This is a follow-up to my earlier article, Year of Pain. Skip this article if medical and diet stuff bores you.
Unlike the glib statement of the surgeon, I have not been able to return to my former junk-food-laden lifestyle since I had my gall bladder taken out last year. This is not a bad thing in many ways. I have kept off most of the 34 pounds I lost and feel better both inside and out because of it, but more importantly, I am eating a healthier diet than ever before in my life. Don't get me wrong, I still manage to eat lots of chocolate, but the days of weekend chip binges and living off high-fat, low-nutritional TV dinners are done.
But I am still plagued by upper GI pain, mostly on the left side, chronic severe constipation and the hemmorhoids resulting from that (I'm being really frank here). Also, I am getting a handle on my sometimes overwhelming fear that other organs will decide to shut down and go kaput from the sheer stress of it all. There, I finally put a name to it. I guess it's really a fear of dying and having to face my mortality. We're all gonna go sometime, but this whole experience has made it more immediate for me. My doctor reassures me that I am still young and healthy, and my CT scan shows that my organs (liver, spleen, stomach, kidneys) are all perfectly normal.
So where is this pain coming from? It turns out I am one of those people who can, quite literally, worry myself sick. It is a way of making thoughts and feelings manifest in the physical body. It is not "all in my head", the symptoms are real. The doctor has suggested that because I have been so focussed on my lack of gall bladder and fears around another organ collapsing, I have actually created the pain, even though there is no obvious physical reason for me to be having this problem. So stress and anxiety are two of the primary triggers for my pain.
You have heard how the mind is a powerful thing. It's true. Placebos work because a person believes the 'medicine' will make them well. Curses can also work if someone believes strongly enough. I watched a man will himself to death in a nursing home many years ago. He had Alzheimers and was only in his 50s. It took him 3 months, but he basically starved himself to death and willed himself to die.
Apparently, women have an extra hormone in their brains that men don't have that makes women more prone to anxiety and worry. Great. I can give up and accept that or just take it as okay to know and make an extra effort.
So, anyway, the guts have settled down again to an almost normal state, so that's a great relief. I take it on a day-by-day basis because it flares up without warning, but now I'm starting to get the hang of how to handle things. The most important thing is a healthier diet that includes fruit and veg, water, grains, small amounts of healthy fats, and a few unhealthy treats (once in a while instead of every day).
Here's a few things I've learned that might help. You can research them in greater detail yourself and decide what works for you. I'm not a medical expert, so always consult a professional rather than messing around with stuff that could potentially be harmful.
Good Stuff:
1. Vitamin C and good multi-vitamin - Just generally helps your body fight off germs and stuff (especially important, if you don't eat enough fruit and veg, like me)
2. Cold-Pressed Flaxseed Oil - crush the seeds yourself in an electric coffee bean grinder or buy the capsules - helps keeps your innards greased and also is good for you
3. dandelion or milk thistle supplement - these are liver tonics that are supposed to help your liver function properly
4. water, water, water! - drink as much of it in a day as you can stand but the recommend amount is 6 to 8 glasses for most people - best thing for hydrating your body, helping clear out toxins and waste in your intestines and bowels, and preventing constipation
5. Fiber - soluble and in-soluble - you need both of these types - things like fruits and vegetables and grains are the best sources
6. Slippery Elm supplement - good for soothing the innards, helps with the bowel and preventing constipation (also makes a good throat losenge, I don't use anything else)
7. Herbal tea - instead of regular tea or coffee, carbonated drinks, teas with chamomile and things like marshmallow root are easier to digest than the regular stuff
8. Spelt - instead of regular wheat, try eating spelt bread and other spelt products. Spelt is a type of ancient wheat that has less gluten and is easier to digest. I have also been eating things like brown rice pasta and spelt pasta. It gives me more variety and is easier to digest.
9. Exercise - seems obvious, but even a little bit of stretching and short walk every day will help keep your body more relaxed and functioning. More it or lose it.
10. Relaxation - mellow music, meditation, prayer, quiet time, anything that helps you relax and worry less is a good thing
11. Caricol made from Papaya juice - can't remember what it does, but it was recommended to me
I'm sure there's more, but that ought to get you started. Oh yeah, of course, the number one best thing to do is to try not to get gall stones in the first place (although some people have them but don't have any problems) by eating healthy and lean (not a 100% guarantee, but certainly improves your chances of not losing your gall bladder).
WARNING:
Do not try liver and gall bladder cleanses like the popular olive oil and lemon juice one. They are not flushing out gall stones but soap stones made up from the big whack of olive oil you just ingested and some of the contents of your guts. If you have a gall stone in your gall bladder already, apparently the sudden influx of a huge amount of olive oil could potentially cause your system to freak out and land you in the hospital. This type of cleanse is posted everywhere on the Internet and is extremely popular as a folk remedy, but apparently has not been medically proven to work and can in fact be hazardous. At best, you'll get a little sick; at worst, you'll be in the hospital. Be very cautious about trying anything like this!
That's it. Be wise, be healthy.
