Another Bump In The Road

When I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease I was having a discomfort on the left side of my stomach, right under my ribs. We put it off for so long, and there would be times it would get really bad too! Finally within the last few months we started looking into the gallbladder, which can cause pain and discomfort, and worsens after eating. The gall bladder creates another one of those chemicals to help digest food I guess, and the bile it creates is important, the only issue is it can have different issues like gall stones, and pain, and need to be removed. Not everyone needs their gall bladder removed, but we started considering IV Rocephin as my next treatment regimen and we wanted to make sure that we checked the gall bladder in full for any signs of problems before continuing down that path. We first did an ultrasound that checked the structure of all the organs and major things in the gut, including the Aorta Artery from the Heart, the whole digestive track, the Spleen, Kidneys, Ovaries, Gall Bladder, Pancreas, Liver, and so on. It came back clear, and we decided to do the next step which would check the function, instead of just the structure, of the Gall Bladder. This also after 5 weeks came back normal, and nothing was found. Then within two weeks I started going downhill. I had not even the slightest desire left in me to eat, I had no appetite, i was forcing a few bites a day if any food, and wasting lots of food, I just couldn't manage to eat even a bowl of soup! It would hurt if I did force down a lot, and I was extremely tired, and weak, and could not even horseback ride which is my passion! After 2 weeks and about 20 lb.s were lost, we started thinking Pancreatitis. The Pancreas creates enzymes to digest food and if its having problems can instead digest itself causing pain, lack of appetite, and fatigue, along with Diarrhea and dehydration. This could be serious, and the average treatment for something like that was multiple days in the hospital with IV nutrition to let your Pancreas rest. Then a few days after seeing the Doctor, and while we were waiting for the blood test for Pancreatitis to come back, i started having bad stomach pain, noticeably worsened when i ate, to the point where I would hunch over forward to help relieve it. I was nauseous, and not hungry, and tired, and in pain. I fought through but by Thursday evening was so bad I could barely breath, so I went to the ER. They did blood tests, urine tests, and a CAT scan (where you drink the contrast for 2 hours, and then get an IV and take the photos over the last hour), they even put in IV hydration for me and administered Morphine and nausea medicine. All the tests were negative for anything, and we had no clue what to do... I went home and rested, and then Friday my mom got in contact with the GI specialist to get her opinion. The GI doctor wanted me to start a medicine called Karafait that night, and take it 4 times a day over the weekend, and see if it helped any. other than that I was suppose to rest. Well i had a fever Friday evening, but still took the Karafait, and suffered through the night. Then by morning I felt a little better, still tired. By Sunday I was feeling wonderful! No pain, Nausea, nothing! it was virtually all gone! I was hungry, and thirsty and could eat without it bothering me! Like a miracle it was all better! the GI doctor explained Monday that the Karafait was probably coating a Gastric Ulcer and that's why it didn't hurt anymore. it would coat it and give me time to heal. This must be whats wrong. I have taken loads of tests we are still waiting back for, and I know I am going to be healing until the end of January at least, but I'm so glad we found what it was after two whole weeks of pain! This has been just another bump in the road in my treatment, and I will take it with ease and as Dory from Finding Nemo warns : 'Just keep swimming!'