Digestive Problems & Back Sensation

  : I've got some weird stuff going on with me since early July.  One day I woke up and didn't feel well--lots of lower GI gas and loss of appetite.  Went to lunch that day and I could hardly eat any food; when I did, I got kind of queasy.  The next day I had some mild diarrhea.  I seemed to recover although appetite never went back to normal but improved.  One week later, I had an exact repeat of symptoms; however, added to this was some very mild burning sensation in stomach--no heartburn.  This cleared up after a few days.  Again, appetite was still low and I became easily full.  Then, one week later as I was beginning to get 100 % again, I started with diarrhea.  Loss of appetite, feeling of fullness followed in a few hours.  Went to gastroenterologist who suspected and treated me for giardia.  While on treatment, I had a gradual improvement of appetite/diarrhea.  Also want to mention that stools had lots of mucous.  Stopped Flagyl and was gradually, happily returning to normal.  Appetite almost normal, bowels great!  Then, one week off Flagyl I had a diarrhea attack and immediately lost my appetite and had the fullness problem.  Due to all of this I have lost about 10 lbs since early July.  Now my bowels are again very much improved however I am noting that I am getting small, twitchy feelings occassionally in the area of my stomach where my esophagus probably meets my stomach--no pain though.  And when I eat, I have a dull ache in my upper left back, right beside my spine and near my shoulder blade (yes, left not right side).  This ache lasts the whole time I eat and for a short time afterwards.  The less food I eat, the less ache!  No back ache in the morning when I wake up.  After feeling this for several weeks (it started with the Flagyl treatment I think) I have definitely determined that it is related to food consumption.  I also am belching ALOT--even with water.  I have an appt. Tuesday with my gastro doctor to have a flexible sigmoidoscopy.  I know this is the "wrong end" so to speak but during my last appt. with him my bowels were the more serious concern, even though the upper GI area was a problem too.  Any ideas here?  Gallbladder maybe?  Hiatal hernia?  As I said, no heartburn, no pain.  I am a 34 year old female, nonsmoker, nondrinker, etc.  My CBC and sed rate tests were normal as are thyroid function tests.  Thanks.
  : Christine
Dear Christine,
I agree that you should have a flexible sigmoidoscopy first. As you stated, your first symptoms were related to nausea, diarrhea , mucus in the stool and weight loss. The clinical presentation is consistent with an infectious cause. You did not mention whether stool cultures, ova and parasite exam and stool for C. difficile toxin were sent. Did you recently travel prior to your illness? Were you on antibiotics prior to developing diarrhea? Can you associate this illness with any particular type of food? Did you eat out at a restaurant? Did others around you develop a similar type of illness? The flexible sigmoidoscopy is a good first test to look at the lining of the large intestine and see if inflammation is present. Biopsies (tissue samples) taken during the flexible sigmoidoscopy can give your doctor more information as to what is beneath the lining of the large intestine and to whether infectious organisms or other abnormalities are present.
Some of  your more recent symptoms, i.e. belching, left sided back pain, midepigastric abdominal discomfort related to food intake can all be associated with esophageal and stomach irritation secondary to the Flagyl. If the lower GI work-up is unrevealing and your symptoms persist, an upper GI work-up may be indicated in the future. I hope everything turns out well with your procedure and that your symptoms improve. I hope you find this information helpful.
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