Another Mini Update
I wish this post had something to do with this little photo of my desk...but it doesn't.
So I'm off to see another specialist again today (this one is a general surgeon for the very painful Ganglion Cyst in my wrist). I am sorry to say that doctor visits are not one of those things that gets easier with practice. My last visit (last Thursday) restored my fear in needles when I was fiendishly jabbed at by a nurse who was clearly fresh out of medical school and had the bedside manner of a warthog. If nothing else, at least I am learning how to really appreciate the time NOT spent in medical facilities. That's good, right?!
Then coming up next week I have an appointment with a Pulmonologist (lung specialist). Even though I'm anxious about it, I am relieved to finally have the referral to see him. I feel like I've been waiting for answers to my health issues for way too long. And even though I really like my general doctor I was beginning to get very frustrated with her, since it seemed that at every visit she would inevitably shove a depression screening test at me as though my struggle to breath, coughing spasms, chest pains, etc. were all in my head. But finally this past visit I feel like she actually listened to me, and now I'm hopefully on my way to finding some real answers.
On top of this, I've also been seeing a naturopathic doctor who I feel is really doing a lot for me. In all honesty I'm a bit put off by holistic medicine in general (since I've seen my mom try just about every remedy, supplement, and gadget under the sun with only moderate results along the way). But something about this doctor is different and I'm willing to keep seeing her since it is clear that she is actually helping me. Something that works...what a novel idea!
And finally...since I last reported on my health I have once again stopped eating chicken. I ate it around 10 times and didn't notice any positive changes...in fact I started to have almost constant stomach aches, heartburn, and my face began breaking-out like I was 12 all over again. Time to nip that one in the bud. I don't miss not eating it at all, but I am missing how easy it was to find recipes to cook. Sometimes vegetarian cooking makes me tired just thinking about it.
So none of this is simple or easy, but I am hopeful that we are finally getting somewhere and I'll have answers and solutions on my horizon very soon. Thanks for all your friendly words of support and kindness everyone. You all keep me going more than you know. xo Ez
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| by Ez Thursday, August 5, 2010 
Reader Comments (13)
I hope you find out something SOON. I am so sorry that your doctor wasn't taking you seriously by being responsive to your symptoms. I've had that issue before, and it's incredibly frustrating.
Ganglion cyst - old wives tale that actually works - hit it with a book! I haven't had one myself, but a friend did. We did the book trick and low and behold - the thing shrank.
i completely feel for you. about 2 years ago i began having panic attacks, crying spells, sleeplessness, headaches, stomach problems, irregular monthly visits... :) it went on and on and all the traditional doctors i saw just kept telling me, well we don't really know why these things would be happening but your vitamin D is low so here's a mega dose of that. when I'd ask if the low D levels could be causing my issues, they said no, but you should take this. Arrrggg!
Finally I had some luck with a combo of acupuncture and a naturopath. They listened, researched what might be going on and have a been a huge help. We determined I was suffering from adrenal exhaustion. it's been a slow process but I finally feel like my body is healing and getting stable again.
I hope that you too begin to get some answers and some baby steps in getting your body doing what it needs to. Finding health care people who listen is a huge step in the right direction. It's amazing how much problems can feel lighter if someone will just listen to you.
Sending you healing vibes and prayers,
( and soft nose-nudges from Honey + Hudson : )
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boltandfrolic/sets/72157594345172250/
i just dropped back to see how you were going. Im sorry you have to go through all of this. I hate needles too so I totally sympathise.
Im not sure if this will help.....but my little two year old was diagnosed with Juvenille Arthritis and through this little journey we found the books by http://www.drfuhrman.com/
They have helped us so much. After a couple of months following his recommendations she is almost healed. Anyway if this isnt for you, Im sure you will find what you need to do along the way. Sending you a little prayer for healing.
Hugs
D
After a bout with cancer and two monitered pregnacies; I found bring a book or some knitting helps to pass time and anixety at the dr office. I hope that you get some answers it is a long frustrating haul with the medical community. xoxo
I hope things get better for you soon! I thought you might like this blog...it is all vegetarian recipes as far as I can tell :) Click here to go to 101Cookbooks.
Good luck with everything!
i wish you a mindful and restful weekend, Ez. Sending thoughts of hope and well-wishes your way... :)
I am so sorry it hurt, and so sorry you are going through this. But, you are cracking me up with the warthoggish nurse.
