Ermmmm....

[Penhas]

So I'm on this weight loss kick because I've been having stomach trouble for the last nine months, one of the symptoms of which is a dire rear if you get my drift! However the increasing levels of vegetables and fibre are making that symptom worse if anything!!!!! Am hoping my poorly sick colon adjusts soon, and in the meantime, hope buscopam helps

[moreless Administrator SS Supercook 7 stone]

Hi Penhas,

Has you doctor advised following a weight loss plan? If not, my advice would be to seek their approval and advice before you go any further. I'd hate to think you were doing yourself any harm.

Take care of yourself.

[Penhas in reply to moreless]

Not so much advised as ordered! they told me very bluntly my symptoms were because I was fat! I was told to go on a six month no fat no sugar diet and then go back. I'm not being that extreme and I'm waiting for an appointment with my GP on Thursday to get a second opinion but in the meantime am trying to show willing. Most of the symptoms are being alleviated, to be fair. My colon however is not at all happy!!

[moreless Administrator SS Supercook 7 stone in reply to Penhas]

I'm very relieved to hear that you're seeing your GP for a second opinion, because there's something very dodgy about being told to have no fat! We all need fat for a healthy balanced diet.

I'm no expert, but I think your diet needs to be looked at a lot more closely.

I'm sure there are a number of members of this forum who have similar problems and will probably be able to offer much better advice than I'm able to.

Maybe you need to cut out refined carbohydrates and sugars and google low fibre foods for some assistance with what's healthy to eat without making your symptoms worse.

I'm so sorry not to have been able to helped you more.

I wish you health and happiness.

[Penhas in reply to moreless]

This is something I've been trying to get to the bottom of since January, and my GP plus radiologist both feel it is gallbladder related, but the gastroenterologist I saw last week just dismissed it as being fat. So while I'm not disputing I could shed a pound or two, I think she's overlooking the real problem. So yes, diet will need looking at, if they could just find out which part of me isn't working properly

[moreless Administrator SS Supercook 7 stone in reply to Penhas]

Hi again,

Gallbladder is something I can relate to Mine started with terrible pain over my liver, radiating into my back and up onto my shoulder, which I wrongly self diagnosed as indigestion.

It wasn't constant and would go away long enough for me to forget about. However the time between these incidences got shorter and being someone who doesn't go to the doc's unless something's literally hanging off, I put myself on a diet, assuming that my excess fat was the cause. I lost 4st and the low fat, high fibre diet helped enormously. I thought I'd cracked it, but the pain came back and I couldn't ignore it. I was forced to take time off work, something else that I never did, and go to see the doc. He took one look at me and said, "you're not feeling well are you!" By this time, I was convinced I had liver cancer and was about to meet my maker. After listening to my symptoms for about a minute, the doc diagnosed cholecystitis and was on the phone to the hospital getting me booked in. That was Friday am and on mon am I had my gallbladder removed.

I'm sorry this is a bit long winded and has probably veered off course a bit, but my point is that I didn't have the same signs and symptoms as you and it was an easy diagnosis for my doctor.

I hope this has helped you and that you haven't dozed off from boredom.

Good luck.

[Penhas in reply to moreless]

Hi, actually, that pain you describe is exactly what I have. And the low fat diet is helping. I think my upset tummy symptoms are partly stress related due to the daily pain flare ups - my colon is very emotional! 😂 so yes, while I do accept a bit of weight loss and increased fitness would certainly help me, I don't believe that's what's causing my pain.

The so called specialist I saw last week is referring me for a colonoscopy to check for colon cancer - for which I definitely don't have the symptoms. I think there is far more likely to be a diagnosis of IBS to explain the upset tum, and bloating, and I'm hoping my GP will refer me for the test for biliary dyskinesia.

Thanks for your story, it's helped strengthen my convictions.

[moreless Administrator SS Supercook 7 stone in reply to Penhas]

Thank goodness I was able to help

Write everything down before you see your GP, that way you won't inadvertently miss anything out.

I can't wait to hear how you get on.

Hope your symptoms give you a bit of a break. Take care.

[Hidden]

Hi Penhas, my weight loss drive was the result of doc advice regarding stomach troubles too - I was told to cut out wheat and cheese and drink fennel tea. I was 2 stone overweight and faced with an investigative operation (already had a gastroscopy, but much less keen on a keyhole op which may or may not be recommended at my next appointment in November). My stomach troubles were basically self-inflicted as a result of drinking too much (combined with stress), and I was in a weight-gaining spiral from side-effects of medication and feeling uncomfortable when I ate, losing touch with when I was feeling full etc. Also, as a vegetarian, it has been suggested that eating too many veggies might have been a cause too!

So - here's my advice. I stopped taking all the rennies, buscopan, omeprazole etc, not straight away, just gradually, and tried to listen to my body instead. Annoyingly, my stomach complained less when I had smaller meals - this was lesson number one. You need to fill up on fibre, yes, but not loads of it. Everything in moderation. Next, the quite yuck-tasting fennel tea I was recommended to drink actually really helps (I make it more palatable with a half teaspoon of honey). Peppermint tea helps too. If you regularly drink these two types of tea it will definitely help your stomach. You can even get something called 'tummy tea', but I think that just contains fennel and peppermint which are cheaper to get on their own. Lastly, I don't know if it was cutting out the dairy or the wheat, but I was reacting to something there, so I've kept that up, and am really feeling the benefit now. It might be worth asking your doctor about that too. Wishing you lots of luck, and really recommend looking at herbal teas

PS I was also worried I was being 'fobbed off' with the suggestion that losing weight would help, but I had another appointment lined up (6 months down the line), so I knew if losing weight didn't help I would be able to go back to the consultant and get further advice. Maybe make sure you have a similar follow-up appointment set up, something to aim towards while you try to lose some weight?

[Penhas in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for this advice. I don't drink, and I'm not taking any medication and already eating low fat small meals - these do make a difference which is why my GP thinks it's gallbladder related.

I think the fact that 3 healthcare professionals have been convinced it is gallbladder disease makes me more determined to get the test to rule it out - instead of the ridiculous tests the gastro consultant requested that I don't even have the symptoms for. So I am showing willing but the annoying thing is, so much has now changed I can't tell what is helping the symptoms any more!

I guess the GP will give me more advice about that on Thursday.

[Hidden in reply to Penhas]

Okay - good luck for Thursday! I have no experience with gallbladder at all, mine is being investigated more in relation to possible endometriosis, but the gastroscopy showed I had ulcers etc too, pretty yuck. Good thing you don't drink, at least that's one less thing they can suggest you try to change yourself. I now drink very little, which also helped. I understand what you mean about losing track. I've made so many changes it's difficult to know which need to be kept up long term and which don't!

[Fran182716 in reply to Penhas]

Hi penhas, I'm sure your not looking forward to the colonoscopy, but it's worth having, some of your lower bowel symptoms sound a bit like colitis and the colonoscopy would check for that as well, and that's something that can be managed quite effectively with diet lifestyle change and medication. I'm not a doctor but think it's worth ruling that one out. Hope your appointment goes as well as it can x

[Portlandprincess]

Can't help pen, but wishing you well...and keep going back to the Drs if the symptoms carry on!

[Penhas in reply to Portlandprincess]

Thank you