Allergies and Gallbladders

Since my health has been so poor in recent weeks, I have once again been researching what can be done for my gallbladder, or what may be the problem that we're trying to fix.  Of course there is some conflicting information, but one thing that has arisen is the correlation between food allergies and gallbladder problems.  Now, I don't have any food allergies that I *know* of, but am starting to strongly suspect I may have some unknown one(s) that is wreaking havoc on my insides.

For one thing, I have had low level pain in my abdomen since some time after Andrew was born that I feel when pressure is applied to the area.  I don't ever remembering feeling anything akin before, and the indicated area is where the intestines are...which is an area that can easily be affected by a long-term food allergy.

It is also worth mentioning, that if this is indeed part of my problem, simply removing my gallbladder would not have nor would it solve the problem.  It strongly appears that my digestive system is being compromised in some way, and that the gallbladder is the organ that is squawking the loudest.

So, what does this mean?  I have started today the Allergen Elimination Diet (you can read more about this here).  It will consist of 3 weeks without eating the most common allergens, including some extras for people with gallbladder problems.  Then, you gradually (one food every 3 days) add the potential allergens back in and see what kind of reaction the body (and/or mind) has.  So, here's what I won't be eating for the next three weeks:

90% of all food allergies are to these foods:

• eggs
• gluten (wheat, barley, rye and other grains)
• corn
• soy
• dairy
• peanuts
• shellfish

COMMON FOOD ALLERGIES CAUSING GALLBLADDER ATTACKS

• eggs
• pork
• onion
• turkey and chicken
• milk
• coffee
• oranges
• grapefruit
• corn
• beans
• nuts
• tomatoes  

 Kind of a daunting list, huh?  Fortunately, I do have a list of things I can eat, but obviously this will be a challenge.  I can eat fish during weeks one and three, but not week two, so at least that will help some.  "Fortunately" since I've been having such trouble for the last week, I was already not eating most of these, so a big piece of the mental work has already been done.

The connection between Celiac Disease (gluten intolerance) has also been drawn.  I will be getting a blood test done to preliminarily test for Celiac in the next week.  Please pray that it is negative! 

In the meantime, I have also been preparing for another gallbladder flush, which I will be doing on Monday and Tuesday of this week.  Since I will be fasting for it, except for pure apple juice, it doesn't really conflict with the Diet, so I figured I would combine them. 

The side perk about this is that is also a detoxifier, and I needed to do another detox anyway.

So, as I go through this endeavor, I would appreciate your prayers.  Prayers for me to stick to the stringent requirements of the diet, that my body will efficiently and fully detoxify, that I won't be *tooo* cranky during this process, and most of all that God will use this to help us better understand what's happening in my body so that we can make whatever changes are necessary.  And that my body would experience the healing it needs.

As many of you know, I believe these health problems have been a tool of God in my life.  I long for Him to be glorified through however He uses this in me.  If it is through a miraculous healing, so be it.  If it is through some other means, so be it.  I just want to be obedient to what He is asking of me.