New Diagonsis, New Diet

[Adalaide]

So I have an answer for my blurred vision. Apparently I have pseudotumor cerebri. Basically, the I have too much spinal fluid which is creating too much pressure in my head and pressing on my eyes. It's also probably causing the migraines I got this week and the frequent headaches and some other problems. I go back next week to see if tests point to lupus as the underlying cause and if I need a lumbar puncture to relieve pressure.

This all sounds like good news right? I mean, I have answers and it's treatable. As long as I follow the treatment I can probably keep my symptoms in check and keep my vision. The problem is the treatment. Along with drugs (which I can't fill because I didn't get home before my "cheap" pharmacy closed to check the gluten free status) I have to follow a strict tyramine free diet. I'm pretty sure I had a look of horror on my face as the doctor handed me the list and I saw the first thing on it. No chocolate. Not now, not ever, not for the rest of my life. It took a few hours to really set in, but I've gone from a this sucks attitude to crying, whining, wondering if I can really just have a little.

So, there's a whole list of things I can't go near besides chocolate. No soy, no processed meats, no aged cheese, no beans, no peas, no spinach. Nothing fermented, cultured or pickled, no yeast. (Nevermind the 9 cucumber plants that just started flowering this week that I planted just so I could make pickles by the gallon.)

Anyway, right now I'm just feeling sorry for myself. I overwhelmed by having to go through this all over again. Learning what I can and can't eat, learning to shop again. I'm more or less restricted to fresh and frozen unprocessed foods. (And for some reason the "safe" list had Velveeta on it so damn it I bought the biggest brick I could find.) What I want to do tonight is go out and order what used to be my favorite pizza, pick up a six pack of Guiness and follow it all up with some chocolate cake. What I'm going to do is eat chicken and pretend it will all go away tomorrow. I don't really need advice or whatnot, I just wanted to come complain and whine to people who get it.

[Strawberry-Jam]

wouldn't it be nice if we could just eat gray mush every morning and it would fill our stomachs and provide us with all the nutrition we need for the day? or, better yet, a series of pills, pop pop pop all the nutrients you need and you won't feel hungry any more ever.

I wish it were like that instead

[love2travel]

Oh, I am so very sorry that you must go through this all over again. The shock of it all must be enormous and hard to bear. Stick with me - I'm not a chocolate fan so we could hang out together! The other things would be very tough. Anyway, I empathize with you and your plight. As we always say on here once you get your head around it it WILL get better. Talk about c.com's greatest cliche! But it is true. Meanwhile, after you've had your chocolate cake, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you can and will do this.

Man, the things we must go through for the sake of our health! Sometimes it can be a litle much. Go ahead. Get angry. Grieve. When your dumb cucumbers grow throw them over your fence at your neighbour's house or something.

Hang in there - we are here for ya!

[mommida]

Hang in there kiddo.

We all have adjusted to gluten free. You can take the substitute choices for old favorites and make do with this too.

A little on-line help from friends for some research ideas please. Give us more basic infomation on your new avoid list.

Carob? White chocolate (which I really have heard isn't chocolate at all)? Vegan recipes that "fake" everything (for healthy replacements ~ I'm not wording this great but understand I'm not dissing vegans, just need to really think outside of the box recipes.)

We will get you through this! Come on forum, our girl needs some support!

[mommida]

Carob is tyramine FREE! But it is considered a cousin of the pea (legume ~ soy)

I would consult a nutritionist/ allergy specialist.

Quick search information says white chocolate does not contain tyramine either.

[Adalaide]

Thanks. I appreciate the suggestion of white chocolate but frankly I won't touch the stuff. There isn't any chocolate in it and it is nothing more than an edible lie. (Also it tastes nasty.) I'll check into carob, the list the doctor gave me says I can't have it but from what I've found so far there are plenty of foods that are in the "maybe" area where one test says it's safe and another says it isn't. Honestly though, right now I don't want a replacement for chocolate that tastes sort of like it. I want chocolate.

I just need to spend some time researching everything. It's all just overwhelming right now and I'm more or less content in my misery for the night. Maybe tomorrow or Sunday I'll bother with caring and coping, but I just don't feel like it right now.

Oh, and the idea that we could have like some sort of all encompassing mush or some such that would fulfill all our nutritional needs and keep us from being hungry is brilliant. Let me know when you've invented it.

[Raven815]

(((Hugs)))

Love, Laura

[GFinDC]

(((Hugs Adleaide!)))

Well, shoot, sounds like some more diet adjustment but at least you have practice with that stuff. Wondering if it is the cucumbers or the pickles? Maybe you could make cucumber chips in the oven to use them? And maybe we can find a good carob source for you that is gluten-free. It may not be the exact same taste but it works.

Keeping your vision seems like a good trade to me...?

[IrishHeart]

oops, well, I gave you the high fiber veggies list on the other thread you started before I knew all this, sorry. Choose the ones that fit your menu plan.

Yes, it is quite daunting to keep making adjustments to our diets and I can truly sympathize!

But if it gets rid of your headaches and you can keep your vision, then good.

Hope you feel better soon.

((hug))

[squirmingitch]

((((BIG HUGGIES)))))

[Adalaide]

Thanks for all the hugs and support, I really needed it. I'm done feeling sorry for myself. I'll find out in the next two days if this is permanent (everything I read suggests it is) or if I can switch to a "eat with caution" sort of diet once my vision is restored.