Bloody Belly Bugs

As I have been suffering from diarrhoea for over a month now, my GP referred me to a consultant gastroenterologist for a diagnosis.
The guy said that it is most probably Giardiasis (gee-ar-dye-a-sis) which is an infection of the digestive system caused by tiny parasites called Giardia intestinalis (also known as Giardia lamblia, or Giardia duodenalis).
The little buggers get into your body by the ingestion of poo. 
Now then, before you all go Eeuuww!! disgusting, let me put your minds at ease. I ain't some mad Scat fan or have a shit eating fetish or even a cunning linguist <wink>.
The NHS website says it can be caught from contaminated water or through eating food prepared by someone with less than healthy hygiene habits.
Apparently it can survive outside of the body for a number of days and can even live in the chlorinated water of public swimming pools.
I have been prescribed a ten day course of 400mg Metronidazole 3 x daily which is a very strong antibiotic. The side affects don't look too pleasant and I admit to feeling more than a little anxious about taking them:- If you are taking the antibiotics metronidazole or tinidazole, you should completely avoid alcohol as this can cause very unpleasant side effects such as:

• feeling and being sick
• stomach pain
• hot flushes
• headaches

Therefore no bevy for ten days whilst taking the meds and they recommend a further 48hrs after taking them. Not so bad. Chance to flush out the toxins from my liver and kiddley's.

tbc... I'll let you know how I get on.

Well I've finished taking the metronidazole and still have the bloating after eating. The frequency of the toilet visits has reduced but I don't know if that's because I'm not eating as much. 
The side effects of the drug have left me feeling constantly nauseous so I have only been eating enough to line my stomach so that I can take the pills. I made the mistake of not eating enough one day and experienced double vision, giddy ess, nausea and I felt feint. I had to sit down with my head between my knees until it had passed. Very worrying. 
So I went back to my GP on Monday and had some more test, blood and poo, both of which have come back negative. A good result that have the parasite but now the GP has exhausted all options and reckons I've got IBS?
He's prescribed Meneverine 135mg 3x daily, 20 mins before food. They are an antispasmodic and should slow down the digestive process. I hope that they work and that I can start absorbing nutrients again. 

TBC again. I'll let you know how I get on. 

Simon v1.2 download complete

Well, well, well, three and a half years absence since my last post on Phat Dad Thin?
Ladies and gentlemen I have seen the light, had an epiphany and changed my life for the better.
My saviours name? Joe Cross, author, director and star of 'Fat, Sick and nearly dead'.
Since August 2013 I have changed from this overstuffed, sad-sack...

to this...

The story started with a run-in with bailiffs last August, that left me skint for a couple of months and six more months to catchup with my finances and regain control. But you can read more about that in Wot Makes Dad Mad.
I had to be mindful of how I spent my money, every penny spent wisely on health preserving foods, limiting the use of car and bike to travel to work and back to save on fuel. I had to cut out alcohol and take-aways completely (couldn't afford them) and take juice to work with me. If I felt hungry when I came home I would eat whatever was available at home. Sometimes that was only dried fruit and nuts. Instead of feeling down and depressed about the situation, I was surprised to find that I was somewhat excited by the coming battle for survival. A kind of Bear Grylls primal instinct took over. I stopped exercising completely because I knew that in the next few months there would be a fine balance between energy input and energy output. I slept when I could, drank juice every day and continued business as usual. To anyone on the outside it appeared that I had found the secret to successful dieting. The pounds fell off, I began to feel healthier and happier. I didn't have to rely on exercise to loose weight.Little did they know.

Around Feb this year I had a IBS flair-up. I had constipation closely followed by diarrhoea, stomach cramps, bloating, vomiting etc so went to see my Dr. I had to give blood and stool samples and waited for the results. The stool sample came back negative of any infection but I was astounded by the blood results.

My HBA1C (Blood sugar count) had stabilised and I no longer had to take the Metformin for my type 2 diabetes. My blood pressure was normal so I no longer had to take the Lisinopril and I no longer felt depressed so could stop taking the Sertraline anti-depressants.
I am still amazed at the effectiveness of this lifestyle change and the positive effect that it has had on my body.

My weight is down to 13st 10lb at the last check, I have re-joined the gym and have been going swimming recently. I've dusted off my old weight training bench and Dumb-bells and do upper-body exercises in the comfort of my own room.

The only downside has been having to chuck out all of my old 'Fat' clothes and buy new stuff. I've lost eight inches off of my waist (44" to 36"). It is great to be able to go into a shop and buy clothes off the rack and have it fit. Bliss!

I have also been practicing mindfulness to stay in the Now, and have followed some Positive Thinking sites on Facebook, so have daily positive posts to read. 

