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Help. Ibs or pancreas problems?

Posted , 7 users are following.

sezza978
sezza978

Hello all

I'm having such a bad time at the minute. I have suffered with ibs for some years. Usually diarrhoea. It lasts a few days or weeks then goes. This time I've had diarrhoea for 2 months on a daily basis. It started off just once a day and now it can be up to 6 times! I had a very stressful event in October last year so my anxiety has been awful since. I was getting tummy pains all over and cramps but then I had an awful pain in my right said and when that eased the pain did too. My main concern is the colour of my stools. They are mainly yellow or lighter brown. I do have some normal looking stools. I can have a brown stool with yellow liquid!! I've had to start taking immodium which helps for a couple of days. I then get constipated but the diarrhoea then returns. I'm so focused on checking the colour I fear going the loo! Sometimes the water looks like it has a oily film. I've had undigested food too. My GP said its all my anxiety and it's just the food going quickly through my body. I understand that but I've never had this before. I'm constantly bloated and full of wind. Some stools have been awful smelling. I have no pain or cramps now when needing the loo. It just feels like i need to pass wind but its then watery diarrhoea. I did initially put it down to my anxiety as it was always happening when I woke. I would wake up fine then withing a minute my tummy would start gurgling and churning then I was off to the loo! It's progressed to the point I'll be fine cooking the dinner and then have to rush to the loo. I feel stuck in the vicious cycle of anxiety. I am so fixated with something being wrong with my pancreas I can't think straight. I tested my blood sugar on Thursday as I felt shaky before my tea and it was a little higher than normal so that totally freaked me out. I have ran out of strips so can't test until they come but I'm already stressing about that. My GP is fed up of me. I've only had a stool test to test for bacteria. I had a blood test a month or so ago and all was fine. I have suffered with reflux for years. I'm on tablets and they don't seem to be working but my GP said it's the anxiety. I do get pains under my ribs at times but not constant. Nausea comes and goes. I just can't get over the colour of my stools. Everything I Google it comes back to the pancreas. I've just started a food diary to see if certain foods set it off. I usually suffer with constipation and god I miss it. I feel so drained going the toilet so much. I can have a normal bowel movement then a yellow one 5 minutes later!? How does that work. Any feed back would be highly appreciated. Feel like I'm going mad!

Sarah

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

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  • sezza978
    sezza978

    Posted

    I have 2 posts on this as I thought the other hadn't posted 😣😣😣

  • kay82451
    kay82451 sezza978

    Posted

    First off stay off the internet !!! Worse thing you can do for anxiety and your health. If you are really cobceened time to bypass your GP and go to a specialist.  

    I’ve suffered with ulcerative colitis and IBS for over 30 yrs.  Last Oct had an acute necrotizing pancreatitis attack.  3.5 weeks in ICU and 6 procedures. 

    You will know if it pancreatitis the pain is unbearable and will send you to the ER.  

    Wishing you the best. STAY OFF THE INTERNET !!!!

    • sezza978
      sezza978 kay82451

      Posted

      Yes the Internet is very scary but can be helpful hearing there are other people going through what I'm going through.

      Thanks for your reply. Sorry to you've had such an awful time.

  • patricia20012
    patricia20012 sezza978

    Posted

    i have heard that lighter stools is related to gallbladder issues.  it's too bad that your Dr isn't helpful.  if you are able to go to someone else, that is what i would do.  traditional Drs just want to give you pills instead of actually finding out what is wrong.  i hate going to them and wouldn't have gone if i hadn't had this horrible pain.  i've never had any serious issues with my physical health, this is out of the ordinary.  depending on what i find out, i will look for a non traditional Dr. i just don't trust the traditional ones anymore.  have you had an ultrasound?  that will tell you if you have gall stones.   

    • sezza978
      sezza978 patricia20012

      Posted

      I hate going to the doctors now as they just blame my anxiety. I've been given some tablets to try help with the diarrhoea. Some ibs ones. I'll see how they go. Just can't think straight. I've not had any scans etc. Don't think they would send me if I asked. I'm a big worrier so I know to them it's just me being me. The Internet can be so confusing. Some say yellow can be caused by anxiety and stress but I've never had this before.

  • steven_86915
    steven_86915 sezza978

    Posted

    Hi I have had Crohnic pancreatitis for 4 years and was on morphine I got diagnosed by ct scan I couldn’t tell you if you have CP I have had some of the symptoms you mention you’ve got all I can say is ask your doctor to send u for a ct scan  I’m on a Facebook forum called Crohnic pancreatitis UK it’s a really good group of people who have CP and been through surgery and different aspects of CP it’s good to ask different people’s opinions about this illness 
    • sezza978
      sezza978 steven_86915

      Posted

      What symptoms did you have? You had it for 4 years before diagnosis? Oh I'll have a look at that on Facebook. Thank you for the advice

  • Reefsider
    Reefsider sezza978

    Posted

    You may very well have anxiety which can cause the symptoms you have however other causes should be ruled in or out. 

    Your GP shouldn't be fed up with you, you have a problem and regardless of what it is your doc is supposed to sort out what, why and how to sort it.  Sounds like your doc is contributing to your anxiety. 

