Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Costochondritis- Lucy Update

Here's an update on the Celiac/Costochondritis roller coaster. I don't feel so hot- but it's all good. Originally, I thought purging gluten would help me feel better quick. Not so much- who are these magical Celiac people that heal so fast?!?! Leprechauns and Unicorns, I tell you.

For anyone looking into Celiac, this week I've learned to keep the following foods out of my diet:
  1. Foods high in fiber- (more then 3 grams) for a damaged stomach to digest fiber is no bueno
  2. Any food high in fat - (more than 3 grams sends me into a crazy pain episode) -large amounts of fat are hard to digest, so the stomach freaks out, becomes inflamed, causes more chest pain and for me...lovely diarrhea, and pain/muscle spasms/numbness/tinging legs arms, and severe fatigue. I can't believe it took me so long to figure this out...I'm pretty sure this particular cycle kept me from suspecting Celiac...anything fried would make me so sick...so I never thought of gluten as making me sick and other foods/fats/fiber making it way worse. Buuuut now I know. -)
  3. Chocolate is hard to digest....so the pain increases- had to go.
  4. Brown Rice got tossed - it contains a protein that is just as hard to digest as meat.
  5. Legumes/Beans- High in fiber, hard to digest, had to go.

The following foods don't increase the Costo pain:

  1. Tree of Life Tuna
  2. Bananas
  3. Grapes
  4. Asparagus
  5. Zucchini/Squash
  6. Peeled Apples
  7. Carrots
  8. 1/4 cup of Red Mill GF Rolled Oats with water and Tree of Life Honey
  9. Organic Yam/Sweet Potato with 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  10. This week I'll be testing soy...oh mercy

Here' s a little video/update/recap...
And I just got a new green screen, but I don't know how to use it yet.-)



wow...next time I'll comb my hair.

15 comments:

  1. Oh Lucy. No chocolate!!! Now that is a tragedy and sort of clears up why you keep wishing me chocolate. I promise to eat extra just for you :)

    As much as I am biased being your Aussie superfan and all, I still can't believe you were worried about doing vlogs. All I think watching them is that's a girl I wanna grab a coffee with (my deep criteria for if I like someone). You could always see the green screen as your tribute to being eco-friendly

    I am going to be singing "man eater" for the rest of the day.

    Hope you feel a bit better super soon.
    Michelle :)

    PS Tamari (Japanese soy sauce) has no gluten, it's what I use.

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  3. lol- you are so right- that's totally why I keep wishing it to you-haha! I'm so obsessed with chocolate. =) You should have seen me today googling gluten free/corn free/ chocolate free/oil free candy in search of a replacement- HA HA! I was a madwoman, I tell you!

    Thanks for the vote of confidence about the vlog!! And Thanks for letting me be a part of your "coffee friends"-love it!...as a former new yorker who spent many hours in the warm nooks and cranies, before and after auditions, in coffee shops with my besties, I totally respect and appreciate such a compliment! =)

    Tamari sounds great! I'm gunna try soy this week and see how the costo reacts. oh- the adventure. =)

    Many hugs,
    Lucy

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  4. You are soooooo cute! Your real life mannerisms completely match your writing. :)

    It's been quite a while. Sorry for being away so long. No internet at home, still.

    I'm at work today, Saturday, and thought I'd check in.

    I've been pain free for about 14 out of 17 days since my fast. I think that's cause for celebrating, don't you? You know how reluctant I was celebrating after just one or even two days of no pain. 'Cause it always returned.

    14 days of no pain after a year and a half of pain is incredible. I think whatever ailed me (still don't really know for sure) is healed/healing.

    My new theory (I know--I'm full of them) is a tooth infection (and maybe a combination of that and other things too--like the candida overgrowth).

