I honestly can't remember if I even spoke about it here, but I have to have the EGD and colonoscopy due to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and my ferritin being pretty low. Normally with liver issues the ferritin goes UP. In this case the Dr suspects a bleeding situation, such as peptic or duodenal ulcer, the latter being the highest suspicion. Either way, today isn't going to be fun or easy. C'est la vie.
On with the liquid diet consisting of mostly clear Gatorade. I also have a few other things on the list that I'm allowed, but I have to drink 8oz of Gatorade no matter what, and then begin drinking the prep solution (mixed with clear Gatorade) at 4pm, and begin the doses of dulcolax at 3pm and again at 5pm. Why am I telling you guys this?... so if you ever have to go through this, you'll will have had a heads-up as to what you'll possibly be facing. Trust me, I wish I'd known before my first one, because I would have INSISTED on another prep than the old kind. It's horrendous, and I flat refuse to EVER drink that stuff again. Why the hell doctors still use that garbage is beyond me, especially when there are far kinder preps out there at their disposal. Just saying.
Diet---decions. I'm striving toward a Vegan diet and have been transitioning from an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet. Not eating meat is easy for me--of which I've explained in the past. Meat isn't that important to me, and I don't crave it like some people do. And when I have eaten it in the past I usually felt sluggish afterwards. Fish, however, didn't have that effect on me. Still, giving up meat was simple. My problem now is my health issues and the change in diet that's on the horizon once we get down to the bottom of things with the low ferritin, liver issues, etc. Oh, and finding out the hard way that there was hidden dairy in something. I will spare you the horrors I go through if that happens. But anyway....
Much is unknown at the moment on how to proceed from here. So many ill effects from medications I've taken in the past, including weight gain and completely f'ing up my metabolism to the point where I'm finding it difficult to lose. *sigh* Still, aside from that I do wonder what I will be asked to do.
Will the doctor tell me I have to eat meat?... will I have to go Paleo? I know low-carb is one way to fight what's going on with the liver, but... low-carb and Vegan/Vegetarian do not mix!! All of what I've read people are on a low-carb, higher fat and protein diet.. such as South Beach. I really don't know what I'll be told, but I do know that if I really am dealing with NASH... I'm at a huge risk of fibrosis...then cirrhosis. Though rarely do people who have NASH reach that stage, it is still a risk. Nothing like those who drink, however. I'm at least quite fortunate there.
So considering the possibility of having to deal with adding animal products back into my diet I'm left feeling a bit lost and uncertain. I don't think I can do it, even if the doctor says it's necessary.
There has to be a way for me to maintain my chosen lifestyle and achieve the results I need....
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