Chewing on it

[clevermanka]

I think I forgot to post about something I discovered about my post-eating swelling issues. They're worse (much worse) when I'm stressed. Physical stress, mental stress, doesn't matter. If my cortisol levels are elevated, I swell more.

Here is a perfect (but not the only) example: after Smoker on Saturday (after fasting all day), I ate a piece of the rosemary roasted chicken left over from Feast. Just plain roasted chicken. No sauce, no nothing. Just a piece of roasted chicken. By the time I got home from site, my belly was hard and rounded (it stuck out almost as far as my boobs). That wasn't the first time I've noticed a more dramatic reaction to food eaten during or soon after a stressful situation (even if I don't feel stressed out).

This was the final indication to me that my issues stem from my adrenal problems. So that is where my focus is going to be for the foreseeable future.

I am putting some thought into the idea of how long it might take me to get a handle on my health issues if I put all my time and money into pursuing health. Would it be worth six months of being broke and mostly socially unavailable if it meant I could see summer of 2013 in good health? Would it be worth nine months? A year? How would I react if, after X amount of time, effort, and funding, I was no better than I am now? How devastating would that be?

Pondering.

Tonight I'm trying yet another type of therapy with another practitioner in the Kinetikos office. Clementine does a type of energy work (I know, I know. Energy work?) that put me off when I read about it, but after speaking with her about her own techniques I have a little more confidence that this might work for me. It sounds not terribly different from the NMT therapy that Mikell Adams used to (resoundingly successfully) treat my seasonal allergies. A lot of the treatment has to do with a patient's conscious and unconscious readiness for change and improvement. So...it'll be interesting, at least.

I'm conducting another food/eating experiment today. If I eat a sizable breakfast by 9am but fast for the rest of the day, will my stomach still be swollen by 8pm? Is the act of sleeping crucial to my de-swelling, or is it just time? Because if I can eat breakfast on Friday and not have to do two full-day fasts in a row this weekend, that would be fantastic.

Comments

Kick food's ass.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Good luck! I know it's cliche to say so, but our health really is the most important thing in our lives.

It'll be awesome if you can have breakfast, too.

Re: Kick food's ass.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

our health really is the most important thing in our lives

Well, up to a point. Spending a little money now and then, and spending time with friends--also super important. Think of my current restrictive finances and social calendar. Cut those even more. That's a lot.

True dat.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Re: True dat.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Maybe another episode of Supernatural tonight after we both get home?

Happy Dance.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Re: Kick food's ass.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

I think of all those folks who say, " At least you have your health." Well, what if you don't?

Re: Kick food's ass.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

AT LEAST I HAVE MY SPARKLING WIT AND SNAPPY REPARTEE.

Re: Kick food's ass.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

Yessirree! I've got pretty much everything else I need and quite a bit that I want. I'm still hoping for the health piece of the life puzzle.

[miischelle.livejournal.com]

My celiac issues are WAY more reactive/worse when I'm stressed too - especially during travel. {{huggs}}

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

INTERESTING.

Wow, just think if most of my problem do hinge on the adrenal issues, and once I get those under control, the rest is a (heh) piece of cake? That would be amazing.

That would RAWK.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

[anomali.livejournal.com]

Do you have an endocrinologist you trust? I think that that might be the place to start.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Nope. Mine retired a few years ago and all the local endos are crap now.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

That sucks! My wonderful neurologist,who was in his late 80s the last time I saw him),finally left his practice/died. I don't know which, but KU Med called to tell me all his patients were being transferred. He was a remarkable man and had a personal interest in and understanding of migraines. I miss him: (

Have you ever tried KU Med? Their endocrinology department gets very high marks and the two people I know who saw Dr. Graves (whose name I recall because, you know, Graves Disease; ) both found him very helpful.

http://www.kumed.com/medical-services/endocrinology

I hope you can get some answers. From what I know of your health problems, it does sound like the pituitary-adrenal-thyroid Axis may be to blame.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

At this point, I'm kind of done with Western doctors. I see the KUMed website doesn't even list Hashimoto's as a condition, so that's not encouraging.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

