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Walking
My gallstones have forced me to improve my eating habits and I’ve managed to lose three kilograms in two weeks. I’ve just started seeing my clothes becoming looser on me and I’m hoping to get back into the size 14 clothes I bought a couple of years ago. I’ve been a lot slower to get going with any exercise program. I was going to do some exercise using the Wii and one of our programs but the Wii fit board was out of power and by the time that was sorted out, it was close to dinner time. After dinner I went out for a walk instead.
Walking really is the best exercise for me but I do have one tiny problem. I go out and I find myself wandering along and it’s well over an hour later that I find my way back home. By this time it’s usually dark or nearly so. My feet are sore and it will put me off walking for several days. Tonight I started out like usual with no particular route in mind. But at some point I decided where I was headed and which route I would take to return. There was a slight temptation to keep going further but I managed to stick to my plan once it was made. It probably helped that I had some upper abdominal pains starting around the time I might have strayed. The last thing I needed was to be stuck a long walk from home with severe pains. Anyway, I made it home just under an hour from when I left, which was just about right. And happily, my blood glucose level was a fairly low 4.7 when I checked it two hours after my meal. All in all it was a successful walk.
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More about my gallstones
After I saw my doctor following my emergency department visit and ultrasound, I was left with a few questions. When I had my blood test, I made another appointment but couldn’t get in again until yesterday. So I left a message querying the comments on my bladder in the event that any follow up was needed. I was called back by the office and told the doctor thought it was likely related to dehydration. She did order a renal ultrasound to check that out, which I had on Wednesday. This ultrasound went quite quickly, which was a good thing since I had to drink a liter of water over an hour beforehand. I did find it curious, though, when the sonographer asked if I was still menstruating and where I was in my cycle. It turns out she had done several images showing my uterus and ovaries before looking at the bladder. I was able to make contact with the specialist’s office on Monday and have an appointment for the 1st of December.
So yesterday I saw my doctor and my bladder was just fine, which is what the songrapher had told me. That is kind of interesting, too, because the sonographer usually makes no comments about results. My follow-up liver function test still showed some abnormal results although they were much better than at the time of my last gallstone attack.  I asked her about the particularly high enzyme (GGT) and  she said it was indicative of biliary tract obstruction. And apparently the twinges of pain after eating are consistent with the same problem and maybe are not so imagined as I thought they might be. I did some reading online about this and found it’s a potentially dangerous situation because full obstruction could occur. I’m going to presume that I only have a partial obstruction since I’ve not had severe symptoms since my hospital visit. I’ve been eating very small, very low-fat meals over the past couple of weeks which is hopefully helping me get into better eating habits. I’m hoping the changes will reduce the chance of another attack although my doctor has said it’s very likely another one will occur despite best efforts.
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How to lose weight quickly
One evening in early September I ate a few too many starchy foods and was uncomfortably full. That feeling eased somewhat and much later I had a snack. Within half an hour I was in serious pain and felt nauseous. I could’t get comfortable and continually changed positions for the next two hours while wishing I could throw up to ease the nausea. After two hours I got my wish and the pain subsided. I had another episode three weeks ago that started in late afternoon, got worse quickly but subsided enough that I decided to proceed with the usual Wednesday evening activity that took me away from home. I was okay for most of the time I was out but the pain returned and by the time I got home I was in unbearable pain. I then spent the next hour or two in pretty much the same way as the episode in September. At the time I fully intended to see my doctor at the earliest convenience. That never happened but when I was finished with my final assignment last week, I had full intentions (for this week) of making that appointment and organising a mammogram.
So Sunday afternoon I had gone out with the Scientist to our local markets so he could get a Greek yoghurt. I’d eaten a store bought, fancy yoghurt a bit earlier and he craved one too. I think I was fine when we left but by the time we got there (just a few minutes alter), I was getting a somewhat familiar feeling and by the time he’d ordered I was in a lot of pain. He rushed me back home and I was in enough pain that he asked if I wanted to go to the hospital or call an ambulance. I couldn’t imagine sitting in the car for the twenty minute ride and I debated for a short while before agreeing to the ambulance. I’d gone really pale and clammy by this point. We waited and waited while I kept moving around. I did find one position that seemed to work for a bit longer than anything else so kept trying that. I started to feel a bit better. The ambulance didn’t come and I finally decided I could sit in the car. So the Scientist cancelled the ambulance and drove me to the emergency department.