gluten?

I've decided to try a new approach. With my next visit with Dr. Lacey coming up on Jan. 23, I figured I'd spend this upcoming weekend attempting a gluten-free diet in addition to the food and stress journal I started on Monday.

From the research I've done on gluten-free diets, while difficult, it is definitely something I think I can handle. When Hubs and I did our Paleo diet over the summer that seemed more strict. With the gluten-free diet I'll be able to eat some grains in addition to the food I ate while doing Paleo. However, those grains need to be gluten-free, which can be difficult to find.

I stopped at the grocery store last night to pick up some gluten-free pasta, and after scouring the shelves in the pasta aisle for 10 minutes, I realized everything I was going to need was going to be in the miniscule gluten-free section of the store. Five tiny little shelves, no wider than I am, filled with gluten-free products that I had no idea if they would be good or not. I bought some penne and a bag of gluten-free crackers (hey, I need a snack to try too!). The penne was ok. It would have been better if I didn't cook it as long. But in terms of taste, it tasted like regular, ol' noodles. Less cooking time would have made it taste more like the right consistency, I think.

I've been finding some gluten-free cooking blogs, have been emailing an old friend from high school for tips on a gluten-free diet, and my wonderful mom bought me some gluten-free cookbooks that I am eager to try. :)

I'll keep you posted how things are going!

working diagnosis

I met with Dr. Lacey this morning. He ordered another outpatient test. I am going to swallow a capsule that has a tiny camera in it that will move through my entire small intestine. Apparently during the endoscopy, colonoscopy, and that weird barium Xray they didn't see any of the small intestine, or just not enough of it to make a solid diagnosis.

So on Dec. 22 I can only have clear liquids, and then on Dec. 23 I go to the hospital to have this done. They are just going to stick electrodes all over my stomach and the front part of my body, and then I wear a vest and have to attach a battery pack on my pants or shirt or something. (Weirdly enough, I am not allowed to go to a bank while wearing this. They had one patient go to the bank and the cops were called! lol) Then I will swallow the camera pill and go about my normal day. The doctor will tell me after I'm all hooked up when I should return back to the hospital, probably between 3-4 pm. The camera capsule will just pass through my body and get flushed.

This camera will take 3,000+ pictures. They are looking for any tears, ulcers, inflammation, etc. that might be in the small intestine. So right now my "working diagnosis" is Crohn's Disease of the Small Bowel. It differs from regular Crohn's in that my colon is not involved at all. The doctor said that was a little unusual, but not unheard of or anything.

I asked him if they do this camera capsule and everything comes back normal, then what? He thinks they are going to find something in the small intestine, but if not, it is probably just IBS. If it is just IBS, he said we can discuss my options as far as diet, stress level, etc. He also said he'd be able to write me another prescription to help slow my digestive system down.

I'll keep you posted as to what they find, if anything.