Food (4 posts)

Esophageal pH Test

This post isn’t really about Crohn’s, but I figured I’d write about it anyway, because it is digestive system related.

I’ve had a cough since about June 2013, so nearly two years. This cough happened nearly every day after I ate, especially in the morning. The cough improved after about a year, when I stopped drinking Crystal Light. It’s still around now, but much less severe. I’ve had a bunch of x-rays and breathing tests, and everything so far says I’m fine. My doctors seem to think it’s most likely acid reflux, and that’s what the esophageal pH test will tell us. I was on Prevacid for a while, and it seemed to help at first, but it never made it go away completely.

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Umm… an eating disorder, maybe?

“Hello, Health Services.”

“Hi, I’d like to make an appointment with Dr. X?”

“And what is this regarding?” (is what I imagine she said, but I don’t recall the exact words)

“Umm… an eating disorder, maybe?”

It felt really weird to say that. Partly because I’m pretty sure it’s not an eating disorder — at least not the way it’s usually defined — but it’s the closest thing I can think to call it. But it was strange to say it to someone who isn’t my parents. When the receptionist looked for a time to book me in, she had trouble finding a twenty minute slot, since those kind of appointments usually take a little longer, she said. Which means, well, one, it takes longer, which, well… I don’t know why. But two, “those kind” of appointments happen, well, more than just this once. Which, well, of course, obviously. But this appointment is not going to be, “I hate myself because I’m fat”, it’s going to be, “I hate myself because I’m lazy and skinny.”

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My time in the hospital

Last Monday meant exams were over and vacation could begin. Well, after a little doctor’s appointment. The university’s doctor got my blood work back and suggested I see my family doctor to get an appointment with a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. I’ve been having stomach problems since I started taking medicine in the summer, and lately, there seemed to be a constant dull pain in my stomach. As much as a colonoscopy is gross, I was all for it, because I wanted to get better, darnit! We went to see the family doctor and he said he would see about getting me a referral to a gastro doctor, and in the meantime, prescribed me Prevacid to help soothe my stomach and hopefully repair any damage from an ulcer or something.

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