In DESPERATE need of help!!

Posted , 7 users are following.

I've always suffered with stomach issues. Whether it was severe constipation when I was younger to being diagnosed with acid reflux at 17 (I'm in my early 20's now!) it's always been a part of my life.

My symptoms have become so severe that it's beginning to interefere with my job, my relationships including my marraige, and it's taken over my life. I have become severely depressed and sometimes wonder if giving in to my depression will make the symptoms go away. 

My acid reflux seems to have stopped responding to any treatment. I've taken everything I can think of and am currently on rantidine to deal with the symptoms. However, it does not seem to work any more.

I wake up almost every morning with stomach cramps that often subside once I am up and around (similar to period pains). I will get random bouts of severe nausea with an intense need to go to the bathroom. I should get sick every time but because I have such a severe phobia of getting sick, I do everything in my power to not. I get horrible stabbing pains in the upper right portion of my abdomen as well as the rest of my abdomen. When I am bloated, there is a buldge to the left side of my belly button that is very prominent. I can rarely ever eat all of my food anymore as I feel full after just a few bites.

It's caused me severe anxiety as well. I have lost a total of 20 pounds (weighing at 130 to 110 and recently gaining 5 pounds on top of that). 

My current symptoms are 'the runs' which led to a severe case of nausea that I have taken both cyclizine and an anti-anxiety pill. But nothing seems to help. I always have a lump in my throat with the feeling of acid coming up. 

Sorry for my rambling but I am just sick to death of feeling this way. I've had a colonoscopy, multiple blood tests, and an ultrasound of my gallbladder. All my GP here in the UK has told me is that it is 'IBS' and I just need to deal with it.

I am tired of dealing with it and need help!!

1 like, 20 replies

20 Replies

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  • Posted

    So sorry you are experiencing this. Perhaps you should insist your GP do further testing. Have you an endoscopy or swallowed a small camera?
  • Posted

    Sorry to hear you are in such a bad state, If you have had a colonoscopy and it was fine then that is a real plus, at least you don't have bowel cancer, with all the symptoms your giving out I am surprised you haven't had an endoscopy, that could reveal many things, an ulcer, even hiatus hernia, could be gastroenteritis, I would definately go back and tell your G.P. you need more tests.

       Have you used Co-codimol 15/30 mg they are prescribed and can offer good pain relief. Go back to your doctor and be more in depth with him,

    • Posted

      codeine based pills bring constipation, and - for me - if eaten without food and/or before bed  brings bad stomach pains
  • Posted

    Get a new Dr. If he cared he would have done more testing and/or have at least given you a better treatment plan with a diet. Go see a specialist, a gastro doc.
    • Posted

      Hi,

       Your right about one thing this lady should see either another GP or go back to her old one and ask for more tests, unfortunately in the UK people can't just go see  a ''Gastro doc''  A patient has to be referred by their .G.P. so it's not that easy.. But she definately should go and ask for more cheks..

    • Posted

      Wow that's not good she sounds pretty bad off for a long time you have to be a pretty stupid doctor to blow this one off
  • Posted

    I got diagnosed with IBS in May after three months of tests that showed nothing and only gave me severe panic, despair, anxiety and increased stomach pain.  

    I too have acid reflux which was brought on by stress at college with having to study accounts and statistics which are my weakest subjects.  I feared I had an ulcer so I had an endoscopy done under sedation. The test showed nothing and I had severe depression as a result of the sedation for three weeks and I had to cope with university course work at the same time.  At the time the doctor said this was an unusual reaction but I later discovered by chance that it is in fact a very common side effect..  Looking back, I would have been better having a local anaesthetic sprayed in my throat instead. This was a private appointment so a lot of money got wasted and it only increased my intense phobia of all things medical.

    Your symptoms sound exactly like mine except for the bloating and feeling full.  I find milk is very good for heartburn and  Losec.  The Fodmap diet may also be helpful to establish if you have any food sensitivities.  In the end, though, no amount of testing will show anything if you have IBS because it is a functional disorder.  The doctors also told me that I would always have pain.  Buscopan and painkillers control the pain at least but don't get rid of it entirely.  If you feel up to it gentle exercise helps too.  For me it's swimming and walking.

    • Posted

      Hello I've been interested in the last part of your threat what do you know and what have you heard about jogging running and exercise in general with IBS or other GI conditions do you think it increases the inflammatory process in the body and or jars the stomach content and assets while you're jogging and can make symptoms worse
    • Posted

      I haven't tried jogging because I need to get a lot fitter for that.  So I do walking and swimming and I find that keeping on the move lessens than cramps as opposed to staying still.
    • Posted

      That's totally true, and swimming is brilliant for muscle issues, just floating around in the pool is fine... and brisk walking for 30 mins a day 5 days a week is all u need... forget the jogging.....
  • Posted

    I would avoid  jogging with any stomach complaint. brisk walking is equally as good and swimming is by far the best exercise you can do..
    • Posted

      Ok thanks because your doctors won't tell you any of that and I've started correlating when I run I do start feeling worse that next day I start feeling like a sick feeling all over and I get that stitch in my lower left side a little of it is bloating but this morning when I got up even though I'm on my new probiotic it feels like my bloating is down but still have like a stretched out feeling in the lower left side so I will lay off jogging and start swimming in walking on an incline on a treadmill any other pointes you have I would appreciate
    • Posted

      With IBS it's a case of learning to live with it, not trying to find a ''Magical cure'' We are all the same but different, so it really is down to the individual to find out what his or her body is at ease with. De-stressing/ gentle exercise, ''Plenty of water'' Fruit and Veg, and not eating any meat that is tough, anything that is hard to digest will normally cause pain and stress. Cornbeef hotpot / Sheperd's pie/Soup's are really good and easy to digest. Enjoy a sirloin steak and pay the price 8hrs later, if you want meat eat ''Fillet'' . 

       Cereal in the morning with plenty of milk is good too. Green grapes (not red ones) are good for making the stools soft.. 

       

    • Posted

      That's good information thank you. Yes I better learn to slow down on the work outside I guess at going on 47 years old just eating right and doing miles to moderate workouts is going to have to suffice. Of course the days of having a glass of wine or a beer are pretty much going out the window for me as well I figure if I'm going to do this and feel at my best why try one glass of wine and regret it later.
    • Posted

      red wine is fine as long as its not a bottle a night, actually lager is fine too because the bubbles actually help with digestion, but no more than 5 or 6 cans a week... massage the area that hurts the most will help good aromatherapy oil...

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