How did I get diagnosed with CD?

The first time I went to my nutritionist, I was talking to her about how much I had gone through in order for me to get diagnosed. She looked at me and told me I was "lucky"! Imagine being told that? She told me about a patient she had who'd been running around for 7 years, jumping from one doctor to another. She'd lost 20 kgs and was too exhausted to do anything. The fact that I got diagnosed in 3 months (she told me) was incredible and, in her experience, unprecedented. So yeah, lucky me!

If you've read about me, you know I'm 23 (and a half...I hate that midway where you're not quite 23, and not quite 24). What you don't know is that I removed my gall bladder at 21. And apparently this is when things started to fall apart. You might want to call it a trigger of sorts.

I will admit that I never had what you'd call a gut made of steel, I wasn't one of those people who could eat from a shabby place and come out of it feeling like I had a good meal. If the food was bad, I'd know because I would feel "off" after eating it. But I was never majorly sick, except for 2 episodes (1 at the age of 15 that lasted 2 months and 1 at the age of 19 that lasted 2 weeks) where I felt the kind of pain that prevents you from eating and causes you to lose weight like you were on some kind of starvation diet (which technically I was).

Even after I had my gall bladder removed, I felt great! I mean I wasn't overly worried I had to undergo such a procedure at the young age of 21. My mother, grandmother and aunt (from my mother's side) all had it removed (granted they were all older, had already had children), but then I was probably genetically predisposed so it wasn't such a big deal. For the record, all the women I mentioned (and many others) lead normal lives after their surgeries. They just have to minimize their fat intake (That's another long story for another blog post!).

I was fine too; for over a year it felt like I was back to normal. Until March of 2009...when my journey through hosptials began. Let me remind you that CD is sometimes triggered by physical trauma such as surgery. I probably had probably been suffering from CD but without any of the symptoms, which is not uncommon.

It started with nausea and moved on to a stomach ache, it soon gave way to IBS symptoms (let's not even go there, a lot of people aren't comfortable talking about bowel movements and their troubles, so I will respecting their fragile states. You can however research IBS online; it is very common and very openly discussed these days, if you feel curious). I went through a series of blood and urine tests that indicated I had an inflammation "somewhere" (please note the somewhere, no doctor was able to tell me WHERE it was), and had to take doses of antibiotics. When that didn't work we moved on to an endoscopy after which I was diagnosed with Gastritis (both in the stomach and the small intestine) and had to take Pariet for over 3 months (I still do sometimes when the pain hits back). When that didn't work we moved on to another doctor who agreed I had Gastritis but went on to diagnose me with IBS.

I was fine for a month after that. Then the pain hit me with full force, no amount of Pariet could alleviate it. No change of diet could take it away. And I'd just swtiched positions in the company I worked in! I couldn't take a sick leave! Not NOW! So I stalled going to the doctor until things just got unbearable, so I went and was told that I had to undergo another endoscopy. I asked what my other options are (don't get me wrong, endoscopies are generally very simple things, and since you're under the influence of anesthetic you don't remember a thing but they're still exhausting and I'd had a bad experience with that particular doctor). And that's when he scheduled a blood test. The results came in 2 days later. I was positive for IgA (the normal level was below 15, mine was 33), and that was how I got diagnosed.

Just note that it took me 13 doctors (not counting the 10 trips to the ER) to know what was wrong with me. Just goes to show that persevarance gets you places!

And to all you people with unexplainable symptoms...I know it's frustrating when people tell you you're overreacting, or that it's all in your head. Or that you're doing it to seek attention. I know what that's like. If you know something is wrong with you, then it probably is (unless you have a manic personality). So go, get a second, a third, fourth, heck, get a fiftieth opinion if that's what it takes. Just DON'T give up!