Going to doctor - things to ask and bring up (TMI in background)

[Hunter's Moon]

I've had ongoing stomach issues for 5 weeks now. It is majorly interfering with my life and every time I go out, I fear I will get sick.

 

I went to my doctor about 3 weeks ago. I had diarrhea for 6 days, constipation for 5, diarrhea 1 day, constipation for 6 days. She took an x-ray, said there was no blockage, and that if it didn't resolve itself to come back.

 

It didn't resolve itself and so after 2 weeks of constipation we went back to the doctor but met with a different one because mine was on vacation. He prescribed me Miralax, 3-6 teaspoons 1x/day and I took 3 teaspoons for about a week. It worked like it was supposed to but I still felt icky all the time. I had surgery, so stopped taking Miralax and didn't begin taking it again until Tuesday because I was having stomach issues from the pain pills. I went on my own Monday before I began the Miralax but began taking it anyways.

 

All day, everyday I feel and have felt icky for 5 weeks. No more diarrhea for about 1 1/2 weeks, but I constantly feel gassy, my stomach bubbles all day long, and there are times throughout the day that I feel like I am going to have diarrhea and then it goes away.

 

I've been basically living off carbs and I'm sick of it. When I'm nauseous or gassy feeling, all I can stomach is toast with grape jelly, oatmeal, or pasta with a bit of olive oil and basil. At night (when the gassy/crampy/diarrhea feeling lessen) I eat more elaborate things like a 6 inch Subway sandwich with chicken and sweet onion sauce or a wrap with white meat chicken nuggets and mustard and my stomach bubbles afterwards, but I feel fine. If I eat that stuff during the day, I get cramps and gas and feel like I'm going to have diarrhea.

 

I understand after a virus the stomach lining is stripped and food needs to be added slowly. I've been adding slowly but during the day, carbs and sometimes protein is the only thing I can eat. Fruits never seem to bother me.

 

I've been basically living off of wheat and white bread, and I wonder if this might be a wheat intolerance. We don't think Celiac runs in the family and the bumps I had at the beginning of the sickness are no longer there. I don't know if it is a wheat intolerance though so don't want to cut it out because it is a main staple of my diet at this point.

 

I don't know what to do anymore. I'm at the end of my rope. I just want to feel normal again. To go through a day without cramps and gas would be a blessing.

 

What should I ask? What should I bring up? I have a food diary but after every food the symptoms are gas, rumbling stomach, and sometimes cramps. After fruits, it's only a rumbling stomach.

 

I've never dealt with stomach issues before. I've had a stomach of steel all my life and before this, I could count the number of times I had diarrhea in my life because I rarely experienced it. One blessing, I have lost 20 lbs. I lost 10 lbs in the first week but after that I've steadily lost about 2-3 lbs. a week. Still eating, just smaller portions. I've needed to lose weight since I was 13 and am now 159 which I haven't been since I was 13 so and plan to continue to lose until I'm 145 or so, but I'd still like to be able to eat without feeling sick.

 

Thanks, if you got through this.

 

**Update on 3rd page**

Edited June 22, 2011 by BeatleMania

[Marsha]

These are things that I know that can cause stomach problems...

Need Probiotics

Need Digestive Enzymes or Hydrochloric Acid(the levels drop as we age)

May have Yeast problems

 

I can't think of anything else at the moment.

[fairfarmhand]

I'd bet your bugs in your gut are off. Get some good yogurt (activia!!!) and it might help.

[kamom]

Eating so much bread/ carbs might be what is causing the constipation. I wonder if the Miralax isn't causing the gas pains/ cramps. What if you would:

Start taking a probiotic

stop taking the Miralax

eating lots of veggies

eating less carbs

[Hunter's Moon]

Eating so much bread/ carbs might be what is causing the constipation. I wonder if the Miralax isn't causing the gas pains/ cramps. What if you would:

Start taking a probiotic

stop taking the Miralax

eating lots of veggies

eating less carbs

 

Is there a way to take a probiotic without yogurt?

 

I'll trying eating more veggies and less carbs, but sometimes I feel so sick that the only thing I can stomach is a piece of toast. How can I get to the point where I can eat other things?

 

When I wake up, the last thing I want to do is eat because I feel so gassy and crampy. But I have to take medicine that requires eating.

[Parrothead]

Sounds to me like you might have irritable bowel syndrome or possibly chron's disease. Ask the doctor to rule those out. Do you have any bleeding? If you do your doctor may want to look into ulcerative colitis.

[Random]

These are things that I know that can cause stomach problems...

Need Probiotics

Need Digestive Enzymes or Hydrochloric Acid(the levels drop as we age)

May have Yeast problems

I was going to say the exact same things. :iagree:

 

Some other ideas off the top of my head:

Have you traveled anywhere recently, where you may have picked up a parasite? Or maybe eaten undercooked meat? Are you certain that your water supply is clean? The town where I live has constant problems with water samples failing to meet sanitary standards, so we bought a filter.

 

Also, there is some research indicating that Celiac can begin after a GI virus, so I wouldn't rule it out completely. Since you are keeping a food diary, you could substitute rice for wheat for a few days and see if you feel any better.

