Thursday 17 July 2014
Shit never ends
All I'm saying on the subject tonight. I'll have a mental breakdown if I write more :(
Thursday 10 July 2014
----
Never fucking ending. Fucking fed up.
Woke up this morning and threw up before taking my pills. After I ate a bagel with cream cheese. I kept it down. Then I ate oatmeal and threw up.
After I was supposed to meet a friend. Before leaving the house I had a slice of meat and then left the house.
My friend asked to meet me in an hour. So instead I went to the mall. I walked around the mall and started to feel dizzy.
I ran to target, got a bag of chips, ice tea and Mac and cheese and a new purse (always a shopaholic).
I ran to the car and started eating a bit. I drove home and changed purses.
I then went to Tim's for coffee. I got an Oreo ice cap. I know not healthy but I don't care.
I got home around six and wanted to make supper but I started feeling nauseous. I made my way to the bathroom and started puking my guts out.
--managed to keep down half an egg sandwich.
**stress alert** found out my aunt might have cancer. Emergency surgery will be next week.
I really don't feel well tonight. I can't think straight so imma sleep a bit. Night xx
Wednesday 9 July 2014
Long day ---
Never know a title I should write.
So today has been an okay day. Stomach has been hurting all day and I still feel nauseous but I only puked as soon as I woke up in the morning and once again in the afternoon.
I puke when I eat and I puke on an empty stomach. It's like I'm never winning. I managed to eat some toast with a little bit of eggs today, some fruit, 2 spring rolls, oatmeal and popcorn.
Popcorn may have taken my body too far. I feel extremely gross from it and super dehydrated. With all the throwing up I've felt dehydrated as it is and I made it worse.
Also lately when I puke on an empty stomach it feels like my bladder is giving out. Very close to peeing myself when puking.
Actually my bladder has been screwed up today. I really had to pee before and went and not even a few minutes later I really had to go again. Didn't know my body could hold so much liquid in so little time. Every time I pee feels like my stomach contracts.
My intestines feel like they are giving out too. Lots of cramps and having to rush to the bathroom. I know it's not normal but not something that is fully concerning me just yet. However, the burning pain feels like I'm about to get my period.
I got my period a few days late, and it lasted 1 day. It was a painless very light flow for no time. Completely not normal for me. I'm one who has a heavy flow for 7 days with extreme pain. I don't know it I should have it checked out or not?
Anyways I'm exhausted and going to try and sleep a bit especially to sleep off this stomach pain now. Goodnight
Tuesday 8 July 2014
End to my day
Life saver food. Wasn't feeling well earlier after puking 3x (especially after spaghetti) I made the one meal that my body has yet to give up. Kraft dinner and it worked. Not only did I feel better I also kept a red velvet pop tart down after, 2 vegetarian spring rolls and now I'm waiting on if the cereal I just ate will stay down.
Cereal I ate was at 10pm. I wasn't going to eat it but it felt like my insides were eating me from the inside so I caved in.
Right now my focus is to get healthy. So that means eating what I want when I can (will keep trying all healthy stuff) until I know I can keep meals down. Once that starts happening then I will start back will all the healthy stuff.
Also I did my first workout since Friday (Friday had a very good skate). I swam 80 laps in my pool.
Problem with eating now after not able to eat/keep anything down is the mind games my head is playing.
I managed to eat the kraft dinner and the pop tart and my brain was telling me I need to hit the gym ASAP that I'm getting fat...after a week of not eating?
I know today was a betterish day and I know tomorrow can be a bad day again. I'm tired of throwing up but it'll probably still happen for at least another week. Last year was 2 months before I stopped throwing up so I'm not holding my breath.
Issues with sex drive
So embarrassing to even talk about some issues but it has to deal with the medical issues I'm going through.
Lately my sex drive has been way off...actually scratch that it's been turned off.
Nothing has been getting me going. It can take more then 15 minutes just to get an orgasm feeling no mind actually having one.
Even if I do get the feeling it dies down after a few mins and I'm left frustrated.
I'm beginning to think that my body thinks I have an eating disorder and this is why it's happening. I don't I just can't keep much food down lately. I guess there are also many other reasons but we will see...
Day so far
Today has been a quiet day.
I woke up and was feeling nauseous but my stomach had a 20 minute delayed reaction before I started throwing up bile.
After my stomach settled for the morning I took the first pill and sat outside for thirty minutes waiting to be allowed to eat.
My stomach feels like it's being eaten inside out. Yet no matter what I eat I can't keep it down.
After 30 mins was up, I are half a bagel with some bio-organic cream cheese and a glass of lactose free milk.
I managed to keep that down. I ate some salty chips when I felt nauseous about an hour later but my stomach was already too far gone. I threw up the chips.
For lunch almost right after I made half a cup of pasta with some spaghetti sauce and lactose free cheese.
25 minutes later I ran to the bathroom and started throwing up again. My stomach now is still burning from the pain and I still can't keep food down? Is it ever going to be better?
Monday 7 July 2014
Give up?
Im over tired tonight. It's just after 10pm and I'm already in bed. I don't feel well, want to throw up but forcing my body not too since my parents are in the other room. My ribs and chest are killing me and I feel like fainting.
