Olan
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Post by Olan on Sept 24, 2015 16:30:22 GMT
I've had diarrhea generally first thing in the morning for about 4 months now. The first month I wasn't concerned and assumed it was a great health thing. I started taking a quality probiotic, changed my diet up a bit etc.
When I wasn't feeling better I made an appointment. I assumed there would be a stool sample taken or something diagnostic. Instead the doctor spoke to me about stress. Ive lost about 25 pounds (totally needed to) but he thought with the length of time the symptoms have persisted that amount of loss is actually not bad.
In the 3rd and 4th month I've also become extremely nauseous. It's similar to the feeling I get when I push myself too much at the gym. So far I've only vomited twice but I have maybe half a dozen moments per day where I am absolutely sure I am going to lose my lunch and feel generally like crap. So about 3-5 mins max of that and 2-3 trips to the bathroom are my symptoms. Any ideas of what could be causing this. I thought maybe IBS but a lot of websites don't list nausea as a symptom and at this point it really is the most hard to manage part of feeling like this.
Also what is the name of the doctor who treats the whole body? I remember someone talking about it here.
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scrappert
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Post by scrappert on Sept 24, 2015 16:35:01 GMT
I have nothing for you, but wanted to say I hope it is nothing!
I once had some problems where I was going a lot during the day. I am usually a 1 - 2 times a day person and I was going 5 - t times (yes, #2 and it was soft). Talked to my doctor but she wasn't overly concerned.
What I later determined was that I was eating too much apple sauce! I was taking a little cup everyday for lunch. Now I know what to do if I start to feel constipated. Are you eating something like that that may be making you go like that?
Hope you get to a doctor so you can figure it out.
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Post by gar on Sept 24, 2015 16:38:14 GMT
Are you thinking of an holistic doctor?
As for your symptoms, it could be many, many things but I would want to get back to my doctor and get to the bottom of it certainly. Hope you're feeling good again soon.
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melissa
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Post by melissa on Sept 24, 2015 16:44:11 GMT
Define diarrhea. The word means different things to different people. Is it only when you first wake up? Does it ever happen at other times of the day? Do you have normal stool the rest of the day, if you go a second time? Are you having some bloating too? I know you've mentioned the weight loss. 25 lbs in 4 months is a nice amount depending on where you were starting from. What percent of your body weight did you lose in 4 months without trying? It's important to emphasize to whomever you see next that the weightloss is from these symptoms and not anything else!
When you said you changed your diet, what did you do? Eliminate lactose? FODMAPS (fructose)?
Nevertheless, it's time for a visit to a different doctor. You have some symptoms that might be considered non-specific that raise a small flag for a work up for things that might affect the abdominal cavity as well as the intestines themselves. You need to see someone who takes this seriously. A holistic or naturopathic physician is not the answer right now. Once all the serious issues have been ruled out, go ahead and see someone like that. For now, find a good internist.
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Post by papersilly on Sept 24, 2015 16:57:56 GMT
gallstones maybe? colitis? I think a trip to a GI doctor might be in order. on a more extreme end, DH's aunt was having constant diarrhea and it turned out to be polyps in her colon that were cancerous. she thought tea and probiotics would help but it didn't. thank goodness she finally went to the doctor.
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Post by mrsscrapdiva on Sept 24, 2015 17:39:18 GMT
Did you intentionally lose the weight or did it just come off?
Obviously Melissa has the best advice here. You need to have this seriously looked at.
If you are not comfortable what is happening with your bowels etc, you need to advocate for yourself and don't let them tell you that you are too young for something serious. I specifically know two youngish (late 30s early 40s) people with colon cancer. Please don't take this as I am trying to scare you but you need to be seeing a gastroenterologist.
My husband was having serious stomach cramps/ bathroom issues an they did a full workup including endoscopy and colonoscopy. He was diagnosed with celiac.
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Post by anxiousmom on Sept 24, 2015 17:47:22 GMT
I sometimes get the extreme nausea and lightheadedness, but it is almost exclusively associated with me not eating enough (or in some cases at all.) I am having a little trouble adjusting to the boys being not around and will either forget to eat, or more likely just not eat because I don't want to cook for just myself. It usually happens in the morning after I have had a cup of coffee or two.
