Event #3 and summary

DAY OFF

I was sick again last night, and I need to get this recorded somewhere before I start forgetting.

#1: Pork belly in early December. Ate out with family and had a square of pork belly. I was acutely nauseated 2.5-3 hrs after eating. Horrible nausea that came in 15-20 mins waves, abdominal pain, but no vomiting, or any other symptoms. It cleared by the next morning, and since I had family I just kept chugging away through the day thinking I was just sick from eating a super fatty meal. But it left a mark, I'm not sure I can ever eat pork belly again!

#2: Oysters and clam/mussels in coconut broth on Saturday March 1st. We bought some new foods at an Asian market and I munched some of the dried mushrooms a few hours before dinner. Ate out with DH was again acutely sick 2.5 hrs after eating. Same awful nausea and pain, but no other symptoms. I did an indoor ride Sunday morning, and thought I'd recovered by the end of the day although I still wasn't feeling good. Monday I was still sick feeling and didn't drink much. By Tuesday I was miserable -- nausea and dehydrated and in some pain just under my ribs. I left work early, went to bed at 2pm and didn't move much until 7pm. And that was just to switch beds. I slept another 10-11 hrs! Weds I stayed home again, trying to rehydrate but still feeling sick every time I ate something. Thursday morning was to urgent care, Thursday afternoon back to urgent care, Thursday evening to BWC for imaging. The 2L of fluid I received at the afternoon and evening visits proved just how dry I was -- I didn't have to pee for hours! The imaging revealed sludge and stones in the gallbladder, some fluid around the gallbladder, all suggestive but not definitive for gallbladder disease. But the ER Dr thought that was a good enough reason to follow up on that suggestion.

Although I got home from the ER at midnight, and I was on the trainer at 7am for an easy ride. Saturday a long indoor bike, Sunday a 14 miler with TH. I bounced back fast with those extra fluids. After this second event I was on a gluten-free BRAT diet until Saturday, and I've been staying low fat ever since. But soon enough I think I started straying towards normal, which I was eager to get to. I watched the fat amounts, tried to log so I had a record to follow, and just tried to return to normal.

My blood tests all came back normal. This event was really complicated by the dehydration. It's probably why I didn't recover Sunday, dragged into Monday, then crisised into Tuesday. Was the nausea from the dehydration?

#3: Thursday night March 13th, I munched more of the dried mushrooms (joking in my head that if I got sick again we should investigate the shrooms!), and had low-fat fish for dinner followed by an apple with ghee butter. Nothing too extra-ordinary fat-wise. But 2.5 hrs later acute nausea, came on strong and fast. This time though my stomach followed through on the threat and I threw up about 6 times over the next few hours. The amount of food seemed crazy, as if everything I'd eaten all day was coming back. By the end, it was dry heaves. Ugh...this all kept me away from solid food for awhile!

I went to bed afterwards and a worn-out dizzy mess, woke up the next morning and immediately focused on recovery. Nothing tasted good, my throat was raw, and I had petechia around my eyes. And I had a 20-mile run this weekend! By coincidence I had a Dr appt today too, to establish with a PCP. I was tired all day, but we bought some water and applesauce and that seemed to get me back on track. The Dr also thought gallbladder and referred me to a surgeon. But what do I think?

I've been making mental lists, comparisons, extrapolations...
Both #1 and #2 had high-fat meals, but did #3? Not really.
Both #2 and #3 had the mushrooms, but the timing was 5 hours for #2 and 2-3hrs for #3.
I didn't have the expected excruciating pain I read about. I was more "very uncomfortable" in pain.
#1 and #2 happened on weekends after restaurant meals, #3 was at home.
#2 and #3 were in training season, #1 was in the off-season.
I did have the acute nausea after eating.
#2 was complicated by the dehydration, it's hard to separate the symptoms, especially the fatigue and lingering sickness, as that's not a normal gallbladder thing.

So while I'm seeing a surgeon, I'm not convinced and need better evidence. The fat? The mushrooms? Coincidence that I have the gallstones?

Until I know more, I'm diligently tracking my nutrition, working recipes so I know how much fat is added by only adding it after cooking and I plan to titer up the amounts of fat until I find a comfort zone. I'm also working out my nutrition so I get the needed calories without the fat to help. Carbs are easy, I need to put the focus on protein. To be honest, I'm still eating fat, just less than before. Actually, I'm probably eating what normal people eat now. Lastly, I'm working over the mental blocks of eating solid foods. Throwing that stuff up was terribly unpleasant...so I'm planning juices and soups.