Symptoms You Should Never Ignore – Digestive Systems 14-16

14/20 Chronic Bloating

Don’t Worry:

If you feel like a hot air balloon float after every meal, you’re in good company—nearly 40 per cent of the population struggles with gas and bloating. A food journal may help pinpoint specific dietary triggers, such as broccoli, beans or fruit. It’s important to note, though, that it’s normal for bellies to change shape over the course of the day, and passing gas (from the northern or southern route) up to 20 times daily is just part of the way your digestive system efficiently turns food into fuel.

Do Worry:

If your bloating never goes away or is accompanied by other symptoms such as severe cramps, changes in bowel habits, blood in your stool, nausea, decreased appetite or unintentional weight loss, see your doctor—diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer and other conditions can require a more thorough workup.

15 / 20 Change in Your Stool

Don’t Worry:

When it comes to bowel output, what’s “regular” for each person varies widely—anything from twice a week to three times a day is in the range of normal, as is a range of consistencies. A change in diet, medications such as antibiotics, stress or dehydration can temporarily knock your routine out of whack, but things usually resolve within a few days.

Do Worry:

“Any persistent change in your pattern lasting more than a month is a sign to call to your doctor,” says Tran. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—characterized by diarrhea, constipation or both, along with cramps that are relieved by pooping—affects up to 18 per cent of Canadian adults, and is thought to be linked to an imbalance in the relationship between the brain and the gut. Antidepressant medications have shown some promise as treatment. But your doctor will also want to rule out thyroid issues, bacterial or parasitic infections, and other more serious gut-related diseases.

16 / 20 Weird Smelling Pee

Don’t Worry:

Certain foods, notoriously asparagus, can give your urine a distinctly funky tang. But stinky pee can have a bouquet of other possible causes, including those new vitamins or medications you’ve been taking. B1 is known for giving urine a distinctly fishy odour, while sulfonamide antibiotics can impart a rotten-egg smell. An ammonia smell in your urine could mean you’re dehydrated and need to drink more water during the day—or, if attended with burning, fever or chills, might be an early sign of a urinary tract infection.

Do Worry:

Poorly controlled diabetes can make urine smell fruity from the ketones. If you’re diabetic and also experiencing nausea, confusion or excessive thirst, get medical attention immediately—you may be suffering from ketone acidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Based on an article in Reader’s Digest byAnna-Kaisa Walker

Symptoms You Should Never Ignore – Misc

11/20 Lump Near Your Neck

Don’t Worry:
Spread out in a network, your lymph nodes are bean-shaped glands that play an important role in your immune system. When bacteria, viruses or other foreign substances invade your body, your lymph nodes can feel swollen and hard with all the white blood cells piling in to fight off the assault. Once you’re done battling whatever it was, they will go back to normal.

Do Worry:
If you feel the lump in the hollow above either collarbone—where your supraclavicular lymph nodes are—these can be important sentinels for disease in your abdomen. If it happens on your left side specifically, it’s called Troisier’s sign, and it’s considered an indication of cancer in the stomach or other organs, even if you have no other symptoms. See your doctor as soon as possible.

12 / 20 Cold Hands

Don’t Worry:
Genetics can be the reason you often have cold hands, even in summer—research shows it runs in families. The elderly, who tend to have slower circulation, as well as very thin people without much insulation, can also feel more sensitive to cold, especially in the extremities. Avoiding nicotine and caffeine, which restrict blood vessels, and dressing in layers to keep your core temperature up can help.

Do Worry:
Raynaud’s phenomenon, which affects 10 per cent of the population, is a vascular abnormality characterized by attacks of cold, pain, tingling or burning, and white or bluish colour in the fingers. It can be managed with medication, but in some cases, Raynaud’s can be a sign of an autoimmune disease called scleroderma.

Anemia, caused by low iron levels, can also make your hands and feet feel cold, and is also linked to fatigue, dizziness and chest pains. Iron supplements can help restore your hemoglobin levels.

13 / 20 White Marks on Your Nails

Don’t Worry:
Nails can reveal some important things about your health. Those mysterious dots or lines on your fingernails—called leukonychia—are usually caused by bumping or pinching the skin under your cuticle where your nails start to grow. They’re usually harmless and take six to nine months to grow out completely. If a spot looks yellowish and you can see thickening of the nail, that could indicate a fungal infection that requires a topical prescription.

Do Worry:
If the bands are vertical and dark-coloured, see your doctor as soon as possible. “In a fair-skinned person, these can indicate subungual melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer under the nail,” says Tran. Darker-skinned people do get bands like this normally as they age, but if you notice new stripes or a change in their thickness, it warrants further investigation for melanoma

Based on an article in Reader’s Digest byAnna-Kaisa Walker

Chronic Illness Bingo leads to Acceptance

This is kinda like the get to know style of bingo, but it’s just for you. Check off what applies to you.

I originally just posted this on my regular social media, but choose to write about here.. The reason I do is the reaction of a friend of mine, Susan.

Late last year she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Now, she has been struggling with acceptance that her life he’s been permanently altered through no fault of her own. Recently she say the post on my social media of my bingo card (see below) & noticed that she checked the few spaces I had empty. She then got curious & looked at the rest of the card noticing that she actually checked a majority of the boxes aswell.

This was her “Ah-ha” type moment. And realized “I have a chronic illness.” I think this realization, and acceptance of the hard truth has actually be a relief for her. She’s realized that there are limits and she has to learn where her limits are. But she’s no longer stuck and is able to move forward.

While I’m not happy that my post gobsmacked her in the face with the truth, I am glad she’s got the acceptance and is moving forward.

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See where my 3 bingo lines are. How full isUis your card? I know someone who actually checks each box. 😦