They keep telling me I am a complicated case...

Where do I start...I have abdominal PAIN, alternating diahrea and constipation, TONS of gas, abdominal distention (especially lower and upper right), I literally CAN NOT burp, gas gets trapped in my intestines also, mucus in my stool, vomiting.... I also have burning during urination and urgency....I have been coughing a lot and wheezing, and I am coughing up a lot of very thick phlegm with brown and red streaks...I get tingling and numbness, only in my left leg, especially when I am having a bowel movement...I have been to so many doctors and I feel like they are just brushing me off becuase I am 22 years old, but there is something very wrong.....I have also lost a lot of weight, from 120 to 97 in 3 months...The GI specialist I just went to ordered blood work and now I have to wait over a month to go back, I feel frustrated and I am in so much pain...I also have 7 swollen lymph nodes in my neck, 2 in my abdomen, 1 in my groin and 2 in my calf .....I feel like no one is listening...help

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Difficult to say without examination.   Abdominal pain, alternating with constipation and diarrhea can be indicative of irritable bowel syndrome.  

I would also exclude more serious causes like inflammatory bowel disease, and this can be done with a colonoscopy.

Regarding the chronic cough, you can evaluate this with chest imaging, either with a plain film of CT scan.  

Chronic GERD can also lead to a chronic cough, and if suspected, can be excluded with a 24-hr pH study or upper endoscopy.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin Pho, M.D.
www.kevinmd.com
www.twitter.com/kevinmd

[SLT86]

Dr. Pho
I have already been diagnosed with IBS, but I don't feel it could be causing all of the symptoms I am having.....I was also diagnosed with GERD about 4 years ago and have been on nexium 40mg twice a day for it since, and this is the first time I have gotten this cough....What about all of the lymph nodes?

Thanks

[Banned1]

Please call your GI and tell them about your weight loss.  I am not a Dr. and therefore unqualified to respond to your post but I am worried about you.  There are so many things this could be including gallbladder, sphincter of oddi dysfunction, pancreatitis, etc.  Isn't it also possible that more than one thing is wrong with you and the onset of one problem triggered another?

Doing your own research can only help.  Check out the "First Principles of Gastroenterology", http://gastroresource.com/GITextbook/en/Default.htm.  I would take special note of the biliary system, Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction and pancreatitis.

There are a few less invasive tests such as the Endoscopic Ultrasound and MRCP-S that can image the whole thing including pancreas and ductal system.  These might be able to get you the diagnosis you need to get on the road to healing.

Are you taking Metamucil or a similar daily fibre product?  This is a great help for MANY people and might help your symptoms.   It does not make you go, it makes you regular by adding fibre to the watery stools, making them firm.    

It helps to keep a journal or a blog and your welcome to read mine if you want but I write a lot (can you tell).  :)  It's a great way to review your situation objectively and identify patterns in your foods, symptoms, medications and pain level.  Hindsight is 20/20 and keeping a log might help you look at things more objectively over the longer term.  Also, when you do go into Emergency, you can say, this has been the pattern...

You are not alone!  Try to stay positive and reach out for support when you need it.  Talk to your Doctor, family, friends, co-workers, church or social service volunteers or anyone you feel safe with.  

Search the web for Yahoo! groups.  Once you have the page where you can search the Yahoo! groups, search or "sphincter".  There are about five of them.  Only two of them are really worth joining.  Michele's is by far the best as she is a registered nurse and an uncommonly kind, empathetic and supportive woman.  Maddi's group is wonderful, too.  Just put in a request to join and within a day or two, they'll let you know that you've been accepted.  Hopefully, if you join, you'll say "Hi" to me there?

When you do find answers, it would be wonderful if you could let us know the root cause(s) and how you got rid of your pain.  It gives people on this site hope to hear success stories.

Take care of yourself.  Good luck and Godspeed.  All the best,

Sam

[mifegr]

Irritable Bowel Syndrom (syndrome) just means "You have a lot of bowel problems and we don't know what they are or why."  Get a really good work up from a good Gastroenterologist.  Have all the tests he recommends.  Try to be patient.  I know your suffering.  And I'm so sorry.  But you'll get better.  I had worse bowel problems than you and I'm better.  I'm a nutritionist now.  Anyway, get all the tests and teatments that a good GI doctor can offer you.  If you get no where, go see a holistic doctor.  I tell ALL of my patients to see both a traditional doctor and a holistic doctor.  And don't see a new age holistic dr that does all kinds of esoteric tests and treatments.  Find one that is really reputable.  The best I know of is Dr. Don Colbert in Florida.  You might even go see him.  Good luck and God bless you.