Fibro Treatment Week 5: Indian Giver Week

Yes, I realize the term "Indian Giver" is both insensitive to Native Americans AND inaccurate both historically and culturally, but it still means someone who gives things then takes them away. And that's the best description of what happened during my fifth week of treatment. Let me take you through the emotion and details involved.

On Monday, I was told that the results of the rest of my tests would be back that week and I would find out where my food sensitivities were. Fabulous! This is the news I was waiting for so I could get some other foods back and be able to start on a new normal way of eating. Wednesday was that day, and I was told I am sensitive to dairy (but might not be forever), still have to watch the eggs and beans right now, and gluten, of course. BUT--I could have dark chocolate and a whole list of alternate grains. I'm also fine with corn and potato, which was a big relief. (Coffee is also fine, but he'd rather I lay of it for now.)

So after my appointment, we hit the grocery store and I found myself some treats to make up for my miserable, treatless Christmas. I bought dark chocolate (70% or higher), gluten-free egg-free dairy-free cookies, and some grains to start making my own baked goods. (By the way, those kinds of cookies taste WAY better!!) To celebrate, we made up some cookies that fit the bill and I had plans to try out some bread on my own, hoping to make it cheaper than you can buy in the store. Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows how much I LOVE to bake! I had two glorious days of thinking I could settle into my new way of life.

Yeah. So then I went in on Friday and was told that I am now starting a cleanse. I was given the world's foulest mix to drink in place of my yummy greens drink and some more vitamins to take. The purpose of these things is to get out the bacteria in my gut and heal my slightly leaky gut. I only have two types of parasites, one known and one unknown, so I'm doing better than most of his patients. These could have been in my system even from childhood, so it's hard to tell what caused them. Let's just say the children have been reinstructed on handwashing techniques.

And the diet that goes along with the draught of living death (really, the stuff tastes like bad coffee gone bad) eliminates some of the things I HAD been eating! No potatoes, tomatoes (nightshade veggies), mangoes, bananas, mushrooms, nuts, corn and a few other things. No sugar (bye-bye dark chocolate) or alternate grains. PHOOEY!!

So I started the stuff on Saturday morning and felt like I was going to die. Not only did I have that wretched taste in my mouth all morning long, I felt like I had stomach flu w/o the pleasure of getting sick to make me feel better. And I have a really bad head cold on top of it all. Seriously, could this whole thing get much worse?? It's the first time I've wondered if I shouldn't just find a prescription med for all this nonsense.

And what really didn't make sense is why I couldn't have things that are not on my sensitivity list. I get the sugar--it feeds bacteria. But the rest just didn't make sense. So we muddled through the weekend, Rob fixing what he could (including a form of french onion soup that can only be described as an epic fail) but we were just chomping at the bit to get to my Monday appointment.

As nicely as I could (or maybe not) I kind of attacked my doc, the man who up to this point I did not question in the slightest. Apparently, I should have asked more questions on Friday as I could have avoided a weekend of misery. I can mix the Repairvite (a.k.a. sludge) with a smoothie for breakfast. Now that's better! And I only have to avoid certain foods in the mornings, maybe lunchtime. So my beloved potatoes are back. I just can't overdo the other foods so they don't interfere with the powder.

But. And this is a really big but....I am doing this for two months. Yup, two months of no sugar or alternate grains. No treat on Rob's birthday, no Valentine's, no nuthin'. And if I cheat, it only sets me back further. Seeing as I NEVER want to go through this again, I'll be good. I sent all the dark chocolate to work with Rob, gave the kids the remainder of my gluten-free treats, and I'm planning a big reward for myself when I come out on the other side, hopefully a much healthier more energized me.

Oh, and total weight lost to this point is 14 pounds. So that's something.