The Day After the Day Things Changed -- again
So, if'n you read yesterday's post you know I went and saw a new doctor about some problems that have been extant since New Hampshire and which a wheat-free/Celiac diet has helped with, but that has become secondary to other issues that have started to resurface in my life. About a year ago, closer to ten or eleven months now, I saw a doctor about what I thought was probably Acid Reflux and had an upper GI which is a bunch of x-ray's where the radiologist manipulates you into positions where gastric juices are forced back up the esophagus and into the throat. The throat has a sphincter that blocks things like this from happening and part of what Acid Reflux is, is the sphincter not working properly. I, apparently, have that problem.
The plus side was that I didn't have any long-term damage to the esophagus, there is no cancer (one of the side effects of Acid Reflux) and a prescription of Prilosec has helped immensely. Yippe-kay-ay little campers.
Anyway, in my discussion with the doctor yesterday he asked about the Acid Relux and eventually asked whether or not I was taking the medicine in the morning. I informed him that the doctor who prescribed the medicine told me it could be taken at night before bed (as that is a consistent time for me) and he responded, "No, no, no, no. That is not how it is to be taken."
He then proceeded to outline for me the proper method of taking Prilosec for Acid Reflux. Essentially, you take it thirty minutes (to an hour) before you eat in the morning. What this does is get the medicine absorbed into the bloodstream and then you east something which causes the acid pumps to turn on, that in turn allows the inhibitors (the medicine) to go into action. This is supposed to make me feel better, Acid Reflux wise, sooner.
The reason this becomes an entry is that I followed the doc's directions I woke up this morning with a couple of things I've not dealt with for a while: sick, painful feeling in lower right abdomen and the feeling of the Acid Reflux in the back of my mouth. Fun fun. There is a good possibility that these are merely coincidental with what the doctor will be anal probing me for next week (note to self, call insurance company to get them to pre-authorize procedure); however, I think there is probably more of a relationship here than meets the eye (or it does meet the eye and you are a transformers fan and... moving on).
On the flipside of the whole situation, having the colonoscopy and endoscopy is actually becoming a mentally prevalent aspect to my life. I spent some time (working at Barnes and Noble while Erin was in class because I am driving her to school and home) thinking about it and realizing that for the first time in my life I am concerned not only for myself, but for Erin and 'little camper'. Sure, there should be nothing to worry about, this is a common procedure that they also have to put me out for, but that doesn't change the nature of thinking, "What if...?"
Regardless, the procedure will take place next week, I will be put out, Erin will sit (and hopefully read something or do something) and I will wake up and head home and recover for a bit. I expect that the doctor will have some answers and, the eventual outcome, may be medication to help with the effects of Crohn's Disease.
What was interesting to me, today, was that I changed my medication strategy and am feeling a bit under the weather.
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