Today I managed to keep a bit of pork down, some salted chips and a gluten free carrot cake. All this doesn't even reach to 550 calories.
I'm crabby like you wouldn't believe. The exhaustion and really not feeling well lately is taking over my body. By breasts are also killing me.
I almost snapped several times today. Just the type of mood I'm in.
Off to sleep before I throw up again and we will see what tomorrow brings. Good night xoxox
^^Earlier today. Nausea took control over my body.
Supper
Just finished eating a souvlaki with a bit of sauce. Took the lactose pills again since the sauce is sour cream...dairy.
Besides the salty chips from earlier all I've kept down is this meat.
Just checked the ulcer pills and realised that I can only take them 30 mins before breakfast so I have another night of suffering.
Been drinking quite a bit of water and tea today even if tea is not good for the ulcers...right now I don't care.
My energy level has hit rock bottom and I just want to sleep.
Will update more soon xxx
Salttttt
I know these are unhealthy but they are the only things I can keep down and not throw up. I've tried everything else like melon, sugar, salt, healthy, non healthy and haven't been able too.
Not sure how much salt there is in here but it's absorbing the acid.
My stomach feels like it's dying. Burns non stop. Not only am I throwing up first thing when I wake up, but also random points during the day and now after eating (not forcing it). I got my pills and I'm working on switching my diet.
Pills are for 1 month, then we will see where I'm at. 3-6 months diet change and no pain killers for the month I'm on these pills. After this month is done I will update more. One answer down now to figure out what's causing the pain for me to need pain meds
Stomach ulcers Part 2
Morning so far. Went to get the blood tests and walked into the clinic. Never seen so many people in one room. There was a line all the way down the hallway and around the corner (didn't go any further so I have no idea how much longer) and the waiting room was jam packed. All the chairs were full, people were sitting on the floor and even standing?
^^chirp-chirp- wild life rescue robin. (Or angry bird)
Hell no. Was not waiting there any longer. Walked out and went to timmies with my best friend (who was nice enough to come with me at the godly hour). Yes I paid as a thank you.
Tim Hortons I decided to test my lactose theory once again. I ordered a bagel with butter and cream cheese along with a medium ice cap made with milk. Usually this would make me look like I'm nine months pregnant, but instead I took the pills and still look pretty thin in comparison.
^^ right after eating/drinking what I said above with the lactose pills.
--after leaving there we headed to a different clinic and asked to see a doctor ASAP. They told me to come back in 45 minutes so had just enough time to go home (very little speeding 😋) and feed chirp-chirp.
--I made my way back to the doctors and sat in the waiting room for 7 minutes before being called in. (Quebec health care is never this fast but I won't complain).
I talked to the doctor about my stomach burning all the time (since taking the pain killers last month). Also said I was nauseous and throwing up every morning (all yellow acid) and she did a small examination and asked me why I thought it was stomach ulcers. I told her I had them not even a year ago and she looked into my medical file and saw in august I had them. She gave me a prescription (same one I had last time) for a month instead of 3.
The reason being is I went sooner this time then I did the last time so it is easier to treat. I have to take the pills for a month, then if it's not better go back and see my family doctor and if it is then I should get a coating for my pain meds to not cause these ulcers.
Apparently once you get ulcers your body becomes prone to them and things can trigger them- caffeine/stress/pain meds/alcohol.
Morning
6am. Up to go for a blood test. Sat up and immediately started puking my guts out, didn't even make it out of bed. Acid all coming up burns (can't eat or drink anythig yet) and my ribs and chest hurt from throwing up.
Sunday 6 July 2014
List of what I have/might have
Here's where we are at so far since 2010. List of diagnoses that have been confirmed/unconfirmed and working on being confirmed. All the diagnosis I've been given since this hell has started the first time around.
-endometriosis (not 100% confirmed will explain on a later date)
-Over Active Bladder (confirmed && if you spend a day with me you would automatically know)
-PCOS (possible but not confirmed)
-stomach ulcers (had before probably again)
-lactose allergy (confirmed but not that severe one that makes you sick every time)
-irritable bowel syndrom (possible but not get confirmed.
-gluten allergy (possible not confirmed)
-binge/starve eating disorder (confirmed but trying to control)
-Mono, (doctor told me I probably have it, had all symptoms but never been tested)
-diabetes (doctor thought I had it but blood tests all came out good, thankfully)
-Bladder infections (get them quite often)
Injuries:
Torn knee ligaments 5x right knee
Torn knee ligaments 1x left knee
Whiplash 3x
Torn stomach muscle
Hip injury
Back injury
Popped out right shoulder 2x
Sprained ankle
Two sprained wrists
Had both intestines tested and my colon and all were healthy.
For now I'm still waiting on answers and proper diagnosis.
I gained 25+ pounds in a two year span that I'm working hard on getting rid of. Eating right, exercising right (yes I have some off days but not like before) changing eating habits. Weight is hardly coming off even if I'm feeling better but I'm still pushing.
Waiting to finally get diagnosed and hopefully that will help me become pain free and healthy. Keep going back to the drawing board until we find something.
Some pictures of my stomach
****not comfortable uploading these pictures but I want people who are suffering this to know they are not alone, and for those who aren't suffering to understand those who are****
This picture shows almost no stretch marks. Last month. I ate sour cream and there was a minor change.
