Mood:
celebratoryNow Playing: Day 605-The Final Road To Survival
I have always been known to do my own research to help my specialists with my Idiopathic GP care. Recently I was told my kidneys are causing more problems as they filter and flush fluids way too fast! This started a few years ago. We all chalked it up as part of my Idiopathic Gastroparesis. I have done all the urine output tests, blood work, urine cultures, etc. NOW after doing a bit of my own research we have finally found the culprit behind this connected GP problem. There are quite a few of us GP'ers who have problems either with sugar levels too high or too low. Mine tend to run very low even after consuming chocolate or sugar which I am limited to only one brand and two types. I am constantly finding myself craving SUGAR! Not cake or baked goods but sugar. I have also connected the constant urination around the times I am craving sugar. Some say I am a sugar junkie or sugar addict and they are very close to the truth. We have recently found my low blood sugar issues and kidney problems connected to GI problems due to my Idiopathic Gastroparesis. I am unable to gain the weight due to my body is not processing the sugar correctly or breaking it down properly. I also don't spike sugar levels even if I was to consume a handful or entire bag of sugar/candy. My specialists had me using a blood sugar monitor over the past year and sure enough my readings do not elevate. In fact after all that sugar they still run low under 80 and I am back in the bathroom urinating constantly. It takes so much sugar for me to feel better and not have the shakes or dizziness. I still crave it on a daily basis. NOW WE KNOW WHY. Is there a cure to this madness? No. Once again doctors must treat symptoms as they arise-if they can be treated. To put it bluntly my body needs the sugar, if not I would either constantly pass out or be in worse trouble. Darn if you do and darn if you don't because my kidneys are doing overtime. Just another organ that is forever damaged and altered due to Gastroparesis. SUGAR: Without the sweet treat, one may feel tired, light-headed or confused. There may be shaking or weakness that is relieved by eating something sweet. More extreme symptoms include shaking or tremors, severe headaches, nausea or even vomiting. CAUSES OF PHYSICAL ADDICTION TO SUGAR Sugar, in the form of a substance called glucose, is the basic fuel of the body. Other sugars such as fruit sugar (fructose), milk sugar (maltose) and others can also be broken down in the body to glucose. Normally, our bodies do not require sweets, however, for food. We eat starches such as rice or bread, potatoes or carrots. We may also eat fats such as butter, eggs, and meats, and even protein foods. All these should be decomposed or broken down if needed into glucose in the digestive system and the liver. The name of this process is gluc. When a person must eat simple sugars, or even honey or fruit juices on a regular basis, it implies that one cannot breakdown complex foods into sugars. In other words, the craving arises due to the body's inability to properly digest and utilize other, more complex carbohydrate foods, or fats in amounts sufficient to fuel the body. Therefore, one wants to eat the end product - sugar. This is as bit like having a clogged fuel system in a car. The normal way that gasoline reaches the engine from the fuel tank is by passing through as series of steps to "process" the gasoline. However, if the fuel system is clogged, gasoline must be poured directly into the engine without the usual processing, bypassing the usual fuel filter and other steps, or the car will not run. WHY THE BODY'S FUEL SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK As in the automobile, sugars in the body must pass through a number of steps in order to be digested, converted, moved into the cells and utilized there for energy production. A blockage anywhere along the fuel conversion process can and does cause sweet cravings. Before discussing the trouble spots or places where blockages occur, here are the basic steps in the body's fuel system. 1) Complex carbohydrates or starches, fats and oils and protein foods are eaten. 2) Proper digestion actually begins in the mouth, with chewing to disintegrate the food and enzymes in the saliva that begin its chemical digestion. 3) Once in the stomach, digestion continues, as does mechanical mixing of the food with hydrochloric acid and other substances such as pepsin, a stomach enzyme that helps digest protein foods. 4) As the food passes into the small intestine, it is soon mixed with bile from the liver and pancreatic juices from the pancreas. These further digest the food. 5) Now the food is broken down into its basic components. Carbohydrates are broken into sugars, fats and oils into fatty acids and proteins into amino acids. These must be properly absorbed in the lower intestine, mainly, where they flow into the liver and kidneys. 6) In the liver, in particular, these may be converted into other fatty acids, cholesterol, amino acids and other necessary nutrients. Sugars may remain in storage in the form of glycogen, or may pass out into the bloodstream. The kidneys filter the material, making sure that harmful chemicals are properly removed. 7) Once the nutrients leave the liver and kidneys, they move to the body cells. Here they must pass through the cell membranes and enter the cells. This requires the vital hormone, insulin. Any problem in the insulin mechanism impairs movement of sugars into the cells. 