Hi all:

I had to go for a routine glucose fasting blood test but I also had to ask him some questions about my stomach.

Let me give you all a background of how I eat. Alan and I eat a high fiber, low fat, no sugar diet. Works for us.

I must have the stomach of an ox because the produce I eat would kill a lot of people. I have a friend and when she hears what I eat (the amount of roughage, I mean), well she rolls her eyes.

This is my usual every day regimin and I never have a problem. (with bowels I mean).

Breakfast is a whole grain muffin with an egg and soy cheese and a cup of coffee.
then I go to the bathroom, normal bm's.

Lunch is always a grilled chicken over a bed of romaine lettuce with shredded raw carrots, zucchinis and a few cherry or grape tomatoes, with a small handful of LaChoy chow mein noodles (for crunchiness). A little extra virgin olive oil, light salt, garlic powder, and dried basil.

Supper is a salad (like the one above but with no grilled chicken in it). piece of fish, chicken, a big plate of veggies, like zucchinis, asparagus, No red meat ever. I drink a non-carbonated sugar free drink with this meal (with lunch also. I also drink water during the day. After supper, I have a cup of decaf coffee with a little bran muffin (with blueberries in it).

My sugar reading is fine for a long long time.

Now two days ago, I started sneezing like crazy, my eyes were watering, I didn't feel good so I thought I was coming down with something. I had soup for lunch (campbells select low sodium mexican thing, with spices in it). I was still hungry so I had my grilled chicken thing and I also had Brocoli Rabe with garlic (yeah, I know, LOTS OF GAS PRODUCING STUFF HERE, RIGHT?)

Oh, and most important, I HAD BEEN MAKING BRAN MUFFINS WITH SUGAR FREE MAPLE SYRUP (REMEMBER ALAN LIKES EVERYTHING SWEET), Well, there is SORBITOL in this syrup. And because Alan likes it poured on top of the bran muffin, I decided to try it. It was delicious, so for the past 3 days, I have one muffin with the syrup poured on top. That's SORBITOL in my system besides the broccoli rabe, the zucchini, the asparagus and the salad fixins (just trying to be thorough here). Sorbitol has laxitive qualities doesn't it. (I forgot to tell my doctor about the sorbitol).

Well, after that, I had diarreah. (I never get this). Well, the contents of the soup came right though me, I saw the bits of rice, etc. So I said to myself. "I'm going to my doctor on Monday morning, I'll talk to him about it. And until then, I'll eat nice and light". So I have. So I slept all day Saturday. I didn't even have to take a pill to sleep saturday night, I was so tired.

So on sunday, I just had herbal tea and an egg on an english muffin for breakfast. I did go to the bathrroom one time. A little diarreah there.
I was afraid to eat any produce on Sunday so I just eat plain broiled chicken and a piece of grilled salmon. I was starving. Last night after dinner, I had a cut of tea and one of those 100 calorie snack bag things.

This morning at 5:45 a.m. I got cramps and went to the bathroom. I haven't done this, well, I can't remember when I have done this. I always go at 9 a.m. after my morning cup of coffee but I haven't had coffee for over 2 days.

so I go to the doctor and He examines me and says "well, it could be you have a diabetic stomach". (I told him what I ate and he admitted it could be a virus, or a diabetic stomach). I know what a diabetic stomach is because my diabetic friend Esther has it and she is on regulon and she goes to the bathroom ten times a day. I DO NOT WANT THIS TO BE A DIABETIC STOMACH.

So I say to my doctor "A diabetic stomach, that's neuropathy of the stomach!! and he goes "yes it is, but we don't know that this is what you have. So eat clear and light for a few days and if the diarreah goes away, you know it was a virus that had to go through your system.

He took my temperature, normal. He laid me down and poked around my stomach, no pain or tenderness anywhere. So that part was good.

He also took an EKG, (remember when I put the stethoscope to my heart and heard something), he laughed and said "let's give you an ekg and make sure", Everything was fine. so that's good.

so he tells me, if the diarreah continues, I'll send you to a gastro guy who look down your throat (I know, this is the endo thing) and he'll look up the other end (I said to him "are you talking about a colonoscopy?" and he goes,"well, you are over 50, you should have one but I know you've been avoiding it". I just looked at him.He told me to eat noodles, and nothing with roughage for a few days. he didn't mention not drinking coffee though.

I came home (I was starving out of my mind), I went to dunkin donuts, and I had a breakfast sandwich consisting of a plain bagel with one egg and one slice of cheese and a cup of coffee. I brought it home. As usual, after I had the coffee I went to the bathroom. Not all diarreah though. I really think I have a bug or a virus or something that has to work its way out of my system. I'm still not feeling 100%. Kind of sluggish.
Now my question to you is this:

Do you think (from my meal history), that this diarreah thing is a virus, or the product of all that roughage or do you think I have a diabetic stomach. I have never had any problems in that department for a long long time (over 30 years). Since I eat the way I do, I go every morning normally, never use a laxative and have no problems. ) And I eat produce like it's going out of style. Maybe I over did the produce, huh?

I am deathly afraid of endo and colonscopies and procedures. I know it's all in my head but what I am asking is will a colonosopy tell a doctor "yes she has a diabetic stomach. I read all about diabetic stomachs on the internet and they just said the doctor uses the endo but nowhere did it say you have to have a colonscopy.

