It is hard to be happy when you do not feel well. I have had this roller coaster ride of health issues probably since I was a baby. I was a colicky baby. I suffered terrible bouts with the flu starting around the age of nine.
I had other ailments and illnesses that it seemed only I would catch. In California I had what an Aunt called “Cowboy Eye” where the inside corner of my eye (both at times) would be bloodshot red and the outside half was not. I would have the flu when it was not even flu season. Fresh tomatoes would make the right side of my upper lip swell up, but only occasionally. On top of the problems I had listed above, I became lactose intolerant (milk allergy), and I have had about a decade worth of on and off problems eating pork, As the years rolled by the only consistency was declining dental health no matter what steps I took or advances in technology. Lately I thought I was enjoying full body arthritis. I found out what is wrong with my body, and I want to write about it so you can be aware if you see it in yourself or those around you.
Recently, it came to my attention that gluten (wheat) allergy may run in my family. Formally known as Gluten intolerance, or Celiac Disease, is very common, some estimates run as high as 1 person out of every 133 people have gluten intolerance, making celiac disease more common than the common cold.
Here are some of the symptoms of Celiac Disease I discovered that may come and go without any apparent rhyme or reason.
• Weight loss or weight gain
• bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea
• Aching joints
• Depression
• various skin conditions
• Head aches
• iron-deficiency
• Exhaustion
• sudden mood changes
• irregular menstrual cycle
• Cramps, tingling and numbness
• Crohn’s disease
• Diverticulitis
• Decline in dental health
Celiac disease is an auto immune disease as I understand it, and as such it shares symptoms with many other health issues or problems. What sealed it for me, is one of the leading writers on the disease wrote that 100% of people who have a certain red rash that itches like there is no tomorrow no matter what you do have celiac disease.
There is a good story in this. It shows how hard it is to pin down some health problems. When my children were young, they became acquainted with Poison Ivy. By default I had it on both of my shins after a few weeks of taking care of their Poison Ivy. It seemed to have never have gone away, but would resurface, drive me crazy, and recede over the years. I am one of the only people in the world who has Poison Ivy that has never gone away completely.
It is hard to be happy when you are ill and you do not know why. If you have health problems that come and go and do not seem to follow any pattern, don’t let your doctor blow it off like mine did over the years. Insist that a cause be found, because indeed there is a cause, and it can be identified. Your doctor is your medical expert, but he or she does not know it all, all the time.
My point to all this is your long term happiness and health may be at stake. It is hard to enjoy long term happiness when you become ill or not feel well for so many different reasons you lose count, and no one else is feeling poorly around you.
While I think illness isn’t a happy thing, knowing what’s up and dealing with it is better than being in the dark. Now you’ve got me thinking about Celiac disease because many people I know have the complaints listed and, what with processed food and food additives that are supposed to make life easier, they tend to make it more stressful.
One of the problems with celiac disease I have experienced is how well it hides. There is always another reason why I was ill. It was flu season, allergy season, the restaurant left the food out, my shoes were worn out making my knees and back hurt. Talking to my doctors went nowhere because every visit was a new problem unrelated to any previous problem, so they tended to think I was inventing symptoms. Finally the problem that for me it is so random in nature.
At the very least living without wheat for a month certainly won’t hurt anyone, and the changes are dramatic, leaving little doubt as to whether it is a cause or not.
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Whenever I have been ill, which has been often, people have expected me to be cheerful. I think, just as we are depressed when ill, others get depressed seeing us likewise.
I think the only person who knows enough about you is just you.
So, relying on a medical expert is the right thing to do but ultimately, we ourselves know whats right and wrong for us. As you said, long term happiness and good health is what counts in the end!
I am not a doctor, so I can not help you with medical advice. That being said, only you know if you need to see a doctor or not.
Personally, I prefer to know what is wrong rather than guessing what could be wrong.
Michael
Ugh, I can most definitely relate to this post. I like the title to, btw
When I was experiencing all of my crazy symptoms before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I really think people thought I was crazy or wanting attention. For instance if I couldn’t go hiking with friends because I said my bones feel like they hurt, or because my knees sounded like they snap every time I climb anything, or I didn’t want to eat because it would hurt…I’m sure they thought I was crazy or anorexic.
It did make me happy to know all of these symptoms would go away and knowing that a gluten free diet could cure all of my bizarre symptoms and I could feel normal again. I completely understand what you mean by “happiness is knowing why you occasionally feel ill” !
- Jessika : Celiac Speaks – My Personal Notes