Over the years, giving my intestines a break by having clear or full fluids only for a few days is pretty common. During every flare-up, I immediately cut out most foods. Usually I'll start by dropping to soft foods, then full fluids if there is no improvement in symptoms, then clear fluids if that still doesn't work. Then, over the following weeks, I will slowly begin to try foods from the next category up. If it works, I try again the next day. If it doesn't, I go back down.
It is a constant battle.
My Crohn's has been quite unruly lately. The symptoms are not as severe as when I was in my teens, but the discomfort and bathroom issues are very similar.
Over the past several years, once I drop down to eating bread and rice for a few days, things tend to settle down. In fact, for plain rice to cause a problem is pretty rare. Alas, this time rice isn't quite doing the trick. Luckily for me, full fluids are.
When I go on full fluids, that usually means Boost, popsicles, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, smoothies (sometimes), soup (sometimes), and cheese.
Boost is (and has been) a staple in my kitchen since I was 14 years old. There is only one flavour I like (and an additional one I will stomach if necessary), so the Original Chocolate Boost is a classic go-to, and is fairly well documented in my chart.
Well, my GI's office called recently. I was supposed to have my annual checkup in the coming weeks, but with everything going on, it can't happen. It is what I was expecting, of course. With decent bloodwork, and no symptoms of blood or incontinence, it means that it is still manageable, however uncomfortable. I did mention that it has been acting up over the past few months, but that it did not seem to be urgent. When she asked me what has been going on, I explained that the only foods I have been able to manage without much pain are Boost and some other fluids. Everything else is causing discomfort, and a lot of it.
That's when she said something odd, but that I didn't quite pick up on until a few days later. When I said:
"All my body seems to be able to handle is Boost and full fluids. Everything else hurts"
She said:
*laughing* "Well of course everything else hurts, you're essentially sterilizing your intestines."
At the time I thought she meant that because I was taking in such little variety of food, that I was kind of cleaned out.
Days later it dawned on me.... She thought I kept saying BOOZE and not BOOST. 🤦♀️
So the receptionist at my GI's office now thinks that I am drinking alcohol most days to help with a long-term flare that has already lasted a few months.
Oh boy.
Although, with them being so busy on the front lines of this pandemic, that conversation may have been forgotten shortly thereafter. Otherwise I will have some explaining to do at my next appointment with him.
Boost.
Boost is what I drink when my Crohn's and Pouchitis are acting up.
Not booze.
Boost.
Ugh.
No comments:
Post a Comment