8) Once inside the cells, sugars, fatty acids and amino acids enter two energy cycles, called the glycolysis and the Krebs or carboxylic acid cycles. In these, they are finally converted to the form the body actually uses for energy, mainly a substance called adenosine triphosphate or ATP. This completes the process of sugar utilization. As one can see, it involves quite a complex number of steps. Now let us see what happens in people who have a sugar addiction. TROUBLES IN THE FUEL SYSTEM There are many possible trouble spots in the body's fuel system. Among the most common are: Intestinal Difficulties. Intestinal problems are many and may infections such as candida albicans. This is universal in sugar-eating people because sugar feeds the yeast organisms and keeps them healthy and strong. Many other types of infections with bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses are possible and common, especially if one travels to unclean places or eats unwashed or improperly cooked food. Another intestinal difficulty is diarrhea due to any number of reasons. Still another cause is a damaged intestinal wall, which can be due to parasites, nutrient deficiencies and other reasons. This may be called a `leaky gut' or other types of damage occur such as inflammation due to toxic food additives or heavy metals in food or drink. Another difficulty is intestinal atrophy, a more advanced problem that may be diagnosed as malab syndromes such as ce disease. Most people actually have a combination of digestive problems, which impairs their utilization of food. As a result, they overeat to get what they need, or they simply crave what they need in the form of sugar because they do not absorb their food and other nutrients adequately. FYI: *Info worth keeping in mind as a Gastroparesis patient. Remember your kidneys are responsible for filtering sugar, etc and if you have a damaged GI tract they will either work too fast or too slow. In my case too fast because the sugar is just dropping not absorbing. They don't call me the M&M queen for nothing but sadly I can't tolerate M&M's anymore. GP has a wicked way of changing what we can or can not consume on a constant basis. I had to move onto just plain Hershey miniatures and do OK for 'now.' My specialists said because they don't contain hardly any additives thus the candy just dissolves. The problem is the constant need for sugar and rapid flushing with my kidneys that started a few years ago which was never resolved. Until now. At least we finally figured out that great mystery and here's to hoping maybe this information might also help you!
Here is some info on sugar and connected GI problems. Any of it sound familiar to you?
For those who have been wondering if some U Tube videos or books from an individual who says if you stick with their diet plan, etc you will be cured from Gastroparesis is true or not. Its totally false. If anyone buys into that mumbo-jumbo then truly your doctors are not being honest with you. There is no cure. There is no specific diet for Gastroparesis. If there was we would all be eating healthy and feeling more like ourselves. Sadly just another person with their hands out to make a quick buck. I personallly will and won't ever advertise false information nor false hopes. Each GP patient is unique in what they can or can not tolerate as far as foods or liquids. That can and usual does change. Like I said each patient is truly unique. Don't buy into false claims because it only causes more unnecessary stress that GP'ers surely don't need.
That's another 'V' for victory! YES! I am still ALIVE! I made it through another Hell-In-A-Jug aka Drano treatment! WHOAHOA! Never again though should I attempt treatment being home alone in the evenings seeing this round wasn't very nice in fact it was extremely wicked! When things hit you a wee bit too quickly it can also hit you twice as hard when it comes to side affects of the unknown. I have also come to learn peppermint tastes the same coming back up as it goes down. YUCK! So maybe peppermint isn't such a good thing to eat hours after treatment although it seemed like a great idea at the time!
Off to join Littleblue on my couchbed as Oreo enjoys some birthday Milkbone treats. Glad one of us can splurge this evening! Hahahaha!
lyrical
d'oh
Honestly I didn't do too much today because I was still trying to wake up my tired body. At least I was able to touch up my gray hairs that Mr. Gastroparesis gives me (of what hair I still have left on my head) then finished up a few loads of wash, cleaned the bathroom and kitchen sink. My friend was also exhausted since he had to go straight from work at 7am to take his son to school then run to the post office and do a few other errands. By the time he got back to the house it was 10:30am. This evening as I was brushing PreciousKitty I looked over to see him passed out on the recliner. That makes two seeing once I was finished grooming Precious she too was out like a light! Hahahaha!
silly
After a great night of sleep that went into the early afternoon at 3pm my pharmacy called to let me know they got the rest of the Drano in today. WHOAHOA! My friend wanted to head out anyways to find a New Years Eve outfit. Just 'in case' my GP wants to be on the nice list for the holidays he will have something to wear. If you wait until after Xmas to find an outfit then you might as well forget it! I remember being in my 20's and waiting until after Christmas to find a New Years dress and it was always slim pickings. Now I am much older and wiser. BUY NOW!
I told my friend to smile on the way out and pose next to their GP car magnet that says, "Gastroparesis & Food Kills." Maybe instead I should design a magnet with a huge jug on it saying, "Drano & Gastroparesis Kills." Once we placed all the bags in the back of his car we barely had any room left. Like I mentioned before, surely they can find alternatives to a jug of chlorinated sodium water to flush your intestines out. Maybe in a chocolate bar with a kick?! At least it would finally rid any and all chocolate cravings I have, hahahaha! Could you imagine? Well anything is possible to me lately.