I can understand that. Given the medical hamster wheel I've been on over the years, I can imagine that you have had similarly frustrating experiences. If you ever change your mind or need a second opinion, I would still recommend KU Med. I know that they do address Hashimoto's thyroidititis and other autoimmune diseases of the thyroid. It is included in their discussion of hypothyroidism, since it is the most common cause for this disorder.

http://www.kumed.com/health-library/content?contenttypeId=85&contentId=P00412

Endos at KU Med diagnosed, treated, and probably saved the life of my friend with Hashimoto's. His thyroid was barely functioning by the time he saw the doctor and, since he was a moody teenager at the time, no one had thought to check out his thyroid for years!

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Here's to narrowing down the problems!

OT-are there a lot of places to sit and rest at the Faire? Dean's worried he won't be able to walk around very much, with his back the way it is.

OT#2; I rented Avengers last night, and STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO SEE IT!!!

We drove clear to Natoma (Osborne County) to look at/buy a camper-AFTER I got home at 6. We finally got home at 2. If I don't get to see this movie tonight, I may break something....

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes! Lots of places to sit. Some of them are even in the shade!

Good luck getting to watch the movie! We watched with some friends last night. STILL AMAZING.

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

Good luck. I can't imagine what you're dealing with, tbh.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Someday I shall have a boring life and I shall treasure it.

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

*scratches head* I don't think I even know what that means any more, with the year I've had to date.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

Don't you find all the health problems hellishly boring? I know I do. Chronic pain is so very tedious!

I would love for us both to have lives where the surprises and challenges do not involve behavioral adaptation.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I dunno about boring, but tedious HELL YES.

I would love for us both to have lives where the surprises and challenges do not involve behavioral adaptation.

I'll drink to that.

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

Chronic pain is very tedious, to say the least! I, for one, have had enough, but my cervical spine and adjacent nerve network appear to disagree.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

Boredom, for me, always means waiting. When I am feeling especially lousy and can do little else but lie down and wait for the flare to pass, I can practically hear the minutes tick by oh-so-slowly. I have learned ways to enter and remain in hypnogogic states just to escape the excruciating boredom.

Shri, I bet those times at night when your neck and shoulders hurt like hell AND there is no sleep to be had are very tedious indeed. Aargh!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Then again, bear in mind that chicken can be LOADED with salt from brining as well, it's not always safe.

I'm really interested in hearing about the new technique trial.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

The chicken was not the only example, just the most recent. It doesn't matter what I eat, I always swell. Just when I'm under stress, I swell more.

I'll measure my waist when I get home and shall post my findings tomorrow!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Blergh. I know, I was hoping to find an alternative reason for you.

I'm about ready to throw in the towel and eat a FUCKING PIECE OF TOAST WITH BUTTER... or BISCUITS AND GRAVY.
because, yeh, what the fuck difference is it making to eat so very clean when we get the same results?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Well, for me, I'm terrified to turn on my celiac gene.

But yeah, once in a while I think DORITOS ARE GLUTEN FREE GIMME SOME FUCKIN' DORITOS, MAN.

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

Nacho cheese Doritos with plain sour cream (Daisy full fat). If not terribly lazy, scallions or chives may be stirred in. There is something disgusting about it, but it's one of those things. The last time I ate that was in 2007. I was watching a Deadliest Catch marathon on the Discovery Channel.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

NGL, that sounds delicious.

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

NGL, it fucking well is delicious. Mmm.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I do that, too! Daisy is the ONLY sour cream. In a pinch, cottage cheese, too, but I've not been able to find one without carageenan or other gum additives, wtf.

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

Toast. Toast is one of the few wheat things I miss. Toast with butter, toast with butter and orange marmalade. Buttered toast with egg yolk drizzled on it.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

EGGSAKLY! and my number one comfort food, grilled cheese sammies.

We better stop now.

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

I am very interested to hear about your experience with Clementine!

Nine months of full-on, all-out, health-or-bust could be good. I am also very interested to hear what you decide on that front.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

The experience with Clementine was weird. I don't know if I think it helped me directly, but it certainly made me think about some things differently, and that's always good.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

I am interested as well.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

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