Trying Something Alternative

I spent Monday focusing on my stomach.

Well, sort of.

Monday morning, I met with two GPs, who specialize in alternative medicine, specifically nutrition.  Rather, I was referred to them to get counsellings on what changes to make to my nutritional diet to decrease inflammation in my body since I can no longer take anti-inflammatory drugs due to my kidney disease.  I guess I kind of expected to get a list of foods to avoid and a list of foods to eat and a sample diet and have that be it, but that’s not really how it went.

First, I’m being referred to an acupuncturist for the pain.  I’m going to try it out.  I’m not all that excited about the needles thing, but at this point, I’m willing to try it.  They got me after a week of moving and being slave-driven by my parents who don’t believe in taking rest breaks, so I was particularly tender and in no mood to argue.

As for nutrition:

• Gradually decrease the caffeine in your diet.  For some reason, they think I’m an addict.  Who didn’t see that coming?  They said not to do it cold turkey though…apparently I’m not as young as I once was.
• I have to do half my morning coffee as decaf.  Bah!  That’s just wrong!  A crime against nature.
• I need to start cutting my Diet Pepsi with Diet Rite (which is not caffeinated).  Another crime.
• Take out foods with aspartame.  Substitute with non-aspartame products.
• Again with the Diet Rite.  Though Pepsi One is made with Splenda.
• I need to find a yogurt I like that doesn’t sweeten with aspartame.  I loved Blue Bunny in the South but haven’t been able to find it here.  I’ll be making my own again once I get settled in my house, so it’s just for a short time.
• Use Olive and Canola Oil.  (I already do that.  Vegetable oil is too heavy.)
• Decrease how often you are eating out down to 1-2 times per week to keep dinners healthy.  They got me there.  I had gotten to the point where I was eating out pretty much every night and you can’t control what other people put in your food.  It’s a good thing I love cooking.
• Add Ginger and Tumeric to foods.  Apparently these have anti-inflammatory properties but they take a few weeks to build up in your system.  They said to just toss a little into my soup or whatever I’m having for lunch.
• Substitute Soy and Seafood for red meat and poultry.  Apparently red meat and poultry have pro-inflammatory properties.  I already wasn’t eating much red meat.  The poultry will be harder to give up.  I find it a little odd that I already had been unconsciously making this move toward semi-vegetarianism.  I’d been naturally making the choice to use Soy substitutes of meat for about half a year on my own, not out of any pro-animal or anti-meat industry ideology but just because I felt it was better for “me” personally.  Who knew?
• Increase fruits and vegetables.  The goal in anti-inflammatory diets is 6-8 servings a day.  Damn, 5 servings a day was hard enough.  Well, I just have to work at it.  V-8 here I come.
• Try adding small amounts of nuts or seeds (especially almonds) for a snack.  About a handful a day would be good.  Almonds have particularly good anti-inflammatory properties.

As for exercise, they checked on my water physical therapy referral which is still in the queue and suggested I start wearing my pedometer again and start increasing my steps.  Like I’m going to be able to find my pedometer in the chaos.  The idea is that I should take short walk breaks at work.  Do these doctors have time to take short walk breaks at their job?
They wanted to suggest some vitamin supplements but decided to hold off until my next appointment so they could do some research on how the supplements my affect my IgAN.  I like doctors that research how things will affect your illnesses.

Tags: Wellness, alternative medicine, nutrition, acupuncture, IgAN, fibromyalgia, anti-inflammatory diet

2 Specialists Down, 1…or 2 To Go

It’s official. It’s a relief to know that I have two diagnoses and two treatment plans now.

The kidney biopsy results apparently led to both diagnoses.

IgA Nephropathy

It’s an autoimmune kidney disease, as I said. The Nephrologist said the prognosis is very good. We have caught it very early — though probably I had it 4 years ago when I saw that Nephrologist who didn’t really run any tests and just dismissed me so I could have caught it even sooner. My kidney functions are still excellent and don’t appear to be damaged yet. She is changing my blood pressure medication to one that will treat both my blood pressure and the IgAN. Unfortunately, this will have to be monitored for the rest of my life at the very least annually if not quarterly to watch for deterioration of my kidneys. Worse case senarios are total renal failure and kidney transplants.

Fibromyalgia

The Rheumatologist is now convinced that my consistantly high SED rate is the result of the IgAN as he’s eliminated everything else it could be in his arsenal and the kidney biopsy proved it’s not vasculitis. He’s given me the official diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and is requesting that my GP increase my sleep med dosage (b/c she prescribed it) and is prescribing water exercise therapy, which I now need to see where my insurance will cover sending me to. Again, I have to go back in 3 months. Unfortunately because of my kidneys, I cannot take any alleve, advil, or asprin to help with the soreness in my muscles or the pain in my hands.

The frustrating thing is that for the most part, there’s not a lot to change from what I’m doing. Just make sure I get more and better sleep at night and get some exercise, preferably water-based since regular exercise aggrevates the muscle pain. Weight loss will also help but without exercise I possibly can’t lose any more without starving myself.

Next Up

I’m seeing a GI specialist next week finally who I’m supposed to discuss the lack of Gallbladder surgery and possible IBS and acid reflux issues. Good timing as the Previcid seems to be no longer working on the acid reflux.

And the GP wanted to wait until after the kidney biopsy to send me to some sort of pulmonary work-up regarding that persistant cough I’m still having, though not as bad or frequent. I’ve got to try to see her next week about a flu shot too. Oy.

So, there’s good news and lots of moving forward finally! Yay!

Tags: IgAN, fibromyalgia, GI specialist, kidney biopsy, SED rate, rheumatologist, nephrologist, blood pressure, wellness

Thursday Thirteen Discombobulated Worries This Week (#11)

My brain is way too scattered and full of anxiety to focus on one particular nifty topic this week. So, now you get to see the really true discombobulated, highly anxious me.

Thirteen Things about N. Mallory

1. What if the sale on the little red house falls through and I don’t get it?
2. What if the sale on the little red house doesn’t fall through and I do get it and it turns into a money pit?
3. What if those nice flippers are taking advantage of me because I’m a naive first time buyer and I don’t know what I’m doing?
4. What if my dog is depressed? He’s been lethargic and hasn’t been eating at home, but the doggie daycare folks say he’s hyper and playful there. Maybe he just hates me.

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Tags: Thursday Thirteen, meme, bloghopping, anxiety, home buying, acid reflux, IgAN, autoimmune kidney disease, discombobulated, the puppy

14 comments See also in My Life, Geekery, Blogging & Other Blogs, Wellness, Discombobulated, Anxiety/Depression, The Puppy, Acid Reflux/Gastro B.S., Thursday Thirteen, Memes, Little Red House, IgA Nephropathy

Movie Review: The Insider

I watched The Insider last night. It was one of those movies that’s been traveling up my Netflix queue for awhile. O.K. It’d been on there so long that I’d actually forgotten pretty much what it was about. My vague recollection was that it was about a whistleblower who went to 60 Minutes. That’s a really boiled down summary of what it is.

One man told the truth. Another reported the story. Both paid the price. The Insider — a true tale about a Big Tobacco scientist (Russell Crowe) who exposed industry secrets, and the newsman (Al Pacino) who fought corporate forces that would have squelched the story — offers a glimpse into power, media and money in America. A thought-provoking and thrilling film. [Netflix]

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Tags: The Insider, Netflix, Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plumber, movie, 60 Minutes, Mike Wallace, Jeffery Wigand, Lowell Bergman, tobacco industry