This evening I decided to try a new recipe and make some gingerbread cookies. Thank goodness I was never much on cookies especially gingerbread or gingersnap. I don't need any temptations around the house right now being already a few days behind treatment. I am still passing last treatment at a snails pace. I am aiming for this weekend but taking it one day at a time. The cookies turned out really good but the best part is the house now smells AMAZING! Maybe I need to buy a gingerbread scented candle? I am starting to like gingerbread. Its not so bad after all. Well...I better put these gingerbread guys on a plate before they magically disappear...Not by the elves either...
Thank goodness for getting lots of sleep lately because I can't say the same for last night or this afternoon. I had some wicked nausea and intestinal pain. I did nothing but toss and turn all night. Sure, I need to really do treatment later this afternoon but with the burning and pressure pain it might not be such a good idea. When I am not feeling well on treatment day I tend to go with my instincts. My friend is really good at giving his opinion too! 
NO! More like, "HOLY DRANO!" HAHAHAHA!
happy
We had a birthday this week at the house. It was Oreo's 13th birthday! To me he will always be my puppy. Oreo is such a affectionate fur kid and is also very generous especially when it comes to his birthday gifts. Seems it must be a Husky thing with Littleblue. What's his is hers and what's hers....Is hers! Hahahaha! Oreo got all sorts of new toys, treats and a sporty blue collar. What's a birthday when you can't share it with the rest of the gang? Even those who were a bit stingy...Like Littleblue, heeheeheehee!
He did change from second to third shift so it does limit spending time with his son however if only I was healthier we could all do more activities together. Its a very sad situation but we tend not to dwell on things that are beyond our control. I just hope one day I can repay all the favors he has done for me. He has given up a lot in order to be here and help out around the house. Its a very selfless thing he is doing and if only others in this world could follow in his footsteps. Hopefully he can be an example for all. I told him this evening how much I appreciated everything he has done for me and most of the time without even asking. It takes a very strong person to accept a terminal condition and be around someone who has many limitations in their life. We find things to do around my disability and although sometimes it can be a challenge we never fail to find laughter.
Touching...
Once we finished and put our oars away I decided it might be a good time to shift focus. Why not start making the traditional holiday buckeye candies? GREAT IDEA! Not only is it a multi-step process but a wonderful way to shift focus on something more pleasant. Once I got all the bowls together I turned on holiday music and rolled away on the buckeyes. I make them every year. This might be the 9th year? Honestly I lost track. Its fun to make homemade goodies for others. I might not be able to personally enjoy them but I get the same satisfaction watching others enjoy my cooking. In fact I cook more now than before I got sick with Idiopathic Gastroparesis. Personally I enjoy the smells of the season and it doesn't always require having to eat. You can also find various holiday scented candles around my house. One has to be creative when life suddenly stops evolving around one important part of living which is eating food. This year so far I have made around sixty buckeyes which will be placed into individual holiday containers for family and friends. If I can't gain weight by golly hopefully someone else can for me.
Might sound bad but I have done all I can to gain weight and failed. Keeping my weight safe not to go under 105 pounds is a huge feat but so far so good. With it being the flu season if anyone is sick I must be safe to wait until they are 100 percent better. Its just not worth my health nor being stuck in the hospital again for the holidays.
down
If this keeps up I might not be getting to sleep till 7am and then waking up just long enough for an hour of sunlight, hahahaha! Not that my seizures wouldn't mind seeing excessive light will always remain one very strong trigger. My friend said they don't mind because they don't get home until 7:30am. 
The Bengals played the Steelers today. The Bengals literally got walked on, maybe RAN OVER instead. Once I turned the TV on in the living room I could hear my friend also turn on their television. I laughed as I saw the score. It got awfully quiet in the house. I should had placed a bet on this game seeing hands down I would had won! Its not unusual every time our home team gets cocky they end up blowing it. Not the first nor the last. Of course I had to sport my Steelers hoodie all day. We even ran up to the local store so I could grab a few things. Needless to say no one said a word. Even those wearing their Bengals gear. I guess they saw the game today too! I am usually not one for sports but I like to tease my friend and its fun! We both like to taunt each other,hahahaha!
Its the long overdue Drano aka Hell-In-A-Jug day. Although I can't stand drinking this foul stuff it sure beats ending back in the hospital with a partial or full obstruction. I did my best to sleep in today. I didn't get to bed until 5:30am. My sleep time seems to be between 5-6am. Yes, us VAMPIRES evolve around the seasons, hahahaha! I don't want to rely on pain medication in order to get rest. I have seen first hand living with someone who was addicted to pain medication what it can do. It literally changes a person and not for the best. Some say I might even be a bit scared of medication from seeing the consequences of those who abused the same drugs that should help me to live a higher quality of life. I don't feel like being another statistic to the problem of drug abuse. With my severe Gastroparesis pills just seem to sit in my intestines anyways so whats the point?
Thanks but no thanks.
