This past Monday night I came down with a very violent version of what they think was the stomach flu. I would like to blame what I ate that night and the restaurant I ate at but both my husband and I shared off the same plate for dinner, and he was fine. I wasn’t feeling well when I went to bed, but that is not completely unusual in pregnancy, as I often get heartburn when I lie down.

Warning: the rest of the details can be a little gross, so suggest you don’t read it if you are a little squeamish.

I started to throw up around 10:30 pm or so, along with other end too. By 3:00AM I was still throwing up and there was nothing left to purge. I started to notice I was throwing up blood (along with bile and other things that aren’t meant to come up), and it was just getting worse and more frequent and I got super worried. My husband thought I was overreacting, which I have been known to do, and that my stomach was just a little irritated and that we should just stay home and see someone in the morning if things were the same. I was not convinced I wanted to do that so I called the BC Nurses Line and the nurse suggested that I go to emergency, so we did. My husband dropped me at the front doors of emergency and I went in to register while he parked the car.

I spoke to the triage nurse. I told him what I was experiencing, I did mention that I had stomach and intestinal cramping. He said that sometimes it is hard to distinguish between that and contractions and said that anyone over 20 weeks pregnant they automatically send upstairs to the labour and delivery/maternity unit. This surprised me a little.

When we got upstairs it was quiet and I spoke to the nurse on duty who asked me if I had called my Midwife or Doctor. I told her no because I didn’t think it was pregnancy related. She said it is all pregnancy related, I told her the name of my midwife. She got me set up in a room, and called my midwife and told us she was on her way. She hooked my tummy up to the monitor to listen to baby. Baby sounded fine and actually got more active as soon as there was straps across my belly - don’t think he likes being monitored, he kicks during our regular appointment when my midwife listens for his heartbeat too.

My midwife arrived in what seemed to be record time (she must live close by), I felt bad for getting her out of bed! Another nurse came in with an IV bag, as they wanted to give me some fluids. After several tries, third time lucky (ouch!! bruises to show for it), they got the IV in and gave me some Gravol in my IV to make things stop and also some fluids because I had lost so much. She let me sleep for about 2 hours and we went home around 6am. I was still ill at that point, but it was slowing down. Once we got home I think I stopped throwing up by about 10am.

I was not able to eat anything that day, or much the day after. I tried to eat last night but my stomach is still super noisy and trying to simple things today too. I spoke to my midwife again today and she said it can take a little while to re-establish the proper Flora in your system, and that taking Acidophilus or plain yogurt with active cultures can sometimes help (she recommended plain, fruit added yogurt can have too many sugars she said). I am pretty tired and a little frustrated at all my ailments, I feel I am falling apart. I am also concerned that since I cannot eat much I am depriving baby of proper nutrients. So far my husband has not gotten it and I sure hope everyone else I’ve been in contact with doesn’t get it either! I don’t ever remember being that ill. Not fun and I do not wish it on anyone!

On the upside the room that we were in was a labour and delivery room. So I guess I will be nice and comfortable with the space when we have to go for the birth. Also knowing how I was taken care of makes me feel at ease too. I only ever see my midwife at our appointments and never in ‘action’ before. Not that I was ever doubting her abilities, she has been wonderful, just makes me more relaxed and calm to know I was taken care of.

I have had back pain for the past 1.5 - 2 years of my life. Before I hurt my back a couple years ago, I was exercised a lot. Perhaps too much. I was just starting to train for a triathlon when I hurt myself in the gym doing a squat. Initially I did not stop exercising, I just kept on going. In the summer I saw with a physiatrist in California, who told me to lay off the exercise for a while. When we got back to Canada my chiropractor said I would be able to start exercising soon, but to just stay where I was (not doing a heck of a lot) until we had sorted myself out. Which I am still trying to do, but remain hopeful that I can get out of this cycle.

People who have no physical ailments have no idea how lucky they are, and most might not realize it until something does happen that they cannot. Hopefully that’s not you.

I have caught quite a lot of colds this year so far. Just after new years I came down with a sinus infection, that Lloyd had had 2 weeks earlier, and my Mom had over Christmas, I did not escape. While I was interviewing for my current job I actually had to reschedule the interview because I was sick. When I started working I was had pretty much recovered from my sinus infection.

