Hi all - so I am 59yr woman with history of acid reflux but no other digestive problems until fairly recently.
About 2 months ago I suddenly felt very nauseous - memorably so - it passed & my thoughts were we'll see what happens may well be something & nothing. With this I began having problems with extreme stomach churning- new to me - but no pain.
Dec 13th I was so Ill with extreme stomach pain & nausea thought I had food poisoning - it passed briefly only to return again - so far I have been treated with antibiotics - although blood & urine tests are normal as are kidney liver functions etc I've had a CT scan which was normal! I have been very poorly since & this is worsening daily my pain was so bad last night it left me in shock!!
I have no real diagnosis as yet I get the feeling that the Docs think I am attention seeking!!! As if - I'm a very busy woman working full time as a company auditor - primary carer for a very aged mum & I help my daughter homeschool 4 children. I need to get my life back on track -
If I were to request tests privately could anyone advise which I would need?
Thankyou so much.
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Moonbird
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Hello Moonbird....sorry to hear of your recent woes...Some ideas that may help you back to better mind and body.
Firstly...have you been taking aspirin or ibruprophen?
Your symptoms may be due to gastritis...in other words your stomach has become inflamed.Apart from stress, overuse of nsaids( my problem too) h.pylori caused by an on going infection will also cause stomach issues.
The situation may also be caused by intolerance of foods...this could have been going on for a while...but the last straw became your tipping point.
If its due to alcohol or nsaids...the answer is to stop and allow the stomach to heal.Most gastritis will heal just by omitting the antagonists.If you have damaged part of the mucosal lining you can help things by taking something like aloe vera juice with camomile.You can repair the mucosal lining by eating foods that produce mucus, bananas , porridge, and use natural products like marshmallow root, slippery elm bark, dgl liquorice.
But first and foremost, always see your Doctor.If they prescribe a PPI or H2 blocker...then only use these for no more than 3 months...
The above remedies will do the same without the side effects.
There are tests done which are designed to rule out more serious issues.
Blood tests, stool tests, urine test will rule out h.pylori.Which is why you may have been put on antibiotics.Garlic fixes this just as well.
Barium meals/xrays will rule out some things that blood test don't.
The only real look and see test is an endoscopy..this one allows a doctor to see areas of inflamation, ulceration...i have had three and it isnt something i would advise unless you are constantly being sick or unable to eat....a last resort.
In light of the present covid pandemic it may be better to try and see if you can settle things down using natural remedies.
Finally if you are over worked or overly stressed,i hate to say the obvious but you need to ease off the accelerator...go easy...take time out..de-stress.hope you get some ideas from this.Best wishes hope you get better real soon,
Hi - Thankyou so much for your reply. So far I've had blood & urine tests also a ct scan whiah have been normal - no infections. I totally take on board the gentler solutions 're diet etc. It has crossed my mind. I take dispersible aspirin for blood clotting reasons & also Lansoprazole for acid reflux - this since my 30's! - I don't drink. My main concern is ruling out the big nasty & my Doc is requesting an endoscopy test for me. I eat healthily but do make a lot of homemade spicy foods always boasting that I have 'tin guts......not so!! - I just feel so unwell with this too as if am going downhill fast! It is difficult to ease up although I know Ive been pushing it!! Mum still needs me - I have to work full time & I so need to be with my grandchildren too for me they are my delight
Once again thankyou for your helpful input - I do appreciate the support.
Hi yes your symptoms sound very similar the nausea was debilitating some days i couldnt even get out of bed until it had passed the doctor gave me anti sickness tablets witch did take the edge off it ,but the really bad pains were almost every day ,one day so bad I rang111 who asked me a million irrelevant questions then said take paracetomol and if it gets worse call your local out of hours.I dont know if the nausea was caused by the acid problem or the bowel as there seemed to be 2 things going on at once ,the acid has now settled and the sickness has gone .
Im still a bit constipated but no pains or burning in my lower abdomen I have had bloods done and all normal and no inflammation, I did have a urine infection .
As I said before I think stress has been a big part of all this due to the covid situation which in the past few months has really been making me very anxious and also difficult to see my doctor who im sure thinks Im neurotic the amount of times i rang him in the past few weeks !!
See how you go I am so much better than a few weeks ago and feel sort of normal again what caused all the symptoms I really dont know maybe a combination of acid and bowel although you dont mention acid reflux?
You are most welcome.There are a lot people on this forum who have gone through or who are going through similar issues.We all want each other to get well and offer support.Stay positive, you can get through this and be happy once again.
Have you been tested for h pylori? Common symptoms Bloating , gas, wind, gripping or turning feeling in the guts, reflux,
Anxiety because the bug lowers the serotonin in your body. Low mood. You will need to be off any ppi like omeprozole for a couple of weeks before any test. Couple of tests available. Stool, breath test or a pinch on the stomach during endoscopy.. blood tests for this bacteria are not so reliable as they can’t see if you currently have this infection.
