Making the Switch

So, after Chris was in the hospital last year, and we got absolutely no answers as to what is happening to him, I started doing some reading trying to find ANYTHING that might give us some answers.

The cardiologist offered a possibility of postural tachycardia syndrome, but said it so quickly and almost in passing that we didn't even really know what he said.  This year, I have a student with POTS, and I was almost in shock at the similarity of the symptoms, so I googled POTS and I found out it was the same thing the doctor had said in passing as an "unlikely possibility."

Symptoms include:

• Syncope (fainting, especially when standing too quickly, or in a hot shower)
• fatigue
• constant headache
• exercise intolerance
• dizziness
• fatigue
• lightheadedness
• hypotension
• varying gastrointestinal symptoms
• excessive thirst
• Feels worse after large meals

there are other symptoms as well, but these are definitely some red flags.

The doctor told us to add salt into his diet.  He told me to add it to EVERYTHING Chris ate, as well as making him drink Gatorade, and to lower the intake of carbs into Chris's diet.

The more I think about our situation, the more I realize they were treating a symptom of POTS (of which there is no 'cure') which was the hypotension.  This is actually one of the only things that can be done.

I've also been reading a lot about gluten intolerances and celiac disease.
Chris's cousin has celiac disease, and as I was talking with her mom about the symptoms, Chris has many of the same symptoms that Harper had prior to her diagnosis.

Symptoms of Gluten intolerance include:

• digestive issues
• fatigue
• dizziness
• migraine headaches
• fatigue
• fatigue increased after eating
• numbness/tingling in arms/legs
• fluctuations in weight/excessive bloating

In the multiple pamphlets (which I got from our school counselor because of our student), literature, online, etc. that I have read, patients with POTS show improvements in switching to a gluten free diet.  Also, caffeine can also help, (because it is a stimulant--this has a point, I promise)

So we have tried a few meals completely gluten free.  Chris does not have noxious fumes coming out of him afterward and he feels significantly better in comparison to our not so healthy/gluten laden meals. 

As much as I don't know how much this will help, and how much I LOVE my bread and pasta, I love my Christopher more.  I love him more than I ever thought I could love someone, and if making this dietary change helps him feel better, then I can sacrifice my love of bread and pasta.

I learned, (way before I even knew Chris existed) that Dr. Pepper is gluten free.   I didn't really care at the time, but Dr. Pepper does make Chris feel a little better, (headaches anyway.) I think it might be the caffeine, but at least we I won't have to give up another love.

(Also, completely unrelated to Chris, I was having a few issues in college, and they thought it was my thyroid, but my levels were never low enough (they were on the lowest end of normal/high end of low) to truly diagnose me with hypothyroidism, even though I had most of the symptoms.  In my reading on gluten intolerance, I found that 80% of hypothyroid cases are actually caused by gluten intolerance/celiac disease.  So "going gluten free" may actually help both of us)

 Chris and I have had multiple discussions concerning this change, and we agree that it is for the best, especially because we definitely think it helps.  We do have quite a bit of food that has gluten that we both feel guilty "just throwing out" but we have agreed to start buying only foods that do not contain gluten. 

And we have looked at the gluten free section at the stores around here (which are TINY) and they have gluten free pasta.  I started feeling better about the switch as soon as I found that.  I'm sure it will be difficult for a month or two, but if we both start feeling better it will definitely be worth it.

If any of you have actually read to this point, any advice/recipes/foods etc. on going gluten free would be appreciated.  I have been doing some research on recipes (aka pinterest) and that has made me feel a little better, because they feel "doable" but I need any help I can get.

On an unrelated/related note, this will help with our budgeting as well.  Yesterday we sat down and made a menu for the week and a shopping list.  This is the first time in our marriage we have ever done this, although we kind of did this for two reasons as his parents are coming to visit for a week, but any excuse is a good excuse to get us in the right direction.

And just because I can, and if you've made it this far, you deserve a picture:

Still living happily ever after, no matter the 'adventure' we have to face.