About 3 weeks ago, I caught the dreaded flu. Oh it was nasty. Body aches and pains, fever for 3 days, in bed for 5. I was off work for 3 days. I went to work last week with a dry nasty cough, but by the end of the week was feeling a lot better.

My husband seemed to escape my fate. He had a flu shot, I had a cold at the time so could not get one. He got sick, but never got the fever and was only out for a day or two with a runny nose.

I started feeling crummy again at the beginning of this week. Chest congestion again, headaches, fever. I went to the Doctor yesterday and he said I have Bronchitis. yik! He said it is not uncommon to be recovering from a virus like the flu, then catch a bacterial infection because your body has been weakened. So back in bed I go. It has been another 2 days off work, and not sure if I am going to make it in tomorrow. I only get 6 sick day a year at 100%, the rest are at 75% pay,if I am off tomorrow I will have used them all up I have also had a couple of colds when I was going to school in the fall. This has been my worst cold/flu season in many years… since my first year of University I think. Also has been my first time back in Victoria for an extended period of time. The only other thing I can attribute Victoria to is my bad allergies. I did hear somewhere once (perhaps in my allergy specialists office, that Victoria is the allergy capital of Canada, I wonder if that is true? sure feels like it for me).

After first year University I went on allergy shots. The shots are very small doses of what I am actually allergic to, slowly building up my immunity to the allergen. Because I have a wide variety of allergies, I get two separate shots. When I went on the shots I noticed that I was not getting as sick as often, or as severe. I am told the theory is when I am battling my allergies and a virus or a bacteria comes along, I cannot easily battle it because my immune system is already taxed by my allergies. When I am on shots, my tolerance to my allergies is higher, so when a virus or bacteria comes along I am not battling allergies, and more easily able to fight the virus/bacteria.

I have not had shots since I moved in Vancouver about 2 years ago, and things have been getting progressively worse. I was going to wait until I was covered by my medical plan in August to get more serum, but I think we might have to eat the cost (approx. $300), and just get them now. Because the shots are actually giving me the allergen, they have to be administered by a nurse and a doctor has to be on site. I then have to sit in the waiting room for 30 minutes to make sure I am not over reacting to the shot (not going into anaphylactic shock etc.). Until I get to my maintenance dose I am supposed to get my shots twice a week. Fun fun, but at the moment I think it beats the alternative.

I read the an article in the Globe & Mail this morning (click here for link to the article) , it was on the front page.

Daily dose of multivitamins cuts birth defects, study says

What I found interesting was that they recommend that ALL women of child bearing age taking vitamins as most pregnancies are unplanned, and the birth defects occur in the first trimester. I do not want to get pregnant now, but eventually (not for another couple years) I do and this would be a good per-cautionary measure. I find it shocking the rate it decreases birth defects by. I do however think this study pertains more to other parts of the world, but if it helps everyone why not, Canada still has 45.5 birth defects in 1000 births. Being a women who is already concerned about her fertility and birth defects (perhaps all women are), why not help out the odds?

The short story is he thinks there is some inflammation in my lower back most likely caused by trauma of some sort. Somehow we have to decrease that inflammation. There are two possible treatments at this point:

Treatment option 1) a prescribed anti-inflammatory and perhaps some physical therapy.

Treatment option 2) injections to try and treat the inflammation, which has more risks than the first treatment option.

Side effects to treatment option 2) can in very low cases be death (he has never heard of it or experienced it himself, but has happened so they have to mention it) or bleeding, or increased pain. He said it is similar to an epidural women get in child birth but directed to the inflamed area. Treatment 2) also is not a definite solution, because on an MRI inflammation does not show up, they could possibly get the wrong area, whereas oral drugs treats all inflammation.

Side effects to treatment option 1) possible upset stomach with the pills (in that case he recommended taking them with food). Drugs could make me feel slightly tired.

