on the verge of a major breakdown almost every week... turns out, my body did breakdown-- it just wasn't mental, it was physical.
All these events may have very well served as the catalyst, the trigger that set off the illness that slammed me down late last fall. Interestingly, celiac can be triggered by just such events. Though some people will not believe I have celiac, and though I have tried to dismiss it myself, I can't -- no matter how badly I want to -- and so life moves on.
I saw a dermatologist during the week with regard to the rash on my right wrist/forearm which I have had for almost six years now (possible dermatitis herpetiformis), as well as the rash near my left elbow which showed up about a year ago. She did not say what she thought of either rash, other than the one on my right wrist is clearly quite aged. She proceeded to take a biopsy of each, and I left her office with an unexpected six stitches, three in each arm. It will be interesting to see what she finds, if anything.
Toward the end of the week the night-time trembles began to die down in intensity, and other than being extremely busy sewing costumes for an upcoming talent show in which my dancing girls were participating, there were no new symptoms or return of any old symptoms. In spite of the exhaustion that comes from very little sleep and too much to do, it was a good week.
I tried to maintain my “physical therapy” even during this very busy week because it is the one thing I am not yet willing to trade-off for more time. I have to take care of my body, and the physical exercise is probably the biggest and best thing I can do right now. All of my treadmill walks went very well (walking 18.8 miles), and I feel my heart has finally reached a significant point of healing. Though I still get a heart palpitation about once a week or so, I have had none during any treadmill walks, nor have I had any chest pain of any kind.
I was not as successful in maintaining Pilates during the week (only 30 minutes), probably because it is usually the form of exercise I do last (in the evening) and all my evenings were absorbed in sewing and fitting costumes. I did, however, keep up the weight-bearing exercises on the Pilates Reformer (110 minutes)—which I know will continue to benefit my bones.
ODD THINGS THIS WEEK:
- Stomach ache again followed by same symptoms as usual-- kind of like a huge caffeine buzz-- nervousness and inner trembling.
- Discovered vertical rows of tiny bumps on my fingernails, most noticeable on my ring fingers. They are not the vertical ridges (which I also have), but tiny oblong bumps. Since they run the entire length of the nail I am guessing they have been there for a while. The dermatologist did not seem to know what they were and was unsuccessful at getting a good photograph of them.
- During one night, I felt strong muscle tremors in neck-- so much so that it woke me up. I remember making a mental note of it.
From where I stand now, the road ahead appears to be a good one. I am not even so sure I want to "test" myself with gluten because I am doing so much better now, even though it has been a long time coming. Yet I know the dreaded "test" must probably be done at some point in the future so I have a certain answer, one way or the other, as to what was/is making me sick, and so I know how to react in the future should I be "contaminated" in any way.
I can only say that prior to last year, I had never been sensitive to any foods, nor any medications whether it be over-the-counter or prescription. I do know that I suffered a traumatic event when my husband suffered a massive heart attack, and though it was the hardest thing I had ever had to deal with from all aspects of my life up until then, I felt it was behind us. And then there was the added stress of the "heart attack fallout" -- no money, no way to pay the bills, and watching my credit that I had worked so hard to build take a nosedive. As if that wasn't enough, dealing with my husband and his erratic mood swings was apparently more than my body could take. I felt I was on the verge of a major breakdown almost every week... turns out, my body did breakdown-- it just wasn't mental, it was physical.
All these events may have very well served as the catalyst, the trigger that set off the illness that slammed me down late last fall. Interestingly, celiac can be triggered by just such events. Though some people will not believe I have celiac, and though I have tried to dismiss it myself, I can't -- no matter how badly I want to -- and so life moves on.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Researching Celiac Disease
According to the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse National Institute of Health), Celiac Disease is genetic, meaning it runs in families.
I received an email from my mother earlier today, and she happened to mention that one of my sisters had been to visit my parents over the weekend. My sister, who has been dealing with digestive problems (and liver), became ill after eating at a business dinner party the night before. Usually very careful about what she eats, something was slipped into her food that may have had traces of something to which she is very sensitive or allergic. Her son (my nephew) has also been suffering from something that sounds like colitis.
My brother was recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and my mother has suffered with chronic digestive problems for many years. Her cousin also has a very restricted diet, and the list of relatives with digestive problems goes on. She was thinking there may be a genetic link that makes us all susceptible to these types of problems. I believe there is, and I want to know if it is Celiac Disease, or gluten intolerance (treated the same).
