Desperate for advice, strange symptoms ruining my life

[Mustardmat1]

Not sure where to start. I have been suffering with this for many years with no diagnosis. Symptoms are

Fatigue-This is the most debilitating, it comes with bloodshot sore eyes- An underlying anxiety because I feel so exhausted- Feeling spaced out, detached-Low energy- Aware of heartbeat on exertion-Not related to amount of sleep

Splenic Flexure Sensations-No pain but feeling like someone has wedged either a golf ball or a tennis ball underneath my left rib cage- Pulsing sensation in that area

Regurgitation-Belching mouthfuls of bile-Worse when sitting-Not affected by antacids

A mix of other symptoms that come and go when I am in a period of symptoms are

Foul farts-Griping pain (rare)-Loss of appetite

I have had two endoscopies and one colonoscopy all clear.

I never know when symptoms will come, what brings it on, how long it will last. Sometimes its for a few days and sometimes weeks. It has caused me to lose the job of my dreams and is holding me back in life as I feel I cannot commit to jobs or travel plans because of the unpredictable nature of it and how completely fatigued it leaves me.

Any advice, insights, common sufferers stories, help please.

I am a 49 year old British man and have been suffering for around 25 years

[Maureen1958]

Hi, so just wondering what your doctor thinks you have. The fact that you have had a colonoscopy suggests IBS. Have you been given that diagnosis? Is that why you are writing on here?

[Mustardmat1 in reply to Maureen1958]

I haven't had much luck with the GP. I paid for the colonoscopy myself (£900). The two endoscopies were for the regurgitation and I was placed on lansoprazole but I stopped that as I believe the problem is bowel not stomach in origin.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Mustardmat1]

Okay, I can see where you are coming from now. I have had IBS for over 30 years getting on for 35 now. Mine started as classic IBS but over the years it has changed a lot. It is not as runny as it used to be and with that I have more problems up the top end with what I assume is GERD. So with that comes nausea and a whole new load of stuff.

I can relate to the feeling of a golf ball or tennis ball but mine is right side. And I get all sorts of different weird feelings that nobody else seems to get too. I'm not going to be much help I'm afraid as I have no answers but just wanted to welcome you to the group, they are a nice bunch. Perhaps someone else might have something more helpful to say.

[janetmtt]

Have you looked at histamine intolerance/issues

[Mustardmat1 in reply to janetmtt]

I looked this up and it doesn't seem to fit my symptoms

[BabsyWabsy]

Could this be related to something metabolic, such as thyroid problems. Just thinking about your extreme tiredness. Also, have you been tested for vitamin and mineral deficiencies and Sibo? If not, maybe you could request these?

[Mustardmat1 in reply to BabsyWabsy]

I have had full bloods taken numerous times and all normal including thyroid function

[Guttrouble777]

Fasting. I believe this is the answer. I wrote the linked post two months ago and I am still doing great. Read my advice then...

healthunlocked.com/theibsne...

[torcol]

I can relate. Whatever this is it is a life struggle. Anxiety is a culprit that seems to rear its ugly head at every opportunity. I have noticed that when I get the pains under my ribs (can be right or left) I usually chalk it up to gas pains and within fifteen mins or so I usually pass a small amount of gas. I get the fatigue alstroemerias but seems to come in waves. The fatigue is so intense sometimes that I feel I must have something terrible going on inside to be that exhausted? I push thru it and make myself stick to a schedule like it or not. I have had IBS and GERD for years and have learned to live with it. Does me no good to complain as my family and friends can do nothing for me but sit and listen to me complain. It doesn’t make great dinner conversation so I figure if it doesn’t kill me I must fight it. So, I first push my thoughts to a good place, make myself go out every single day, store, park, bank, window shopping, lunch, something, anything, every day. I know if I sit at home worrying about what might happen that becomes the only thing that does happen. I can either sit home in pain or go out in pain but the outcome is the same. I have not tried changing my diet or giving up cigarettes and that may be the issue but if it is I would rather pay a few consequences than give up the few things I truly enjoy. So there it is, I may not be much help but I am living with gut issues too but they sleep in the closet!

[Mustardmat1 in reply to torcol]

I feel the same sometimes with the fatigue it's hard to explain to someone but the way I have described it to people is the day after drinking a bottle of whisky to yourself.

[Maureen1958]

Hi, me again, I was thinking about your bloodshot sore eyes. I was wondering if this is caused by acid from your stomach. My husband (who doesn't have IBS but gets reflux sometimes) is always complaining of stinging eyes, he usually rinses them with some water and then usually feels a bit better. Sometimes, if driving, he has to stop because he can't see properly. If he has bottled water in the car that helps. He had never worked out what it is but I have been telling him for years it's probably stomach acid coming up into his eyes. At first he thought I was crazy but just recently he has been coming round to my way of thinking. I am wondering if that is what could be causing your bloodshot eyes?

[Mustardmat1 in reply to Maureen1958]

The sore tired eyes come with the fatigue so the two are hand in hand. I wake up and feel exhausted all day then when things right themselves the fatigue disappears and my eyes are no longer tired

[Maureen1958 in reply to Mustardmat1]

That really doesn't sound like IBS, you get tired with IBS but that is caused by coping with the IBS ie keep going to the loo or feeling like you need to and can't.

[Liz1234ty]

Hi there - welcome to the group! This is tricky as could be a variety of things. I'd recommend a three day stool test to check for parasites and bacteria and signs of leaky gut and a sibo test - this latter has to be a breath test. Nhs rarely does any of this so likely you will need to go through a functional gut clinic for tests. My sibo causes fatigue, lots of gas - especially belching and internal gas but the range of symptoms is huge. Also think about low stomach acid if treatment for high stomach acid has not helped as the symptoms are v similar. Hope this helps

[MollyStark]

I'm no expert but it sounds like anxiety is the root cause. I can suffer from various digestive issues which go away completely when my anxiety is in abeyance.

[Mustardmat1 in reply to MollyStark]

No definitely not anxiety although I have suffered with anxiety for many years and these days I wonder if my intestinal symptoms caused the anxiety all along with the fatigue and splenic pressure after eating I used to get in my 20's and 30's. My life is not stressful at the moment which has enabled me to accurately evaluate my physical symptoms in a neutral mental state. Anxiety and my physical symptoms are linked but in what way I can't be sure, but I do know that I have relatively debilitating, physical, sub diaphragm symptoms with belching and regurgitation without any anxiety in my life. The worse of it though is the physical fatigue and generally feeling shitty. I have been keeping a diary for quite a while now and there seems to be no pattern to it. I have tried to match my symptoms to many different recognised, diagnosable, maladies but nothing seems to really fit.