trying to figure out what wrong (medically) with my dh

[AngieW in Texas]

In 2002, my dh had a horrible flu that kept him sick for several weeks. Ever since then he has had stomach problems. It isn't as bad now as it was at first primarily because he has been in a lower-stress job for the past several years.

 

The stomach problems are intermittent. He has problems with heartburn, reflux, vomiting (several times a day, 3-7 days/month), stomach cramps, general stomach miserableness.

 

He has had a physical every year and they think he's in fantastic shape because his numbers all look fabulous.

 

He has gout and rosacea and is on lifetime maintenance meds for them. Both started several years after the stomach problems.

 

He doesn't eat much at all. He drinks lots of mountain dew and fanta, but he does drink water also. He used to drink a lot of coffee, but he hasn't been able to tolerate coffee for several years.

 

The stomach cramping is so bad that it sometimes wakes him up at night. Sometimes this is followed by vomiting, sometimes it isn't.

 

It doesn't seem to be related to anything in particular that he eats. He doesn't do dairy products except for butter as an ingredient in cooked foods.

 

I would think the first thing to try out would be a gluten-free diet, but he has not been willing to try that. I've also tried to have him take probiotics, but he has never taken them for more than a day or two.

 

He has leg cramps all the time too. He has one knee that will sometimes just give out on him.

 

He went to doctors years ago and is unwilling to go to another doctor at this time.

 

Any ideas? If I can find a description of something that matches his symptoms, I might possibly be able to get him to try going to a doctor to test for it. He hates that he's sick for 3-7 days every few weeks. He missed 3 days of work this week because of his stomach.

[JudoMom]

Google abdominal migraines. And :grouphug:.

[elegantlion]

How much Mountain Dew and what kind?

[melissad2]

It sounds like he has a generally unhealthy lifestyle. Mountain dew is terrible for you and pairing that with poor diet is probably not helping his issues. Maybe he should think about starting with diet changes and seeing if he feels any better, of course he would have to be in it for the long haul to notice changes. Could he have an ulcer? Would he be willing to see a gastroenterologist? Hope you find answers soon

[LaxMom]

It sounds like he has a generally unhealthy lifestyle. Mountain dew is terrible for you and pairing that with poor diet is probably not helping his issues. Maybe he should think about starting with diet changes and seeing if he feels any better, of course he would have to be in it for the long haul to notice changes. Could he have an ulcer? Would he be willing to see a gastroenterologist? Hope you find answers soon

 

No kidding... If you can't tolerate coffee (acid, caffeine), why would anyone think MD (acid, caffeine, carbonation... All reflux triggers) is a good idea is beyond me. :confused:

 

If your current way of doing things is causing you pain and ill health, you need to be willing to make changes. I'm sorry if that seems harsh. I just can't understand when people want change without changing.

Edited June 3, 2012 by MyCrazyHouse

[catz]

I think getting rid of the soda, doing a probiotic, adding a natural, gentle fiber (like ground flax), regular exercise, and stress management alone could make a huge difference (it did for my gut issues - I was dx with a minor ulcer, reflux, and IBS at one point). But you can't force these things on a grown adult. I agree with whoever said you can't expect to see changes without being willing to change :grouphug:

[MindyD]

First off, diet needs to change. Second of all, I had a friend go through something very similar. She went to doctors for months before they realized what was going on. She had a very bad case of the rotovirus years ago. They said her case was severe enough that it actually changed her digestive system. Extreme stress and eating trigger foods can bring back the symptoms (severe stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea...not pretty). My friend is still trying to figure out what her triggers are, but she's doing better now.

[AngieW in Texas]

Unfortunately, he has to want to change his diet. I can't make him want to.

 

He drinks regular mountain dew, not any of the variants. He goes through two 12-packs every week along with a 12-pack of regular Orange Fanta. That's just when he's at home. At work, he says he mostly drinks water. He doesn't have breakfast. He usually does have lunch, but he doesn't eat much. He sometimes eats dinners, but not always. When he does eat dinner, it's usually a pretty small amount. For instance, he HAD to have pizza last night (the only thing he eats with cheese on it) and all that he ate was one slice of thin crust pepperoni-onion-mushroom. He had a bean burrito for lunch yesterday. That was all that he ate. Aside from that, he had Mountain Dew and Fanta and water.

