Have you been to a Gastroenterologist? And what diagnostic tests have you had?BQ
I am a medical mess, but is this IBS or more?
Hi all,I have IBS, Hypothyroidism, Fibromyalgia, GERD,, I think I am missing something, but anyways, I have had these conditions for 10+ years. I am now 30 years old, and am having some real harsh symptoms and it's affecting my life moreso than anything before. I have an upper GI and Colon scope, along with ultrasound on my gallbladder scheduled, but not for a while still. I have been on Pantaloc for about 8 years now for the GERD, and I fluctuate between constipation and diarrhea. Medications for the IBS never seemed to work well, so by diet it was controled and I was doing fine actually with regular bowel movements. Until Nov of last year... I vomited out of nowhere. I WAS feeling fine, but full. (You have to understand I hadn't vomited in 12 years) Then my right side under my ribcage but towards the back a bit more was radiating this insane heat! It felt like it was on fire, but I had no pain or nausea. I saw several doctors until I could see mine. We found out I had a virus of some sort. I couldn't eat for 2 weeks or I would vomit, and then the diarrhea happened for 2 weeks after that. I lost 15lbs because I couldn't eat. My stomach was constantly making sounds AS I was eating a meal. I thought I was fine after the 4 weeks. I wanted to replenish my body and had some prebiotic products which gave me explosive diarrhea. Then I ended up getting a sinus infection, which I was put on antibiotics that caused some WICKED acid reflux. Even sipping water would bring acid up. After all of this, my abdomen would gurgle when I was about halfway through a meal, but my bowels were normal it seemed. No constipation, no diarrhea.. I was actually regular for once!I started losing weight rapidly while doing a bunch of nothing. I started having troubles breathing constantly, worse when I was outside. Out of the complete blue, I had allergies so bad my throat was closing up so I require a double dose of Reactine daily now. (I have never had previous allergies) Then troubles breathing kept happening, but it felt different because every now and again I could catch a deep breath, and I would gain this pressure in my throat by my collar bone that would go away when i burp, even though I didn't have to burp much at all. The pressure goes away when I eat. And for a while there, I could NOT eat while the Pantaloc was active in my system, once it wore off I could eat. My doctor said it was the GERD acting up, so we doubled my Pantaloc. However, when I take the second Pantaloc, the pressure doesn't go away at all so its a 24/7 thing, I couldn't eat without breatihing difficulty that only took ONE bite, and as I would eat my guts would gurgle, but in my abdomen and not my stomach. My thyroid tested high normal, so we downed my dosage and that did help the pressure. After 3 weeks, I felt fine unless I was hungry and the pressure would build in my throat and when I would eat everything would settle itself down.Then a couple of months ago, the radiating heat on my right side came back out of nowhere. I thought it was that virus again, but it wasn't. Whenever I would stand up, it felt like gravity was intensely pulling on where the heat was. After the heat subsides, it's really sore there and if you even TOUCH it while it's burning, I will vomit. Problem is, there was no pain.. just the fire feeling off of it. Then it got worse. After the radiating heat comes the gas bubble feeling under my ribcage, and the INTENSE nausea. So bad, you almost vomit if you breathe in deep. You CANNOT move. Once I eliminate, everything goes away and I am fine. If I do not have at least one small movement in a day, this is what happens. I find that if I eat many small meals a day, or healthy foods.. this happens. If I eat 2 LARGE meals a day, which has to be greasy foods like burgers, fries, etc. I am fine and have great, but small, daily bowel movements. I cannot drink anything with water in it, I have been stuck on Coke because it doesn't cause me any problems. Anything with water in it, even a sip causes me not to breathe, I am bloated and urinating like a racehorse, as well as later on.. I will be up at 5am with the 'gas pain' and nausea, which lasts for about 4-5 hours .. until I eliminate.I can't breathe when I drink water based things, eat peppers, onions (except red), cauliflower, and a few other veggies when they are raw. Yogurt feels like it's coating, yet burning my stomach, clear sodas feel the same. Right now I am stuck on a diet of Coca Cola, coffee, burgers & fries or other greasy things just to have a good day. How is it these things cause me no pain, or make the 'bubble' in my throat go away when I know they are BAD for stomach and bowel problems?I have tried:Gaviscon - makes the pressure worse and causes me not to breatheMaloxx - Same thingIberogas - causes explosive diarrhea even with half the dose only ONCE a dayPepermint or Chamomile tea - 1 cup a day causes my stool to be too lose to pushPantaloc once a day - Seems to .. I dunno. Seems to work I guess, prevents acid from coming into my throatCoffee - 2 cups a day minimum, otherwise I can't eliminateHigh fiber foods - cause me not to breathe, later on pain and nauseaSo far, the only things that work are 3-4 cups of coffee a day, take out foods or high fat, dark sodas, and half a cup of peppermint tea but ONLY if I have not eliminated or am having any right side pain or gassy feelings. My system is way too sensitive to fibers, laxatives, etc.So, does this sound like the IBS? Or something more severe do you think? The IBS meds cause me more gas and sudden abdomen pains I fall to the ground and curl up. So, I could be screwed...
