Again, let me apologise for being MIA for a bit. The truth is, I’ve been struggling a lot recently and blogging hasn’t been that high on my priority list. That being said, let me catch you up on what’s been going on with me lately.
As mentioned in a previous post, brain fog is a very real and serious side-effect of being chronically ill. I don’t usually suffer with it but the last few months have been quite different…
It started with a drop in my appetite. A normal day for me would consist of having lunch and dinner, and maybe breakfast in the morning if I felt like it. But I began to not feel hungry, and the idea of food would make me feel sick or nauseous. I began eating less and less until it began affecting my energy levels at work. I spoke to my IBD team who recommended I started back on the modulen. This lasted for about a week before I couldn’t manage it anymore and reintroduced solid food alongside the modulen until I was able to eat a bit more and could cut out the liquid nutrition all together. However, I soon realised I had “shrunk” my stomach; I wasn’t able to eat a full meal anymore. I started eating little and often, around five to six small meals a day. This has sort of worked but it’s not always possible to eat midmorning or afternoon, especially when I’m working, so I don’t always get enough food. This has continued for some time now and I’m still trying to get my appetite back to normal so that I might be able to eat more.
Lately though, this has proved difficult; because I haven’t been eating that well, I’ve began suffering with fatigue. This fatigue has caused me to be unable to do much after work or on my days off, leaving me incapable of properly taking care of myself.
This drop in appetite and increased fatigue has left me feeling drained and I’ve begun to struggle mentally. I won’t go into details but it’s got to the point that I’ve reached out to Steps2wellbeing, a UK-based mental health organisation who I have used in the past and may have mentioned before. The initial triage session went well and I’m on a waiting list to start CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). I’m not sure if it’ll work but I feel it’s worth trying because that’s better than doing nothing.
As for my physical health, that’s begun to decline again and I have, once again, been signed off from work. I don’t know how long I’ll need but even my works occupational health team believes I need time off so I’ll take their advise. I’ve had a blood test as well as a faecal calprotectin. These have shown that some of my inflammation markers are a little raised but not a lot else. And to make this even better, I was admitted to hospital on Monday.
⛔ TMI Warning for this next bit! Please don’t read any further if talk of poop or other bodily secessions grosses you out. Thank you for reading this far and I how you are staying safe. ⛔
OK, so since being admitted via a&e, I have had a CT scan as well as an xray, which have shown that I have inflammation in my small intestine (mostly the lower part, below my stoma) but thankfully no twist, like my GP suspected. The CT also showed that there was something in both my old jpouch and the part of bowel going up towards the stoma (most likely mucous) which was making them both a bit distended. My surgeon has recommended I start antibiotics to help control the inflammation (which I have) and, hopefully, whatever is in the old pouch will eventually come out via my back passage. I started the antibiotics Tuesday but it’s still early days yet.
Eventually, I’ll have the excess bowel removed. My surgeon said that should stop (or at least reduce) the inflammation in my small intestine. Obviously, I can’t have that done now due to Covid, but maybe in six or so months time.
So that’s what’s been happening with me recently. If you made it this far, thank you. I appreciate you reading my rambling posts. This one in particular is a bit disjointed because I wrote over several weeks where a lot was going on, making it hard to concentrate. I’m sorry if some parts didn’t make a lot of sense but the brain fog is pretty strong right now. Anyway, thank you again for reading and I hope you are staying safe.
Tag: antibiotics
Update
I’ve had an interesting last couple of weeks. Aside from the aforementioned surgery and subsequent cancellation of said surgery, I found that one of my surgical wounds from June was starting to open. It’s situated under my bag so I didn’t notice it until last week but the very end nearest my stoma had started to open and has formed a tiny hole about 2-3mm long. Not really a problem until I noticed it was bleeding. I called the hospital and they said speak to my GP who, after a phone consult, gave me antibiotics because she said it sounded like I had a minor infection.
I’ve been taking the pills for about a week now and they seem to be working but I’m still a little concerned as the hole hasn’t closed completely. It’s not bleeding anymore though, so I guess that’s a small sign of improvement. Because it’s under my bag, I do wonder if something got into the would from the adhesive or while I was changing my bag and that’s what caused it to open. Because the adhesive sits right on top of the wound, I’ve started covering it with a small plaster so I’ve finally found a use for the tiny round plasters that every pack seems to include but no one ever has a use for. I think that’s helping to keep it clean, at least, so it should heal a little faster.
No news yet on a date for my surgery but I’m hoping it’ll be soon. On an entirely unrelated note, I’m thinking of started my own WhatCanIEat blog website. I’m not sure when or how but I’ll post more if/when it happens.
Got a bed around six o’clock last night and was just in time for dinner. I’m in an isolation room because of the infection but at least it’s quieter than a ward bay.
They’ve started me on intravenous antibiotics, as well as the vancomycin (which is in gross liquid form), so I should start feeling better soon. They’re going to monitor me over the weekend but if they don’t see improvement by Monday, they’ll try something else. Really, really want these meds to work so I can go home.
Another update
I finished my work week! I’m really looking forward to tomorrow; I’m doing absolutely nothing at all except sleeping. I’m meant to be going for dinner at my fiance’s parents in the evening but I’ll have to see how I’m feeling. Hopefully the sleep will help me feel well enough to go. I haven’t seen them in a long time and it’d be nice to spend time somewhere other than my flat or work.
Monday is the start of my seven day working week so I’m trying to conserve spoons. I should be ok but I’m going to keep a very close eye on my fatigue and if I need to, I guess I could ask to go home early.
As for my infection, I don’t feel like the antibiotics are doing much; I’m still going around eight times a day and it’s not what you’d call of a “normal” consistency. I’m going to call the helpline tomorrow so I’ll be able to talk to the nurse Monday and get some advise.
So, it turns out I do have an infection which explains why I’ve not been getting any better. I’m being put on antibiotics to treat it so hopefully things will start to improve soon. When I spoke to him yesterday, my GI said the infection was being caused by both the prednisolone and the co-trimoxazole so I’m now having to rapidly tapper the steroids so I can stop them safely, and I’ve already stopped the co-trimoxazole which he also advised to do. I’ll be starting the antibiotics this evening so I’m really hoping they start to work quickly because I’ve got to work all weekend and could use a break from my explosive gut.
What Can I Eat 