Usually I keep really quiet about health matters because no-one wants to read the gory details, nor is it interesting to hear me bitch about being in pain or having a cold. I'm going to make an exception now because I had a new experience today — I had an ultrasound screening done.
Backstory: I've had pains and discomfort in my stomach for years now, at least since 2002. I went to a doctor here in Stockholm right before moving to Dublin and he wasn't very helpful. I went to a GP in Dublin who sent me to a gastroenterologist who tentatively diagnosed IBS and wanted to do some tests to rule out other problems. Then I got a job in Stockholm and moved right before the tests could be carried out.
I read about IBS, it sounded right, and the symptoms are spot-on. The specialist had recommended increasing fibre in my diet, which I did and things stabilised. Fast forward to August this year. I was on my way to work when I suddenly felt nauseous and almost threw up at T-Centralen. Finally I made it to the commuter train, but decided that perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to go to work after all. So I went home and stayed home for the rest of the week because the pains had returned with a vengeance.
It may be that I simply ate something bad and my innards being fussy threw a proper fit. It could have been something else entirely. I didn't want to take that risk so I booked a time with another GP and showed him the letter I'd gotten from the gastroenterologist in Dublin. He wanted to do the same tests as the specialist and also a blood test. (Shudder. I have a problem with poking, but I'm not going to tell that story now.) I'd meant to visit a GP here in Stockholm anyway to ask him to authorise the ultrasound and colonoscopy the specialist had wanted to have done, but things had happened, switching to Swedish food had helped enormously, there had been no urgency before.
The GP agreed that we should start with the tests to rule out other possible causes. The blood lab was in the same house so I got it done first. The results came back normal, which is a good thing. The ultrasound was scheduled for today. I'd never been to ultrasound before so it was really unexpected that she pressed so hard on the ribs. I haven't checked for bruises yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to find some.
I asked to see the pictures, but she hadn't saved any. Meh. I was curious to see how it looked inside. The doctor said that she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. So far so good. Colonoscopy is scheduled for 4th of November and I'm not at all looking forward to it. It most likely will confirm IBS and then we'll go on from there.
One thing I am looking forward to is the release of The Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion pack for World of Warcraft, on 13th of November. Many hours of fun await.