I feel your pain, I always seem to have an issue that a regular dr can't help me with. Migraines, stomach pains, weird rashes etc etc. I gave up on going to regular drs after seeing more than ten of them for migraines, none of them wanting to do any detective work like mri or bloodwork to determine the cause- they would just prescribe more meds for me to take. My last visit to a regular dr was for bad fatigue and weird stomach pains. He refused to take a blood test and then proceeded to ask me questions from a general depression/psychological test that he pulled up on his laptop. Out of frustration and anger over this I started crying, which to him confirmed that I was in fact depressed and had no other physical issues! He was actually mean to me! "You are obviously depressed, no one comes in to my office and just starts crying!" Total jerk. I left there and made an appointment with a naturopath who spent quality time with me, did a lot of detective work, sent me for a blood test, and tested me for mineral deficiencies, allergies and intolerances. Turns out it was all caused by wheat and/or gluten! After a week of taking this out of my diet the stomach pains went away and my energy came back. Amazing! I now go to acupuncture for my migraines and a few other problems and am not taking migraine meds anymore :) only on the occasion when I do get a bad one- but I went from getting a few a month to a few a year. I have been vegan for many years and vegetarian for over 15- I have also done the "tests" to see if I would feel better by adding fish or something to my diet. The second you tell a regular dr that you are vegan, they go "Well, there you go! Start eating meat and dairy and all your symptoms will go away" Quite the opposite! I am still figuring it all out- some of the tests can be expensive and of course insurance doesn't cover this stuff. I am allergic to caesin which is a milk protein that is in almost everything and in most vegetarian cheese products. Since giving that up my migraines have been even less and my weird rashes cleared up! I am also definitely breaking out WAY less than I ever have been.
Good luck Ez!! You will figure it out- I know it is frustrating :(
I'm so sorry you are going through all of this!! I know you hate needles but I have found accupuncture extremely helpful for many things and anxiety and depression! Also I think some vegetarian cooking relies to heavily on dairy and is kind of boring, I was a veggie for 12 years and have been vegan for 5 and have found vegan cooking much more inspired!!! You might want to try some recipes! I love the blog vegan dad and also the Post Punk Kitchen and all of Isa's cookbooks are amazing! There are tons of great vegan blogs out there if you want to give it a whirl!
i wish a mindful weekend you have enjoy my dear!
I've never been on your blog before... I really don't read blogs, but somehow landed there and your recent posts starting with "things I'm afraid to tell you" are beautiful and I thank you for sharing. I used to have a fancy website and recently took it down to a splash page because I got so sick of trying to keep up with the "look at me, see how perfect my life is" bullshit. It's like nowadays doing great work is not enough. You have to do great work and then be the best at talking about it. I don't like talking about it. I like doing it. So I must say it feels very freeing to jump off of the hamster wheel... and what's kind of funny is that I am enjoying more success than I was before.... Ha! But that's not actually why I'm commenting. I really wanted to recommend a book to you. It is by Louise Hay and is called, "You Can Heal Your Life." In short, some time ago, Louise cured herself of cancer by investigating and then changing her emotional "habits" (my word choice). Since then she has spent her time further researching the connection between our emotional habits and behaviors, and what's going on with our physical bodies... and then figuring out affirmations and behaviors that can lead to healing in areas that are not thriving. The book is quite eye opening, but the thing I love the most about this book is that she's got a quick reference guide at the back that is in my experience, uncannily accurate in connecting physical maladies to emotional ones. Whenever I have something going on I look it up and sure-as-shit she's spot-on with what's going on with me emotionally. So in case it's at all helpful, I just looked up breathing problems and the probable emotional cause is, "Fear or refusal to take in life fully. Not feeling the right to take up space or even exist at times." She also shares a "New Thought Pattern" to help with this issue which is, "It is my birthright to live life fully and freely. I am worth loving. I now choose to live life fully." Not sure if this is all mumbo jumbo to you, or helpful, but I've been through the wringer with my health in recent years and have found more help from this little book than almost anything else... On another note, and in reading the other comments, I can also concur that something you could think about omitting from your diet to see if it's a problem is gluten... more and more people are having more and more troubles with it, and the problems can be quite severe but also extremely hard to trace to gluten. It's pretty insidious and also in so many products you'd never suspect (like soy sauce) and most tests don't detect the issue. I could rattle on about why, but you could find it all online if you are inclined and dig deep enough. Finally, If you really want to learn about nutrition and how it effects your health, I recommend checking out the Weston Price Foundation website. It may be the type of chicken you're eating that is the problem, not the chicken itself. Just so you know, I've literally never ever left a comment on someone's blog, so you should know that your honesty really does have a major effect.... Best of luck to you and keep up the honesty!