I am confident that I can create the body and the future that I want and wake-up each new day and count my blessings, because I do feel grateful and blessed, and I now want to pass on the Good News so that others may benefit too.

You can make a start by taking a look at Joe's film. Watch it with an open mind and trust me, it works, I am the living proof. If I can change the habits of a lifetime then so can you. 

Good luck on your adventure to a new you.

Peace & Love. X

C25K Wk4 D2

Treadmill
Time 60.3mins
Cals 356
Dist 4.92Km
AvSp 4.88KPH
AvHr 101Bpm

I had two days between runs because of work. Up at 5am and home at 7pm. I just don't have the energy or the inclination to go to the gym after that.
I read on Twitter over this mornings double shot latte in the Blackbird Bakery, a quote from Sven Goran Eriksson.
“The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.”
I thought deeply about this on my way to the gym.
Today's run was still challenging. My ankles, shins, calves and thighs ached, but mentally it was easier because I knew I could do it, having done it before. 
The anxiety had disappeared and was replaced by dogged determination, believe me if I can do it, anyone can do it. Feel the fear and do it any way.
To quote Shakespeare's Henry V. 
"Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect...I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, straining upon the start. The game's afoot: Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge cry 'God for Harry! England and Saint George!'

C25K Wk4D1. What a killer!

Time 42.5mins
Cals 246
Dist 3.41km
AvSp 4.78kph
AvHr 85

Well whodathoughtit? Despite my fear of failure I did it.
The five minute warm up walk as usual followed by a three minute run. No problems there, I'd done that before.
Only 90secs walk to recover though before the dreaded 5min run.
To begin with the inner Daemon, inner Motivator and myself were running along shoulder to shoulder. Two and a half mins in and the inner Daemon started to lag behind as my inner motivator and I raced ahead.
Two and a half minutes walk to recover and then a three minute run.
I was glad when that was over and I could walk again. Time seemed to speed up at this point and the ninety second walk was over in a flash.
I really didn't fancy the next five minute run but was determined to see this thing through.
My inner Daemon had caught me up and was urging me to quit. The first two minutes were difficult but I carried on. Back aching, legs heavy and lungs burning, the finish line in sight. One minute to go Laura said, Daemon, motivator and myself neck and neck. I reached down inside and gathered up all of my remaining strength. I did it. Finished. Puffing and panting like an old cart horse. Popped the finger at my Daemon and did the final five minute cool down walk. Smile on my sweat covered face, glowing with pride at my fortitude.
Rest day tomorrow and believe it or not, looking forward to my next run on Wednesday.
What has been done once can be done again.

C25K Wk3 D3

I am very happy and proud to have finished week three.
It isn't easy for a phat old bloke like me and it is with great trepidation that I move on to week four.
Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk then 3 minutes of running, 90 seconds walking, 5 minutes running, 2½ minutes walking, 3 minutes running, 90 seconds walking, 5 minutes running.


My internal dialogue is running something like this.


My Inner Daemo'tivator: Five minutes of running? Are you out of your tiny mind? MwaHaHa!


My Inner Me: I know, I can't do that, it's just too much <Quiver>.


My Inner Motivator:  Don't give in so quickly, you don't know what you can achieve if you don't give it a try.


My Inner Me: Fair comment. If you put it like that. Piss off Daemon, I'm off to the gym <Confident>.


So, don't listen to the Daemons. You can only do what you can do, but the greatest defeat is in not trying at all.


Chin up, stiff upper lip and Tally-Ho!!

C25K Wk3 D2

Well there we are. I've done it again. Took the good advice to take as much bounce out of the run as possible to reduce wasted energy. I noticed also that I didn't have as much soreness in my shins and calves during or after the run.

Treadmill
Time 32.09 mins
Cals 197
Dist 2.72Km
AvSp 5.09kph
AvHr 93Bpm

C25K WK3 D1

OMG I've only been and gone and done it!
FINALY I'm off of week two.
This week starts with a five minute brisk walk to warm up. Followed by two sets of the following. 90 seconds jogging and 90 seconds walking then 3 mins jogging and 3 mins walking.
I must admit that before I started I was a bit dubious of my ability to run continuously for three whole minutes. Images of me coughing my lungs up and getting them wrapped around the treadmill going through my brain. The reality though was surprisingly different. The coaching on the NHS couch to 5k pod cast really helped. I even found myself smiling as I was running. Wether it looked like a smile or a grimace I'll leave for somebody else to comment on.
Treadmill
Time 31.14mins
Cals 187
Dist 2.58km
AvSp 4.96kph
AvHr 100Bpm

Felt proud of myself today. Got over another hurdle.