My Tummy Pain Mystery Solved!

This is me and Scooby after gall bladder surgery. 

Some background facts on my mystery:

·        * I had gall bladder surgery three years ago.

·         *The next year I had some abdomen pain, had a colonoscopy and discovered I had a minor

case of diverticulosis. (Diverticu-LITIS is when it is infected)

·         *Last year I found myself with unbelieveable abdomen pain and went to the hospital. The CT scan showed what they thought was internal bleeding. Spent three days in the ICU for possible surgery. They discovered that my small intestine had become so infected that it was leaking edema from the infection.

·         *This past year I have had several, several bouts with stomach pain. My doctor who was near retirement continued to tell me (as they had told me in the hospital) that it had nothing to do with food but was an intestinal infection rearing its head again. He did order tests and I discovered I did not have Celiac or Chrohn’s disease.  

In December my doctor retired and in order to get my regular medications, I was forced to make an appointment with a new doctor. She is a P.A. and is 12 years old. Okay, maybe she is older but she looks young. Her name is Kelsey. I know, right? 12.

Anyway, when I went into see Kelsey I just happened to be having a day of intense stomach pain. I told Kelsey it was probably the diverticulosis. Upon examining me and reading my records, Kelsey said it couldn’t be diverticulosis, since that was in my left lower abdomen and my pain was always in the top of my abdomen just above my belly button.

Okay, diverticulosis out.

Next I explained about the time in the ICU with an infection. She explained that it could possibly be a reoccurring infection, in which a trip to a gasteroentologist was the suitable next step, but had I considered food allergies?

If I had a nickel for every time someone had told me I was probably allergic to gluten, I’d be a millionaire. I told her I really didn’t think it was gluten, because bread made me feel better. I had taken a week here and there throughout the year and eliminated certain foods and I couldn’t find an answer.

Kelsey suggested I get a food allergy test, done through a blood test through US Bio Tech. My insurance wouldn’t cover it, but it might be worth the price to find out answers or at least eliminate food as the culprit.

I had the blood test and waited.

Two weeks ago, I went in to see Kelsey and discuss the results. I found the answer to my mysterious belly pain of the last year.

I am allergic, highly, to bananas, pineapples, milk, mozzarella cheese, whey, yogurt and eggs. I have some minor allergies to other things including broccoli and carrots. Kelsey asked me to try to eliminate these foods for three weeks and take note of any changes. I explained that right then I didn’t have stomach pain, but she said food allergies often affect bowel movements, skin and energy, also.

My energy has waned a great deal this last year and since I have started exercising regularly I still don’t have a lot of extra energy. It seems everything I have is going into getting to the gym. I have noticed that I get these red splotches on my neck consistently. I used to get them only when really nervous but I have noticed them more and more at random times. And my bowel movements? I don’t want to get personal, but Dr. Oz would not be pleased.

So I’ve eliminated these foods for a week and a half. I miss milk DEARLY. I have almond milk in my coffee. Not bad and I’m getting used to it.

And I started thinking about my life these past couple years and something occurred to me. The only consistent pattern in my life has been the classic yoyo of weight loss and weight gain. I have tried to lose weight many times and often it has ended in a bad patch of tummy pain. To comfort myself I’ve started eating badly, ergo, gaining weight but ending the tummy pain.

Hmm…

Then it occurred to me that the foods I usually incorporate in my usual weight loss regime include bananas, pineapples, string cheese, yogurt and boiled eggs with a lot of broccoli and carrots.

Hmm…

In fact, I can’t swear to it, but I bet the day that I ended up in the ER I started the day with a whey protein shake with bananas, pineapple and yogurt in it. I probably had a snack of string cheese or a boiled egg. And for sure I incorporated carrots and maybe some broccoli into my diet.

I asked Kelsey about this and she said if I had one of the foods on my allergy list, it would affect me, but if I combined several of them on one day, it would definitely result in pain.

AHA!!!!

It is too early for certain results but I know I have more energy after only 1 ½ weeks. I don’t see the red thing on my neck as much and my bowel movements? Well, Dr. Oz would do a Woo Hoo! (Actually I don’t know if he woo-hoos or not.)

I have hope now that my weight loss will continue and be fortified through my mystery solving process. I can still eat wonderful food and exclude the foods on my allergy list. Again, it’s early in this process but hope is a good thing. A joy-inducing emotion!

Many of you have prayed for me, given me wise counsel and just felt for me during the last couple of years. THANK YOU! And I hope that in sharing my mystery solved moment I will help someone else who is in the midst of a tummy pain mystery.