Posts by vividrider47

Does anyone have any advice to offer?

Hello there!
It turns out I’m dealing with some issues involving gallbladder sludge or something similar. Essentially, I am in quite a bit of pain. This has been an ongoing struggle for nearly three months now, though lately, the episodes have been happening much more frequently.
Here is my situation. I have also been diagnosed with DVT (blood clots) in my left leg, and surgery simply isn't an option for me right now. On top of that, I have tackled a strict diet with immense determination. I’ve managed to lose 70 pounds in just three and a half months; I started at 282 pounds and I’m down to 211 pounds now. To reach a truly healthy weight, I still have a significant journey ahead of me. I have been eating very cleanly—plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—and I make sure to exercise every single day through brisk walking and swimming whenever I can. Everything would be absolutely wonderful if my gallbladder hadn't become such a massive obstacle.
My question is this: how should I proceed? I was handed a list of approved and prohibited foods, but I am completely bewildered by it because it seems to contradict itself—for instance, it might allow cocoa in one context and forbid it in another.
I feel both confused and a little frightened, especially since when I research this topic online, Americans seem to follow lists that are quite different from mine, and often even contradictory.
What are your thoughts on the elimination diet method?
The idea being that you start with something very basic, like dry toast and tea, and then gradually introduce one food item at a time each day; the moment you experience pain, you know exactly which culprit caused it and you eliminate it from your diet moving forward...
What matters most to me is the following:
- Being able to continue losing weight effectively.
- Ensuring that my nutrition remains as healthy as possible during the process.
In order to heal my leg, I absolutely must lose weight. I am feeling stuck because I don't know how to manage this gallbladder issue in the meantime.
Does anyone have a simple, tried-and-true meal plan specifically designed to avoid gallbladder pain? My symptoms typically flare up in the early evening or during the night, which is difficult since I work from 4 PM until midnight every single day! 😢
I am also curious to hear about your personal experiences—both the good and the bad—following gallbladder removal surgery.
P.S. Just the thought of fruit compote makes me feel nauseous; I truly cannot stand it. I do enjoy risotto, but I can't stand polenta, and grits aren't really my favorite either. I love salads, vegetables, and fruit...
What should I be eating, everyone?

Kimberly Booth said:If you feel like the care isn't up to par, I truly believe you should find a different doctor and move to another hospital altogether. One simply cannot afford to gamble when it comes to medical matters; after all, your health is the most precious asset you possess. If the thought of how you will manage financially weighs heavily on your mind, please trust that necessity has a way of forcing us to adapt to our new circumstances. I can certainly empathize with the struggle, as I recently underwent knee surgery myself and am currently awaiting a second procedure in six months. I have been out on disability leave for a full year now, and I must admit, it hasn't been easy. The cartilage was completely worn away, and the healing process is proving to be much more stubborn than I ever anticipated.😉

I struggle to see how I can possibly make ends meet without my seasonal income. Even now, I am finding it incredibly difficult to stay afloat financially, and if I am unable to complete this upcoming season, I simply don't know what I will do. I am not being hyperbolic when I say that I effectively have zero income for seven months out of the year.
But moving past that, I had my appointment with Dr. Miller earlier today. She took a good look at my leg and prescribed a topical cream for that red patch, along with some anti-inflammatory gel for the swelling covering my lower leg and foot. On top of the creams, she put me on a course of Klavox twice a day and some Vitamin C fortified aspirin. I’m scheduled to head back to her office for a follow-up in a week. To be perfectly honest, I was quite taken aback by the whole thing; I fully expected her to refer me out to a specialist immediately. While I suppose I shouldn't be surprised—given how things usually go, I figured it might just clear up on its own—the entire situation feels somewhat absurd to me.
I can't recall the exact diagnosis at this moment, but she did mention something regarding blood clots and inflammation within the veins... or perhaps it was the capillaries.
Combining aspirin with Vitamin C acts much like a powerful solvent designed to break up a stubborn clog in a pipe.
Well, my friends...😕🤷

I did say that myself. However, I still find myself holding them partially to blame. It’s only a small portion, certainly, but a portion nonetheless.

Daniel Murphy said:Kimberly Booth made a wonderful point👍 This situation could represent anything, and it could be quite serious😲 Please don't delay; head to the hospital immediately because the symptoms you're describing could truly be significant. Don't wait for the season to pass, as it might be too late!!😲
In short, whether you have a referral or not (you can always bring one later), go see a surgeon or an orthopedic specialist right away!

You all are scaring me!
I am scheduled to start my new job very soon, and if I find myself unable to work—if I end up spending all my time navigating hospital corridors instead—how am I supposed to make ends meet? 😢

That being said, I plan to visit my primary care physician this Monday to get her professional opinion. I am certainly not acting irrationally; I am simply worried. And honestly, how could I not be? I’ve had six years to address this. (If we set aside my own skepticism and anger... not to mention my mother falling ill with Alzheimer's during that time, which meant my own health became a secondary priority)

I appreciate your advice 🙂

Kimberly Booth said:If you happen to be in New York City, I would suggest heading to a major trauma center for a full workup. If you aren't nearby, please visit any reputable hospital so they can re-examine everything. How old are you, and how long has this been an issue?🤷

I appreciate you asking. I am currently 37 years old, though this first started when I was 31. I am actually away from New York City right now; I'm down at the coast, out on an island. This has been going on for six years now. 🙂😱😲

I am well aware! Believe me, I know. 🙂😱😲

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't very persistent following those initial, rather miraculous encounters with doctors. In my own defense, I had some truly traumatic experiences with medical professionals in the past, which made me quite hesitant to push further—especially since they weren't exactly reaching out or prompting me to return. It was perhaps unwise, I admit...
With the summer tourist season approaching, I really don't have the energy to deal with it right now. I think I will wait until the fall.
Currently, I am wondering if anyone else here has experienced something similar, or if this sounds familiar to anyone. As I mentioned, that first round of examinations took place six years ago, 🙂😱😲 and it didn't provide any relief whatsoever. No one has ever provided me with a definitive diagnosis—at least nothing that everyone agrees on.

