Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Lot Of Changes

A lot of health babble.  Skip if this doesn't interest you.  I won't be offended ;)

Well, this morning I had my appointment with the endocrinologist.  FINALLY.  That appointment seemed to take forever (as it turns out, thanks to my doc. I told him it took 4 months to get that app't and he said that my GP didn't write much, other than "Hypoglycemia?", so there was no rush. Nice, eh?).  Fact 1: He liked to listen to himself talk, I think.  He did a lot of that.  At first I thought he was spouting a lot of usual b.s that's in the textbooks that he's studied and knows by heart, but it turned out that he *did* listen to what I had to say and he *did* regurgitate back information pertaining to certain issues.  So you can take that however you like, I guess.  He really did talk a lot and he was soft-spoken, so that was a challenge.  Fact 2: He listened to my concerns and I'm *finally* getting my thyroid checked.  In fact, it was no issue to him at all.  Fact 3: He was honest and said it how it was; "I don't think that's what it is and I think *you* know that's not what it is, but we'll test it to confirm process of elimination and to alleviate any larger concerns".  Y'know what?  Deal.  That's all I ask.

We know it's not hypoglycemia; I just don't have the numbers.  My argument is, why do I have the symptoms but not the numbers?  (To which I argue it might be hormonal.)  That, he said, can be anything.  But, we're going to look into it and he gave me a name of another gastroenterologist that can help; one that's more new to the scene and updated on things the other (longer-in-the-game) gastro may have missed.  He understands the last one just didn't understand what was wrong, slapped a label on it because they don't investigate further and done and wash their hands of it (to which I kind of freaked out and said, "But WHY don't they find a solution?!" Heh. Oops.  He responded, "Some things we're just not meant to understand. Why do certain people get cancer?"  Touche).  He also thinks IBS is just a blanket term on a grander problem.  When he said that, he won me over, because I've felt that since Day One.  That eased me a LOT.

Stopped in at my chiropractors office after on the way back downtown and chanced it to see if she had a spare moment to do an adjustment (without an app't).  Luck be have it, she did!  So I got an adjustment and we talked about things and she suggested a change in diet (well, duh).  Ready for this?  Instead of oatmeal and orange juice in the morning, I have to have steel cut oats (I thought you'd like that, Bix), egg and milk.  NO (orange) JUICE.  I might cry a little 'cause I love my juice in the morning (you have no idea.. I'm really attached to it!) but it programs my brain to crave sugar the rest of the day - and I do - so that's not healthy.  Basically she wants me to try the Atkins Diet for 2 weeks.  Even one week, if I can manage.  "You need to give your pancreas a break," she says.  So true.  Sigh.  I'll try.  But how do you change 34 years of eating?!

Gah.

So, we're doing some blood work and we'll go from there.  Not sure what else there is to mention.  Will keep you posted!

2 comments:

hydra said...

I've never heard of steel cut oats. What are they and what special qualities do they have?

Perovskia said...

Hydra - Yeah, steel cut oats is the whole grain oats which have been cut down smaller by steel, instead of being rolled (as you see, 'rolled oats'). Apparently they're lower on the glycemic index (so those with insulin sensitivities will have less of a spike). They take longer to prepare, though, I'm told (but last the entire week, should you make up a batch). I've never had them, so I can't comment on the taste, should they need to be sweetened, etc. I'm sure that's personal preference, like anything else.

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