That sounds like a smart approach, Tep. I'm glad you gave such thoughtful doctors.

I hope this approach works Steph.

A surgeon that suggests gathering more data before cutting is my kinda surgeon!

It's interesting -- he said that not all patients with gall bladder disease have the stereotypical pain, but instead they have really horrible nausea, and it happens between 30 minutes and 6 hours after eating a fatty meal.

The day I had unbelievably bad nausea was 2 days after my endoscopy. I had plain bland food the day of the endoscopy, but the next day I had a giant cheeseburger for dinner. And then I woke up the following morning with that horrible nausea. When I told the surgeon that, he said that sounds like a clear sign that it's my gall bladder. But he still thinks I should do the 2-week guinea pig test.

That sounds like a good approach, Steph.

I'm seeing the hand surgeon again tomorrow, probably for another steroid shot, but possibly to discuss surgery. And I've got to get up way early so that I can drive out to his office in the suburbs, because that's the only one where he had an appointment free. (The office where I saw him last time is right near campus.) And then driving to campus to get work done. I really need some rest, but I'm behind on everything, and rest isn't going to be happening soon.

I guess this is the time to see doctors. I'm seeing a new GP in the morning so I'll probably get a full physical, but my specific reason for going is that I think something is up with my thyroid. Then I get to go to work for half a day before I go to the dentist for fillings.

Good luck with all the doctors. I am hiding from mine and avoiding them. At some point I have to head back to Florida and face them. It is trickier with my doctors being my customers. They don't hesitate to give me lots of well deserved grief about my weight. My hopes for long walks in the mountains and healthy eating this summer never happened. Blah.

Well drat, a work thing didn't work out in our favor, so the follow on work for one of my current projects is going to another company. Had we won the work, I would have been the project manager, which would be HUGE for me, work-wise. I haven't decided how i feel about this other than feeling kinda bummed.

Crowley is trying to use my hand as a chew toy, even as I'm typing this. Life with a puppy.

Well, I drove out to West Chester to see the hand surgeon (about a half hour drive), and the appointment lasted about five minutes. I got another steroid shot, and if it doesn't work, we'll consider surgery. Then I stopped at two other doctors' offices to pick up prescriptions that have to be on paper, and then I finally got to work. And then a student who's been struggling emailed me, saying she wanted to go over some material with me, and the only time she could meet was 5:15. So, OK. Then, at 5:06, she emailed me to say that she'd be right there, because she had to run across campus from a lab. She got to my office at nearly 5:45, and stayed until about 6:30. Then I had to make some photocopies that I hadn't done earlier, so I didn't leave until about 7. That was a ridiculously long day, but I did get stuff done, at least.

Steph, I hope you get some definitive answers from the elimination diet.

I totally agree with Laura:

It does seem better to schedule the surgery while you feel okay rather than having to do so in an emergency situation.

BUT, not having to have a procedure at all would be even better.