Stress and Diet

Wow, February has started with so many challenges!  We have had some issues this month that we don't normally deal with and it has been stressful.  Our electric bill nearly tripled, we had money stolen from our bank account our phone situation became muddled because we wanted to try a new carrier and all that after a bout of flu in the house!

Let's start with the flu.  With my autoimmune diseases it is safe to say that I have a compromised immune system.  I try to do what the doctors tell me and get the necessary vaccinations.  I did get the flu shot this year, as did my husband.  The kids got the flu mist as that was all that was available.  Well two weeks ago the flu hit our house.  All of us ended up getting one symptom or more and we were all pretty miserable.  Our youngest had the worse case with varying cases in between.  I ached all over, was miserable.  We muddled through that and got everyone back to school or work.

So after that stress we found out about the money being siphoned from our account and ended up having to close it.  It is so sad that people like to take what is not theirs.  Then our electric bill being so high.  All of this stressed me out and I had a very bad flare up of Fibromyalgia.  I am doing better after much praying but I am still swollen and achy.

I am slowly learning that my life is going to be different.  Different than it used to be.  Different than my husband's or my childrens'.  My life is different than most of my friends.  I do have a few that suffer from autoimmunity so they understand.  My problem with stress is I don't like to burden others with how I feel so I usually keep it to myself until I can no longer deal then it all comes out very badly.

One problem that I deal with is how I cannot function well and that means I don't want to cook.  When I feel this way we don't eat so well.  I am determined to make some meals that can be frozen and placed in the crockpot or put in the oven from the freezer.  I just need to plan it and shop for it and then do it!

If you have any suggestion on this, I would love to hear them!

My Journey (short version)

All my life I was a little sicker than most.  I caught every cold and flu.  I had every childhood disease imaginable: mumps, measles, German measles, chicken pox.  Those are the ones I remember.  It never bothered me much and my parents never thought anything of it.  When I was 17 I went to the doctor because of severe intestinal cramps and alternating diarrhea and constipation.  I was told that I had "spastic colon" which is not called IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  I was told to put wheat germ on my breakfast and eat more whole grains, so I did.  It got worse.  So I quit doing that and just lived with the symptoms.

When my children were born (many years later) I became very tired.  I chalked it up to having 3 in diapers at the same time.  I developed pneumonia and was hospitalized for a few days.  Afterwards I was told to get a chest x-ray, which I did.  There were spots.  After more tests and a biopsy it was determined that I had Sarcoidosis in the Lymph System.  We moved to another state soon after and I was still plagued with fatigue and gastric issues.  No one could figure out what was going on.  After suffering for several years we moved back home and I found a Rheumatologist who diagnosed me with Celiac Disease.  This was confirmed with biopsy.  Total villus atrophy on all samples.  It surprised the gastric doc because I did not present as a "typical" Celiac sufferer.  After this diagnosis I was doing better on a gluten free diet but still off.

I went to an endocrinologist who diagnosed me with Diabetes Type 2 and Hashimotos Disease as well as Adult Onset Human Growth Hormone Deficiency.  Wow, I was one sick puppy!  No wonder I was tired and felt crummy all the time.

So, here I am about a year after my last diagnoses.  The biggest hurdles I face right now are diet and exercise.  That is a catch 22.  I don't know what to eat (several food restrictions) to lose weight and nourish my body.  And when I make the slightest exertion (walk around the block or even grocery store).  I feel like a tank has run me over the next day.

I am going to try over the coming year to discover how to eat and exercise so I can look better and feel better and while doing so I will share my thoughts and experiences.  Just in case you are in the same boat I am.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  If you have any questions, please post and I will answer as soon as I can.