I hear voices; the murmurs of experience in my head when push comes to shove.
When taking a pill I always hear my Mom say “It’s good for you!” which enables me to swallow. For some odd reason. (Yes, I’m 60 years old!)
When I’m sick I drink plenty of fluids because I hear my friend Bonna say “Drink fluids! Hydrate!” She never put up with my bullshit and I believe she’s such a good mother now because she had to half-raise me.
And I hear my sister-in-law when my gut is bloated and gassy at 3:00am. “Don’t you have any Gas-X?” My internal reply is invariably YES to her answer “WELL??”
TMI? Here’s more. Bloated and gassy used to be my normal routine. That and miserable diarrhea. THEN I remembered my doctor’s mantra – “Get rid of GMO’s and Gluten”
So one month ago I cut gluten and lactose out of my life. Surgically removed them, more like. It was difficult; I dreamed about donuts for two weeks.
But the first day -well, the day after I started- I felt 1,000% better. I know, but the difference between totally miserable and totally wonderful is so far apart. I was me again! All my energy was back!! My stomach went flat and I could digest again! Over TEN pounds fell off the first week!
And I tested negative for celiac disease.
The internist talked to me for five minutes and proclaimed “You have IBS”. No, I don’t. I may have felt like it for a time, but he can take that crap down the road. There are people out there who really suffer from it and I’m sure they don’t appreciate it being some sort of catch-all just because Dr. Do-Little doesn’t give a shit.
So, hearing voices might be a crazy thing to do, but I’m not giving up on them any time soon. I may even add some. 😉
pamibe 
Glad you’re feeling better!
Re: GMOs — nearly everything we eat is genetically modified to some extent. Seeds are sorted to keep hardier (&heartier) crops, are crossed with other seeds to create tastier products, and have been done for centuries. What is currently being called out is nothing new, per se, just more easily done with technology.
Re: lactose — chances are you’re reacting to a specific protein in dairy products. This is more common than you know! Try adding back into your diet one type of dairy at a time. I recommend yogurt without many additives as those can also be culprits. If you really don’t miss dairy, don’t worry about, but make sure you’re still getting vitamin D somehow in your diet.
Gluten: I honestly doubt you have a sensitivity to gluten. It’s actually rarer than many would have you think. Try an allergist for confirmation.
And finally, as to the possibility of IBS, it’s entirely possible. It’s also possible you may have IBD, which is different and more concerning. Irritable bowel syndrome is any regular gut trouble you have. Inflammatory bowel disease, on the other hand, is a problem that requires medical management. The inflammation of bowel tissue can become worse over time, progressing to colitis, ulcerative colitis, and/or even Crohn’s disease.
It’s possible for you to feel better by cutting out the foods you think are problematic yet still have an underlying disease process that MUST be diagnosed, monitored, and managed! I can’t stress this enough: ask for the necessary testing for IBD, colitis, etc. Also have them check for diverticulitis while they’re going over your gastrointestinal tract. This is one part of your body you don’t want, pardon the pun, crapping out on you.
Now, go forth and feel good. But also go get a referral to a good gastroenterologist.
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Oh, I know about GMO’s and really not that bothered. I drink organic, grass fed, lactose free cow milk and eat organic apples, but that’s about all. I had to take out a loan to buy a roast at Whole Foods. 😉 But that was years ago. Haven’t been since Amazon bought them.
Doctor’s had me taking D3 along with a B Complex for years.
Last year when the gastro (who I thought was good, but who can take him seriously if he’s done no tests and diagnoses on the basis of a chat?) suggested an endoscopy and colonoscopy. I was set to do it, but they wanted $2,000. even though we’d already hit our $5,000. deductible for the year… so I said ‘No thanks’.
I can’t stress how ill I was til six weeks ago, Joanie. I looked at the calendar; six weeks, not four. And I didn’t even take out lactose til the second week, but the 2nd day felt like a new person. It was a miracle. I’m going to add yogurt back because I miss it and I had provolone last night. It’s all a grand experiment, isn’t it?
I’m also going to add a tiny bit of pinot noir back, because life’s too short. ❤
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If you’re feeling good and you can live with dietary restrictions, excellent. I’m just worried you have something else going on with your gut. I know money is tight for everyone, but I’d find a way to get testing done because it could literally be the difference between life and death.
Hugs!
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Well, you were right; my gut doesn’t really tolerate yogurt. I’d been using lactose free milk in my coffee and thinking everything fine, but no. No more yogurt. Other than that I’ve been great!
I’m eating fruits, vegetables, meats and cheerios. What could be better? 😉 Hugs back!!
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