unknown symptoms

[JoStarz]

I am in my 30's and I have been having the same problem since I was about 17 and I'm wondering if anyone can help. I get a severe pain in the space in between my ribs and the "attack" can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 4 hours. I can only eat certain foods and "this thing" causes me not to gain weight. When I get the "attack", I get sooo weak and very nauseated and it feels as though I'm being slammed with a sledgehammer there until its over. Years and years of doctors, tests and hospitals have all come up with the same thing, Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I've read the symptoms and I don't have most of them. My mom died 10 years ago from Colon Cancer. When I tell "doctors" this, they tell me I'm too young to get checked and I'm "not old enough to have it". Could this all be related or could it be something else??? I also claw at my skin for the past 3 years at night and people say its stress or hives.  Sorry so long. I need answers.

[Kudos3131]

Just thinking -- itching and hives can be allergies, maybe try to find a good food allergist.  Otherwise I'm pretty sure itching can be related to other stuff (kidney or liver, but I'm not sure) and the last person to post was right -- keep trying new docs!  Don't give up!

[individual]

I've been told too many times that I'm too young to have whatever it might be, and it makes me angry! I think that is a cop-out by doctors who don't have the answers but feel the need to say something. Change doctors, insist on the tests, and keep changing doctors until you find one that will help you.
Good luck.

[Nanny]

You say you have had years of tests yet you did not specify what tests had been done to reach the conclusion of IBS.  Have they checked you for gallbladder obstruction, bilary obstruction, pancreatitis or sphincter of oddi dysfunction?  You also said you could only eat certain foods, but did not say which foods are untolerable to you and that you can associate with causing these pains.

I can understand your fears about colon cancer, yet feel that the doctors would have ordered a colonscopy to check for that if there was any indication that this was a possibility.

If these problems persist as they have, I would suggest you find another digestive disease specialist and ask them to keep pursuing this until they can find the true cause.  Good luck.

Nanny