So this is what happens when I eat ice cream on a hot day? Look almost six months pregnant.
There you have it, unexplained bloating. 
Ps: see these stretch marks? Two/three months ago I only had one. My stomach bloats so much so fast that my skin can't adjust to it. Every time I look more and more come. I'm using cream and it doesn't help.
Ps: see these stretch marks? Two/three months ago I only had one. My stomach bloats so much so fast that my skin can't adjust to it. Every time I look more and more come. I'm using cream and it doesn't help.Could be IBS-causes bloating but another time we have to figure this out.
Part 2-to date
Well guys, I think it's time to do a medical update. People know how much I hate talking about medical issues but...if me or anyone else who has what I have will ever get a cure, we have to step up and talk about what is happening.
For information leading up to my diagnosis, ready the post before...
So when I was diagnosed with endo, the doctor kept trying to have me take birth control pills. I tried for a month and in that month I was getting see bad symptoms. It started off with fatigue, dizziness and lead to me not having much of an appetite to not keeping food down.
After that month I went against doctors orders and stopped taking the birth control pills.
I said screw endometriosis and decided to live my life for another few months without seeing any more doctors. At first I thought I was doing a good job when for a couple of months the pain was barely there.
Even though the pain was gone I should have taken into account that it was not normal my periods were heavy flow up to seven days...which was not as normal as I originally thought. Along with heavy/long lasting flows, when I peed while on my period I peed a lot of blood clotty looking things. Some were the size of a dime while others were the size of the palm of my hand.
Another few months went on until 2013. I don't remember the exact date, except I was still in school and finishing off a semester (April ish).
The pain started getting worse months before and I knew it was time to go back and figure this out once and for all...no matter how drained I was mentally. I got an emergency appointment with a top doctor in Montreal...the same building from the doctor who diagnosed me with a torn stomach muscle a few years earlier.
I managed to get the emergency appointment the same day I asked for it. However, I had to miss a class at school for this. (It was nearing exams but I took the risk...as health was more important in the long-run).
I sat in the waiting room for nearly two hours before I was called in to see the doctor.
I went in and sat with him. He went over options for endometriosis that he wants me to try. Including...yup, you got it, birth control (again).
Other options were pregnancy (it works) and surgery...except with the surgery we would have to find a back alternative once the endo was cleared and we did not have one.
We discussed it for over an hour, and he said people with endometriosis usually have something else with it. Like endometriosis is caused by another illness. Some of the ones he brought up were cysts on ovaries, irritable bowel syndrome, over-active bladder and POCS. He said over time we would look further into the cause.
Judging on past: I thought it could have been cysts...or even an over-active bladder like my doctor once told me I had.
I left the room, and went to buy birth control pills. These are stronger then the last ones and I was hoping they would work.
I took them for four days before I had to stop. I became over emotional to a point i was not happy with life. I cried endlessly and it got to a point I wanted to harm myself/possibly end life. And I know sometimes everyone has those feelings here and there, I have too but not to the point where I was physically about to do it.
I got off the pills and it took the whole entire summer for me to recover emotionally from them.
In august (few months off those pills) I started waking up every morning and puking almost instantly. 98% of the time I did not have enough time to walk ten steps to the bathroom. It felt like my body was paralyzed because I was never able to move during the puking episode.
Some days I would make it to the bathroom and helplessly lay on the floor until it ended. Some days it would not happen until an hour after I woke up and was out of the house.
The puke was yellow bile and my insides burned all the time. With the endometriosis, I was taking pain medication along with birth control that irritated my stomach so bad, doctors diagnosed me with stomach ulcers.
I got the medication to treat the ulcers, but was not allowed to use any pain medication, no caffeine, alcohol or acidy type things for over 3 months.
It took two months before the throwing up stopped every morning. And another two months before the burning eventually stopped.
In April I went back to see my regular doctor and told her the endo pain has been less then some other months. Little did I know I just jinxed myself.
The next two months were brutal with the endo pain. April wasn't as bad as May and may wasn't as bad as June. In June I cried myself to sleep for almost two weeks from the stomach pain. It felt like someone was stabbing me and carving a pumpkin inside my stomach all at the same time. Ice packs, heat pads, hot water bottles...even cream, you name it, I tried it...and it did not work.
I barely had the energy to get out of bed. I skated once in those ten days, had an appointment with my nutritionist and the rest of the time I was curled up in bed crying. I took loads of pain killers, over the dose I should have per day by nearly double for almost the full week and they barely helped.
Mid June I saw my family doctor again and she prescribed a blood test, 24 hour urine test and gave me a referral to another doctor. She said we will still check for the endometriosis but she thinks in have something unrelated.
The last day of June came. My anxiety level hit it's max. I had a major anxiety attack where I cried after for four hours. The following day July 1st I woke up throwing up so much and so unexpected I couldn't get out of bed before it happened.
It lasted nearly an hour and I felt paralyzed until I stopped throwing up. I went on with my day but had zero appetite. I ate maybe one full meal throughout the full day. However I did skate and had a very good one to say the least.
For the following days I had the same morning pattern where I woke up and kept throwing up.