My concern for you (if I was your friend, standing in your kitchen listening while we having a cup of coffee) would be to make sure that your weight loss wasn't associated with deprivation-making sure that you are eating well, and at appropriate times. Then I would tell you that if you are feeling like this every day, go to another doctor to make sure everything is a-okay. And, maybe 86 the probiotics for a while to make sure that isn't was causing all the internal distress.
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Sept 24, 2015 17:57:23 GMT
Are you talking about a DO instead of an MD? Sorry I don't remember what DO stands for right now.
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scorpeao
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Post by scorpeao on Sept 24, 2015 18:00:12 GMT
Are you talking about a DO instead of an MD? Sorry I don't remember what DO stands for right now. DO was my first thought as well. It's a doctor of osteopathic medicine. |
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flute4peace
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Post by flute4peace on Sept 24, 2015 18:14:55 GMT
I was also thinking Celiac or other food intolerance, although I believe that usually happens more directly after eating as opposed to on an empty stomach.
In my family we have what we refer to as the "mymaidenname stomach". We get pains and the poohs after eating certain foods. Some things I can think of off the top of my head that trigger for us (but not always and not exactly the same) are (some) milk products, processed tomato products (pizza hut pizza does it every. single. time), onions, Mexican food. My sister can't tolerate processed corn products. If I eat dry cheerios I'm ok, but if I need to poo I'll eat a bowl of cheerios with milk and give it an hour.  For us it's more of just a nuisance since we pretty much know what triggers it.
I agree with the others that you need to see a doctor, especially if you've been nauseous and vomiting. That is not ok. Were you intending to lose the 25 lbs, or has it come off since you've been ill? If you're dieting, is there anything that you've changed in your menus or intake that could be causing it?
Of course the big question is if you could possibly be pregnant. I don't know your relationship status so forgive me if that isn't an option.
I hope you're able to figure it out and get to feeling better very soon. |
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Sept 24, 2015 18:30:17 GMT
Define diarrhea. The word means different things to different people. Is it only when you first wake up? Does it ever happen at other times of the day? Do you have normal stool the rest of the day, if you go a second time? Are you having some bloating too? I know you've mentioned the weight loss. 25 lbs in 4 months is a nice amount depending on where you were starting from. What percent of your body weight did you lose in 4 months without trying? It's important to emphasize to whomever you see next that the weightloss is from these symptoms and not anything else! When you said you changed your diet, what did you do? Eliminate lactose? FODMAPS (fructose)? Nevertheless, it's time for a visit to a different doctor. You have some symptoms that might be considered non-specific that raise a small flag for a work up for things that might affect the abdominal cavity as well as the intestines themselves. You need to see someone who takes this seriously. A holistic or naturopathic physician is not the answer right now. Once all the serious issues have been ruled out, go ahead and see someone like that. For now, find a good internist. See he didn't even ask me to define diarrhea. I define it as loose watery stool with some content of what I've eaten the previous day. I know this is way too much info but the content for me would usually be cilantro or red pepper flakes. If food isn't spicy I don't enjoy it so I think the 25 pounds came off just because I am no longer eating spicy food. That was the main diet change as I'd say before feeling this I am unsure of the percentage of body weight I've lost but trust me I could stand to get rid of another 10-15 pounds. When I googled internist that's exactly what I was thinking of but that isn't the term the pea used. Thanks for weighing in. |
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Sept 24, 2015 18:32:09 GMT
Are you talking about a DO instead of an MD? Sorry I don't remember what DO stands for right now. Yes! Thanks! |
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Post by lily on Sept 24, 2015 19:07:01 GMT
DO is Doctor of Osteopathy
Our primary doctor is an Internal Medicine specialist.
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melissa
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Post by melissa on Sept 24, 2015 19:39:05 GMT
It really doesn't matter if you see a DO or an MD. What matters is that they are astute and take your complaints seriously.
If you can stand to lose another 10-15 pounds (but not say 50 more), 25 lbs is a significant loss. 25 lbs in someone under 180 lbs is more significant than, lets say, someone who is 300+ lbs.
You need to rule out the big bad things, including ovarian cancer, to be completely upfront. You likely need to have your stool tested for ova and parasites. You can also do some elimination on your own, looking at how you react to what I mentioned before- lactose and fructose. Lactose intolerance actually increases with age. Fructose malabsorption may very well be a leading cause of irritable bowel syndrome, but it's not something that is well known yet. However, the weight loss makes me think that everything else needs to be ruled out.
