Update after Colonoscopy, CT scan and whats worked for me so far.

[Gerdman21]

So ill start off by quickly bringing anyone up to speed, for the last 8-9 months I was having irregular bowel movements and abdominal pain. Ive been told I have Gerd, Diverticulosis and a Hemorrhoid. After the CT Scan there is a tiny cyst on my liver and on my pancreas, however the doctor says its nothing to worry about and we will monitor it as the years go by. I have a endoscopy scheduled for the end of May for the lingering pain.

I have changed my diet, limit my greasy food to a minimum, along that i have completely stopped drinking alcohol and coffee (i miss coffee the most).

All of the changes have helped in more ways than just gut health, ive lost weight, i look healthier, my skin looks better, my bowels are almost returning to normal, my cholesterol has gone to healthy levels, and my blood pressure is also on a healthy level.

Aside from the diet here is what has so far worked for me, i hope anyone can take this information and make it useful.

1. i kept going to my doctor asking for every test i can take, having peace of mind will help your anxiety and help you feel better. keep getting checked if things feel off. bug your doctor if you have to. just check things off as you go forward. you want peace of mind and that will help your gut. (i am not a doctor so take the next piece however you want). I dont take any of the medicines they prescribe me. the doc tried to put me on a PPI, i tried it for a month and came off of it for my own personal reasons. if they work for you, then do you.

2. meta mucil helps. I was having this feeling of not emptying my bowels, everytime i would go to the restroom i always felt there was more, but it wouldnt come out. Meta mucil helped out alot. I only take 2 tea spoons at night before bed, the next morning i let everything out, and then again later in the morning. the feeling of releasing everything helps with anxiety as well. I dont take this every night, just whenever i feel i am not going normal, ill take a couple teaspoons before bed.

3. Breathe- Breathing exercises and meditation really help control your brain. whatever you are into just take 15 minutes a day to do this. Ill do it in the shower early morning, eucalyptus oil and sounds of rain, breathe in and focus on your breathing, reaffirm yourself that all will be fine. this is more for a mental aspect, but it will help you out.

4. go for walks every day. make it a habit. start small, but build the habit to go walking daily. pop in the head phones and go walking. it helps your bowel movements. do it after eating dinner. I usually go after lunch, then again after dinner.

5.see a naturepath doctor. have that doctor take your blood to see what vitamins you are deficient in. supplement those vitamins and retest two months after. Take care of your health, do not look for a one pill fix all solution. be mindful of what you eat and how you feel after. this part costs money and effort, but youll be glad you spent the money knowing what your body needs. i was looking at videos trying to find solutions, i was taking magnesium because i heard it was good for digestion, only to find out i wasnt deficient in magnesium. i was taking vitamins i wasnt even deficient in and had no idea.

6. Paleo-zyme- this supplement worked for my bowels, will it work for you? not sure, everyone is different. I tried various supplements, however this one worked the best so far. as i narrow down what is going on with me, it seems to point me in one direction, but ill require more testing to find out. My bowels came out bland yellowish, very soft, and smelled of sulfur, also alot of the time they were floating to the top of the water. so that leads me to believe i either have too much gas or little bile is being produced. Ive had my liver checked and it passes all the checks, however this paleo zyme has helped with the color, size and how soft the stools are. they still float, which makes me think it can be a gas issue. this is working so far for me so ill continue to use it.

so far these are the steps i am taking to get back to normal, actually to get better than normal. Ive learned from all of this, we are our first line of defense to our health and we must prioritize it above all things. Physical and Mental health go hand in hand, its hard to do, but its worth the fight.

Ill post my updates after my endoscopy.

so far my abdominal pain has gone down about 85%, my bowels are getting more and more normal, my anxiety and stress has gone down significantly.

i get pains around my upper left and right Abdomen, very light pain now, nothing compared to how i felt a few months ago when i was going to the ER for the pain.

I hope you all are getting better, and i hope anyone can take this info and find it useful.

take care all.

[meadfoot]

Thank you for such a thoughtful and thought provoking post. So pleased you are finding a life track which is helping you and for sharing it here. Many of your symptoms related with mine so I understand your thought processes. Good luck with your up coming endoscopy. Continue to thrive and share your findings.

[Gerdman21 in reply to meadfoot]

Thank you! Appreciate the support

[userotc]

Wow, a thorough record - well done.

For most, I suggest they go straight to your point 5. Many will consider the cost but imo a reasonable cost for better healthcare is very worthwhile so find a qualified Nutritional Therapist that specialises in gastro.

Far better than "apparently free" NHS doctors (if in UK) that are often part of the problem by only treating symptoms via drugs, as your point 1 indicates. Sadly, for conditions such as GERD, the treatment is also generally inappropriate!