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Every human's intestines get more active after every single meal they eat every day their entire lives. IBSers sometimes have that happen faster (so during a meal rather than after) and notice symptoms from that, gurgling, pain, bloating, even diarrhea.While the pain in the upper right with nausea/vomiting and radiating to the back sounds very much like the gall bladder (and that should be checked if you haven't had that done since this symptom started up) what I find a bit odd is that is usually triggered by a high fat meal, not prevented when you eat a lot of fat. The other thing that is odd is usually when that is the gall bladder it is not made better by a bowel movement. Now the bend in the bowel right by the gall bladder can be a problem spot for IBSers (although the bend on the left seems to act up a bit more often) and that will go away after a BM.Some people with IBS find high starch meals bother them (more gas) so maybe the high fat diet is also low in carbs.If the amount you urinate seems all out of proportion to what you drink you may need to have your blood sugar tested.Pain/Pressure when hungry that gets better when you eat is fairly common with GERD types of issues, and the goes away when you burp could also be a bit of functional dyspepsia up top.Not sure what the water thing is, but you might see if distilled water or if you boil the water first it is better. Some people can be sensitive to disinfectents in tap water so maybe that could be an issue for you.
If you haven't been to see a gastroenterologist, I'd make an appointment and go talk to him/her about having some tests done.
i was once half dead my problems got so bad but anyways this is what i did to cure ithttp://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=112669you need to get meat into your body but also i think the reason you like the coke so much is because coke really cooks things you leave meat in a bowl of coke and it will cook the heck out of it i thinkmaybe your stomach is soo damaged that it cannot produce the acid to break down the food you eat that is why you like drinking coke so muchpossibly try diet coke made with splenda dont ever eat aspartame it is very unhealthyanyways if your stomach is damaged it means you need to eat lots of meat and fat and low carb and low fiber try out the diet there in that linkand remember your stomach wont be cured over night but each day it will get better and better it will hurt to eat meat but you must and try and chew the meat alot so its less work for your stomach till its repaired then you can chew normal and also fresh meat is a must and do not over cook it and it took me 6 months to fully heal my stomach but i still noticed great things right away like no gas and i still noticed it geting better and better each dayalso i would avoid pork and shellfish there not as healthy as other meatalso be very careful of any drugs you take if possible you should quit all your drugs its best to go as natural as possible and becareful of vitamins too lots can cause stomach problems i find. and know that i once was a half dead mutant freak with horrible IBS-D everyday but now with atkins and exercise i look great i feel great and have no IBS-D at all as long as i stick to this diet it has basically saved my life
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Ziggy.. yes we should all be careful of anything we take. However telling someone ALL of their drugs and/or supplements are bad for them..is simply.. your opinion and not necessarily true at all. As I have said many times... please by all means, tell us what has worked for you.. but please leave it at that, ok?All the bestBQalso be very careful of any drugs you take if possible you should quit all your drugs
I can't thank all of you enough for any and all input you have posted here. I haven't been online since I posted this topic due to a sinus infection combined with all of the problems I am having currently. Appointments... I am supposed to get my stomach and colon scoped later this month, as well as an ultrasound on my gallbladder. I should have gone a little more in detail when I said I was eating healthy, eating meat twice a day and fruit for breakfast, 2 snacks during the day. That seems not to work so well for me. Fruit, any of them seem to cause gas pains and or constipation believe it or not. Fruit used to give me diarrhea constantly, same thing with anything high fiber like bran, Mini Wheat cereal, anything with a high fibre dose at once would cause me diarrhea, just one serving of fruit! When I eat small meals in a day with small snacks, this is typically when I will end up waking up at 5am with the pain, and nausea. Eating any vegetables that are steamed or raw cause me not to breathe from the stomach acid or spasming somewhere up in my esophagus. I choked it all down but got too sick of being in pain constantly, praying I don't vomit, frustrated at what is wrong with me. The fatty diet that my body seems fine with is chicken burgers, beef burgers, bacon, I am ok with dairy, coca cola to drink, orange juice, apple juice. Just once every 2nd day for the juices. Chips and dip, I can even eat TACOS without any pain, gas, bloating etc! I can have a salad, but not every day, so mainly I just have fries with my meals. I try to get my fiber from popcorn and brown rice. Seems I am ok with those things, 60% whole wheat bread, nothing more than that. It's a HORRIBLE diet. My urination schedule and urine are in the normal range and color eating this ####. When I drink water, distilled, bottled, tap, it doesn't seem to matter. I have tried all for at least a month each, and what happens is I bloat so bad my clothes don't fit, my urine is clear after my first pee of the morning for the rest of the day, and I can't seem to be far from a bathroom. Then later on I get the gas, pain, bloating until a BM. It's WAY