    Ask for a referral to a gastroenterologist, you're entitled to another opinion, and go from there.  If it is found that you have a problem with your pancreas get a referral to a gastroenterologist who specialises in the pancreas. 

    If after all that it's found that you have health anxiety get a referral to a specialist in that area.  Anxiety can create very real physical symptoms but it's wrong to jump to that conclusion without eliminating other causes first, despite a history of anxiety.

    • sezza978
      sezza978 Reefsider

      Posted

      Hi.

      Yes that's so true. I've been under the gastro years ago for passing mucus and blood which they said was constipation.

      Just need to get the courage up to ask the doctor. You can now email my GP which I did last week and she didn't even ring me back. She just put out a prescription for the diarrhoea! I said I haven't had any tests and I've had chronic diarrhoea for 2 months. There are only 4 doctors in my GP surgery so it's hard to get any of them to listen. I had low b12 once. I had bloods and they said it was normal. I ended up in A&E as i felt so bad and they looked at my bloods abs said my b12 was morbidly low. Had to go back the docs and she said it was borderline and we would just usually monitor it and re test. I said you didn't tell me that!!! Ended up on tablets that worked. I don't trust them at all. I now ask for my results and note them down. I had another b12 result which was 146. 145 is classed as low. They said it was normal. Went in asking for tablets as I had to lots of symptoms and she said it's in my head! She gave me them but said if it helps treat them symptoms in your head!!!

    • Reefsider
      Reefsider sezza978

      Posted

      Sezza, I have another disease (other than Chronic Pancreatitis) that's very rare and very weird.  All my life I've had doc's tell me that whatever symptom I present with is the fault of that disease.  Mostly they didn't check or refer me elsewhere for tests or other opinions.  As an adult I chose not to accept what I was told and insisted on referrals or tests, it's our right, don't forget that. 

      We have one body and it's supposed to last us a long time with care.  You are the boss of yours, pretend it's a small child or a puppy, whatever it takes for you to stand up for it.

      The other thing I learned was that we have a right to obtain copies of our tests, you can ask the doc's office to email you copies.  Either keep them in a secure file online or print them out and create a master file in date order.  When you see other doctor's make sure you only give them a copy of your copy when they want to check a previous test.  You must keep your master file secure.

      Finally, keep yourself calm, eat small low fat meals throughout the day (and be strict about it).  Walking is great for stress, smell the roses, watch the goings on around your area, you'll find

      it helps settle you down. 

      Oh and really finally.  I've had a lot of reasons not to trust doctors but believe me there are good ones out there, it's up to us to find them.

    • sezza978
      sezza978 Reefsider

      Posted

      Sounds like you've had to fight alot to get answers. It's just a shame isn't. If you have one thing going on it tends to get blamed for everything then.

      Yes I need to relax more. If I can have more control with my bowl movements I'm hoping that will calm me more. Before October I was exercising and feeling good. Just want to hey back to a happy place and know all is OK health wise.

      Thank you for all the lovely advice

      Sarah

  • Nina55437
    Nina55437 sezza978

    Posted

    Sezza, 

    Whatever you have, I have exactly the same.  I was told once by a specialist that performed an EUS on me that he thought I had chronic pancreatitis.  He put me on Creon (which cost me $2900) but a few months later, I saw a new GI specialist who told me he didn’t think I had CP but that he thought I had IBS.  I’ve suffered from reflux for years and I also have a lot of anxiety.  Currently, I’ve had diarrhea for about 2 months now.  I’m having a colonoscopy next week.  I did change doctors until I found someone who would listen to me and I asked her to tell me the absolute truth and she never has blamed any of my symptoms on anxiety.  She believes it’s a result of a life long poor diet or maybe just genetics.  So I’m eating very healthy foods, low fat, natural real food,  no processed foods.  It has helped, but I still have abdominal pain and bouts of diarrhea.  Another person said to get help for the anxiety, that’s what I’d advise too, and maybe find another doctor who won’t brush you off.  Some of my friends who have similar symptoms, have seen a naturopath doctor, but they don’t take the advice from them so they still suffer.  If you see a naturopath doctor, follow their instructions!    Good luck to you in this battle, it isn’t fun.

    • sezza978
      sezza978 Nina55437

      Posted

      Thanks for that info. I think I definitely need to find a doctor who is supportive. They are just hard to find. Did you have the yellow stools? I changed my reflux meds a couple of weeks ago to a lower dose and it's made things so much worse. They say I've not for reflux it's my anxiety!!! No idea how they can know that. I said I burp up a bit of sick at times but she just ignored it. I did see a locum doctor a few weeks back and she was fab, very supportive but again said it's my anxiety. Wish I hadn't of told them of my stressful situation now 😣

      I've started a food diary now. Trying to cut down on bread but it's so hard. Thank you so much for the kind words. So you didn't have cp in the end?

  • DJ-RN
    DJ-RN sezza978

    Posted

    It sounds like a lot of your stomach symptoms may be related to IBS. It, or anxiety in general can cause your stomach to do many annoying and debilitating things. If your Dr. has not done a battery of tests on you, you need to get him/her to do it. Rule out everything first before you think it’s related to something more sinister. Anxiety can do a number on you. If you’re not already doing so, I would see a good psychologist or psychiatrist. You may just need to be properly medicated and that’s it. 

    DJRN

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