 

FWIW, I would ditch the Miralax and do something homeopathic.

Activated charcoal, Psyllium, and Wormwood would be good places to start.

 

Hope you feel better soon. :grouphug:

[Parrothead]

Is there a way to take a probiotic without yogurt?

 

I'll trying eating more veggies and less carbs, but sometimes I feel so sick that the only thing I can stomach is a piece of toast. How can I get to the point where I can eat other things?

 

When I wake up, the last thing I want to do is eat because I feel so gassy and crampy. But I have to take medicine that requires eating.

My friend swears by Swanson's probiotics. I'm pretty sure she takes probiotic 4.

[Hunter's Moon]

Sounds to me like you might have irritable bowel syndrome or possibly chron's disease. Ask the doctor to rule those out. Do you have any bleeding? If you do your doctor may want to look into ulcerative colitis.

 

Most women on my mother's side have IBS but Chron's doesn't run in the family.

 

I was going to say the exact same things. :iagree:

 

Some other ideas off the top of my head:

Have you traveled anywhere recently, where you may have picked up a parasite? Or maybe eaten undercooked meat? Are you certain that your water supply is clean? The town where I live has constant problems with water samples failing to meet sanitary standards, so we bought a filter.

 

Also, there is some research indicating that Celiac can begin after a GI virus, so I wouldn't rule it out completely. Since you are keeping a food diary, you could substitute rice for wheat for a few days and see if you feel any better.

 

FWIW, I would ditch the Miralax and do something homeopathic.

Activated charcoal, Psyllium, and Wormwood would be good places to start.

 

Hope you feel better soon. :grouphug:

 

Everyone else in my home and my town (friends, family) are fine so I doubt it's the water. I haven't traveled anywhere recently and I don't think undercooked meat is the cause. I'm pretty thorough with making sure what I make is cooked and no one else has cooked meat that they haven't also eaten. I've been eating rice and use rice milk now but I think I'll take wheat completely out and see what happens.

 

Thanks!

 

My friend swears by Swanson's probiotics. I'm pretty sure she takes probiotic 4.

 

Thanks, I look into these. I'm still too scared to eat dairy, even though yogurt doesn't generally bother people with lactose intolerance.

[southcarolinamom]

I was thinking IBS as well ..... I'm sorry you've been feeling awful for so long! Please keep us posted after you see the doctor. :grouphug:

[Hunter's Moon]

Thanks, everyone!

 

I'm hoping my doctor will do some tests just to ease my mind.

 

I'll add probiotics and cut out wheat and eat less carbs, too.

[LaxMom]

When you go, have them do a celiac panel. What you're describing sounds an awful lot like celiac, which is often the root cause of IBS symptoms. Celiac has a genetic component, too, so it could very well show up as familial IBS

[whitestavern]

I was going to say the exact same things. :iagree:

 

Some other ideas off the top of my head:

Have you traveled anywhere recently, where you may have picked up a parasite? Or maybe eaten undercooked meat? Are you certain that your water supply is clean? The town where I live has constant problems with water samples failing to meet sanitary standards, so we bought a filter.

 

Also, there is some research indicating that Celiac can begin after a GI virus, so I wouldn't rule it out completely. Since you are keeping a food diary, you could substitute rice for wheat for a few days and see if you feel any better.

 

FWIW, I would ditch the Miralax and do something homeopathic.

Activated charcoal, Psyllium, and Wormwood would be good places to start.

 

Hope you feel better soon. :grouphug:

 

Dh was recently diagnosed with a parasite, which he thinks he may have gotten when fishing. He had almost the exact symptoms.

[Luckymama]

You need a celiac panel run. Have your parents call the doctor today to order the test so that you can stop eating the wheat-based carbs as soon as possible (keep eating until the test!!)

 

Dd had some horrible stomach/intestinal issues before her soy allergy was diagnosed. Your doctor might also want to order the blood work for the top 10 allergens (he/she will know what they are).

 

I'm so sorry you're sick :grouphug:

[Hunter's Moon]

But isn't the blood test for Celiac usually negative even when the person has it?

 

I'll bring it up, but I don't think she'll test. I'll be switching doctors in October when I'm 18 so if she won't do it and I'm still having trouble, I'll mention it to my new doctor.

 

That was one of the reasons for not wanting to stop eating wheat, but it doesn't run in the family. It is helpful to know that Celiac is sometimes misdiagnosed as IBS though, so hopefully she'll test. I'm just worried if it is negative she'll completely write it off because I'm sure Pediatricians don't stay on top of Celiac diagnosis techniques and I don't know how familiar she is with it.

 

I did go fishing a few weeks back, but that was about 2 weeks ago when I was already having stomach issues.

 

I'm sure she'll ask for a stool sample this time, so hopefully parasite can either be written off or treated if present.

 

Thanks!

[Hunter's Moon]

You need a celiac panel run. Have your parents call the doctor today to order the test so that you can stop eating the wheat-based carbs as soon as possible (keep eating until the test!!)

