Is this GERD, IBS, Perimenopause or Other?

[kmbell]

Since posting my last question at 37, I have just now turned 39.  I had a year and a half of stomach aches, severe acid reflux that had to sleep sitting up in bed for 3 months, severe bloating, diarrhea, constipation, anxiety, 4 panic attacks, humming off and on in my ears, smelling strange smells, sinus attacks, eyes wattering and itching, anal and vaginal area gets dry and have  itching attacks, nauseau sometimes in am, throat itching spells, some bloating to sever bloating at night - look like I am 3 months pregnant, get air pockets in stomach as can feel them, gas, metal taste and now bitter taste on tongue.  I have been diagnosed with Raynaud's Disease in my hands and feet and I have 2 thinning discs in lower back with slight bulge to left side in L4 and L5 area.

I had colonoscopy, endoscopy, hormonal blood tests, gastric emptying test, CT scans of stomach and pelvic area, Ultrasound of pelvic area, Ultrasound of the stomach and organs, cancerous urine testing, fatty stool testing of bowel movement over 3 day period, acid tests, B12 tests.  You name it and everything came back normal.  I had 2 tests that came back with different results - gastric levels and fatty stool - one doctor was positive and another was negative.    

I lost 20 pounds as the food I was eating was not sticking and my immune system and digestive system were not working together and told doctors this but they did not listen to me.  I had every test done for digestive issues and all came back normal from CT scans to colonoscopy and my body after 8 months said time out!  So far 4 gasterologists later from 4 different hospitals  - a total of 7 doctors all together.  The only thing the gasterologists could come up with was to diagnose me with IBS - trash can diagnosis and anxiety and all wanted to give me a low dose antidepressant but in reality no one knew what was wrong with me and seriously thought about going to the Mayo Clinic in Florida.  I told them to go take a hike as that was given to my brother and he is no longer with us anymore.

So I went on my own diet thanks to a nutritionist out in California who helped keep some weight on me during all the doctors visits and horrible tests. My body is very sensitive to those drinks you have to take before scans and radioactive iodine and all - which one made me break out in hives the next day and the drinks made my skin turn yellow and blue and have a panic attack right in the doctors office.  

I now take 50% soluble and 50% non-soluble natural gluten free fiber everyday, take 1 natural multi-vitamin, 1 align pro-biotic and 2 viactive chews for calcium every day.  I have stuck to a 95% gluten free diet of eating lots of brown rice, vegetables, some fruits, white meats and more natural sugar like agave syrup and have not had any milk products for over a year and I started working out and doing pilates to keep my stomach calm.  I have been following this regimen since this summer and finally gained back 5 pounds and the anxiety and panic attacks have subsided a bit and other symptoms are not so severe.  Sometimes I have to take an acid reflux pill or digestive enzymes as I tend to get so bloated but that is once in a while.  My friends say I look so much healthier now but not 100% perfect.

I also have been keeping track of my periods and they have been consistent since being off the pill of 17 years for over a year now.  I will say my vaginal area and anal area gets very dry and my period sometimes ghosts and this past month was late.  I also have noticed that my worst symptoms - those mentioned above take your pick as it changes monthly but I get 3 days of an attack and comes right around day 12, 13 and 14 when I am ovulating.  My periods start typically right on day 24 of the cycle and lasted sometimes for 12 days but lately is now about 8 to 10 days and sometimes it is just there and no flow and then gets really heavy.  I just get the sense that all these crazy things have happened to me like my mom when she turned 37 but she was diagnosed with full fledge menopause at 39 and my grandmother at 35.  I have not had the hot flashes yet and my blood tests a year ago did not show that much fluctuation in hormone levels.  

Lastly, I bought a ph balance home test.  I was curious to see if maybe my ph levels are off.  I took the tests in the morning each day before 9 am and noticed that my acidic levels and alkaline levels fluctuated everyday and maybe got one to 2 normal readings a month.  I would taste metal on my tongue about 4 months ago and this month it is  a bitter taste on my tongue which is something new - every month is always a surprise as never know what new symptom will have for that month.  Once again, one of the symptoms that I mentioned in first paragraph comes to revisit and I never know what it will be each month but yep started on day 12, 13, 14 during ovulation.  So I drink apple cider vinegar and water mixture and usually that makes it go away the next day but not working with this bitter taste.

So here is my question - is it all related to early menopause or something else?  I have now been living with this for 2 years and thankfully I have it mostly under control but will I have to live like this forever and do I simply just have IBS?  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.  I have a gyno appt on Monday and will be taking my journal with me to show my gyno and see if he will retest me for perimenopause.  I am scared to turn 40 now as my mom said that is when she got the hot flashes and she was in the hospital with the hives as well - menopause was not fun for her - must be her Hungarian/European blood in me? Ha, ha  Thanks for your comments ahead!

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the GERD forum.

The poster u r replying to has not posted since 2010 and may no longer be an active member of this site.....u may want to create a new thread or post a question to one that is more recent.

I am not sure what ur issues are as I did not read thru the lengthy post.

[jaimekochan]

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME ANXIETY. BUT I THINK IT IT IS DUE TO TOO MANY PROGESTERONE AND MAYBE BIRTHCONTROL WILL HELP. DID THEY EVER FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS FOR YOU?