[knavish72]

Hopefully someone can offer some ideas of what to try next or other things to ask the doctor...I've been feeling like #### for the last 8 months. Had so many tests done, all which have come back negative: colonoscopy, small bowel follow through, head ct scan, 24hr holter monitor, celiac, lactose, thyroid, iron, b12, blood work...all OK.I wake up every day with my stomach in knots. Mornings are the worst. I'm lightheaded, don't want to eat, have nausea (but never throw up)... i over heat constantly.. going outside is painful in the sunlight.. i overheat even more, feel like i'll pass out. i feel like i have this pressure on my head. a brain fog. my stomach constantly gurgles. sometimes i have these hives that break out only under my left eye. i've lost about 15 lbs...finally bottomed out...but can't gain any of it back. when i know i have to go out somewhere, my stomach really starts to hurt...even simple things like going to the movies. being at home helps, but ive found lately, it doesnt help anymore... stomach hurts all the time. i've been told its IBS and anxiety. i don't have diarreah... but i can go many times during the day... very urgent. both my family doctor and GI specialist have said they don't think there is anything wrong with me. my only option right now is to take my prescription of nortryptline (sp?). i don't want to take it because i still feel like there is something wrong. i feel lost now... with 2 doctors telling me im fine... but i can barely make it through the day and want to call in sick to work every day. i dread eating out and going on vacation right now. other than going to another doctor... what else can i try? ive tried metamucil and citrucel ... very good at bulking BMs... but still all the same symptoms. tried probiotics... Udo's, align... possibly helpful, but i didnt find much relief.do i just start taking the nortryptline? am i missing some crucuial test that hasn't been done yet? lyme disease..diabetes... thryoids still? i dunno. heeeelp!

 

[Kathleen M.]

IBS does NOT need watery diarrhea for the diagnosis.IBS usually is more on the urgent/loose/too soft type of stool issues than watery diarrhea. Watery diarrhea is usually something else, not IBS.Your symptoms sound pretty typical for IBS, and the hives and brain fog can just be stress. Although some people do have chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia type issues so you might check out the forums we have for those to see what may need to be done.Unfortunately these "nothing wrong" functional diseases often cause a lot more symptoms that are a lot more disruptive than anything something "really serious" causes. Very annoying and makes it very hard to convince yourself it is functional and "only going to make you wish you were dead" rather than something that will actually kill you. Most of the actually will kill you diseases are a lot more sneaky about the symptoms they cause.If you don't want the usual IBS medications, I don't know what else to suggest as at least your doctor knows enough to actually prescribe something and not say fiber is the one and only possible treatment like a lot of doctors do.

Tricyclics usually are a good first start on trying to treat it when diet, supplements or fiber alone fail (as they so often do).

 

[BQ]

Have you tried Ginger capsules for the nausea?? They can quell it very well for me. Also sometimes one needs to try more than one treatment at a time. And by all means give the nortrip a try. Then you can report back whether or not it works to the Dr. Also have you tried using Calcium Carbonate supplements? See "Linda's Calcium Thread" at the top of the Diarrhea Forum.

when i know i have to go out somewhere, my stomach really starts to hurt...even simple things like going to the movies. being at home helps, but ive found lately, it doesnt help anymore... stomach hurts all the time. i've been told its IBS and anxiety.

It could very well be IBS and anxiety. I know what it's like and I found a way to manage those: I had to change my thinking. The anxious thoughts before going out had to be reversed from negative thoughts to positive ones. Takes time & patience.. but it sure was worth it to be able to go out again.IBS symptoms management is possible.. just take loads of trial & error and usually most folks find that a combination of several treatments working in concert helps the most.All the best