So for the past few weeks I have eluded to being short of energy as my excuse for not blogging as regularly as I’d like. Actually it was a little more than feeling a bit run down and for the past few weeks I have been back and forwards to the doctors getting all manner of tests. We now think we have an answer (looks like I could be coeliac) but I decided not to blog about it all till we had an answer as I didn’t want to bother relatives etc with the saga.
So yes, the energy level problems got to an unworkable level. Wake up. Feel tired. Do an hours work then close my eyes for a short nap. Wake up three hours later! And then other problems raised their head. Of late my muscles have ached so much, especially my legs, I’ve had problems just walking up stairs. At 32 I shouldn’t be coveting a Stannah Stairlift!
I won’t give you the bowel symptoms suffice to say there are two bowel speeds – glacial or volcanic.
So off I went to the Dr and a round of blood tests were set in place.
Thursday morning, after fasting from the night before, and I went in to see Needlewoman the phleabotomist.
Me: "I have rubbish veins so I hope your aim is good this morning!"
Needlewoman: "Oh there’s always one but they are never as bad as you think"
Needlewoman takes one look at my arm and her face drops. My veins are like vascular Bin Ladens. She looked at the envelope I’d been sent in with, face dropped further as she needed to take six tubes.
She stabbed me, the vein collapsed like a soap star at an aftershow party.
Needlewoman: "I’m going to go and get the other nurse, sometimes two heads are better than one and if all else fails one can needle you whilst the other prays"
So Needlewoman #2 came in and looked frightfully young and was very breezy for a woman who brandishes sharp things. And then she put the tourniquet on using one hand in a motion that surely isn’t taught on the NHS but more akin to the crack houses of Glasgow. And hence my hope that she would score a vein raised massively.
She prodded the armed whilst staring into space.
As my arm was turning blue I couldn’t refuse. She dived in and hit red. Six tubes filled no bother.
Those tests came back with a lot of ‘weakly positives’. Things like iron are just straddling the bottom end of normal. The doc used usch encouraging words as ‘weird’ and ‘odd’. So then a second round was called for. This time a mere three tubes needed to be filled and at least we knew where we were best to aim for.
Supposedly I have deep veins, positively philosophical.
Those lot came back . Yadda yadda yadda, this is a blog not a Holby City script so let’s skip to the thinking I am coeliac (that blood test is in 10 days time, just fit a tap for Gawd’s sake) and regardless of what that comes back the Doc wants me to go gluten free and see if symptoms improve. Then in September a review and if those manky blood readings remain manky a visit to the haematologist for a deeper review. So I will keep you posted.
I would like something definite pinpointed rather than ‘syndrome Beks’ but it is interesting to see the bloods are a bit rubbish, so something is going on and I am not just lazy!!
Aaw, poor you :-( I hope they can sort you out soon!
Posted by: Kate | 22 July 2006 at 09:52 PM
Sorry to hear that "they" suspect you're poorly but at least you've started with the process of being diagnosed. I hope any news is good news.
Do you think "gluten free" is going to be a problem?
Posted by: Stegbeetle | 22 July 2006 at 09:55 PM
That all sounds very traumatic :/. I went gluten-free for a while, and when I got used to it it wasn't too bad - it severely limited eating out, but apart from that ... My breadmaker book has some gluten-free recipes in - if you think they'd help, drop me an email :).
Posted by: Ally | 22 July 2006 at 11:39 PM
If you are coeliac, then you should start to feel a lot, and I mean a lot better very quickly cutting out the gluten. It's just rather crappy trying to find stuff that doesn't contain it. I know they are expensive, but Waitrose have a superb section of gluten free and most larger supermarkets are now coming on line. There are also some good internet suppliers.
Posted by: St Jude | 24 July 2006 at 04:27 PM
"two bowel speeds - glacial or volcanic". LOL. Know the feeling!
Hope you feel better soon :)
Posted by: china blue | 24 July 2006 at 07:53 PM