Tapeworms, celiac, IBS, what?

Hi, I'm new here and I'm hoping someone can give me some info. I'm 19 and I've been having a lot of gastrointestinal complaints. Such as stomach cramps, mucus in stool, hard stool that sometimes cause me to bleed, I have heartburn almost every night. Gurgling in my throat after I eat. It's like all this pressure in my throat. Like I constantly need to burp. I'm also passing gas...a lot. Also, ever since I was little, I would get vomiting episodes. but before I actually threw up, about an hour or 2 before I would burp, but it would smell of rotten eggs (which I think I heard is hydrogen sulfur). I've heard those rotten egg burps are sometimes associated with gastroparesis. I've also gotten dizzy spells off and on since I was little as well.

Anyway, for about 2 months, I've been seeing these white things embedded in my stool. At first I didn't think anything of them. I thought maybe it was just indigested food. But lately, my clothes have been fitting more looser than usual (not a dramatic loss of weight) it doesn't even say on the scale that I'm losing weight. Anyway, I've been tired more often, sometimes I have no appetite at all, other times I'm starving. And other times I feel too nauseous to eat food. I've been to a gastroenterologist, and he thinks that I have IBS. He tested my thryoid and celiac levels. My celiac levels were slightly elevated but nothing to be alarmed at. My white cell count was all slightly elevated. Mine was like 10.9 or something.But he wants to do a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. He also knows that I have severe OCD and hypochondria.

Ok, I promise I'm going somewhere with this story. I saw on google what proglottids (segments of tapeworms) look like and they look just like what I'm seeing. Plus it explains a lot of my symptoms. I called and told my gastroenterologist but he said that I'm probably just seeing mucus and that it's really rare, and stuff like that. It seemed as if he didn't want to listen to me. So I called my pediatrician (who isn't even my doctor anymore) and he was nice enough to send me a stool kit so he can send it out to see what's going on. My question is, do you think the doctor would be able to see tapeworms during an endoscopy? Do you think I should try and find another doctor since it seemed like he didn't even want to be bothered with what I'm saying? He's been in the practice for 30 years. Also, I've been hearing so many stories about people contracting infectious diseases like HIV and Hepatitis  because of using used needles and not properly cleaning the tools. How likely is it do you think I might catch something horrible like that? I'm very unsure of what to do. I also live in baltimore maryland if that helps at all.


Thanks for any help you can give me!

[beentrying2quit]

I have about the same issues you are facing.  Once I cut out all wheat & dairy products I noticed a huge improvement.  WHile I still fight some gas issues they are not as bad as before.  Doctors will almost always say "you dont have Celiac's disease" because they cant make any money off of it.  THe only way to treat Celiac is to quit eating Wheat, barley, rye & flour.  

Try doing that and let me know.

[Pamcakes72]

I have had a lifetime of gastro problems myself, to the point that I had nissen fundo surgery in 2002. Instead of helping, it turned my life into an absolute nightmare. I also have a 12 yr old daughter that was diagnosed with celiac disease a few years ago. Nightmare does not even cover it there. We are seriously struggling with making the dietary changes. I'm a single mother and the cost of the gluten free foods is beyond anything I can maintain. I've been on support groups galore, and instead of understanding and suggestions I got "well it's your kid, deal with it". easy for them to say!  

[beentrying2quit]

Hay Pamcakes,
For the support group not to "Support" you is without excuse...I'm not sure what to say about those people.  I also understand about the gluten free foods being expensive but I would recommend all fresh fruits and veggies along with beef, chicken, fish and turkey.  The only thing I purchase that is advertised as "glugen free" is a type of trail mix and gluten free oatmeal for breakfast.  Everything eise in my diet is purchased from the grocery store.

I wish I had a solution for you and could help.  The most difficult part of this diet for me was just the "discipline" to be able to walk past the dounts and cake.  I suffered many nights needlessly because I could not pass up desert.  Once I realized that celiacs disease would kill me made it a little easier.

Please keep trying and stay stron.

[GoingToMakeIt]

It doesn't have to be expensive.You will have to learn how to cook differently. Look up Gluten Free recipes. There are a ton of them. Get the ingredients at a Health food store or online. It gets down to you have to afford it or be sick. Tonight I made Rice noodles with spaghetti sauce and fresh spices. (Garlic, onion, Tarragon, tomatoes) I added parmesan. I cooked chicken in a fry pan and topped it with the sauce and simmered. Tasted like Chicken Parmesan. Served the noodles with the sauce. It was delicious and Gluten Free.

[CeliacFriend]

Hi Pamcakes, I am a celiac as well! It is true that gluten free food is quite expensive, but there are many snacks and meals that are NATURALLY gluten free. Instead of getting tortilla chips, get corn chips. Some soups are gluten free, like black bean soup. Also, Herr's chips are gluten free and white rice. I pack a lunch and it includes: oranges, bananas, kiwis, chicken, turkey, ham, tangerines, clementines, or potatoes. For breakfast, you could have eggs, turkey bacon(bacon, hot dogs, some hamburgers, and cold cuts are NOT gluten free! I made that mistake : ), potatoes, corn flakes cereal(if it doesn't have malt flavoring), fruit, mashed potatoes, tater tots, etc. For desert you could have ice cream, so that's definitely good. Being disciplined is not that much of a difficulty for me though, I definitely know(and am familiar with) the consequences of being "glutened" and it is NOT worth it. I am a mess for days. Also, try to find some cheaper gluten free stuff. I make a very tasty egg fried rice with gluten free soy sauce. I hope a helped! Good luck!