Doctors say it's IBS but I am not sure! It's making me so depressed! Please help!
Posted , 5 users are following.
My story is quite long and now becoming a huge issue in my life!
About 3 years ago I went to the doctors complaining of stomach pains and finding it hard to lose weight, I am only a size 10/12 but I have now become extremely conscious. The doctor just told me to cut out on unhealthy food (which I am sure you will agree, most people do this if they want to lose weight) this made me feel extremely stupid and I started really doubting myself.
About a year later I still had these pains and they were becoming worse and worse, I would sit around friend houses and would have hot flushes and completely bloat. This is when friends and family became really concerned. I then decided to see another doctor and they just referred me back to this website to look on info about IBS and to cut out wheat. I started to do this but my symptoms carried on, having good and bad days.
The 3rd time I went back, I asked to be referred, which they did. I had blood tests, ultrasound, biopsy, a stool sample and endoscopy. But nothing abnormal came back and they told me I have IBS and left me to it.
A further year went on and the pain is worse/ still there. I started becoming really tired and having no energy and I started to starve myself on weekends, not because I wanted to lose weight but because I didn't know what I could or couldn't eat. I decided to go back to the doctor and they told me they have done everything and think it is severe IBS.
I am now becoming very depressed as there is nothing I can eat! I really don't feel that it is just IBS and I am not sure what to do as it is so tough living with this. My partner is becoming increasingly worried as I am becoming more and more upset.
I have decided to change my doctor but have not yet have confirmation and I am losing faith of doctors as they make me feel like it something easy to deal with but it is not!
I now don't like looking at myself as I feel huge because of my constant bloating... I am cutting more and more foods out but it still doesn't help. It is also affecting my social life as anything I eat/ drink bloats me out and makes my stomach feel really unsettled. I really do not know what to do and I don't know if I can go on if this is what I have to deal with for the rest of my life. As I said I am about 90% sure it is not just IBS, please can someone help me as I am at the end of my tether and I as time goes on I am becoming more and more self conscious and more and more depressed about this! Please help me I am desperate!!!! Thank you!!
0 likes, 15 replies
steve76591 vicky42825
Posted
vicky42825 steve76591
Posted
Many thanks.
carmel83758 vicky42825
Posted
A week ago my stomach was bloated and painful it is now much better and all of the bloating has gone. Because of these things.
The doctors were useless, they would tell me it was an ulcer or hiatus hernia, they were wrong. When I asked three doctors about probiotics and flora they looked puzzled and I had to explain it to them. I would also say that if you take the biotics take them both ends. Take capsules that go down into the stomach and intestine and also empty some on your tongue every day. Making sure you leave the powder there rubbed in for a while to give it time to work.
Taking a multi vitamin pill would help too, as would omega 3 and a good fibre capsule twice a day. These are just my thoughts based on my own experiences and a great deal of research. Hopefully you can get some relief! God bless.
vicky42825 carmel83758
Posted
Thank you again!
carmel83758 vicky42825
Posted
vicky42825 carmel83758
Posted
carmel83758 vicky42825
Posted
vicky42825 carmel83758
Posted
Many thanks.
carmel83758 vicky42825
Posted
Loads of veg. If you can go one week eating nothing but vegetables and taing the biotics you ought to see a good improvement. If the biotics say take one a day you will need to double that as one a day is for people who are ok as a maintenance dose. Am only telling you what worked for me and hope it works for others too. A lot of naturopaths agree that ibs can be cured and it is all down to diet but not a case of eat this and dont eat that as that is just a drop in the ocean if you do not do it properly.
vicky42825 carmel83758
Posted
gallee vicky42825
Posted
I get bloated and can belch for England. Pain can be horrendous.
about 4 years ago I read that symptoms for low stomach acid is the same as for excess acid.
antacids makes it worse if taken regularly.
I tried digestive enzymes with betaine hcl. Amazing result. Worked immediately.
i only needed to take them for approx 3 weeks and I would be ok for about 3 months.
when belching started again I went back on the enzymes.
on the odd occasion when I had an episode that wasn't under control I take a Zantac followed by two dry cream crackers. This would settle it down.
i couldn't understand the mechanism behind the constant gas production.
a recent hospital admission gave me the answer.
i was fitted with a NG tube into my stomach.
My tummy was starting to bloat. The NG tube bag showed an amber liquid. No pain.
two days after my op the NG bag showed a tiny amount of bile (dark green liquid).
i started to produce gas(belching). The pain started to build.
i ask the nurses to draw off the bile with a syringe. The pain eased.
10 minutes later more bile showed in the bag with horrendous pain. Again the bile was drawn off and the pain eased along with the gas.
i realised then that bile from my bloated bowel was being forced into my stomach. I assume it reacted with the stomach acid to create the gas belching and pain.
when the pressure started to build for the third time I requested a Zantac to suppress the acid and it stopped the reaction.
now I believe two things can cause my problem.
1/ low stomach acid leaves un digested food to ferment in my bowel.
2/ constipation can cause bowel to backup and create above condition.
pain relief I received in the hospital left me severely constipated.
i eat little and often avoid fatty food.
Since my op I have kept my bowel moving. Two weeks on no enzymes and no gas.
last night I had a bigger meal with veg. Later on I had a bounty. Got bad gas and pain. Took 1x150mg Zantac. Eat 2 dry cream crackers. Ok after 40 minutes.
Hope this is some help.
A diagnosis of ibs doesn't tell you anything. Only that they don't know what's causeing your symptoms.
vicky42825 gallee
Posted
That is so interesting as this is also what I get. I will definatley look into this, I have never heard of this and I can be doubled over with pain and get a lot of flactulence.
Once again thank you very much!
gallee vicky42825
Posted
shirley33103 vicky42825
Posted
I'm no expert in these problems but the first thing I thought of was that you shouldn't worry about your weight, at least not at the moment. I'm sure you are beautiful. I would do two things if I were you. One, I would find the best gastroenterologist possible within a reasonable driving range. Don't give up until you find that person. Second, I would find some support. I saw a doctor about some different sorts of issues I was having last year. He offered integrative medicine consultations. He listened to all my problems and then directed me to the doctors he thought could help me. I don't know what you would call someone like that. Even a counselor who is part of a medical community or practice might be able to help. You don't need to get depressed or do this by yourself. I hope that helps a little. Just my thoughts.
vicky42825 shirley33103
Posted
I do pay for private health so I definitely will see different gastroenterologists. I can always pick between different hospitals so I think I may try a different hospital this time.
Thank you!