 

I know his diet looks awful and it is. The problem is that it has gotten progressively worst over the years because of his stomach issues. But his diet going downhill is just making the stomach issues worst.

 

Abdominal migraines and cyclical vomiting syndrome look like possibilities. He has had severe migraines in the past, but that was about 20 years ago.

 

He has also had a lot of problems with sleep. A lot of that is due to waking up continuously through the night because of his stomach when the stomach things are going on. There are sleep issues in the family (insomnia, not apnea). Our 14yo is on medication for insomnia and has been sleeping through the night for just the past 6 months. The 19yo also has sleep medication to take as-needed for her sleep issues.

 

This week when he was sick, it started off with him running a fever all day Monday and not being able to stay awake. He had slept just fine Sunday night, but wasn't able to stay awake for more than an hour at a time on Monday. The stomach stuff started on Monday night when the fever went away and carried on through Wednesday. He didn't sleep more than 4 hours/night Monday night through Thursday night because of his stomach. He kept having to get up out of bed. He was fine during the day on Thursday and has been okay since Friday morning.

[kalanamak]

Stop the soda pop.

Don't eat late in the night.

Small amounts frequently

6 weeks of a proton pump inhibitor daily (Kirkland brand is fine)

stop dairy and wheat.

If that doesn't do it, he needs to be scoped. If it does, try adding in either wheat or dairy. When both of those are back, and fine, I'd change to PPI to pepcid 40 twice a day for a couple weeks then cut to once in the evening. Then stop. I'd never take the pop up again (try selzter).

 

This is what I would PERsonally do if I was unwilling to see a doc. The fact it has been so many years argues against cancer.

 

Do google the other suggestions and read up on them, but gastritis and reflux are massively common in our well fed world, and, sadly, I've come to understand why my parents were so unadventuresome eaters in the their later years: guts age too. There are a lot of things I can no longer tolerate reliably.

 

HTH. :grouphug: I once asked my amazing cheerful dad why he was so cheerful, and he cheerfully replied it was because he hadn't any indigestion.

[elegantlion]

Look up GERD, everything he is eating affects it. He needs to eat regular small meals and not fill up on liquids. Yes, he's going to have to want to change. GERD affects sleep habits as well. I had issues previously, but have had none since going gluten free.

 

I have an extended family member that is old, stubborn and his eating habits will kill him if he doesn't change. He's already had one surgery and been hospitalized twice.

 

If he won't stop the soda, encourage him to cut back. If he's going through 36 sodas at home during the week that's an average of 5 sodas a day. We are soda drinkers, but 5 a day is way too many. My ds likes Mountain Dew (we don't buy it for him, my parents do :glare:) and after 2 I can see the effects, even upset stomach.

[Renee in NC]

He is drinking 5 sodas a day (at least), getting no fiber, no fruits/vegetables, and nothing non-processed.

 

I understand not being able to change his diet. I would quit trying to find out what is wrong with him, because I think it is pretty obvious.

 

:grouphug:

 

ETA: As someone who is allergic to dairy (as in itchy, sneezing, coughing, and fuzzy-brained) I will say that butter is the WORST for me, even if it is baked in something. In addition, I have a sensitivity to wheat (stomach upset). Both of these things came on in my early 30s.

 

I am not anti-soda, BTW, but you can't have soda all day long and no nutrients.

Edited June 3, 2012 by Renee in FL

[Slipper]

Many years ago, my brother (who was in his 20's at the time) became ill and was diagnosed with a nasty case of flu. It lasted weeks. He never seemed to really recover as he continued to have stomach cramps/vomiting/diarrhea and significant weight loss. Honestly, he was so ill (and had dropped to 85 pounds) we thought he was going to die.

 

It turns out that the flu triggered Crohn's Disease. Once he was seen by a gastro and diagnosed (and this did involve surgery by that point) he improved and is doing just fine.

 

I have heard that both Celiac Disease and Crohn's Disease can be dormant (for lack of a better word) and triggered by illness or stress. Has he seen a G/I doc?

[nova147]

:grouphug:

 

I don't have any medical advice for you. But my DH also has stomach issues (not as severe, thankfully) and is reluctant to do anything to fix them. It's very frustrating, especially when I need help with something and he feels too bad to do it. I don't have any solutions for you, just wanted you to know you aren't alone. I hope he decides to do something about it soon.

