Gall bladder issues… Changes to be made.

 

Remember this post, about my prevented trip to emergency??

 

I had another attack.  Longer, but less intense.  Awful, awful pain.  I thought I was having a heart attack.  Nothing helped this time… except maybe the lavender in my bath water, but the help was very limited this time.

 

The pain started about 2AM.  I’d gone to bed around 11:30 but the children were up and other things kept me awake.  I finally got up at 2AM when my chest started to hurt again.  The pain was more gradual, not almost instantaneous like last time.  The pain was similar to contractions, only very high up and no break in between.  I tried warm beverages; I tried hot wheat bags.  Nothing really eased the pain.  Finally, I just went to bed at my husband’s suggestion, as he was staying up with me.  I hate being alone when I’m in that much pain.  It was probably close to 5AM at this point.

 

I didn’t sleep, not really.  I just laid there, got up once to reheat my wheatie.  And waited for morning.  The little ones were up around 8AM and so I got up and moved to the couch.  I called my midwife then.  When I got to talk to her I said my back hurt (because that’s what I was feeling at the time) and I explained to her what had happened both times.  Right away she said, I bet you had a gall bladder attack.

 

Since speaking with her, I have talked to others – nurses and friends – who have had gall bladder issues and they all say the same.  I have done some research and found foods that cause issues.  My diet needs to change a bit.  It will be good for the whole family!  More veggies, less fat.  Fewer red meats, less dairy.  These are all good changes.  And we are looking forward to the new way of eating.  The first immediate change I’ve made is to start my day with a large glass of warm water and half a lemon.  But now I’m nervous to eat… for fear the something I eat will set it off again!

 

I do not want to have surgery.  I need to keep this under control until the baby is born, at the very least.  My mom has had gall bladder issues as well but has prevented surgery by doing a cleanse a couple of times.  I don’t think cleanses are good for pregnant mommas, so I’m holding off on that and hoping that diet changes will make the difference for the time being.

 

I have a book all about essential oils (Reference Guide for Essential Oils), and one oil listed for gall bladder (and expectant mothers) is geranium.  It’s going on my list to be ordered later this month.

 

I’ll keep you posted on how this progresses.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Prevented a Trip to Emergency

 

I awoke suddenly.  In pain.  Like someone had added a 20 pound weight to my insides.  (And I’m not that pregnant, so it wasn’t the baby.)  At first it just felt like my insides were up in my chest cavity.  I walked down to the bathroom, thinking movement would help, because laying back down didn’t.  I got to the toilet and the pain just kept getting worse and worse.  Within minutes, I was crying out.  By the time I got back to the top of the stairs I was in AGONY!

 

I’ve been through 6 drug-free labors, and a c-section; I’ve suffered through years of tooth pain.  Nothing hurt as bad as this pain in my chest.  I couldn’t breathe.  I couldn’t talk.  Somewhere though my body found the “energy” to get sick.  (Just a note: yogurt does not take long to digest because there was nothing left to put in the bucket.)

 

From the top of the stairs to the dining room table I screamed for Jason over and over again.  He’s a heavy sleeper who can sleep through almost anything.  He made it in time to get me a bucket.  Between heaves, I asked him to get me the peppermint essential oil and rub it on my back.  In less than 30 seconds, some of the pressure subsided and I no longer felt like puking.  Jason made some lemon tea, after peppermint EO in a cup  of cold water didn’t change anything (might have if it were warm).  That didn’t help either.

 

I knew I needed to get warm, but wasn’t sure I could make t back to the basement to get in the tub.  I’d like to say that my night in shining armor carried me down the stairs, but he didn’t.  LOL.  I just did it.  I had to and the peppermint had given me enough space to move again.  I am so thankful for our hot water.  We keep the temperature quite high, and we needed it.  I kept the tub temperature has hot as I could stand it and shook while the tub filled.  Once I was immersed I still wasn’t sure it would work.  The pain was not going away.  Finally, I started to be able to breathe deeply again.  I rolled over in the tub, just changed position and suddenly I realized that the pain was gone, completely.  I couldn’t believe it.

 

I took a hot shower after that and wrapped up in a warm housecoat, drank my tea and went back to bed, under some extra covers.  I was so scared to get cold again for fear that the pain would come back.

 

I have just started using Young Living Essential Oils.  My first purchase was Peace and Calming and Peppermint.  I have never regretted the money spent.  Not only did the peppermint oil help me last night, but the oil has helped my husband’s arthritic hands, headaches, tummy aches and boo-boos.  Peace and Calming has helped with clean up times and bedtime routines.

 

I totally believe that the peppermint oil saved me a middle-of-the-night trip to the emergency room.  The oil saved a friend from receiving a phone call asking her to come and stay with the kids while J took me to the hospital.  My bottle of peppermint is almost empty.  I need to order some more… pronto.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,