Now we are here today...I'm still throwing up every morning, progressing to after some meals too. Barely made it home yesterday before I started puking (became a badass driver 😋)
My chest and ribs have been hurting so much this week I've been taking double doses of pain killers again. I know I most likely have stomach ulcers from them again but I had to take them. Taking short breaths hurt no mind long ones or yawning.
Tomorrow I'm going for my blood test. I will also be doing my 24 hour urine culture (if my pills don't effect it), as well I have a hip xray to go too, as well as having to see a doctor about throwing up all the time.
Will keep you posted ❤️😘
Tuesday 10 June 2014
Repost-Endometriosis/health
I switched blogs, this is a repost of my battle with endometriosis. I wrote this post on March 7th, 2011.
I got my period for the first time when I was ten years old (when I was in grade five). It was always regular up until I was twelve years old. At twelve, I was skating more regularly almost 3-4 times a week with my friends and having lessons at the same time.
Then a little less than a year later, my mom brought me to the emergency room at the Sainte Justine’s hospital in Montreal. I described my ongoing stomach pains to be sharp-stabbing with some cramps and some of the worst. That at the time were the only symptoms I had faced so it gave the doctor many different scenarios to go through. The first, was an x-ray of my abdominal area.
I sat in the x-ray room for almost 20 minutes before they proceeded to go and do x-rays on me. When they took several photographs of my insides they went to develop the film as I went to go get changed since that was the last test they had to take. We then waited in the waiting room and the doctor called us in to tell my all the pain I am in might have to do with a slight block in the intestines. They gave me pills to see if it’d help but the pills never did and the pain went away slowly over time.
Not much happened for another year and a half. Now it’s when I was fifteen years old. I had gone to the Dominican Republic and once I returned home I had a cold. The cold turned into several other colds over 14 week period that’d almost caused me to take a break at skating because I kept missing anyways. Only reason why I didn’t was because I was coaching and I didn’t want to have to leave my students in the middle of the season so I decided to wait.
I got over all my colds and viruses I had the first week of March and had about a week’s rest for my body of no pain or sickness. On the Saturday March 7th, it was my last skating day for the season because the show practices were starting. I was working on one of my skating dances when I tripped and fell really hard on my stomach. I blanked out for about thirty seconds and then I was able to slowly get up. The fall didn’t really hurt it was just more of a shock since the dance was going well and I was on time.
Then on March 9th, 2009 (Monday night) I was getting up to go put something in the garbage something on my right side of my stomach popped and sent me flying backwards into the chair I was trying to get up from. I took thirty seconds and I told my mom it felt like something popped. She didn’t comment because she didn’t know what to say.
I tried to get back up again, but my stomach was hurting too straighten up and walk normally. I walked bent over to the kitchen and then I headed downstairs to get a drink and the stairs was the most painful walk I ever had. It took me about four minutes to walk down and six to walk back up and for the rest of the night I stayed all curled up because that was the only way my stomach didn’t hurt.
The next day I had a very slow day in school, I had a lot of pain and people were able to see that I wasn’t myself. I had a few teachers and most of my friends ask me what was wrong because of my lack of energy. I told them that my stomach was in a lot of pain and for the rest of the day my stomach felt like popcorn. It’d popped several times to where I felt worse than the night before. I also knew I was going to have to go see a doctor about it but I was putting it off.
I put off seeing the doctor for three days because I didn’t want to have to go sit in a clinic with many other sick people and getting a chance of becoming sick once again. On the Thursday I finally gave in and went to the clinic and sat there for about two hours only to be called in and going through some of my symptoms, I was told it was probably my intestines again and she gave me a paper to go get another set of x-rays. I knew for a fact that, that was wrong and nobody actually knew what was wrong with me.
It maintained the same amount of pain for a few weeks, some days worse and some days better and then I went to go see my family doctor. I knew it was probably endometriosis that I had but I decided to wait and here it from a doctors mouth. I described to her about my symptoms were and the pain. She asked me several questions including am I sexual active which I am not and then she just sat there. She started signing papers and then handed me them. I was now to go for blood tests, urine cultures and an ultrasound.
I started off by going for the blood tests and urine culture on and early Saturday morning. It was really early but since it was a private clinic it went by fast and we were in and out. A few days later I got a call to go see the family doctor and she told me that the urine culture didn’t turn out clear and I had to redo that test before having my ultrasound done. She also said my blood tests were fine and everything came out normal.
So I went back to the clinic to redo the urine culture and then the tests were sent back to the lab once again. This time my doctor called to inform me those tests came out clear as well and I don’t have to worry about the test anymore and I can proceed to the next phase which was the ultrasound.
I got my appointment for mid-July. I drank the recommended water and when I got there they asked for my paper. I handed them the first ‘test’ paper I had laying on my kitchen table. They later called me up and said, “I thought you were doing an ultrasound.” I said I was and they just looked at me puzzled and sent me to sit back down. About three minutes later I had a nurse come up to me and she brought me to a changing room where I had to change out of my clothes and put a hospital gown on. She then brought me to a room and made me lie on the table.
I had a few ultrasounds before that and I know for a fact that’s not how they are supposed to do it. She then put a machine over my belly and told me not to move. She snapped several pictures and then she told me I could go and my doctor would have the results in less than a week.