worse with the water than with food. I have been tested for everything under the sun. My sugar levels are normal, I have tried dealing differently with my Pantaloc, since I cannot do Gaviscon or Maloxx, doesn't seem to matter when I take it, it still works best near coffee and with my synthroid. Both of which you aren't supposed to do. I think it is the bend like someone was saying. I have no back pain related to the pain on my side. You can actually push my gallbladder and its not sore or anything, even during one of these odd painful attacks. I think it could possibly be the bend, and with it being inflamed it could effect my gallbladder once or twice. But you can poke and prod my gallbladder all you want and it's not sore. I do it all the time to check, LOL. My doctor has as well. To be safe though, I do have that ultrasound booked for my gallbladder. The pain and 'bubble' are under my ribs but to the right more, right on the side, nowhere in the front. I noticed lately it feels right there like little popping there lately too, without pain. Feels like something is popping, its freaky. What I have found.... when I eat and don't gurgle.. I will have problems later on. If I lie on my left side and put my right arm over my head, I can typically make things move or gurgle. After an attack, the muscles on my right side are very tender and sore where it hurt the next day. So there is obvious tensing and or swelling, especially when you can feel the weight of it when you stand. It could very well be low stomach acid, I know allergies are a symptom of that as well as mimicing some of the high stomach acid symptoms. I have noticed that the more acid I throw into me, the finer I am. More coffee, more coke and I have a BM once a day. I hope all of this is sorted out soon and I can get on with normalcy maybe? I hate how I was eating so healthy for a while and somehow this happened while I was being so good with food. 1 cup of coffee a day, no sugar -- I couldn't even eat half a chocolate bar without feel gross! I really hope this is something easy and nothing surgical... me and surgery don't do well together. Thank you all again xoxoPS - All I take for meds/vitamins is synthroid (which is in normal range on this dose), Pantaloc 40mg once a day, and Yasmin birth control. No vitamins.
11 years ago I was also at the end of my rope. 10 years of daily IBS-D. Constant abdominal burning and reflux. Elevated blood pressure (to 170). Arterial buildups showing up on my x-rays. An arthritic hip that made more than an hour's exercise impossible. Sleep apnea. Falling asleep at my desk, behind the wheel, while drinking coffee...wherever I happened to be at 2 PM. I was talked into trying a line of supplements to address some of these problems. Much to my surprise and delight, every one of these conditions--well, other than the apnea--has been reversed without more formal medical interventions. (And, for what it is worth, this same regimen has helped others treat Fibro.) There is no guarantee that this same course would be as successful for you; but, like I was, if you are eliminating good for you foods in the attempt to stop the IBS, then you are presumably draining your stores of whatever nutrients are left. I kept trying to reverse the practices that got me into this mess for 10 long years and nothing ever reversed. I just kept getting worse. Once I started pumping up the nutrients it all started turning around.There are other possibilities besides surgery and a lifetime of doctors appointments. Good luck.Mark
I hear you. I try to deal with what I can by myself. I would rather be taking supplements and dealing with whats wrong with my body rather than treating the symptoms and surgery etc. The peppermint tea helps me by far, I would like to take a multi-vitamin but I cannot have iron within 4 hours of my thyroid medication which I take in the morning. You cannot also have caffiene with your synthroid.. so coffee in the morning, wait, take synthroid, wait, eat, and then 4 hours later is around dinner time, but dinner time is too late for a multi-vitamin as it keeps me awake then. I am trying to get my meds sorted out so that I can maybe take some supplements. I WAS trying to get nutrients from food and apparantly my body is against that right now.. So supplements may be my only thing right now. Right now, I am doing trial and error with my.. whatever this issue is. I have had fibro for over 10 years now, and that was trial and error as well to get where I am now from where I was before. Before I was literally stuck in bed for 2 years. The doctors tell you that you are a hopeless case, hypocondriac, or it doesn't exsist. Here take some meds, see a psychiatrist.. Blah blah. I did better on my own with all natural thing. I ONLY see the doctor when I cannot handle what is going on. On this issue, I only worry because my grandfather.. whom I have inherited everything medical from, died of stomach cancer and his symptoms were similar. I would rather get a handle on this or just make sure I am ok before it gets worse just in case.
Try a multi for men or for people over 50...no iron.Mark
I wanted to thank you all again for your responses. I had some more symptoms the other day, and looked into some herbal remedies. It's looking like I have an ulcer, one caused by bacteria. Which would make sense as I didn't feel right after I had that gastro intestinal virus, as my doctor called it. It all makes sense now. Hopefully this will be over soon and I can get back to eating normal foods and not being so darned tired all the time. I am going to take your suggestion Mark and get a multi-vitamin without iron, or for people over 50. I will discuss that with my pharmacist. IBS never helps situations, I have had diarrhea and constipation back and forth. I was doing so fine and had it under control until that stupid gastro virus. Grrr!
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