# The Stress Effect



## Wolf46 (Jun 10, 2013)

Hello everyone!









A little about me: I'm 46. I work in retail which CAN be stressful at times.

Anyway, I'm not sure if what I have is IBS, Gluten or Lactose intolerances or both? It's so frustrating and I hate to self-diagnose. That just makes matters worse.

Here's the scoop: What started as me eating just about anything I wanted has resulted in a twisted digestive system and me playing Sherlock Holmes of the grocery store.

I can somewhat trace how it all began, but to make this rant as short as I can, let's just say I had about a month where I was consuming burgers on the grill, beer, raw carrots, nuts, chicken and ice cream.

I guess the only way for my stomach to get back at me for this abuse was to take me down a dark and unforgiving road.

I recently got promoted to a new position at my job which I keep telling myself is not that stressful but for some reason I have dropped about 10 lbs. I was a steady 147 but now I have been fluctuating between 135 and 130.

I've been at the new position about 2 months now. It's a full time position which is great because I have been part-time for 3 years, plus I got a pay raise. So yeah...why would I feel anxious? I don't think I'm depressed however I have been on Paxil in the past. I really don't want to go to the doctor and get put back on meds.

I try to eat my meals slow, but I am ALWAYS hungry. I like to think I have just a fast metabolism, but even after a meal I feel like I can eat again after a few minutes of activity.

I am of average build and I exercise but I never seem to gain any muscle mass. Not that I'm trying to be The Hulk, but I often wonder about my stamina. Some days I ache more than others. My joints crack in- and- out of place. I sleep fairly well, and when I feel too anxious at night I take a Melatonin. Although with the new job I have been getting up earlier so I try to make a point of hitting the bed by 9:30-10 pm.

I take certain vitamins like a B complex, D, E, C, Zinc/Magnesium and if I take Gluten Defense before I eat. that prepares me for the worse. Just in case.

Now the thing is, I've noticed that certain things like beer, bread and pizza leave me bloated and real lethargic. I also had a bad experience eating Frozen Greek Yogurt way too late at night. The next day it felt like someone was walking on my chest and back all day. I had shortness of breath and it felt like my stomach muscle were all tightened up.

That's why I thought that maybe I have a gluten intolerance? I got some supplements that you take right before eating anything with gluten, but it's too early to tell if they will make a difference.

When my stomach is bloated I add some Apple Cider Vinegar to a glass of water and drink it down slowly. That does help immensely.

I also discovered Pysillium Husk in a powder and I mix that with water too and drink it down. Well, let me say this....that stuff works! It totally coats your stomach and does help with IBS symptoms.

As far as trips to the bathroom? I used to go about 3-4 times a day, but now more like 1-2 times. I believe this is better because it could be that my body is absorbing more nutrients and protein.

I did go to a general doctor and explained to him all of this including my allergy concerns and he gave me a prescription for a $35 nasal spray which really hasn't helped all that much. I was also told to use Clariton instead of Mucinex because that may have also added to irritating my stomach. I was convinced that taking 2-3 pills a week would help clear up the congestion in my ear, but it was only temporary.
God...I sound like a train wreck.
But I digress....
He ordered a blood test to check for Celiac and the result came back negative but I was informed that I "may" have a gluten intolerance. Wow! Really? LOL
A few weeks later I get hit with the bill and I'm really hoping my insurance covers it! $*374!







*

That's insane. I never thought something like that would be so expensive!

I do plan on seeing a gastroenterologist in the next few weeks so I can get some real answers.

If you took the time to read this, I thank you.

Have a great week!

e.


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## Wolf46 (Jun 10, 2013)

Thanks for replying.
I didn't really want to write something that long but I wanted to just get it all out and in the open in one shot. LOL.
I guess what I was trying to target was my symptoms of bloating, noisy stomach and the weight loss concerns. I've dropped weight before when I went through a relocation and job change period but of course I was drinking quite a bit too at that time. That was years ago.
As I mentioned above it just seems that I am ALWAYS hungry but when I try to exercise a few hours in the day I just get tired too fast. Maybe it's a mental thing. I mean, I even got it in my head that maybe I have a damn tapeworm? Sheesh....that's pathetic I know. I want to go to a new doctor and just have everything checked pretty thoroughly. Maybe even my thyroid.
Again....thank you very much for your input.


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