so scared now.

[anbuma]

I am getting concerned now.my stomach is so huge.i dont think it can be bloating as my DR says cos it never goes down.have more skin rashes and how do i know this swelling of my abdomen is not related to my recent ops as never had follow up appointment for gallbladder op.my thyroid and larynx are definitely enlarged.my dogs are behaving totally out of character.My Annie follows me around the house wherever I go .

[Mazz64]

hi, sorry your scared, try not to be I know that's easy for me to say. I would advise you to go back to your GP and insist on a scan and blood tests, you should have had a follow up appointment after your gallbladder op, do you know why this didn't happen?

So call the GP's in the morning and get an appointment, you shouldn't have to worry your self like this, tell him/her how scared you are and you want something done about it

Good luck and let us know what happens

Hugs xx

Mazz

[anbuma]

thank you Mazz.i have an appt tomorrow with a different female GP.hopefully she will listen to me .i dont know why I didn't get a follow up appointment.i rang the hospital and spoke to my GP to no avail.there definitely is a problem.i have written twice to my MP and to PALS but not one of them has responded.in know for def that skin complaints are not a symptom of fibro.

[lynzard in reply to anbuma]

Hi there, lupus has almost exactly the same symptoms as fibro and each of them are often confused due to this. One of the lupus symptoms is skin rashes. Also you can have both these illnesses. I'm not saying that's what it is - it could be reaction to meds or anything - but always worth getting checked. As for the swollen tummy!!!!......I continually look about 7/8 months pregnant. It's terrible. As Gins says gluten free diet can really help. Good luck and take care.

[lavenderheart]

Don't worry my stomach is the same and I suffer badly from IBS thinking of getting some food intolerance tests done although my GP says this is a waste of time but so is all the tablets they have given me - I wish you well with your GP x

[anbuma in reply to lavenderheart]

hi there,

I had intolerance tests done last year (gp said the nhs don't do them)but nothing conclusive.dont know how old you are btu IBS only affects younger woman below age of 40.and nayoen over 50 cannot have IBS.

[Ginsing]

Darling mine was like that and the doc was no help so I placed myself on no wheat / gl is fairly uten and little milk my tummy has gone down and no longer inflates I do however have flatulence which is gross. xxgins

[haribo36 in reply to Ginsing]

Yes I have the flatulence problem as well gins.Ive also been suffering lately with swollen belly,stomache cramps and nausea but have been eating a lot of choccy which has flared up Ibs,alongside stress iam gradually introducing the gluten/wheat free food.plus no milk and going to get a food allergy test done which iam going to pay for xx

[anbuma in reply to haribo36]

chocolate is my only downfall-have to have some daily to get me thru the day(is this psychological??)tho i have cut out dairy -apart from milk -fried foods.i have had cereal and milk all my life -so don't think its milk unless our changing bodies cant tolerate certain foodstuffs.

[anbuma in reply to Ginsing]

I cut out wheat cereals and other wheat products as I was having shredded wheat for breakfast every day-made no difference.i still have cereal and milk fro breakfast -gets my day off to a start before I walk my dogs.will try porridge for a week and see if that helps.

[Ginsing in reply to anbuma]

Porridge is the best start to a day. Try and keep off cerals with whet in for at least a month then you should notice the effects and no bread biscuits cakes,

fingers crossed xgins

[anbuma in reply to Ginsing]

thanks gins.i haven't eaten cakes biscuits puddings snacks fro a few years now-staretd cos money didnt stretch when buying food. now I only have them once in a blue moon-it s

difficult to resist temptation of my favourite caramel shortcakes when they stare at you as you walk into a shop.i only have the rare slice of toast.

[anbuma in reply to Ginsing]

do you find gluten free food limited in what you can buy?

[Ginsing in reply to anbuma]

Hi Anbuma,

I think the long and the short of it is how much time do you want to devote to thinking about what you are going to have for your next meal. By taking your time and planning ahead it is no problem at all. Make your own food of course is the answer. Yesterday we had lunch of rice cakes with low cal cream cheese and smoked salmon on it lush. Dinner cauliflower and carrots accompanied a lasagne yum it had gluten in the pasta and I have been (farting) passing wind all night. If I had more energy yesterday and I had made it using the gluten free sheets of ready made pasta I would be fine. I find if I make a cauli cheese for visitors with alternative flower it is lighter and more pleasant and everyone loves it So we need to think more thats all and pray we do not have too foggy a brain!

[Mazz64]

Good luck with appointment and let us know how you get on

Hugs xx

[anbuma in reply to Mazz64]

hi appointment went ok armed with my list.given antibiotics fro infection and said thyroid was ok but I still think there is a problem-neck is painful and sore to touch and larynx enlarged + lump under jaw seems more prominent.still have questions going around in my head-why do my have eyebrow hair loss.weight loss,swelling around eyes and forehead and skin rash on legs -all thyroid related .?don't know how much longer I can cope

with all this pain and how I look.every morning when I get up I see a bigger nose,swollen face and the "butterfly "rash of lupus and of course my huge stomach.cutting out foods as suggested by others its going to be hard not having chocolate.why haven't drs ever suggested this.

[electricjaws]

I don't know what meds you are on but I know from experience ,pregabilin and gabapentin do that to me, I am just weaning off the gabapentin as they were making my ibs flare up ,but before I had ibs I still had probs with trying gabapentin, also if you drink a lot of fizzy drinks or eat basically what is classed as "junk food" that will bloat you up with gas and it can be very painful,my g.p is weaning me off gabapentin as I went to him and showed him how bloated and hard my stomach had become ,unfortunately he pressed hard on my tummy and the inevitable happened!! I was a bit embarrassed he laughed and said not to worry, but when I left his room he shut the door and I could hear him spraying air freshener!!

..quite a few meds can do this to your system but it is best to share your concerns with a g.p , if you are with a practice you can always ask to see another g.p at the practice for a second opinion if you feel you aren't getting any help from the one you see, in the past my female g.p that I used to see was so rude and unkind to me so I decided to see a different g.p at the practice a young guy and he is so much nicer and willing to listen and help if he possibly can ,so if you feel your current g.p is of no use ,just change to some g.p that will, perhaps it may help if your g.p sends you to see a gastro-enterologist?? anyhow good luck ,let us know how you go on xx

[anbuma in reply to electricjaws]

hi there

thanks fro your advice.my practice has had some young drs in training and one of them was really good and listened to my concerns.etc I dont know what pregabilin and gabapentin are for -never heard of them,.just been told by A&E dr to stop omeprazole.so have been given another med in its place.i only drink water or fruit juice and the occasional cup of coffee,and have been trying to eat more healthily-fish and chicken ,stopped eating burgers etc after the horsemeat scandal.