[melissad2]

I'm pretty blunt with my dh...I would tell him to do something to change it or stop complaining to me about it.

[Slartibartfast]

It does sound like he needs to see a specialist but his diet cannot be helping in the slightest.

 

My dh gets bad migraines. I told him he had to go to the Dr or stop bothering me about it, I have health issues and then I do what I can to alleviate them. Not doing anything and then eating garbage all the time just wouldn't be an option here. I would make him go.

[Dory]

Giving up pop can be hard. I've struggled with Pepsi for years and it's really done a number on my system. Getting cultured foods into his diet would help ALOT. I was having huge problems with heartburn, nausea now and then, and simply not feeling like eating much of anything. I have started culturing my bread, my butter, and I eat a yogurt every day. I also add some kefir to my smoothies and my problems have been getting very few and far between. I got my little sister going on some of it too as she is lactose intolerant and always had digestive problems and she is able to handle dairy now (yay for ice cream!). I got my brother in law going as he has ulcers from his constant coke drinking and he has been doing much much better. It nasty what pop can do to a person, but it is repairable.

[sassenach]

Unfortunately, he has to want to change his diet. I can't make him want to.

 

He drinks regular mountain dew, not any of the variants. He goes through two 12-packs every week along with a 12-pack of regular Orange Fanta. That's just when he's at home. At work, he says he mostly drinks water. He doesn't have breakfast. He usually does have lunch, but he doesn't eat much. He sometimes eats dinners, but not always. When he does eat dinner, it's usually a pretty small amount. For instance, he HAD to have pizza last night (the only thing he eats with cheese on it) and all that he ate was one slice of thin crust pepperoni-onion-mushroom. He had a bean burrito for lunch yesterday. That was all that he ate. Aside from that, he had Mountain Dew and Fanta and water.

 

I know his diet looks awful and it is. The problem is that it has gotten progressively worst over the years because of his stomach issues. But his diet going downhill is just making the stomach issues worst.

 

Abdominal migraines and cyclical vomiting syndrome look like possibilities. He has had severe migraines in the past, but that was about 20 years ago.

 

He has also had a lot of problems with sleep. A lot of that is due to waking up continuously through the night because of his stomach when the stomach things are going on. There are sleep issues in the family (insomnia, not apnea). Our 14yo is on medication for insomnia and has been sleeping through the night for just the past 6 months. The 19yo also has sleep medication to take as-needed for her sleep issues.

 

This week when he was sick, it started off with him running a fever all day Monday and not being able to stay awake. He had slept just fine Sunday night, but wasn't able to stay awake for more than an hour at a time on Monday. The stomach stuff started on Monday night when the fever went away and carried on through Wednesday. He didn't sleep more than 4 hours/night Monday night through Thursday night because of his stomach. He kept having to get up out of bed. He was fine during the day on Thursday and has been okay since Friday morning.

 

I just want to say that I feel your pain. It's hard when the wife KNOWS that lifestyle changes would make a HUGE difference, but instead you just have to let them be their own men. I get it. :grouphug:

[HLDoll]

Many years ago, my brother (who was in his 20's at the time) became ill and was diagnosed with a nasty case of flu. It lasted weeks. He never seemed to really recover as he continued to have stomach cramps/vomiting/diarrhea and significant weight loss. Honestly, he was so ill (and had dropped to 85 pounds) we thought he was going to die.

 

It turns out that the flu triggered Crohn's Disease. Once he was seen by a gastro and diagnosed (and this did involve surgery by that point) he improved and is doing just fine.

 

I have heard that both Celiac Disease and Crohn's Disease can be dormant (for lack of a better word) and triggered by illness or stress. Has he seen a G/I doc?

 

I agree. My son has just been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease; they haven't narrowed it down to Crohn's or ulcerative colitis yet. But a lot of the things you describe sound a lot like what I've been reading about in relation to IBD. We've put my son on the specific carb diet (google SCD - no grains, sugar or dairy) and have noticed a lot of improvement in just 3 weeks. We're hoping a few years of diet change will allow healing to take place and let us avoid a lifetime of meds and possibly surgeries. It's easier to control an 8 year old's diet than a grown man's; He's got to want to do something to get better.