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Post by mikklynn on Sept 24, 2015 20:11:57 GMT
melissa Thank you for always sharing your wisdom with us!
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Post by mom on Sept 24, 2015 20:16:01 GMT
Trust your gut. (literally)
You body is telling you something isn't right. Listen to it and find a doctor who will listen as well.
Keep us updated! Prayers for you!
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Post by chrissypie on Sept 24, 2015 20:19:58 GMT
That doesn't sound like it's JUST stress. I agree with others - either insist the doctor takes it more seriously and does tests, or go to a different doctor. It could be something not very serious, but it sounds a bit extreme to be just stress (have you been stressed??).
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Post by penny on Sept 24, 2015 20:24:24 GMT
I've had tummy problems for 18 months now... Just wanted to let you know that you'll get a lot of 'normal/no problem' answers because abdo symptoms can be caused by a lot of things... Don't get discouraged and go to the next doctor, next text, next specialist - it's a game of ruling things out... Do the blood work to check for things like thyroid issues, deficiencies, etc... Then some ultrasounds (abdo and pelvic), an X-ray (to see if anything is sitting or getting stuck somewhere)... And endoscopy will check your stomach and they'll look for ulcers, test for h pylori... A colonoscopy will check your lower gi tract... A HIDA scan will check your gall bladder and liver functions... The good news is that none of the tests are all that bad... Colonoscopy prep is probably the worst... Keep a food diary with what you eat and when, what symptoms you have and when... Include medications and supplements you take too... It also helps to record your bowel movements - when, form, colour, etc... There's a Bristol chart that can help with that, but it's usually just as easy to write your own descriptions... Good luck  |
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Sept 25, 2015 1:05:06 GMT
I've had tummy problems for 18 months now... Just wanted to let you know that you'll get a lot of 'normal/no problem' answers because abdo symptoms can be caused by a lot of things... Don't get discouraged and go to the next doctor, next text, next specialist - it's a game of ruling things out... Do the blood work to check for things like thyroid issues, deficiencies, etc... Then some ultrasounds (abdo and pelvic), an X-ray (to see if anything is sitting or getting stuck somewhere)... And endoscopy will check your stomach and they'll look for ulcers, test for h pylori... A colonoscopy will check your lower gi tract... A HIDA scan will check your gall bladder and liver functions... The good news is that none of the tests are all that bad... Colonoscopy prep is probably the worst... Keep a food diary with what you eat and when, what symptoms you have and when... Include medications and supplements you take too... It also helps to record your bowel movements - when, form, colour, etc... There's a Bristol chart that can help with that, but it's usually just as easy to write your own descriptions... Good luck Wow. 18 months is a long time. I hope you can get to the bottom of your gastro issues soon. I've been charting bowel and food. Lactose I already know I have a sensitivity too so I don't indulge often. Will research fructose intolerance so far I've only charted an issue with spicy food. |
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Post by librarylady on Sept 25, 2015 1:10:22 GMT
I'd go to a dr. who specializes in the digestive system for a start.
I'd go ASAP, this is much too long for you to have digestive issues.
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Post by penny on Sept 25, 2015 1:16:34 GMT
I've had tummy problems for 18 months now... Just wanted to let you know that you'll get a lot of 'normal/no problem' answers because abdo symptoms can be caused by a lot of things... Don't get discouraged and go to the next doctor, next text, next specialist - it's a game of ruling things out... Do the blood work to check for things like thyroid issues, deficiencies, etc... Then some ultrasounds (abdo and pelvic), an X-ray (to see if anything is sitting or getting stuck somewhere)... And endoscopy will check your stomach and they'll look for ulcers, test for h pylori... A colonoscopy will check your lower gi tract... A HIDA scan will check your gall bladder and liver functions... The good news is that none of the tests are all that bad... Colonoscopy prep is probably the worst... Keep a food diary with what you eat and when, what symptoms you have and when... Include medications and supplements you take too... It also helps to record your bowel movements - when, form, colour, etc... There's a Bristol chart that can help with that, but it's usually just as easy to write your own descriptions... Good luck Wow. 18 months is a long time. I hope you can get to the bottom of your gastro issues soon. I've been charting bowel and food. Lactose I already know I have a sensitivity too so I don't indulge often. Will research fructose intolerance so far I've only charted an issue with spicy food. I have one last test and then they're ready to say it's IBS - they've been working with that diagnosis for the past eight months or so... All tests have come back normal and I have depression and anxiety (which are often found along with IBS)... I've been lucky that I get flare ups so it hasn't been every day at all... I have a horrible time with feeling nauseated so I think four months of that would be worse for me... |
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GiantsFan
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Post by GiantsFan on Sept 25, 2015 1:43:48 GMT
melissa Thank you for always sharing your wisdom with us!  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2015 2:28:43 GMT
Has your doctor tested for H. Pylori? I complained of these same kinds of symptoms for practically forever and it was generally assumed that I had some sort of major acid reflux. It wasn't until recently when I complained that if I even missed 1 day of my medication, I was feeling sick that my (new) doctor tested me for H. Pylori. The test came back positive and I went through a series of antibiotic treatments. It's estimated that approximately 50% of people have H. Pylori, although it's not concerning if you don't show symptoms. It's when it causes symptoms that it can start to create longer range health problems because it is essentially eating away at the stomach lining.