    Reason I believe it is because several days into my fast, my tooth started hurting. I put oil of oregeno on the gum surrounding and not only did that pain subside, so did the crazy neck stiffness on that same side (left tooth, left side of neck). I was shocked. So I kept it up. Because I was still waiting for new dental insurance to kick in, I couldn't go get an x-ray to confirm; but I kept up the oregeno, and eventually the abdomen pain subsided, too.

    and all for days and days in a row. i did some internet research (as you know i do :) about tooth infections. read it's very possible to have a bad one and not even feel pain in the tooth. duh!

    it seems a bit crazy/crappy/convoluted that a year and a half of pain and misery and fear and crying and all that other stuff could be caused by a secret, hiding, sneaky tooth infection. but maybe.

    i don't know. i just don't know. but i do know that pain free makes me very happy. i'm running again. i'm doing yoga at home. i'm eating carbs and sugars again (should still hold back on those 'cause they are showing up in my hips! :)

    i am so thankful. just thought i'd share 'cause if that can cause me pain, it could be causing someone else's pain, too. it's just worth looking into.

    did i mention that i love love love oil of oregano? it's just the best thing since sliced Millet Bread. :) he he that one's for you.

    Well, hoping and praying for your full recovery. So glad I met a girl named Lucy. You're a sweet friend. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

    That goose video is hilarious, too. Made me lol. ;0

    Hugs, Angela

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  5. Hey there,

    More great vlogs; thanks! I didn't know geese were that strong, or big for that matter! Also I'm glad to hear that gluten-free has shown some improvement! And way to go for stiking to such a spartan diet (I hear ya on the soy! ugg!)

    Wow only 20 minutes a day of talking. You meant it when you said you gave up talking! Jeez, I feel like a wimp for complaining about my condition...well I guess it's all relative, and I am definitely experiencing the "spoons" effect (feeling like I have limited talking/energy per day because of my condition).

    So I admire you for chugging along and really committing to your therapy!

    Thanks for asking about my progress--my bone scan revealed that I had a fractured or injured rib. Hooray! I can be thankful that something tangible actually showed up, right?! But I still have a feeling that I have costo, or something else that is at the front of my chest (the scan showed my rib was damaged at the back).

    Also, I'm still pursuing your idea of finding a dr. for a sports team...well I haven't gone that aggressive (to actually find a dr. for a team, guess I'm afraid they'll have a wait list a year long, but hey guess it doesn't hurt to try, huh?), but I have started to call dr.s in the sports medicine specialty. I'm trying to ask if they have experience diagnosing/treating costo or rib injuries.

    Even if it turns out there's not much you can do about it except rest, I feel like I want to find a dr. that's more 'on my team,' who I can ask for advice, etc. The one I have now admits that he still thinks the problem is anxiety, but he WAS willing to try this bone scan, so I'm thankful to him for that. Okay, enough venting!

    Hey I also appreciate that you post other people's comments too. It's great to hear their progress (thanks Angela and others for your ideas!).

    Okay take care and happy Sunday!
    Peter

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  6. Angela!

    HI!! I have been wondering how you are doing - it was a great joy to hear from you! Sounds like you have been working a ton!

    And I hear ya about the celebrating- I know it's a balance- but YES- 14 out of 17 days is AMAZING!! YAY! I will totally celebrate with you. That's HUGE! WOO-HOO!!! Great stuff.

    As per the theories-love em! You've seen how much digging I've done- so I'm a HUGE fan of being your own detective. I believe with all my heart that this is a way that the Holy Spirit leads us to healing. Please keep me posted when you do the x-ray? I'm SOOO curious!




    Peter,
    Hi there! Great to hear from you, my heart goes out to you- I know the whole spoons thing is really tough with this pain. It's so hard to put out a lot of energy.

    Wait- YOU HAVE A FRACTURED RIB!??!? WHAT?! OUCH! Peter- wow. That's huge...wow. I can't believe he thinks your issue is still anxiety. That drives me bonkers.

    And I know you really want a solid diagnoses- there's a lot of peace in that. Keep me posted on if you see a sports doc!

    Keep digging- your doing really great- I just know that you will get there- tenacity is huge player in this game.

    Sending support your way!
    Lucy

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  7. Thanks so much! Ahh...you understand! It (the doctor's diagnosis) drives me bonkers too. Thanks for listening!

    And it just dawned on me...if you're only talking about 20 min. per day, then THANKS A LOT for dedicating a good chunk of that to 'our' vlogs!!!