So I need some expert opinions on my problems here. And can I still have my coffee or should I give that up for a few days?. I've been having herbal tea for two days and can't stand it but I'll do anything to prove that I don't have a diabetic stomach. What can I eat for a short while that will rule out a diabetic stomach before I have to go and have all those tests?

thanks for any input.

P.S. I lost two more pounds.

Melody,
I don't know that I can help with the stomach issues, but I do know that:

1. Coffee is irritating to the stomach. I'd stop this for a while.

2. The endoscopy and the colonoscopy was absolutely painless for me. They took 5 biopsies of the stomach and I had no discomfort from it. They put me to sleep for all of it. Read...no pain!!

My experience with stomach problems is to keep your diet as bland as possible for awhile. Here is a good diet source: http://www.dietsite.com/dt/diets/gas.../blanddiet.asp

You need to let the GI tract heal if it has a virus. Re-entroduce foods slowly.

This is not medical infomation, it's only my experience and what works for me.

Billye

Billye

There is a virus going around, I had the same thing that you are describing for 8 days and so did others that I know. I would suggest that you not eat anything greasy or cold and no fruit.

My doctor told me to eat noodles, so noodles I shall eat. Not many, of course because I'm diabetic. Now how the heck can a person eat noodles and watch their sugar reading?

for the past 5 years, I have lived on protein, grilled chicken and produce, produce produce, broccoli rabe (which is italian cold broccoli loaded with garlic with a splash of extra virgin olive oil) To die for, believe me.
I've eaten this for years now with no problem.

but stupid me, well I just had to put the sugar free maple syrup (with the sorbitol) on my muffins. AAARRGGHH!!!!

So for the next few days, bland bland bland.
Thanks to my buddies here.

I shall consider the endo and the colonscopie as a last resort. I DON'T LIKE PROCEDURES. Took me years to finally find a phobia dentist.
You don't wanna know how long it's going to take to make me get a colonscopy!!!

p.s. How does one know that one does NOT have a diabetic stomach. I mean, if I start to go regular after two days, and no more diarrhea, does this mean that I had a virus or it was the sorbitol going through my system?

Thanks to anyone who knows.

Is what happens to diabetics over long term (poor control) and more
commonly in Type I diabetics.

If you still have problems after 6mos, or it gets worse..then think about it.

But if you just have a food borne illness (very common today) or a virus...
also very common and going around today, then it will pass.

Typically the GI stuff seems worse with larger amounts of food. This stimulates the gastrocolic reflex. So smaller meals more often can help.

And ditto the coffee... coffee stimulates GI movement. So drink mild tea for
a while.

Sorbitol is a laxative you know...so go easy on it.
http://www.medicinenet.com/sorbitol-oral/article.htm
Also since it is sorbitol that is suspected of causing PN (the polyol pathway)...and even tho oral sorbitol is thought to be typically not absorbed...I would be very careful with sweeteners
that have this in it.

I wouldn't go near a sorbitol thing if you paid me.
By the way, Alan just came home from the gym and the first thing out of his mouth was "something is wrong with my stomach, I had to go to the bathroom a lot, a little diarrhea this morning, but I'm fine now".

So, to me, this spells a little virus that both of us had a touch of.
I had a half of a bowl of chicken rice soup for lunch.

Tonight I will have a piece of salmon, and a small baked potato. No salad or raw veggies for a few days.
Imagine, I haven't had a baked potato in 5 years. I GET TO EAT A POTATO!!!

will wonders never cease???


Just tell me when I can have a cup of coffee (I'll settle for once a day at breakfast)

and yes... bravo to the potato! I do that myself when I get a "bug".
White rice is also easy on the tummy. Some people have problems with milk, or cheese. Hard to say for you. I'd stay away from garlic and broccoli, unless you do Beano. The only problem with potatoes and rice is that the glycemic index is high (converts rapidly to glucose) , but you may have to do it for a couple of days. Do you test blood sugars at home? You might want to follow them a bit more in that case.

Some yogurt daily helps too. I tried the new Activia (Dannon) in June when I had a
bug, and it really helps. I have it with lunch at work now. (not everyday, but
4-5 times a week). Yogurt has active cultures and helps to normalize
functions when you get spells like this.
You are lucky you don't have the BARFS.... that is really unpleasant! but typical... so you lucked out!

Does Alan's gym have strict cleaning rules?

At my gym, you have to spray disinfectant and wipe the machines where
you touched them. At least you should wash your hands after using
any equipment there. I wear gloves, as a matter of fact..for better grip, but it also protects my hands from germs.

Also the benches in the changing room, can be contaminated (mostly with staph) so putting a towel down before you sit with clothes or not, on them is
very prudent.

MRSA the methicillin resistant Staph aureus started spreading in locker rooms.
Some recent football teams have had problems with this even. No one is safe these days. So do be careful!

After reading your post I think you have a bug or something. I doubt you have a diabetic stomach. even people with diabetes can have stomach issues. I hope you feel better soon-

Thanks Aussie.

right now I have a cough. Two days ago, I was sneezing, now I'm coughing. Sounds like a bug. The yogurt with the cultures, THAT'S THE ONE I'M BUYING TOMORROW. They do have a light one by Dannon I think.

But I get to eat a potato tonight. Oh glory be!!! An actual potato.
And my lovely piece of salmon!!!