Does Nick have no clue at all? 😢

Well, let’s look back a few years. I was attempting to chase down a kid who had swiped something from a local shop. The streets were paved with stone that had been polished smooth by decades of foot traffic, and the little thief moved like an arrow while I was stumbling along, quite out of shape, in my flip-flops. It didn't end well. The boy twisted away like an eel, and while I gave chase, my leg simply wasn't prepared for such a sudden maneuver. If anyone thinks I am joking, please don't. If it weren't for what happened next, the whole situation would actually be quite hilarious.
My left foot rolled inward, and the outer side—that bony part just above the heel—slammed against the pavement with full force. I felt the pain immediately. This wasn't even the first time something like this had happened to me; I suppose I just have clumsy joints. Usually, however, the pain would subside overnight, so I didn't make much of a fuss this time. The next morning, I headed off to work in shorts. It hurt, sure, but I figured it would pass, so I didn't give it a second thought. That is, until someone pointed at me and said, "Good heavens, look how swollen your leg is!" I looked down, quite carelessly, at my left leg, and it was twice the size of my right, all the way up to the knee!
I went to see a doctor, who suggested I might have partially or even totally torn tendons. Because it was summer, he ordered total rest and instructed me to keep my leg elevated as an alternative to surgery or a heavy cast. For about ten days, I stayed still. I kept my leg up, applied creams, used ice packs, and tried every old-fashioned remedy under the sun just to be certain I hadn't missed anything. I even tried those strange poultices made of oatmeal. The smell was indescribable; I felt like I was suffocating, applying egg whites and soap, allowing a specialist to massage my leg while following her instructions to the letter. I repeated after her like a parrot, "leaving... leaving..." about fifty times. I was actually a bit irritated afterward, though I was trying to stay relaxed! 🤣 It isn't funny. Well, maybe it is, but it really isn't. I even had two buckets ready—one with hot water and one with icy seawater—to soak my leg up to the knee.
After those ten days, I returned to the doctor for a follow-up. My leg was still twice its normal size. This time, I saw a different specialist—a sort of podiatrist 😠 who acted more like a chiropractor. His diagnosis was both shocking and deeply concerning. He told me it wasn't the tendons at all; my knee was dislocated! He claimed he could just pop it back into place, and then I should simply return to work and walk my usual miles every day, and it would all resolve itself. What a joke! I tried to explain that my knees have always been a bit knobby and asked him to look at my right knee, which looks identical to the left one... but the doctor was determined to "fix" this specific knee, and that was that. Once he finished the stretching, he pointed out that my right leg was actually thicker than the injured left one because my muscles had weakened from the inactivity. I was actually prepared to pull a tailor's measuring tape out of my pocket to prove him wrong, but he refused to measure it. As I walked out of the office, I caught sight of an elderly woman leaving the waiting room, saying she’d come back another time; perhaps my screaming was enough to convince her that her own pain wasn't that bad. 🤷 I went home with a purple leg, went back to work, and ended up getting kicked in the leg by a customer, which nearly caused me to faint. I eventually went home in tears.
Then, I headed to the hospital on the mainland. (I live on an island, so these doctors were just traveling specialists, whatever they call them! 😠) There, they just waved me off, saying, "Oh, those two are just imagining things!" and told me I simply needed to lose weight and everything would clear up. I even had a vascular exam, which also showed nothing. I won't even get into how I almost sued a nurse back then; I'll just say that after threatening to make a massive scene, I ended up chasing after a doctor who had already "called it a day." Was it relevant? Who knows if he was actually willing to give my leg a proper look!
Current status, several years later (six years later):
- I have gained weight; I certainly haven't lost it.
- My leg is just as swollen as it was before.
- My foot has remained swollen this entire time, along with those small, dark spots.
- I haven't been seeing any doctors lately
- To be honest, I still have absolutely no clue what is actually going on with my leg
- Now, on top of the swelling, something else has cropped up; over the last year or so, these red patches have appeared on the front of my shin, roughly 10cm by 15cm in size. A small vein has also started bulging out. That specific area always feels warm to the touch, whereas the back of my leg feels perfectly normal, and it itches quite frequently... plus, the skin on the front of my shin has become rather firm and hard.
- It isn't exactly excruciatingly painful, but there is this nagging discomfort if I happen to bump it or apply pressure (at which point an indentation appears, much like pressing your finger into bread dough)🙄
- When I had my bloodwork done last year, everything came back fine—no issues with blood sugar, thyroid, cholesterol, or anything like that
I AM AT A TOTAL LOSS AS TO WHAT THIS IS.
- My shoe size used to be a 5, but now I am buying a 7 or 8 just to get my left foot to fit comfortably inside the shoe
Summer is right around the corner, and I have a lot of work ahead of me. I'll be on my feet constantly. I am planning to finally follow up with my doctors after the summer is over, assuming my leg can hold up until then.
In the meantime... perhaps someone here might recognize a symptom or... something??????
Does ANYONE have an inkling of what on earth is happening with my leg??????? Because I am starting to get a little bit scared.
PS—I really should have listened to that kid! Good grief!!!!!!!!!!!