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  8. you are welcome, peter. although, i feel like my "ideas" and theories are all over the place, they'd cause more confusion than help.

    some day i wish i'd meet someone with exactly all the same exact symptoms. someone who knew the cure. but even if they didn't know the cure...someone who knew exactly what i was going through. don't we all?

    well, i talk like that because posting good news on your blog, lucy, seems to trigger pain. so...the next day after my last comment, bam! it was back with a total vengeance. in fact, it's now to the point where it hurts to walk. and not just a dull pain. but a painful pain.

    i'm so sad. and i feel like such an idiot! but, i will not give up.

    to answer your question, lucy, i did make it to the dentist. he said i have a dying nerve in one of my upper left molars, where i have had the pain ever since my cleanse. i talked with a friend who works for a dentist, and she said she's going to ask him about it, but that yeah...maybe it's possible since it's nerve related that i would feel referred pain in my left side of neck and left side of abdomen. seems out there--but so have all my theories! maybe i should just stop making theories. but they are all i have to hold on to when docs don't have answers, or make up answers.

    so, i'll research it. i'm going to keep plugging away. can't wait to watch another lucy vlog entry!

    there's my update. wish it was better news. i can tell you this, though. even if i go for three months straight without pain, i'm not telling you about it!!!! :) you'll just have to always wonder...

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  9. Angela,

    Oh friend, I'm SO SORRY to hear that the pain came back with a vengeance. Ugg. Girl, you are not an idiot- you are just a chick in pain who's really seeking an answer for her pain. Sending a huge hug your way.

    The tooth stuff sounds really painful. Thanks for keeping me updated on your journey. I know jumping from theory to theory can be exhausting and a let down from time to time, but i KNOW that you will close in on this- I had HUNDREDS of theories too before the Celiac diagnoses and each in there own way- God used to lead me to this place where I am. I just want to encourage you- this is not your life- just where you are right now- and I know you are so tired of this pain. Praying peace and strength over you.

    And if you go three months pain free- you better tell me!! lol. =)

    Lucy

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  10. Hey hun, it's been a while!!
    My costo is still up and down.... grrr!

    Have hopsital appointment with the rheumatologist on the 6th, I've been waiting for 2 months+ !!

    Keep up the good work with the vlogs! You're so positive! I think its great! You're an inspiration for all of us suffering! :)

    Just thought I'd update you on where I've been haha, which isn't any further! lol! I'm in the same place craving for some miracle healing!!

    Speak soon, tap back,
    Sophie :)

    x

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  11. Hey there girl!

    Great to hear from you- Bummed to hear that you are still having costo issues- gag. =(

    Wow- 2 months for your appt.- please keep me posted on how it goes! So glad its coming up. So curious about how it goes.

    Thanks for the encouragement about the vlogs- you're sweet. I'm testing the waters with it.

    Tap, Tap, high kick, forward roll, tap,
    Lucy

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  12. Hey Lucy--I wanted actually to respond to Angela's comment. Is that okay, or would you prefer that I went straight to her blog instead of "using" yours?

    So for now here goes:
    Well sorry to hear about your setback...that's totally 'not fair' that the minute you report good news you got your pain back. Well I just want to encourage to you and everyone to keep exploring your theories and post about them.

    Because, in my case I'd never heard of Candida, and I finally talked to my brother about it (because of YOUR post!!!), I found out he's been suffering from it for years. So now thanks to you we're gonna try Cand-ex...and I don't even think it's important if it works or not; I believe it gives him comfort to at least be onto trying something new!

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  13. Peter,

    Of course you can use my blog- love it! SO glad that her experience can help you!! Keep us posted!

    Hugs,
    Lucy

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  14. WOW! so glad i stumbled across this sight. when i say the word costochondritis people(even in healthcare) are like huh-what? i am 45 and have been suffering with this for 15 years. i will def come back to share my stories and to read others. lucy i see you are no longer doing this, but if you check back...very nice to share with everyone your trials. and i hope you are doing well! would like to keep this going and will be back when i am feeling better n it's not so late.

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