5 years

[geno1]

I am a 28 year old caucasian male, used to always be healthy and normal. Starting about 5 years ago I suddenly had abdominal pains and digestive problems. Lots of gas, strange stools, and mild pains. Mostly constipated and slowed down, but occasionaly diarrea (diarrhea). Right away I found milk aggravated the problem, so I have been basically dairy free. Blood in stool a few times a year. Also about once a year I get an extremely painful attack/episode at about 5AM. It feels like something wrong deep inside. They last about 10-20 mins. Then eventually I will have a bowel movement and start feeling better.

About 2 years ago, I started having new problems in addition to those above. Heart pounding really slow and hard at times, random muscle twitches, head pains in different places on my head that last a few seconds, ear aches that last a few seconds, and bad headaches that can last for hours. Also 'mental fog' or lethargy or lack of focus, everyday. This is my biggest complaint. I am a programmer and im not able to work now. Seems to be affected by what I just ate, but I can never pin it down to one food. AND, strangest of all, I seem to get gas/pressure in my sinuses. Literally gas seems to build up in my sinus cavitys, and bubble out at my eyes, or come out into my nostrils. None of my doctors have ever heard of it. And everything seems to act up at night after ive lain down for bed.

I have had many blood tests, colonoscopy w/ biopsy, abdominal CT, stomach endoscopy w/ biopsy, sinus xray, M2A pill cam, abdominal ultrasound, stool fat & parasite tests, hida scan w/ cck, & skin ***** food allergy test for 20 foods. All unremarkable.

I have tried prevacid, imipramine, levsin, and prednisone. The prednisone did help with the mental and i felt better during the day, but always the same symptoms at night. My small bowel biopsy showed no sign of celiac, but Im trying gluten free diet anyway. 6 weeks so far, no help or change. Doctors have talked about Irritable Bowel, Inflammatory Bowel, and Marfans... but no solid diagnosis for me.

1. Recently my iron serum level tested for the first time. It was high at 176 ug/dl, fasting 14hrs. My doctor thought nothing about it, but I heard about a disease Hemochromatosis. Shouldnt I be tested for this?

2. Im worried about the sinus pressure/gas. Have you EVER heard of this? What kind of doctor should I see?

3. Any ideas in general?

thanks! sorry long post!

[Kevin Pho, MD]

To answer your questions:
1) Hemochromatosis can be tested by measuring the ferritin level.  This can be considered if the symptoms are continuing - although they are not characteristic of this disease.

2) A sinus CT can be done to evaluate the sinuses.  An ENT would be the appropriate specialist to evaluate these symptoms.

3) You have had a pretty comprehensive GI evaluation.  You can consider more specialized testing including a gastric emptying scan or esophageal motility studies.  

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

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, M.D.
kevinmd_b

[yoshi]

In anatomy, the lower esophageal sphincter is the muscular area where the esophagus meets the stomach. It is also known as the gastroesophageal sphincter and the cardiac sphincter. The sphincter serves as a one way valve. During peristalsis, the LES allows the food bolus to pass into the stomach. It prevents chyme, a mixture of bolus, stomach acid, and digestive enzymes, from returning up the esophagus. The LES is aided in the task of keeping the flow of materials in one direction by the diaphragm.

Deficiencies in the strength or the efficiency of the LES lead to various medical problems involving acid damage on the esophagus.

[yoshi]

to neutralise gas,try charcoal tablets,extra strenghth gas x,baking soda mixed with water,alka selzer,or chewing gum.
It would not cure your problem,but bring some relief.
When do you eat in the evening?
try not to eat 3 hours before bedtime,if possible,eat something alkaline ,not acidic,like soda cracker.
Try eating red delicious apple and see if it makes any difference.
Keep a daily log of what you eat and when you eat

[geno1]

thanks for the tips. :)
Dinner is usually my largest meal. The only other way it differs is I will have more meat and more veggies then other meals. I have tried being careful not to eat late at night. Note that I can and do get bowel pains and 'events' at any time of day.. but something about bedtime, it acts up the most.