When I got home I told my parents that they did the wrong test on me and I wasn’t supposed to have had x-rays done. She called to reschedule the appointment that would be a week after and said not to worry about it because I would have had to do the test if they didn’t find anything in the ultrasound.
A week passed by and my mom and I went back to the clinic so I could have the actual ultrasound. The technician went through everything and he also showed me what he saw and said, I have several cysts on both ovaries which is probably causing the pain. My right side (side that was hurting more) was the side that had more cysts and he said when my family doctor gets the test results then she should prescribe me pills to ease the pain. Little did I know that wasn’t going to happen to quick...
I went back to see my family doctor around August/September, not sure of the actual day. She was almost 100% sure that the cysts were NOT causing my pain so she referred me to go see a gastrointestinal doctor since that was most likely the cause of the pain. I did as I was told.
I did as told the day before and when I got to the building I was in for a major surprise. I went in the room and they told me I was going to feel pressure in my rear area and it is meant to feel uncomfortable but it wouldn’t hurt. They were right but it was a shock since they were doing a colonoscopy when I was not supposed to have one.
When I was done they said it was the cleanest colon they’ve ever seen, I should hope so I was only 16. We went back weeks later to see the gastrointestinal doctor and he gave me another paper to go get the last two tests done. I thought the worst was over, but I was wrong.
A week before Christmas I went for the last of the two tests. I had to drink this weird powder chalk stuff and then wait until it was digested into my system. Then they took pictures as I had to drink more stuff and let me tell you it was the worst tasting stuff ever and I was more concentrated on keeping it down then what the doctor was saying. When those excruciating tests were done I didn’t hear or worry about the results until February when I had to go back.
When I went back the doctor said everything was clean and I have nothing to worry about. He then said, “We still haven’t done the colonoscopy but I don’t think that is necessary for your age.” I looked at him but didn’t say a word. When my mom and I left I looked at her and said, “we didn’t do a colonoscopy? He is the one who kept telling me the technicians said it was clean and he doesn’t remember?” She told me to let it go because I do not have to go back to see him anymore.
Later that month I went back to see my family doctor out of frustration and I said, “I need to see a gynaecologist because I think I have endometriosis.” She didn’t want to give me the referral because she is a gynaecologist but she did anyways. And then the last week of that month I went to see the new doctor. After going through my symptoms he said it was a high possibility but he wanted to give me a test to make sure. I accepted his test and so he told me to go on birth control for three months straight and stop it to see how bad the pain was.
I started by doing so and the first month went by okay. Then on March 29th, 2010 I was having the worst pains in my stomach I ever had. That was also after skating for four hours straight. I couldn’t stand up in a straight position and I shouldn’t have been skating after feeling the pain all morning. When I got home at 6, I was still crying because of the pain. My mom told me to stay low that night.
It increasingly got worse (not thinking it could) and so that’s when my mom rushed me to the emergency room. At first I thought it was my appendix because it was only on the right side but when I got there the pain started to spread. I took many tylonel’s which never helped and then at about 12am I was called to see the first doctor. She took many blood samples and told me to go back into the waiting room and when the results were in they’d come and get me.
We then waited until two in the morning, they called my name and we went into another part of the hospital. We sat in that room for half an hour until the doctor decided showed up. He said that my blood tests were clear and he couldn’t find anything. He told me to go home, take some tylonel and get some sleep and to come back for another ultrasound at 9 in the morning.
I did as told and went the next day for the ultrasound. We waited again in the emergency room for the results and the doctor called us in. He said the technician only did the test on my appendix but she couldn’t find it. He also stated that most people who come in with stomach are fine days after. Well this was the second time in 3 years I was hospitalized for stomach pains and it was on going for over a year now. And this point this is the first time I almost quit skating.
He then asked me what my previous doctors had said, and my mom told him I was being followed for endometriosis and the doctor said that was a large possibility. He said they can’t find endometriosis in x-rays or ultrasounds so they’d all end up being clear (like my tests have been showing up). He told me to go see my gynaecologist and speak with him again for further doings.
Since nothing was happening I got a new appointment in Montreal with one of the top doctors. We went through some tests and asked me about any injuries that may have happened before the pains. That’s when it clicked; I fell a few days before hard on my stomach at skating. He did a physiotherapy type test to determine which hurt a lot and he said I probably have a slight tear in my stomach and that physiotherapy can help with it. I need to go see my family doctor to get the papers.
That’s where the progress was starting. My mom called my family doctor and asked if she’d give me a referral but the doctor said no. My mom emailed a family member who works at the place where one of the doctors diagnosed me and told her so he wrote up a referral and gave it to her to give to me. (He didn’t want to do it at first because he didn’t want to get my family doctor mad).
So now we move on to middle of May. I had my first appointment for physiotherapy and my second appointment for the gynaecologist. I went to the gynaecologist first and he told me he wasn’t happy with the results from the test and asked me to redo it again and also let him know what physiotherapy does for me.
At physio, we did a full hour and a half tests with my physiotherapist and she said that she couldn’t do anything with my stomach but my back needed a lot of help because of lack of posture and muscles. She told me to take four months off of skating for the start to see how it goes. I took the four months off (thinking the second time I was going to have to quit) and those four months were hell and very boring.
