....in my very best Austin Powers voice!
I mentioned it as a footnote in my last post, the fact that I had been on a gluten free diet. It continues to be a revelation of sorts, in a good way. It has now been 4 weeks and I'd like to share a little more detail of this development with you.
I had been having a rough spell, during which times I withdraw from society and become a complete recluse. After a week or so of living on what I had in the cupboard I noticed my digestive comfort had improved and on reflection realised that I had in fact, inadvertently, been eating a gluten free diet.
When you are living with a chronic illness, any changes for better or worse are poured over in minute detail, almost obsessively. What do I mean almost obsessively?! It was obsessively OK!
Gluten free had been on my radar before. When you are looking for answers you come across all sorts of information whilst researching online. I have my own rule where I only ever try to make one change at a time, otherwise how can I be sure what it is that is making me feel better or worse? This takes time and incredible patience, something all of us in the online thyroid support community have in abundance, even if it doesn't always feel this way.
Anyway, the next time I ventured out to the supermarket I made a decision to give this whole gluten free diet thing a go, for real. It is basically a lifestyle choice, with the pros and cons this inevitably involves, but it is a CHOICE. For me it appears that the benefits far outweigh the sacrifices.
The sacrifices.... I LOVE pasta and bread!.... I LOVE pastries, biscuits and cakes!.... BUT.... I LOVE my new and improved digestive comfort MORE!
Did I mention, I LOVE PASTA????!!!!
Did I mention, I LOVE PIZZA????!!!!
(more about gluten free alternatives another time)
Right, let's cut to the chase, my digestive comfort! Which I think we all know by now is my way to avoid mentioning bowel habits too many times in any one blog post!
A little history....
Since being diagnosed with hypothyroidism my bowel habits have gradually become more problematic. My bowels are a topic for discussion, instigated by me, EVERY time I see my Doctor. For the last five years I have been taking 1 or 2 sachets per day of MOVICOL, a prescription supplement produced as an "effective relief from constipation".
Had this relieved my symptoms? No, not really, I always felt bloated and uncomfortable. EVERY DAY!
My Doctor is aware of this and not once has food allergy/intolerance been discussed as a possible cause of my digestive problems. NOT ONCE!
Again it was me, whilst in the grip of a chronic illness, who had to be proactive!
This is not right! This is another example of a failure in the duty of my care by health professionals!
NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!
After two weeks following a gluten free diet I no longer needed to take the MOVICOL. My digestive transit times are now less than 24 hours instead of 2 to 3 days. I open my bowels once or twice a day (approximately 10 times a week) and it feels natural. In the immortal words of Alan Partridge my visits to the toilet are now "textbook"! Ha ha!
It tells you everything you need to know about me that I can be so excited about something "normal" people NEVER talk about. But I have suffered!
After five years of discomfort and worry in this one area of my health, to have it improve so dramatically is worth the sacrifice. It has to be. It is a no brainer!
I am also hopeful that with normal service resumed in the bowel habits department it might make it easier for me to leave the house without fear and anxiety and the resulting loss of control of my bowels (translation; shitting myself!). This I have discussed many times before in this blog (and to anyone who will listen! Ha ha!).
It is too early to tell if this lifestyle change has had the added benefit of weight loss. I will have to wait and see if my clothes start to fit better, which would be great!
I am still getting used to these changes but I really hope that in the not too distant future I am able to leave the house and go for a walk, then build up to longer walks, and then possibly even getting my push bike out!
BABY STEPS!
I still believe, with every fibre of my being, that the best possible treatment of my hypothyroidism is still the key to unlocking my future wellbeing and happiness.
To recap; I have now been gluten free for 4 weeks. I have been caffeine free for 7 weeks. Also, it has now been 30 months since I quit smoking forever!
Yay! Go me!
BUT! I'm still fat as butter!
And I still have many untreated symptoms relating to my hypothyroidism.
C'est la vie!
But it is nice to be able to share news of progress with you my dear readers.
MOVING BACK HOME LATEST:
It is still happening but Mum did not want me sleeping on the couch! The box room (a 2.3m x 2.8m cell) is being cleared and a bed has been ordered and will be delivered in 2 to 3 weeks. Then it will be all change.
I have to keep reminding myself that this is a necessary move to make so that I can save a little money. Enough to see a private doctor and pay for my own medication if required.
All together now....
Remember, for as long as we have hope we have a chance.
Oh God, Robert. This post really rings true for me! I have to tell you that in the last few months I have often thought how underrated a good bowel movement is. In my case, I was so bloated for six whole months that I couldn't even wear my jeans as they painfully cut into my pregnant-looking belly. I went from buff to preggers thanks to my body adjusting to going off the pill. I believe that the dramatic act of going off the pill, which I had been on for 15 years, may have been what caused my food intolerances to rear their ugly head! What's more, just like your idiot doctor, my (ex) idiot doctor also fobbed me off and refused to test for food intolerances, even though I suspected them (and candida) all along.
ReplyDeleteSurprise, surprise - I changed doctors and it turns out I was right. The ex doctor even had the cheek to call me around 9 pm at night to ask why he had been dumped. I'm not even going to stress myself with explaining to him that he failed me as he is just too stuck on himself and wouldn't get it anyway.
Recently, my new doc commented on how I seem a different person since I've changed my diet and cut out my intolerances. She even felt I seemed a bit depressed, or rather resigned (as she put it), when I first came in. No bloody wonder really.
Within days of my new diet, my bloating went down and my bowel movements became regular again. Chronic constipation is a freaking nightmare, so I was overjoyed when I could finally shit to my heart's content (graphic but true!!!) Within a month of the new diet, I had gone severely hyper, so had to dramatically drop my thyroid dose as my absorption had improved (as is quite common when you eliminate foods you are intolerant to) and I've also lost quite a bit of weight.
Keep up the good work. As you have probably already discovered, there are some pretty good gluten-free alternatives around and we actually prefer gluten-free pasta to the real thing as it weighs you down less.
Love,
Sarah
3 cheers for Robert...Hip Hip Hooray; Hip Hip Hooray; Hip Hip Hooray!!! Going gluten free, digestive comfort and 30 months without smoking...they are all fantastic achievements!!
ReplyDeleteYou're right in saying digestive comfort is something "normal" people never even think about, but, for us, it's quite a milestone which should be celebrated...we understand how pleased you must be feeling!
Your anxiety around leaving the house sounds alot like me too lol. Most the time I'm ok, slightly anxious but I get through it, but on the horrible thyroid days it's definitely much worse!!
It's awesome to hear some progress from you!! I look forward to more!! :)
On the moving home - At least you'll have a bed, proper beds are much better than the couch. Keep reminding yourself it's the right thing to do as much as is required...you are doing the right thing for the current situation.
As long as we have hope, we have a chance!! :)