A few weeks ago, I mentioned I was experiencing minor health issues. In a break from my usually upbeat and energetic posts, I thought I’d share what’s going on in my world. I know I’m not the only one suffering from digestive disorders and it’s been helpful to hear others’ stories.
On May 9, I had an upper endoscopy which showed I have gastritis and esophagitis (inflammation in both my stomach and esophagus). The biopsy showed the harmful, ulcer-causing bacteria wasn’t present so the course of treatment has been Prilosec and a bland diet. Fifteen days prior to this, I had already been on a bland diet and taking Nexium at the advice of my primary care physician.
It’s been over a month and every day continues to be a struggle. I’m terrified every time I eat. I’ve been living off of bagels, plain pasta, Gatorade and popsicles. There have been a few times I’ve ventured outside the norm and I usually end up paying for it the following days. Every time I think I’m getting better, I’m knocked back down.
Adding to my frustration is the fact I recently eliminated a lot of the gluten and highly-processed carbohydrates I consumed in the past. And now? The only thing I’m eating are those highly-processed carbohydrates. I know there are worse health issues out there, but not having an answer as to what caused this and when it will get better is enough to make me want to scream.
I recently began adding my normal barre3 classes into the mix and that’s helped restore a little bit of my sanity. I feel better knowing I’m making my body stronger in at least one way, and the studio time provides me a place to forget about the outside world for an hour.
I have a follow-up appointment next week to hopefully get a better idea of additional treatment and ways to help my stomach heal. If any of you have had digestive disorders or experience with a bland diet, I’d love any recipe or food ideas. Fingers are crossed for next week!
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