So I was doing that I was also going through a lot personally and that made me stressed. I ended up throwing up every morning (no matter what time it was) and I was weak, tired and couldn’t move. I at first blamed that on the stress and when I went back to see the gynaecologist in September of 2010 he told me I had endometriosis.
I always knew that day was coming but when I heard the words out of his mouth it still shocked me. I couldn’t actually believe it until a few days later. He had me take the birth control pills again for three months, stop, and 3 months again.
This time while taking them I had the same symptoms as the last time I took them. The only difference was I had no stress/little at all. I took them for two months of pure torture and still throwing up every morning that I had to put a stop to it 2 months into the first 3 months. I stopped taking the pills.
Currently today March 2011 I am still off the pills but everyone is right the pain does get a lot worse as each month goes on. February I had to say was the worst month I had with endometriosis. I thought I was going to be hospitalized again. I could barely move for 3 to 4 days (even though I still had to coach and skate) I lasted like half an hour on the ice at the beginning and then I’d only go to school for 2 or 3 hours because it was so bad. My stomach felt like it was outside of me and three of those four days I took 9 doses of 2 pills per dose of Midol to relieve some of the pain. It was never fully relieved but it helped. That month also made my back worse because of the pain and my physiotherapist is even concerned.
Where I am headed next: I am still staying off the pills until April, when my doctor is back to start new pills or treatment. I try to keep a maintained diet of lots of fruits and vegetables. I do a lot more skating then I’ve done the past two years and I am still in physiotherapy once a month to check on the progress of my back and I am looking forward to getting back on track.
Endometriosis facts:
What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of cells (endometrial cells) similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Examples, Ovaries, bladder, cervix, vagina ect.
• Symptoms:
• Pain before and during periods
• Pain with intercourse
• General, chronic pelvic pain throughout the month
• Low back pain
• Heavy and/or irregular periods
• Painful bowel movements, especially during menstruation
• Painful urination during menstruation
• Fatigue
• Infertility
• Diarrhoea or constipation
If you have any of these symptoms or think you have endometriosis go see your doctor, don’t wait. Live your life pain free.
Since it is Endometriosis awareness month, I am here to speak about my battle with having endometriosis and also to help those who have it and may or may not know. First I am going to introduce myself. I Am Deidre Matthews and I am 17, soon to be 18. As a kid I was always doing activities. I have participated in ballet, jazz, swimming, piano and figure skating. I have stopped all those activities except figure skating but almost had to two times in the last four years.
I got my period for the first time when I was ten years old (when I was in grade five). It was always regular up until I was twelve years old. At twelve, I was skating more regularly almost 3-4 times a week with my friends and having lessons at the same time.
In October of 2005 I got my period on Halloween for only one day. Not only was it for one day, it was very light but the worst pain I have ever had. I never thought anything bad about the time length until I went to mid-January before having my next painful period. I didn’t say anything because I always thought having painful periods was normal so I’d always be taking Midol in hopes it wouldn’t hurt one day.
Then a little less than a year later, my mom brought me to the emergency room at the Sainte Justine’s hospital in Montreal. I described my ongoing stomach pains to be sharp-stabbing with some cramps and some of the worst. That at the time were the only symptoms I had faced so it gave the doctor many different scenarios to go through. The first, was an x-ray of my abdominal area.
I sat in the x-ray room for almost 20 minutes before they proceeded to go and do x-rays on me. When they took several photographs of my insides they went to develop the film as I went to go get changed since that was the last test they had to take. We then waited in the waiting room and the doctor called us in to tell my all the pain I am in might have to do with a slight block in the intestines. They gave me pills to see if it’d help but the pills never did and the pain went away slowly over time.
Not much happened for another year and a half. Now it’s when I was fifteen years old. I had gone to the Dominican Republic and once I returned home I had a cold. The cold turned into several other colds over 14 week period that’d almost caused me to take a break at skating because I kept missing anyways. Only reason why I didn’t was because I was coaching and I didn’t want to have to leave my students in the middle of the season so I decided to wait.
I got over all my colds and viruses I had the first week of March and had about a week’s rest for my body of no pain or sickness. On the Saturday March 7th, it was my last skating day for the season because the show practices were starting. I was working on one of my skating dances when I tripped and fell really hard on my stomach. I blanked out for about thirty seconds and then I was able to slowly get up. The fall didn’t really hurt it was just more of a shock since the dance was going well and I was on time.
Then on March 9th, 2009 (Monday night) I was getting up to go put something in the garbage something on my right side of my stomach popped and sent me flying backwards into the chair I was trying to get up from. I took thirty seconds and I told my mom it felt like something popped. She didn’t comment because she didn’t know what to say.
I tried to get back up again, but my stomach was hurting too straighten up and walk normally. I walked bent over to the kitchen and then I headed downstairs to get a drink and the stairs was the most painful walk I ever had. It took me about four minutes to walk down and six to walk back up and for the rest of the night I stayed all curled up because that was the only way my stomach didn’t hurt.
The next day I had a very slow day in school, I had a lot of pain and people were able to see that I wasn’t myself. I had a few teachers and most of my friends ask me what was wrong because of my lack of energy. I told them that my stomach was in a lot of pain and for the rest of the day my stomach felt like popcorn. It’d popped several times to where I felt worse than the night before. I also knew I was going to have to go see a doctor about it but I was putting it off.
