So I'm not, but.....

So I'm not celiac. However I do appear to be gluten (or wheat) sensitive, lactose intolerant and a fructose malabsorper.
I didn't even know there was such a thing as fructose malabsorption! But it does explain why I've always felt queasy after eating fruit (except bananas). Bananas happen to be the one fruit that fructose malabsorpers (FM) can handle.
All my life people have tried to make me eat fruit. To the point where they insinuated I was actually *trying* to be unhealthy because I didn't eat much fruit.

So the plan now? The plan is to give my GI system a break and only eat food that shouldn't cause any irritation for a month or so, then re-introduce potential candidates one at a time. I'm going to hunt out a dietician that understands these intolerances, and I'm going to line up some breath testing for these things - which is like a blood test for these intolerances. It's always useful to have some test results behind you when tackling the medical profession.

I did kind of wish I was celiac and only celiac - it would have explained most of my symptoms. And before you think me a freak for wishing that on myself, with what I'm now facing I have an even more restricted diet than a celiac. No gluten or wheat, no lactose bearing dairy and no fruit or anything that fructose is in, and fructose is used as a sweetener in an awful lot of things!
There is another extreme, and that's no sugars at all. But I don't think I'm that bad, just have to figure out which ones I react to. Once I do figure it out, then I can start figuring out what levels I react to, so that I can eat some of this stuff. Although about 5 pieces of rockmelon and watermelon was way too much last week...

On the positive side - I'm actually feeling pretty well. Better than I have in ages, although it is a day-to-day thing, and one bad meal washes me out for 2-3 days :(
I even have energy again! I cooked, cleaned, re-arranged furniture and did 4 hours paid work today, plus a bit more unpaid. Simple tasks that have just been beyond me for the last few months are now getting done.

And for those who know me, you probably don't see me as ill, or weary, or anything. That's me, I hide it, I use up what energy I have when I'm working and socialising, and there's nothing left over. I don't think B knew me when I had lots of energy, but he's noticed a huge drop off in the last 10-12 months. There are many far worse off than me. But I'm all I have, and I'm the one I'm concerned with - because no-one else is going to get me better, I have to do it myself.

Childhood remembrances

After an overnight stop in Gladstone (not the highlight of the trip), we headed on to Rockhampton and Yeppoon - where I had spent childhood holidays.

Given the caving people that we are, we took the opportunity to walk through Capricorn Caves. Blah, blah... "a unique system of above-ground caves " ...blah blah...
I wasn't personally all that impressed with it. What was interesting, though, was seeing the old bridges and tunnels that the guano (bat poo) miners used.

From there we headed East to the little seaside township of Yeppoon. My most favourite thing in the region is the Singing Ship at Emu Park. You won't necessarily find it on tourist brochures - probably because it is free,m so no-one makes any money off it. But at dawn and dusk:
it is absolutely gorgeous.

And special thanks to DM, who put us up at his mansion in Yeppoon. The afternoon previously there had been a flurry of SMS's between DM and I, as I updated him on the traffic jam, the accident, etc, etc. Sorry we arrived a day late - circumstances beyond our control :(

DM introduced us to Radio NAG, where he is a presenter. Unfortunately we didn't get to hear any of his shows, because NAG don't pod cast or have an on-line broadcast yet - unlike our station RRR. Don't worry NAG - you'll get there.

Am I, Aren't I....

No, not pregnant!

In about an hour I should know if I am celiac or not. I've been getting progresively sicker over the last 10 months, and I'm finally getting the proper test done. I've had the blood tests done, and they came back negative, but I understand that happens sometimes, and I also wonder whether I was actually eating enough gluten at the time to actually trigger the anti-bodies anyway. We'll know soon.
Celiac disease would explain an awful lot of my symptoms, so I am kind of hoping it is that. The "cure" is to not eat *anything* with gluten in it *ever* again. Which is hard - it basically excludes almost all packaged/pre-prepared foods - so lots of cooking in my future. I'll have to find the time somehow.

Of course, if it isn't celiac, then I have no real diagnosis, and just keep on being sick I guess... (Which is why I am hoping at least for a diagnosis.)

I am a little nervous about the test today. They will be putting me to sleep and sticking a camera down my throat to look at my stomach lining, and also taking a biopsy to examine it under a microscope.

B's taking care of me this morning, making sure I get home from the hospital-type place. No MIFF for me today, but he should still be able to make some later today.