Need a Diagnosis? Don't Give Up!

One of the most important things to remember when seeking a diagnosis of your symptoms is; Don't Give Up!

So simple, and yet so many people listen to doctors who tell them they're fine and their symptoms are all in their head. People stop looking and keep suffering.
My advice? Find a different doctor. One that will listen and not give up until they figure out what's wrong. If you know in your heart something is wrong, don't give up.

For years I had symptoms, stomach problems, headaches, exhaustion, etc. Mostly it was the stomach pain, irritable bowel, and inability to eat anything. Everything made me sick. A lot of the time I simply had toast for breakfast and ate nothing else all day until I was safely home where embarrassing stomach issues would be kept private.

Sure, I went to doctors, took their tests, got prescriptions for anti anxiety drugs (that's the only reason they could come up with for my problems), and finally gave up. I firmly believed no one could help me. There was something wrong with me and there was no help.

Life went on and I learned to cope. I didn't like social gatherings because most centered around food and then I'd get sick. I began to hate food. Yet I'd be so hungry by the time I came home I'd eat everything in sight. And life went on...

Call to Action;
When my daughter was 5 I started to see her having the same stomach issues as myself. We took her off milk and it got a little better (typical Celiac symptom) but she still had a bloated belly and problems with some food. It was hard to pinpoint. Doctors said she was fine. At this point I knew I needed answers to my problem so I could help my daughter. I started praying. Every time I was alone I'd pray for an answer, "I don't care what it is, just please send me an answer."

Back to the doctors and another brush off. This time I yelled at the doctor. Frustration welled up inside me and I said, "Something is wrong with me! Even a piece of bread makes me sick. Bread is what you give to sick people. What's wrong with me." He stared at me, obviously startled by my outburst, and said, "Celiac Disease."

Then he went on to explain I couldn't have it because I was 30 lbs over weight. "People with Celiac Sprue are really skinny," he explained. I asked him to test me and he refused. I went home and got on the internet and read everything I could about Celiac Disease and gluten. I went gluten free the next day. With in two weeks I was feeling better. Another month and life just got better, less painful. I took my daughter in and asked another doctor in the same practice to do the blood test. She said, "No, there's no reason to do that test." I sat down and crossed my arms. "I'm not leaving until you do the test."

She did the test; Daughter positive for Celiac Disease.

Moral to the story; Don't give up. I added years to my suffering because, for a while, I gave up. The answer is out there and sooner or later the right person, the right information, will come your way. Just don't give up.