Severe dyspepsia - completely took over my life for 5 years

Hi mrswishwaswell

Ask your doc for a stool test or breath test for HPylori this stomach bacteria causes all the symptoms you describe. An endoscopy usually shows it but the stool and breath test are the best for showing HPylori. Insist on one of these tests. If its not HPylori the it could be hiatus hernia ask to have test for it.......i do feel for you!.....best wishes for a speedy diagnosis.....

Ask your gastro about IBS.  Irritable bowel causes these symptoms as well. When all other tests are negative, IBS can be diagnosed.  

I have stomach pain, constipation and sometimes nausea.  I have also had loose stools and heartburn.  I was diagnosed with IBS after an ultrasound, stool tests, and a celiac test came back clear.  The doctor didn't even think to test for celiac, I had to request it and he was amazed it hadn't been considered. So you could ask for celiac testing as well.  It took me three and half months and eight visits to the doctor to get my diagnosis.

Hiatus hernia could be a possibility but I would have thought it would have shown up on the endoscopy.  You could also keep a food diary to see if any fruit, vegetables, types of meat or drinks are causing your symptoms.  Carbonated drinks, caffeine, artificial sugars such as sorbitol and alcohol can also be culprits.  Ask to see a dietician and ask about the Fodmap diet.  Some doctors will not have heard of it so take information about it to show your consultant.  Foods that appear healthy, may cause digestion problems if you have IBS.

I think hernia of any type would show on Endoscopy. I suffer very much like you. I have upper abdomen pressure bloating etc etc etc

I have tried everything going and nothing helps. I do not think it sounds like HPylori, your Endoscopy would have shown this when they took samples. I've been suffering many many years

These are exactly the same symptoms I have! Every one of them!! I am now to a point that everything I eat gives me severe heartburn and my esophagus burns, as well as my chest! I am taking multiple things to ease my symptoms...Nexium 40 mg, Pepcid , Zegerid, and Gaviscon, and if it does help, it is hours down the road! Have you experienced weight loss? I am supposed to be having an endoscopy and colonoscopy in two weeks, but at this rate, I don't know if I can wait that long! I feel for you, and wish we could both get answers! Let me know how your appointment goes. Good luck! 

I too am experiencing same problems as you but not loss of appetite, I also have a lump in my stomach which I have an ultrasound next week to se if it's my gallbladder, also sick of it, wish my insides would feel normal again x

I don't see you mentioning blood tests above.  H. pylori causes stomach ulcers, but you sound like you have a chronic rather than acute situation, if this has gone on for 5 years. I assume they didn't find any stomach ulcers based on what you are saying above, nor did they find a gall  bladder problem. If this is true, and nobody missed anything on the above tests,  then to have some peace of mind you should probably get tested  for h .pylori bacteria. Hold out for a a blood test, because a blood test is absolutely conclusive whereas stool samples aren't and here's why:

Stool samples have false negatives. The stool tests takes a small part of the stool and  miss things that may be localized in some other part of the stool.  In addition, studies done found much less h.pylori  in the stool than in the vomit because this is an upper respiratory infection.  Some people are carriers of h. pylori and go around contagious, not knowing they have it. 

  

Otherwise if it turns out that you have something chronic like colitis and can't get any medical intervention in the way of drugs, you might want to get permanently on a good quality probiotic and stay on it.  I am not sure if docs are willing to give people anti-inflammatories for irritated bowel syndrome or colitis but they are available on the holistic medicine side at health food stores.    

I too have had the same issues. And after several tests and a lot of health problems I was diagnosed with ME/CFS and Coxsackie B4 Virus in my Stomach which then spread to my heart. I go in to the hospital every 4 weeks for IVIG infusions and this seems to help with some of the discomfort I am feeling but I was put in touch with Dr John K Chia who is remarkable. His son too was diagnosed with this disease and he has done wonders for people who suffer from this. You can look him up and read his research he has done thus far. I don't know what I would have done if I wouldn't of found him. It got to the point where I was so sick I stopped eating and became so weak but all tests were coming back inconclusive. I then started suffering seizures and my bone density has been declining. I wish I would have found Dr Chia sooner. I hope this helps. I wish you all the best and hope you start feeling better. 

Xx

There's a lot you can do naturally to manage this. Plant medicines and targeted nutrition has helped patients of mine in the past. Why not consult a qualified, experienced herbalist - and see how this can support your health?