What is wrong with me?

For the last 10 years I have been on a roller coaster. A week after I got back from Thailand I started to experience a whole range of problems mainly to do with stomach / bowel and other associated problems.

I have been like a human guinie pig over this time. I've had 3 colonoscopy's / endoscopy's, endless blood tests / ex rays / ultra sounds the list goes on. In the process I discovered I am border line hyperthyroid.

I have a whole range of problems that seem to have a life of there own they come and go and come and go. The last 6 weeks I have been experiencing IBS type issues with mostly discomfort in the lower bowel along with constipation. Does anyone have any suggestions? At my request my Dr has given me a prescription for a low dose of PTU.

[greygoose]

I always distrust a 'diagnosis' of borderline hyper. Hyper is one of those things you either are or you aren't. I would want my antibodies tested - all of them! TPOab, TgAB, TRAB, TSI - just to make sure.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your response, you make a very good point, one I'd never considered (re: either hyper or not)

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

What exactly were your results? Can you post them here, with the ranges? It will give us a better idea what's going on.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Ps: my TSH is 0.28 (I'm getting the other 2 done I had a blood test done a few days ago)

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Well, I wouldn't call a TSH of 0.28 hyper. But, it does depend what the others were. I would expect someone with hyper to have a suppressed TSH.

[humanbean]

You went to Thailand ten years ago and haven't felt well since? Have I understood correctly?

Both Genova Diagnostics and Blue Horizon do stool tests that look for parasites and check on lots of gastrointestinal things. I haven't used them myself, but I hope to when I can afford one (they are expensive). Be aware that someone will have to interpret the test results for you and you will need to take that into consideration when ordering a test. There isn't the knowledge to do that on Thyroid UK that I'm aware of.

See these links. In each case do a search for the word "stool" and see what comes up :

gdx.net/uk/

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/

privatebloodtests.co.uk/

privatebloodtests.com/

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

Another thing... If you do a stool test you should follow the instructions given here regarding diet before the test :

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

False negatives and false positives are common when checking for blood in poo, and it is one of the checks that every stool test should include. I would suggest giving up all supplements for a week before testing too. Vitamin C (for example) can give a false negative.

[Cariad-y-Mor]

Hi BG1954 - not sure where you live but if it is mainly gut symptoms and definately after a visit to Yhailand you could ask to be referred to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine......just a thought. I know somebody who had to go there and they were brilliant.

[humanbean in reply to Cariad-y-Mor]

There is also a London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, so both ends of the country are covered.

[loueldhen]

I went to Burma 30 years ago and had likewise. From perfect health to really ill for 14 months - much exploration but no answers from the medical profession. You have to heal yourself. There are no pills and instant answers. In desperation, I put myself on a meat fish veg and water diet and after a couple of weeks began to improve. I have 'never been the same since' but with hindsight I reckon food poisoning and mould/humid exposure led to a leaky gut. Eating only proper food definitely saved me. It's not necessarily forever. Once you feel your body better you can try a wider diet. It can't hurt you and it might cure you.