Listen to Your Heart, or Better Yet Your Symptoms

Being diagnosed with Celiac disease was one of the most terrifying moments of my life. People tried to comfort me by saying that at least it could be managed, and at least it wasn’t something worse, but I guess the part that made it so scary to me, was that I was under the impression that I had been extremely healthy my whole life up until that past year.

After all, I was never overweight, except for being pregnant (which doesn’t count), always had good blood pressure, heart rate, AND I can’t forget this one, “had a flat stomach.” Apparently that is a nice trait I inherited and male doctors always seemed to have had to make a comment about that, REALLY? Yes, I do work out, thanks for asking.

Looking back and knowing what I know now, I wasn’t healthy even though I looked great on the outside. No one would have ever guessed what was manifesting in my body. I had the typical things like headaches, constipation and diarrhea, sinus problems and allergies.

I have the most memories about the stomach issues and how they impacted my daily life.

Do you know how many dates were interrupted because I had to run to the bathroom, or dates that were missed because I was in the bathroom and couldn’t call or text the guy to tell him, to wait for me because back then there were no cell phones! Ok, only 2 dates that I can remember, but in any case my bathroom habits impacted my daily life. One time my boyfriend and I were driving home from a nice Italian restaurant where I had just been introduced to Chicken Caccitore. The restaurant was literally 5 minutes from my apartment, but I thought we might have to pull over on the side of the road and make a run for the woods. We made it to my driveway and as he was slowing down, I bolted out of his little red Mazda 360 and flew open my apartment door and yeah, that’s how it went down.

As I’m typing this, I remember another time in the Army, (yes I was in the Army, I know I don’t look like I was in the Army, but I was and I have pictures to prove it). We were marching home from chow which equates to “shoving as much food down your throat as you can in 3 minutes and don’t you dare look up or you will lose time” and the feeling came on again. I was either going to embarrass myself by going in my pants or risk getting yelled at by the drill sergeant. I chose the latter and darted into the barracks so fast that I don’t even know if the drill sergeants even noticed I was gone. This was my way of life.

In college I had been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, (IBS). Apparently this was completely normal because I was under stress, in a new environment and IBS is often brought on by these types of events. So, what was the treatment for this? Of course, a daily glass of Metamucil and then, I would be tip top back in shape, all good to go. I followed the treatment to a T, knowing that before I got together with my girls for pasta dinner, I would have to chug my orange drink, then I could enjoy my pasta and later go on to indulge in heavy drinking which was normal too.

Does this sound like you or someone you know? Have you been diagnosed with IBS or other symptoms?  If so, I urge you to listen to your symptoms and take appropriate action to get to the root of the problem. You can only mask your symptoms for so long until they manifest into something else in another part of your body. That’s exactly what happened to me. Fifteen years ago when I was told that IBS was normal, even my headaches, irritability and depressive nature was normal, I know now that I really wasn’t healthy.

There is a sad misrepresentation about health in our society. There’s an assumption that just because it’s normal, then that means it’s OK. As long as it can be treated with medication, surgery, shots, then it’s OK. Really? If normal is sick, tired, in pain, anxious, worried, stressed out, then guess what I DO NOT WANT TO BE NORMAL.

If you don’t want to be in this normal category when it comes to your health, then I would suggest that you don’t follow the typical protocol to deal with your symptoms. You’re only lying to yourself, by bandaging your symptoms, while your body is busy figuring out another way to let you know that it is not feeling well, and that you should take care of it once and for all.

I bandaged my symptoms, because I just didn't know any other way, and my symptoms and they one day decided to come out in the form of Celiac Disease. What form of disease will your symptoms come out as? Diabetes, heart disease, fibromyalgia, or even cancer?

You don’t have to believe it, I didn’t either. I kept on eating my Doritos, Snickers bars, diet soda, Subway sandwiches, (because you know Jarrod ate there and lost weight), until one day, I was sick. What choice will you make? Will you listen to your heart and take action or take the normal route? After all the normal route is easier, or is it?