I put off seeing the doctor for three days because I didn’t want to have to go sit in a clinic with many other sick people and getting a chance of becoming sick once again. On the Thursday I finally gave in and went to the clinic and sat there for about two hours only to be called in and going through some of my symptoms, I was told it was probably my intestines again and she gave me a paper to go get another set of x-rays. I knew for a fact that, that was wrong and nobody actually knew what was wrong with me.
It maintained the same amount of pain for a few weeks, some days worse and some days better and then I went to go see my family doctor. I knew it was probably endometriosis that I had but I decided to wait and here it from a doctors mouth. I described to her about my symptoms were and the pain. She asked me several questions including am I sexual active which I am not and then she just sat there. She started signing papers and then handed me them. I was now to go for blood tests, urine cultures and an ultrasound.
I started off by going for the blood tests and urine culture on and early Saturday morning. It was really early but since it was a private clinic it went by fast and we were in and out. A few days later I got a call to go see the family doctor and she told me that the urine culture didn’t turn out clear and I had to redo that test before having my ultrasound done. She also said my blood tests were fine and everything came out normal.
So I went back to the clinic to redo the urine culture and then the tests were sent back to the lab once again. This time my doctor called to inform me those tests came out clear as well and I don’t have to worry about the test anymore and I can proceed to the next phase which was the ultrasound.
I got my appointment for mid-July. I drank the recommended water and when I got there they asked for my paper. I handed them the first ‘test’ paper I had laying on my kitchen table. They later called me up and said, “I thought you were doing an ultrasound.” I said I was and they just looked at me puzzled and sent me to sit back down. About three minutes later I had a nurse come up to me and she brought me to a changing room where I had to change out of my clothes and put a hospital gown on. She then brought me to a room and made me lie on the table.
I had a few ultrasounds before that and I know for a fact that’s not how they are supposed to do it. She then put a machine over my belly and told me not to move. She snapped several pictures and then she told me I could go and my doctor would have the results in less than a week.
When I got home I told my parents that they did the wrong test on me and I wasn’t supposed to have had x-rays done. She called to reschedule the appointment that would be a week after and said not to worry about it because I would have had to do the test if they didn’t find anything in the ultrasound.
A week passed by and my mom and I went back to the clinic so I could have the actual ultrasound. The technician went through everything and he also showed me what he saw and said, I have several cysts on both ovaries which is probably causing the pain. My right side (side that was hurting more) was the side that had more cysts and he said when my family doctor gets the test results then she should prescribe me pills to ease the pain. Little did I know that wasn’t going to happen to quick...
I went back to see my family doctor around August/September, not sure of the actual day. She was almost 100% sure that the cysts were NOT causing my pain so she referred me to go see a gastrointestinal doctor since that was most likely the cause of the pain. I did as I was told.
I first saw the doctor in October and he took down my symptoms and we had about a twenty minute chat. He told me he had three tests he could perform.
1) Upper intestinal test
2) Lower intestinal test
3) Colonoscopy
He wanted to start off with the two upper and lower tests because the colonoscopy would be for older ages and it’s probably nothing to do with it. So he signed the paper and told me to come back and see him once the test was done. My mom called the place to get the x-rays done and she faxed them my paper. They couldn’t read his hand writing so they took a guess (not to mention the doctor who gave me the paper was in the same building). They told me to get a kit (same kit as a colonoscopy) and follow the directions thinking that was the x-ray test.
1) Upper intestinal test
2) Lower intestinal test
3) Colonoscopy
He wanted to start off with the two upper and lower tests because the colonoscopy would be for older ages and it’s probably nothing to do with it. So he signed the paper and told me to come back and see him once the test was done. My mom called the place to get the x-rays done and she faxed them my paper. They couldn’t read his hand writing so they took a guess (not to mention the doctor who gave me the paper was in the same building). They told me to get a kit (same kit as a colonoscopy) and follow the directions thinking that was the x-ray test.
I did as told the day before and when I got to the building I was in for a major surprise. I went in the room and they told me I was going to feel pressure in my rear area and it is meant to feel uncomfortable but it wouldn’t hurt. They were right but it was a shock since they were doing a colonoscopy when I was not supposed to have one.
When I was done they said it was the cleanest colon they’ve ever seen, I should hope so I was only 16. We went back weeks later to see the gastrointestinal doctor and he gave me another paper to go get the last two tests done. I thought the worst was over, but I was wrong.
A week before Christmas I went for the last of the two tests. I had to drink this weird powder chalk stuff and then wait until it was digested into my system. Then they took pictures as I had to drink more stuff and let me tell you it was the worst tasting stuff ever and I was more concentrated on keeping it down then what the doctor was saying. When those excruciating tests were done I didn’t hear or worry about the results until February when I had to go back.
When I went back the doctor said everything was clean and I have nothing to worry about. He then said, “We still haven’t done the colonoscopy but I don’t think that is necessary for your age.” I looked at him but didn’t say a word. When my mom and I left I looked at her and said, “we didn’t do a colonoscopy? He is the one who kept telling me the technicians said it was clean and he doesn’t remember?” She told me to let it go because I do not have to go back to see him anymore.
