So, this tale doesn't start with relief, but it sure does end with it.
I went to the doctor almost 2 weeks ago now wanting to be tested for fructose intolerance and hypoglycemia. The test needed for the fructose intolerance the lab didn't have. It's apparently a new type of test so that wouldn't be happening. I did get my blood taken and had my liver, kidneys, and glucose tested.
All of the results were normal. AHHHHHHHHHH So, what does that mean? How the heck could it be normal. I was happy the other things were normal, but the blood sugar didn't make any sense for it to be normal. I had sooo many symptoms when they tested it too.
This started me in a frenzy to figure out how the test could have been in the normal range even with hypoglycemia symptoms. I did find in the papers I already researched that people could have symptoms and be in the normal range. That made me feel a little better but not totally. Then I found another paper said that birth control pills (which I'm on) can also affect the test. I just didn't know how much. My original lab result was 88. My cousin's wife (and my friend) Anny so generously offered to let me have her glucose meter so that I could test myself when I'm having symptoms so that I would have another reading to tell my doctor. My reading that next morning at the first sign of symptoms was at 79. Much closer to below normal, but still in the normal range.
I went to my appointment today with my million papers filled with so many questions for him. It was a great appointment. I don't know if I have ever felt more HEARD at a doctor than today. He said that it really doesn't matter what the reading said. I am having Hypoglycemic symptoms so we need to treat my Hypoglycemia. He reiterated what I read that people's bodies are different and can experience symptoms starting at varying levels. I need to have smaller more frequent meals (which I do but am not great at). Maintaining my blood sugar is something that I really have to work on because I still am having symptoms every single day because I'm not quite getting it right. I need to be more careful about that.
Also, we talked about Heredity Fructose Intolerance vs. Fructose Malabsorption (which sometimes is referred as Fructose Intolerance). The difference is huge with regards to how I would need to change my diet so I felt like I needed to know. I don't think it's the heredity one because I can have small amounts of fructose and be ok. Just not the liquid version, apparently. (Because he said it gets absorbed faster.) So most likely I have the Fructose Malabsorption. He is going to routinely check my liver and kidney function anyway just in case to make sure. Right now they are ok.
My mind has been opened up. Since the last appointment I found a website that lists so many more things that I'm not supposed to eat and things that might be ok to try and test out. And since I have been trying out that diet my symptoms of FM have drastically gotten better. It is hard to follow though because I pretty much can't have any drink other than water and tea. I can have small quantities of somethings but not much. Also wheat is something I'm not supposed to have. That one is probably the hardest. Especially since everything has wheat in it. Thankfully since I most likely have FM instead of HFI I can still have small amounts of wheat and not get sick or do damage.
What a relief this is. I literally let out a huge sigh when I shook his hand as I was leaving. I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I even teared up on the way home. Finally I knew what I thought I had, I really do have. It's not in my mind. It's 2 conditions that I need to manage but that's ok. I'm not excited that I have them, because really they both are a pain in the &*%*&! I'm just glad that I finally know what I have an can go from there. A lifetime of dealing with symptoms that I had no idea were all related finally have some meaning.
I encourage you to get your body checked out. Do you have ailments that make you think something might be wrong? I encourage you to get it checked out until you figure out what's going on.
Ah...I just had to get that all off my chest. Praise God for finally getting answers.
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