Back Home and Facing New Health Challenges

Hi, just got home late Friday night, and we got farther in the last 3 days we were there than we did in the whole week and a half. My Addison's doctor said I have malabsorption disorder and a definite digestive autoimmune disease... so finding out which one will be the hard part. I'll probably have to go back in a few weeks or so. But, with the Addison's, they're not having me take cortisol (steroid) orally, I have to push it in via PICC line, it's a different kind of steroid called Solu-Cortef (not good on the spelling) but she said that way it's definite it's going into your system. She was afraid that what was causing most of my Addison's crisis was not being able to know if the steroid (orally) was getting into my system and with all the chronic pain she doubled my dose via PICC line. So she sent me to my prior GI doctor at Cleveland and he agreed with her, had me do a test that should usually take 10-15 min, took 4 1/2 hrs. It's a barium that they have you drink and take an X-ray picture starting out at every 20 min until it runs through my ileostomy and the doctor said that with my ileostomy it should've run through rather quickly, and it went through about all my digestive system in about 20 min and then about 5-6 in. until it came out of the ileostomy it just stopped, they continued X-raying me for about 3 1/2 hrs and still nothing. He said there was something definitely going on that I needed to come back and they needed to run more extensive testing, so I will be returning there in the next few weeks or so. But we are doing okay, the prayers have helped, we're getting somewhere, but we know there's something organically going on (meaning physically, not drug-induced). I'm not crazy, a pretty good feeling, may not be the answer we want but, we're getting closer to knowing what we're dealing with, that's a blessing in its own. I hope you all are doing well and keep those prayers coming. Thanks for all your guys' support...

Hi there, good to see you, especially now that something is being sorted for you... I am hoping something similar will be coming my way shortly ... it seems to make it easier once you know what it is you are dealing with, and like yourself, I really am not sure what that is at the moment. My yukky tests are next week, so will let you know! Take care, Rach xx

I am happy that you are getting closer to the truth about your stuff. That in and of itself will help for starters. Stay well, Michael.