 

Dd had some horrible stomach/intestinal issues before her soy allergy was diagnosed. Your doctor might also want to order the blood work for the top 10 allergens (he/she will know what they are).

 

I'm so sorry you're sick :grouphug:

 

I'm allergic to peanuts, soy, hazel nuts and a few other things that I avoid because they give me headaches or make my lips itchy, but that's it. Soy makes my throat itchy so I avoid soy foods unless it has soybean oil or lecithin because that doesn't bother me and as I understand it, those two things usually don't bother people with soy allergies.

 

I'm hoping my doctor will suggest some tests be run without my having to push, but she's usually the kind to avoid blood tests at all costs until all other avenues have been explored, which is fine, but when I'm scared to go out anywhere and it's interfering with my life like this, I want answers now.

 

Thanks, everyone :grouphug: I'm her last appointment at 4:30 so hopefully we'll be doing something to find answers today

[Hunter's Moon]

I'll be getting blood tests on Monday to check for Kidney function, Liver function, ulcers, top 10 allergies, and I think she mentioned something else.

Stool samples, also. And she's putting a rec in for a GI.

[TheTwinsMom1]

I have the same symptoms when I eat dairy or anything containing dairy. I am lactose intolerant I found out. I also found out it can come on anytime even if you ate dairy in the past with no problems. Sadly, alot of things contain dairy that you would not think do. I would see about dairy issues also with the doctor.

[Unicorn.]

Has your doc ruled out diverticulosis/diverticulitis? I would ask her about it if she hasn't mentioned it yet. :grouphug: I hope you feel better soon!

[Hunter's Moon]

I have the same symptoms when I eat dairy or anything containing dairy. I am lactose intolerant I found out. I also found out it can come on anytime even if you ate dairy in the past with no problems. Sadly, alot of things contain dairy that you would not think do. I would see about dairy issues also with the doctor.

 

The GI will rule out the dairy issues. The doctor told us the GI will have me drink a cup at the office and over three hours they'll monitor how it affects (effects?) me. That doesn't sound too fun though....

 

Has your doc ruled out diverticulosis/diverticulitis? I would ask her about it if she hasn't mentioned it yet. :grouphug: I hope you feel better soon!

 

My mom has diverticulitis. Not sure if it runs in families, but good to rule out. Thanks!

[Hunter's Moon]

Oh, I also forgot to mention that my doctor yesterday looked at the results of the skin test from the allergist (I had this done about 2 years ago) and one of my borderline allergies was wheat. It had a note saying to look for any symptoms so that could be a possibility as well.

 

I got the blood drawn today because another branch of the office is open on weekends for urgent care and she said she'll have the results of those by the end of the week.

 

So, now we wait.

[lmrich]

Did you have your gallbladder out last year? (I know one of our younger members did.) If so - yikes - it takes a while for your body to adjust.

[Hunter's Moon]

Did you have your gallbladder out last year? (I know one of our younger members did.) If so - yikes - it takes a while for your body to adjust.

 

August of '09 so almost two years.

 

It took me about 2 weeks after the surgery to tolerate dairy, but other than that, no issues.

[lmrich]

I had my gall bladder out last year 2010 and was told that it takes a while for your body to adjust to the bile. If you are eating foods that are hard to digest, your liver will make more bile to help you. The extra bile enters the digestion system and reeks havoc on you. I am having similar issues as you and I just recently had surgery on my ankle. I can tell you that the pain med really mess up your digestion and antibiotics do as well. I would not be concerned and scared of the diseases mentioned here yet. Get tested if it gives you a sense of peace. Eat more yogurt and start to notice what you can tolerate. I can not eat fried foods (no more Chick-Fil-A) nor grapefruit. So don't assume it is related to healthy and not healthy. I made the mistake of taking potassium and magnesium, calcium vitamins... just uggh lots of problems! I have to take calcium for my ankle surgery just can't handle the magnesium. I know how uncomfortable it is and the desire for a quick fix. You are young and your body will heal. :grouphug:

[Hunter's Moon]

Update:

 

Went to the doctor's office today to drop off the stool samples so we stopped in and left a note for my PCP to call when she got results in.

 

She called not long after we returned home and said my Liver Function levels (AST & ALT) were higher than should be and sent up red flags. My AST is 49 when it should be 10-42 U/L and my ALT is 119 when it should be 10-60 U/L. We're going back Friday for another round of blood testing to see if it lowers itself. She said it could be the tail-end of a virus, the beginning of something (mono.), a lab error, or Liver damage of some sort. She said my Jaundice levels were really low though, so that's good.

 

Before my gallbladder was taken out, my Liver Function Levels were really high but once it was out they went back to normal.

 

The food panel still hasn't come back but she said she should get the results by the end of the week.

 

So, that's about it. We should know more by next week.

 

I'm feeling a bit better (not as crampy or gassy) but every now and then I get cramps from something. I'm still eating low fat & non-dairy but I added baked french fries to my list of foods and had a hamburger last night. I did get nauseous last night but that was hours after dinner and don't think they are related.

Edited June 22, 2011 by BeatleMania