Later that month I went back to see my family doctor out of frustration and I said, “I need to see a gynaecologist because I think I have endometriosis.” She didn’t want to give me the referral because she is a gynaecologist but she did anyways. And then the last week of that month I went to see the new doctor. After going through my symptoms he said it was a high possibility but he wanted to give me a test to make sure. I accepted his test and so he told me to go on birth control for three months straight and stop it to see how bad the pain was.
I started by doing so and the first month went by okay. Then on March 29th, 2010 I was having the worst pains in my stomach I ever had. That was also after skating for four hours straight. I couldn’t stand up in a straight position and I shouldn’t have been skating after feeling the pain all morning. When I got home at 6, I was still crying because of the pain. My mom told me to stay low that night.
It increasingly got worse (not thinking it could) and so that’s when my mom rushed me to the emergency room. At first I thought it was my appendix because it was only on the right side but when I got there the pain started to spread. I took many tylonel’s which never helped and then at about 12am I was called to see the first doctor. She took many blood samples and told me to go back into the waiting room and when the results were in they’d come and get me.
We then waited until two in the morning, they called my name and we went into another part of the hospital. We sat in that room for half an hour until the doctor decided showed up. He said that my blood tests were clear and he couldn’t find anything. He told me to go home, take some tylonel and get some sleep and to come back for another ultrasound at 9 in the morning.
I did as told and went the next day for the ultrasound. We waited again in the emergency room for the results and the doctor called us in. He said the technician only did the test on my appendix but she couldn’t find it. He also stated that most people who come in with stomach are fine days after. Well this was the second time in 3 years I was hospitalized for stomach pains and it was on going for over a year now. And this point this is the first time I almost quit skating.
He then asked me what my previous doctors had said, and my mom told him I was being followed for endometriosis and the doctor said that was a large possibility. He said they can’t find endometriosis in x-rays or ultrasounds so they’d all end up being clear (like my tests have been showing up). He told me to go see my gynaecologist and speak with him again for further doings.
Since nothing was happening I got a new appointment in Montreal with one of the top doctors. We went through some tests and asked me about any injuries that may have happened before the pains. That’s when it clicked; I fell a few days before hard on my stomach at skating. He did a physiotherapy type test to determine which hurt a lot and he said I probably have a slight tear in my stomach and that physiotherapy can help with it. I need to go see my family doctor to get the papers.
That’s where the progress was starting. My mom called my family doctor and asked if she’d give me a referral but the doctor said no. My mom emailed a family member who works at the place where one of the doctors diagnosed me and told her so he wrote up a referral and gave it to her to give to me. (He didn’t want to do it at first because he didn’t want to get my family doctor mad).
So now we move on to middle of May. I had my first appointment for physiotherapy and my second appointment for the gynaecologist. I went to the gynaecologist first and he told me he wasn’t happy with the results from the test and asked me to redo it again and also let him know what physiotherapy does for me.
At physio, we did a full hour and a half tests with my physiotherapist and she said that she couldn’t do anything with my stomach but my back needed a lot of help because of lack of posture and muscles. She told me to take four months off of skating for the start to see how it goes. I took the four months off (thinking the second time I was going to have to quit) and those four months were hell and very boring.
So I was doing that I was also going through a lot personally and that made me stressed. I ended up throwing up every morning (no matter what time it was) and I was weak, tired and couldn’t move. I at first blamed that on the stress and when I went back to see the gynaecologist in September of 2010 he told me I had endometriosis.
I always knew that day was coming but when I heard the words out of his mouth it still shocked me. I couldn’t actually believe it until a few days later. He had me take the birth control pills again for three months, stop, and 3 months again.
This time while taking them I had the same symptoms as the last time I took them. The only difference was I had no stress/little at all. I took them for two months of pure torture and still throwing up every morning that I had to put a stop to it 2 months into the first 3 months. I stopped taking the pills.
Currently today March 2011 I am still off the pills but everyone is right the pain does get a lot worse as each month goes on. February I had to say was the worst month I had with endometriosis. I thought I was going to be hospitalized again. I could barely move for 3 to 4 days (even though I still had to coach and skate) I lasted like half an hour on the ice at the beginning and then I’d only go to school for 2 or 3 hours because it was so bad. My stomach felt like it was outside of me and three of those four days I took 9 doses of 2 pills per dose of Midol to relieve some of the pain. It was never fully relieved but it helped. That month also made my back worse because of the pain and my physiotherapist is even concerned.
Where I am headed next: I am still staying off the pills until April, when my doctor is back to start new pills or treatment. I try to keep a maintained diet of lots of fruits and vegetables. I do a lot more skating then I’ve done the past two years and I am still in physiotherapy once a month to check on the progress of my back and I am looking forward to getting back on track.
Endometriosis facts:
What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of cells (endometrial cells) similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Examples, Ovaries, bladder, cervix, vagina ect.
• Symptoms:
• Pain before and during periods
• Pain with intercourse
• General, chronic pelvic pain throughout the month
• Low back pain
• Heavy and/or irregular periods
• Painful bowel movements, especially during menstruation
• Painful urination during menstruation
• Fatigue
• Infertility
• Diarrhoea or constipation
If you have any of these symptoms or think you have endometriosis go see your doctor, don’t wait. Live your life pain free.
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