rosebud:
when i was in college i was pre-med. i decided to go the family route first, then return to school later (in more the naturopathic route.)
yes, i know my health is important. that is why i spend the extra money and buy meat instead of pasta, which is really all we have money for. we survive on very little, and frankly, when it comes down to going to my local doctors so they can give me the same line of bull they always due regardless of the facts and paying $300 for them to do so, or paying the rent so my kids have a place to live, the choice is pretty clear. so i try to stay educated, and find out as much as i can on my own. OF COURSE if the problem was long-term (months) or very severe (can't stand up) i would do what i could to see a doc. but until you've met our local doctors here in the Sticks, you can't know. i could tell you tales of malpractice based on inanity that would make your skin crawl (from personal experience- not gossip), including but not limited to a Staph infection in my 5-day old son that was misdiagnosed as a DIAPER RASH (and they wouldn't even take a culture until i threatened them with a lawsuit). thank God i had the brains in my head to NOT take the doctor's word for it... turned out he really did have a life-threatening illness (staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome), and in fact the one i thought he had, and needed the treatment i thought he needed. the genius doc handed me some antibiotic cream and sent me home with a huge bill. i came back the next day, found a trusty RN (they seem like the only folk who know anything about anything) and got her to take a culture. sure 'nuff.
i have seen a doctor semi-recently (all the heath care free while preggo) and had blood work done during my pregnancies. all factors pointed to flirting with diabetes, and i knew it was dietary (read: carb addict). my kidneys are great, my cholesterol is great (the last phlebotomist said he had never seen such high HDL's, but my LDL's weren't all THAT low- however, i hadn't been LC'ing, and when I did before babies it was fabulous.) i flirted with gestational diabetes my entire pregancy (both times) and had borderline chronic high blood pressure (i weighed 200lbs and was always dehydrated, and only 5'3" so no wonder!).
i don't mean to leap upon you ravenously (your advice is always SO SO helpful :smile
but its a sore spot for me. don't take it personally, though, okay? please please please! interpret any irritation you might detect in my tone as directed towards some nameless maleficients by whom i have been sorely abused.
i used to have headaches when i was eating the Normal American Diet- migraines, regularly, worst while menstruating and if i let too many hours pass between sugar rushes (like, more than TWO hours...). all that vanished when i started to eat this way. i haven't had but a little stress related headache here or there since then.
this time, the headaches are unrelated to sugar, and seem unrelated to hormones, and have been occuring for three days straight. BUT so has my lowered calorie consumption. i have been way too busy to cook and its really hot and i am NOT hungry, and when i'm not hungry greasy foods make me nauseated. hence having trouble keeping the cals high.
mle_ii: water is anywhere from 64oz to 128oz daily, plus the very occasional (maybe once a week) diet soda, and the ritual cup of coffee in the morning (which without i unfailingly get a headache: interpret= late night programming job, lack of sleep, squalling babies, high-stress environs.) how funny about your daughter! my husband is like that. i can swallow them fine, i just feel queasy afterwards, like if you drink way too much water way too quickly. and i have horrid tasting belches!!!
i will try to up the cals and water and see if it helps.