Treatment is triple therapy with two antibiotics for a week (assuming your in the Uk) with a a ppi like omeprozole. This will normally be something like 40mg per day for 8 weeks but no longer at this dose. Stepping down to a lower maintaining dose. Ppi do have mild side affect that upset your stomach be mindful it’s not a wonder drug.
After treatment it can take 6 months plus for your recovery as your stomach has been damaged. So you need to be patient after eradication
Hi I have been having exactly the same problems since November waking up every day feeling nauseous sometimes in the middle of the night having to make a hot water bottle for the pains across my bellybutton and lower abdomen.I have had ibs for 30 yrs but never had so much pain just a flare up every 6 weeks or so of constipation then diarrhea.I have had 4 phone consultations with my doctor and been examined by 2 different ones who both said it was an ibs flare up although I wasnt convinced he prescribed Buscopan which I didnt find much use.
I have been taking esmeprazole for acid reflux for the last few months ,the nausea and pain was so bad there were days I couldnt eat anything or get up from the settee.
I just want to say just wait and see if things settle down I have been feeling much better the last weeks with only 3 days of pains which were mild and nothing like before ,I think maybe stress played a big part of the symptoms as I was constantly worried about the symptoms hopefully things will settle down for you also.
Hi there - I think I have replied to your post incorrectly - sorry - I am new to this :).
Thankyou for your reply your situation sounds very similar to mine at the moment. My mind is in a whirl trying to put a label on what is going on then immediately come up with a remedy which I want now !! I have taken a lot of comfort from your post due to your symptoms starting to settle down. I hope this remains the case for you
Once again Thankyou- it really has diffused some of the fear that is beginning to build.
Endoscopy will find h pylori if present. You must stop your ppi 2 weeks before testing.It’s a very tough cookie so you must take the meds as directed. Two common antibiotics used for first line treatment is amoxicillin and metronidazole. Your body will not accept alcohol with metronidazole so not even a sniff during treatment or a few days after ( it will make you very sick)
Hi There - No - I don't think I have specifically. I have had generic blood tests which have shown no infections but I will mention it to my Doctor as the symptoms you outline are exactly those I am experiencing at present.
I have taken Lansoprazole for many years for acid reflux.
Thankyou for your reply I really do appreciate the support - I've not turned to the internet b4 for help & this morning my mind has been in a whirl - just stopping & reading these posts has been really beneficial.
Well I had blood tests all came back fine. Then I was sent away and told it was ibs. I don’t know why doctors dismiss h pylori so easily when it’s estimated that half of us carry the bug.
in reply to
Yes almost everybody carries H.Pylori at some point.Just some thoughts that may help.The real culprits tend to originate from over use of pharmaceutical antibiotics,poor diet , sugar, alcohol, high carb processed junk food,poor dental hygiene.The gut microbiome is where it makes or breaks the cycle.
The things that replace the good bacteria which keep things in check are..Natural fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, will also kill this pathogen.So regular consumption will keep things in check.Probiotics,Natural biotics are found in plant based foods, polyphenols, quercetin, tumeric, cayenne pepper.These will also knock out h.pylori.
Taking Pharmaceutical antibiotics short term will cure it but if you return to old eating habits you are most likely going to repeat the cycle.Take a serious look at what you ingest and reset the microbiome it is why people who do live long and free from inflamation.
in reply to
Well I hope I never see it again. 20 percent of those who have it never clear it.You hear from some that believe it can be cleared via natural herbs. I’m not a believer that this can happen. Most who have it deal with it ok and never know but it can get hold if you suffer illness or stress. Or if your low it can creep in. Kids are the carriers tbh and like I who have kids have had the lot. It’s a lottery like everything. You can eat ginger root of rub garlic into your forehead to cure the common cold but at the end of the day wash your hands before you eat or touch your face is the best advice I could ever say
Hi so sorry you are suffering - have you looked into SIBO? I'm awaiting results from my endoscopy that I had in December. My Gastro is checking for this - I've lost 3stone in weight, have you noticed any weight loss? . I found taking a PPI short term (2 months) really helped but then it started making me feel sick & light headed, I have stopped using them since dec 26th & have started taking Alflorex once a day, I'd given up most dairy & wheat for quite a few months whilst following a low FODMAP diet, I've recently started re-introducing wheat into my diet & I think, with the Alflorex I am able to tolerate it with only a little bloating. Cheese seems to be fine too but haven't reintroduced cows milk as I'm happy with almond milk.Hope you get some answers soon, it's horrible when you can't put a name to what is causing such debilitating symptoms.
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