I have been writing down
the foods I have been eating for the past few days, I only stopped on Monday,
29 October, because my backache returned, but there was also left leg pain
around the knee and thigh and right hip pain. I still suspect that I’m taking
in too much sugar. Marie (henceforth MPB) asked me on the
Thursday before vacation whether I was expecting a baby, evidence that my
enlarged stomach has been noticed by others. Funny because I had noticed a few
days before that it was enlarged and felt rather uncomfortable, and I felt the
problem would be cured by a laxative, which did in fact help. Research has led
me to believe that perhaps the cause was NSAIDs, which may lead to water
retention.
Before I came to France,
at the end of August/beginning of September, my period was accompanied by
throatache, fever, and backache. The fever was brought down by Tylenol, which I
don’t have with me now, the throat ache by honey and onions (it lasted a few days)
and the backache by mineral ice and ibuprofen as well as Tylenol if I’m
correct. (Of course, at that point I was questioning whether or not I should
really come to France.) The fact that I’ve now remembered this is essential
because this is the 3rd such throatachey and backachey period I’ve
had.
I notice that when I drink
large amounts of water, I simply pee it out and pee frequently. The article
that I just read[1] talks about
how painkillers, specifically NSAIDs can cause water retention, and that
drinking water isn’t what actually helps the cells get water. But having a diet
high in healthy fats does. (Mind-blown).
Right now I’ve got
inflammation in my ribs, and from what I saw last night, they actually almost
look swollen on the right side. I know I don’t want to go to the hospital. I
don’t want needles, I don’t want strong painkillers. I just want the pain to go
away. I have no idea how long it’s going to take because the painkillers I take
all have some side effect that I feel more quickly. Codeine gives me cramping
and sends me to the toilet, NSAIDs give me severe cramps and send me to the
toilet. Not a good forecast.
So now what? Back to
studying my former diet to see what worked. Back to eating eggs everyday
because they are high in the fat that my diet needs.
UPDATE: The article I
recently cited says that too much water without
adequate minerals could be a cause for water retention. But I’ve been
drinking mineral water since I’ve arrived so that should be fine.