Though people may test positive for CD, they don't always develop a full-blown version. According to the source above, "Sometimes the disease is triggered -- or becomes active for the first time-- after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress."
Well, that kind of says a lot for my personal story: My husband suffered a massive heart attack early in the year, and we almost lost him. It was so bad it took 12 shocks to stabilize the heart, and he spent a week in the ICU. We had no incoming money and no savings to rely on, and no health insurance. During the following months we encountered one serious setback after the other. Every week I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. After the heart attack, the cardiologist told me I might need help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Maybe my level of stress triggered my digestive issues.
The same source also lists 12 other symptoms that can accompany CD:
unexplained iron-deficiency anemia
fatigue
bone or joint pain
arthritis
bone loss or osteoporosis
depression or anxiety
tingling numbness in the hands and feet
seizures
missed menstrual periods
infertility or recurrent miscarriage
canker sores inside the mouth
An itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis
Ever since my trip to the ER in late October I have been telling doctors and nurses that my extremities were tingly and numb!! They usually look at me in a very puzzled way. Only one nurser practitioner brought up the possibility of a wheat allergy or Celiac Disease. I have seven of those symptoms listed above. Dental enamel defects are also common (something I've had all my life). If that is not enough, when I was small people were always telling me I was malnourished. Even into adulthood doctors would tell me to take vitamins because I always seemed deficient, and had a hard time keeping my iron levels up.
Other health problems that people with CD may have include:
Currently, I am faced with the blood tests. In order to test for CD, I will have to return to a gluten diet, which I am not looking forward to, but willing to do to get a definitive diagnosis.
The NDDIC is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. Please visit the website for complete information.
I received an email from my mother earlier today, and she happened to mention that one of my sisters had been to visit my parents over the weekend. My sister, who has been dealing with digestive problems (and liver), became ill after eating at a business dinner party the night before. Usually very careful about what she eats, something was slipped into her food that may have had traces of something to which she is very sensitive or allergic. Her son (my nephew) has also been suffering from something that sounds like colitis.
My brother was recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and my mother has suffered with chronic digestive problems for many years. Her cousin also has a very restricted diet, and the list of relatives with digestive problems goes on. She was thinking there may be a genetic link that makes us all susceptible to these types of problems. I believe there is, and I want to know if it is Celiac Disease, or gluten intolerance (treated the same).
Though people may test positive for CD, they don't always develop a full-blown version. According to the source above, "Sometimes the disease is triggered -- or becomes active for the first time-- after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress."
Well, that kind of says a lot for my personal story: My husband suffered a massive heart attack early in the year, and we almost lost him. It was so bad it took 12 shocks to stabilize the heart, and he spent a week in the ICU. We had no incoming money and no savings to rely on, and no health insurance. During the following months we encountered one serious setback after the other. Every week I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. After the heart attack, the cardiologist told me I might need help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Maybe my level of stress triggered my digestive issues.
The same source also lists 12 other symptoms that can accompany CD:
Ever since my trip to the ER in late October I have been telling doctors and nurses that my extremities were tingly and numb!! They usually look at me in a very puzzled way. Only one nurser practitioner brought up the possibility of a wheat allergy or Celiac Disease. I have seven of those symptoms listed above. Dental enamel defects are also common (something I've had all my life). If that is not enough, when I was small people were always telling me I was malnourished. Even into adulthood doctors would tell me to take vitamins because I always seemed deficient, and had a hard time keeping my iron levels up.
On top of that, in an effort to find out what happened to my "missing periods" (as listed here in the symptoms) I underwent an endometrial biopsy just yesterday. I'd say it is time to get back to that thought of possible CD again.
Other health problems that people with CD may have include:
- type 1 diabetes
- autoimmune thyroid disease
- autoimmune liver disease
- rheumatoid arthritis
- Addison's disease, a condition in which the glands that produce critical hormones are damaged
- Sjogren's syndrome, a condition in which the glands that produce tears and saliva are destroyed.
"Long-term complications include malnutrition-- which can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, and miscarriage, among other problems-- liver diseases, and cancers of the intestines."
Currently, I am faced with the blood tests. In order to test for CD, I will have to return to a gluten diet, which I am not looking forward to, but willing to do to get a definitive diagnosis.
The NDDIC is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. Please visit the website for complete information.
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