And I do get reflux sometimes. Even all the way up to my mouth. But no heartburn. Maybe I will try doing my eating early in the day and nothing in the evening at all.

Im worried about the sinus gas thing. It must be coming up from my stomach, but why doesnt it take the path of least resistance and burp out?!

Oh I forgot to mention another one of my weird symptoms above. After I urinate I still have a significant amout of urine that can leak out, for example if I go and sit down. So I have to be through when I go.

[yoshi]

for your sinus problem,have you tried any of those allergy pills,note that you have to decide whether it is the drowsy  or non drowsy formula,depending on when you want to take it.
I had that problem just yesterday and the allergy pill works for me.

[diamond79]

Have you found out what is causing the sinus "gas"? I am having a similar thing happening which is mainly at night when lying down. I tried to look all over the internet but couldn't find anything to explain it. I am scheduled to see an ENT in Jan. 20. I will definately ask him what it could be. I am guessing it is stomach/intestinal related because I do have alot of digestive problems.

[geno1]

No I havent found out. My problems started as digestive problems, so I figure it must be coming up my throat. Also Ive felt and heard things that make me think that.

Maybe its hydrogen or some lighter then air gas?? One doctor told me the body absorbs gas but didnt know why it should collect in my sinus. Let me know if you get an answer.

[cura]

'BUBBLE HEAD'!!!  I would be perfectly fine one minute, then I would have a 'spell'where my head would begin to fill up with pressure, like it was being blown up, (just like when you inflate a balloon breath by breath.) Pressure feeling increasing gradually until I felt my eyes bulging out and sometimes pressure in my ears, like ears popping when you drive up a mountain. This would last from several minutes to half hour, then it would gradually subside by itself. The only thing I could ever relate it to was bending down movement would sometimes seem to trigger it, but not consistantly.

Over the years I had everything checked out by many, many Doctors (as you did) All results were always normal. No one i have ever met in my life (I am 53) ever described having this except you. (i can't believe it) Some years it would bother me less, some more.  

Finally three years ago, I decided, on my own, to start checking my blood pressure. At the Doctor's office it had always been  completely normal (120/70, 123/72 etc). I decided to get a good manual blood pressure cuff and start checking it twice per day and any time I had the bubble head feeling. I found out the lower number would often range from 72-93. The upper number would sometimes go to 135. I told the Doctor, who said it was very boarderline and there was no evidence of my pressure ever being high in his office. So, He had me journal entry it for several months, three times per day. Finally he put me on a very low dose of a blood pressure medicine. (Diltiazem) I haven't had any episodes since. It stopped. It has been three years.

People say blood pressure is the 'silent killer' etc. that you can't feel it. Now, looking back, I think: I was highly sensitive and could FEEL the blood pressure fluxuations in my body. I think that that was what the bubble head was all along. It is completely gone now.  

I will also say that for several months I went off the med.

             1. I wanted to see what would happen, (if bubble
                head would come back)
             2. because I was so boarderline in the first place
                that the Dr. didn't think I needed to be on  
                medication, I felt it would be OK for me to
                try this.
                I do not reccomend anyone ever doing this.

Result: when I went off the blood pressure medicine, the bubble head episodes returned. Blood pressure would be slightly elevated when I had bubble head.  

I have suffered from this on and off since I was 18 years old. Almost 35 years. People would always say "Oh, it's probably sinus problems' For a long time I thought I had a brain tumor, but had no other related symptoms. I even had a head cat scan and other head tests. Always normal results. Sometimes I would shake my head to try to get rid of it. No otc medications worked.
It is completely gone now. I sincerely hope this will help you.
By the way. I have never posted on any web site before in my life, but when I read your situation I had to tell you this.

[geno1]

interesting thanks for the info. :) Im borderline high blood pressure also. I'll ask my next doctor about it.