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Sept 25, 2015 15:38:14 GMT
Has your doctor tested for H. Pylori? I complained of these same kinds of symptoms for practically forever and it was generally assumed that I had some sort of major acid reflux. It wasn't until recently when I complained that if I even missed 1 day of my medication, I was feeling sick that my (new) doctor tested me for H. Pylori. The test came back positive and I went through a series of antibiotic treatments. It's estimated that approximately 50% of people have H. Pylori, although it's not concerning if you don't show symptoms. It's when it causes symptoms that it can start to create longer range health problems because it is essentially eating away at the stomach lining. I will mention this at my next appointment. |
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Post by mymindseyedpea on Sept 25, 2015 17:34:24 GMT
I've never heard of a DO but I have heard of Hollistic
Does a DO treat the body as a whole too?
To me a whole means looking at the physical, mental, and emotional sides. Is that what a DO does?
Since I always feel drawn to look at the emotional side to symptoms going on, I wonder if you can relate to this in anyway:
Do you have a hard time letting old things go ( even if they are just ideas ) and thus a hard time taking in new things?
Either in general or maybe something that happened once or a few times like that?
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Sept 25, 2015 18:26:54 GMT
In a way it does. I think holistic health is fabulous and sometimes effective but either in conjunction with modern/western medicine or whenever most other options are exhausted
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Post by lily on Sept 25, 2015 18:31:40 GMT
"Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) practice a “whole person” approach to health care. Instead of just treating your specific symptoms, osteopathic physicians concentrate on treating you as a whole. Osteopathic physicians understand how all the body’s systems are interconnected and how each one affects the others. They receive special training in the musculoskeletal system so that they better understand how that system influences the condition of all other body systems. In addition, DOs are trained to identify and correct structural problems, which can assist your body's natural tendency toward health and self-healing." www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-dos/about-osteopathic-medicine/Pages/default.aspx |
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Post by mymindseyedpea on Sept 25, 2015 20:24:42 GMT
In a way it does. I think holistic health is fabulous and sometimes effective but either in conjunction with modern/western medicine or whenever most other options are exhausted Do you believe that a new idea can take place of an old idea? Not just be in addition to the old idea. Our body may be able to reject some new idea that we could consciously or subconsciously be feeling because it may want to hold on the old. The old is familiar and not a mystery. The new is a mystery and therefore could create doubt. If this resonates I just want to ask you to consider this as a possibility that maybe this new idea is forming because the old idea is no longer serving you. And thanks Lily for the info |
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Post by marg on Sept 26, 2015 20:57:10 GMT
Are you thinking of a functional medicine doctor? My doctor who diagnosed my and my son's hypothyroidism is an internist who also has his functional medicine credentials. He's the best of both worlds!
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katybee
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Post by katybee on Sept 26, 2015 21:53:34 GMT
I am also having major Gastro issues right now… And have been for about six months. I get that same diagnosis a lot – stress. I am not denying the effect stress can have on your digestive system-- but if you are having the symptoms you describe, a doctor should be willing to investigate to make sure that nothing is seriously wrong. And it ticks me off to no end the doctors just assume it's stress if you are young. Diarrhea every morning and a weight loss of 25 pounds is not normal! Keep on going back to different doctors until they have ruled out all the big baddies. Good luck. I hope you feel better soon!
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For us it's more of just a nuisance since we pretty much know what triggers it.
