BULGE LEFT SIDE WITH BOWEL CHANGES, FAST HEAR RATE AND MORE

[Karounio]

Please HELP ME.  I have been struggling with a terrible digestive / gastric problem for over 1.5 years now and have dropped to 98 pounds consequently.  The GP I was assigned to was so sure I was simply not eating, he refused an exam, refused to feel the bulge etc. Oh yes.  I have now had to drive 2.5 hours to my original GP and will be back next week again, but in the meantime, I am scared to even eat much.  IT BEGAN way back with bowel changes.  I went from a lifetime (49ish years) of literally relying on laxatives every night to suddenly never needing one again. Not only that, but within just hours of eating (say 6), the food was back out of me and often undigested completely.  IE: Whole peas, half a pea pod, strings of what I assume was cheese and so on. I thought they were parasites, but apparently not.   I began to lose weight. Within 2 years I went from 142 to 98 lbs.  Then I began to literally pass out after eating. Such an overwhelming and sudden feeling of snapping into a sleep that often my face begins to fall into my plate unitl husband yells "wake up and go to bed honey!"  (he is worried).  I have a lot of mucus in my stool as well.  Sometimes food goes right through me, totally dependant on what exactly I have eaten. I ate 15 shrimp with Cus Cus and 6 hours later - watery stool. I eat chicken and it is not watery, but still 6 hours later it is out, Cus Cus whole and all.  I have a big appetite later at night as well as more energy for some strange reason.  SERIOUS NIGHT SWEATS AND FAST HEART RATE. My heart races moments after I eat. I mean I can see it coming out of my chest. I have lost fat as well. IE: I must now wear bra stuffers and my thighs hang there in wrinkles - very embarassing.  I have the odd dizzy spell too. MOST IMPORTANT IS THIS....Just 3 weeks ago I rolled over in bed and my hand was there under my side. That is when I noticed a huge bulge in my left side.  That bulge appears EVERY TIME I EAT ANYTING AT ALL. Now it includes my back. I mean the bulge sort of sticks out my side around to the very left part of my back.  I forgot to mention the very first bite of food sends me into a rumbling very audible in the tummy and very smelly gas. I have gas all the time where I never did before.  My lower belly extends very hard and tight anytime I eat anything. All this mess has made me very frightened to eat much as I am afraid I am going to have a heart attack or ruptured colon somehow.  PLEASE....CAN ANYONE HELP ME IN KNOWING WHAT TO DO UNTIL NEXT WEEK WHEN I RETURN TO MY GP 2.5 HOURS AWAY.  I am really, really afraid at this point.  God bless you in advance. :)

[Karounio]

I have been diagnosed with:  INTERNAL POSTERIOR HERNIA and it may be Petit's Hernia related to sciatic neuropathy (causing intestinal neuropathy).  I have had serious back issues for a long time in fact. I have 3 hernias (lumbar, thoriacic and cerival) and stenosis in each location all which were at moderate stage in 2005, but progressive and the lumbar noted as "rather marked". Seven years later, with much more pain, I don't have to be a physican to say it is much worse.  I have had terrific pain management all along, so often forget just how bad the pain really is.   MY QUESTION NOW IS THIS:  Diagnosis #1..YES.  Diagnosis #2 as to the cause - not confirmed.  Question is...now what?  I still cannot eat more than a couple of bites, thus remain emaciated, as anything causes great discomfort and of course the hernia to pop out and all sorts of gastro trouble. I am afraid to eat now.   I am told the surgery to too major (!!??) I have had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy, but this does NOT include the small intestine...does it?  Oh woa is me.  I feel like I am dying before my eyes and no one is helping me fix it.  It has been 2 years now.  CAN ANYONE OUT THERE HELP ME.  Can anyone refer me to a good ortho surgeon or I guess anyone who can help in southern Ontario. I imagine I am speaking to the U.S. though...aren't I?   Any advice will help....thanks.

[Karounio]

Well, GUESS WHAT.....I have been diagnosed by both my original (and reputable) GP in Toronto and world renowed gastroenterologist as having:  internal posterior hernia. Further, it could be a Petit's Hernia related to sciatic neuropathy (causing intestinal neuropathy).  I have had serious back issues for a long time in fact. I have 3 hernias (lumbar, thoriacic and cerival) and stenosis in each location all which were at moderate stage in 2005, but progressive and the lumbar noted as "rather marked". Seven years later, with much more pain, I don't have to be a physican to say it is much worse.  I have had terrific pain management all along, so often forget just how bad the pain really is.   MY QUESTION NOW IS THIS:  Does anyone out there know about these hernias or even just posterior internal hernias.  Knowing this now, does not yet change the fact I have trouble eating as anything causes great discomfort and of course the hernia to pop out.  I am told the surgery to too major (!!??) Well then...what do I do now?  Oh dear.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without a clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms. Possibilities that may need to be considered include chronic malabsorption, GI infections, inflammations, parasitic infestations, GI motility issues, laxative overuse, hormonal/ endocrine abnormalities, growths/ masses etc. I would suggest getting this evaluated by a primary care physician or a gastroenterologist for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Meanwhile you could try taking semi-solid food with moderate fiber content and see if this seems to help with your symptoms.
Hope this helps.

Take care!