My earliest memories were of stomach aches. I regularly got spanked for throwing away my meat even at a very young age. If I didn't drink my glass of milk, it stayed there waiting for me, until I drank it, or in many cases, ate the chunky mess it had become. I can remember trying to choke down "onion pie" late in the night, trying to make the horrible stuff disappear so I would finally be allowed to go to bed. The rare occasions when we were allowed to go with the Grown Ups to a restaurant, I would get a terrible stomach ache and not eat much anyway. My father was rather proud of the fact that he rarely drank water (or anything else for that matter). I was in my 40's before I realized that most people pooped every day, usually a little while after eating.
I was diagnosed with IBS-C in my mid-late 30's. My slow digestive system coupled with the stress of being a single mother was too much. But there wasn't much I could do to help myself. No diet seemed to make a lasting difference. I also had un-diagnosed gall bladder problem, that was finally corrected when they took my gall bladder out around the time I was 40. No more gall stones, but the digestion issues continued.
I also have Graves Disease and had my thyroid radiated (twice) in my mid 30's. I have taken thyroid replacement hormones daily since then and have my levels checked every six months or so. I am developing some sort of arthritis in my hands, feet, hips, neck, back, knees, etc... I have developed Vitiligo and Lichen Sclerosis, indicating that my immune system is out to get me.
I have tried an elimination diet and determined that I don't have any problem with gluten or nightshades. I am becoming more sensitive to dairy and have switched to a largely vegan diet. All of this brings us to the present. I am finally coming to terms with my digestive system and have figured a few things out. I hope explaining all of my stuff will help someone else who might be struggling with a similar story.
A little over a year ago I started seeing a different doctor and two important things came out of that. Well, make that three; A Really Truly Good Doctor is SO hard to find these days, but is worth their weight in gold. Mine didn't perform any miracles, but having a knowledgeable professional who really listens to us is so important. I feel he hears me, asks good questions and so I'm more likely to trust his suggestions because they are based on both his expertise AND what I am going through!
Second, he made an offhand comment that made me realize that I don't have a bunch of autoimmune disorders, I have one autoimmune system that is disordered and attacking my body in a variety of ways.
Third, he gave me some simple solutions to help with my digestion and helped me see that a few of my problems were actually me misinterpreting things that happen. "Fruit helps people poop." I had no idea. I've cut refined sugar almost completely out of my diet and had rather assumed that sugar-laden fruit was no good for me either. One day I had eaten a lot of watermelon about a year ago and had my digestive system clear completely out in less than 12 hours. At least it had all gone the right direction (no vomiting). But I had seen this as a cautionary tale that meant I should Avoid Fructose. He suggested it was just too much fructose at once. Amazing what good communication and some expertise can do!
The good news is that I have been tweaking my diet and haven't had a real problem in several weeks. I haven't wished I never existed because of my stomach in quite a while! I can clearly tell when I have eaten refined sugar since it makes my stomach clench up and twist, but the rest of the time it is smooth sailing. My gut has been mostly quiet and what little bloating I've had was tolerable. I have been drinking nearly the amount of water that is recommended every day, too.
The bad news is that my poops are still rocks, but they appear at more regular intervals now and don't cause the cramping and pain I used to endure every few days. I am still learning how much fruit I can handle and how much food overall I can eat on a given day and still maintain my appropriate weight. It's a work in progress, and I'll keep you updated.
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