Meds

If you're like me, you remember things better once you write them down.  Or maybe you just begin to depend on having notes to look back on.   I've been doing that with my eating habits lately, because after having my gall bladder out, I've been having digestive issues, namely, bile salt diarrhea according to my new doctor.

I met her last week, and like her a lot.  Once I described my symptoms, she immediately knew what meds to put me on:  cholestyramine.   This isn't the way I wanted to do it- I was hoping to find a "magic formula" of eating that would counteract my ~episodes~ and not have to resort to meds of any kind.   *sigh*   But as we get older, it just doesn't happen that way, it seems.

Not knowing what to expect, I picked up my Rx and nearly gulped at the price -- $220 -- and was so happy to learn my insurance would cover it.   It comes in a powder form and is to be mixed with water or juice and could be taken up to four times a day.  Hmmm.  Seems like a lot!  I have found that I can control my episodes up to a point by eating brown rice and veggies for dinner every night, and keeping away from fats and sugars during the work day.  But that didn't cover doing anything outside of being at home or work
(read between the lines:  close to a bathroom!)
Eating this way for the past two months or so enabled me to drive to and from work without needing a bathroom during the 30 minute commute!

Here's my advice to young folks:   Eat healthy and keep your liver/gall bladder functioning properly -- you won't like the alternatives!

So Thursday I open my first packet of cholestyramine and pour it into the last 8 ounces of my 33 ounce water bottle.  Instructions say to "mix well".   I shook that bottle for all it's worth, and boy did it foam up!  When your mind thinks 'water' and you're drinking something that has a nauseating fake orange flavor, along with tons of foam, and you find that your water is actually gritty --- UGH!  Talk about a gag reflex!!  What I didn't notice in the side affects is that this could cause dizziness or drowsiness.  And I just downed it.  At work.

It took about 30 minutes and I could feel the dizziness and realized that this was something I needed to take at home, perhaps before bedtime!  I'm sensitive to many meds as it is, and rarely take any kind of pills, aspirin and such, so when I do take something, I need to be careful.

With my first dose under my belt, I waited, wondering if this was going to work, how it was going to work, what effect it will have on me and my episodes.  When you become used to going to the bathroom often, having your bowels empty most of the time because of a high motility rate, not going as often makes you feel just as uncomfortable.  Needless to say, I didn't venture outside my normal routines of work and home, walking Sadie each evening .... just in case.

And being the kind who always wants to push limits, I let my eating habits be No Limits for the weekend:  ice cream.  check.   cheese.  check.  chocolate bar.  check.  pizza! check.  So far, none of them caused any issues all of Friday and Saturday.  Hmm.  Maybe I can get away with taking this only two or three times a week!

Today, Sunday, was another matter.  I had a peanut butter bar and a wrap with bacon on it, and an hour later, back to old habits and into the bathroom.  But that's ok.  I got home and took another dose, this time mixing it with real orange juice.  It was still a little thick, a little gritty, but I got it down.  I did notice that not mixing it well meant a bit of the grit stuck to my teeth and it was like applying ice to a sensitive tooth - ouchies!

I'm going to continue to monitor my food intake and my doses of this wonder drug, and will keep you informed.  As I write this, I'm having a bowl of delicious split pea soup -- one of my favs that I haven't eaten in nearly 3 years!

Hmm, maybe I should have checked the expire date on that can! haha