Because I am not thrilled with needles, we have decided to go with the anti-inflammatory drugs and more physical therapy first. He also said that I was basically to stop my physical activity, and lift no weights above my hips. No physical activity…. boo! Not happy about that at all. He said he knows it is hard for people my age to not be active and be a slug for a little while, but it could help my recovery. None-the-less I will do what the good doctor tells me (for at least a week ) and if it helps and allows me not to have sharp objects poked into my body, it has gotta be worth it right?

Last February I went to the physiotherapist (or called physical therapist in the USA) until about mid or the end of April the same year. When I stopped seeing him I felt I had my full range of motion back. July 2005 my back started hurting again, but due to no incident this time. It would just feel stiff and uncomfortable when I got up in the morning. It now has progressed over time, now I cannot stand for over a couple minutes and lying flat causes me extreme discomfort. I went to a chiropractor in Vancouver a couple of times (only went a couple times because I moved to the California) and saw no great improvement. I moved in USA in November with my now husband and did not treat my back, lack of medical insurance, and worry that we were not covered, and expense. Lloyd felt it would be much too expensive to go and we could not afford it so I did not. I tried to continue stretching, but it did not seem to help, nonetheless I continued. Now sleeping also causes me discomfort and I wake up due to the pain after about 6 hours. Finally in March I went to the doctor and found out I was covered if referred for a few visits. She referred me to the chiropractor, who I went to see for about 7 visits in about 4 weeks time. I did not feel any better when I finished, she did mainly adjustments. I went back to the doctor and was referred to a physical therapist, who I went to see for 8 visits in 4 or 5 weeks, again feeling no real improvement at the end of treatment. The physical therapist did stretching, muscle work/massage. Seeing little to no improvement she recommended that I return to my doctor to see what was next.

I went to the doctor this afternoon (my regular doctor is away so I saw a different one, but still very pleasant lady). She has now recommended me to a physiatrist. She said… a physiatrist is in between a physical therapist and a orthopedist. An orthopedist would mainly be able to recommend surgery, and if I needed it would perform it, but if not would not be able to do much for me. She said for a person my age we want to avoid surgery at all costs and a physiatrist would be able to do some injections to decrease the inflammation in the area bothering me. She did examine me and said that it did not appear to be in my spin, so I was not to worry about spinal problems, but it seems to be in the joints next to my tail bone, the sacroiliac joints. She thought it could be Sacroiliitis, an inflammation of these joints (which is what my doctor in Vancouver thought it possibly might be in October but recommended a new bed, stretching and yoga).

Injections sound scary to me! I am wondering if I have gotten to the point and need this type of treatment or maybe I just need more physical therapy time? I am returning to Canada in September for some coursework, which I made my doctor aware of, she said I would at least be able to see the physiatrist once maybe twice before I leave. I asked if I should have an MRI or Xray done, and she gave me an order for one just in case it was something else and said they would call me once they received the results.

In the USA there is a limit to how much physical therapy and chiropractic you receive. Being on an HMO plan, I am entitled to 6-8 visits maximum. I cannot help but wonder if I continued to go to the physical therapist for another month would I get better? When I was injured last February, it at least took 15 or more visits (2-3 months worth!) before I left okay. However, if I was in Canada I do not think I would ever get to a physiatrist, and if I was finally recommended to one, which would be after at least 6 months of physical therapy that was going nowhere, I would then be put on a wait list for 6 months minimum to a couple years to see a physiatrist. So is the USA to quick to jump to a conclusion and should I be continuing to see the physical therapist, or is it indeed time to step it up to a physiatrist and Canada is too lax?

I am going to go through with it and see the physiatrist while I am in the USA, maybe this is indeed the treatment I need? But I am not going to be quick to get the injections if the physiatrist suggests them, being scared of needles and apprehensive about such an invasive therapy. Returning to Canada in September I will again have no extended medical for chiropractic treatments, which run at minimum $35 a visit. Lloyd being thrifty will probably want me to wait to see if we can get some kind of coverage before seeing anyone. My girlfriend Ali has seen a chiropractor in Victoria who did wonders for her, but wondering if mine is too far gone, or perhaps we she has a different problem with her back. I hope to try Ali’s chiropractor when we return if I still am in pain, if we can afford it of course. I am at the point where I think I am doomed to live with his pain for the rest of my life, and also think I am too young to have back pain, how did this happen?