Aa
Everyone says I'm 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
I sent you message...it should be in your inbox, if not let me know and I'll send it again
Thanks so much for the recommendations....I have a family history of Diverticulitis, but when I had a colonscopy 2 years ago they didn't see anything.....I can't believe that doctor told you to suck it up!!! Well, I CAN believe it, but it just makes me so frustrated and angry...I agree, I wish doctors could go through what we have to, if even for 15 minutes, before they tell us to do things that aren't physically possible.....I totally understand about the working out and working, I had to quit my job and exercise is sooo hard, but sometimes it helps afterwards so I really try to incorporate a little everyday....We bought a recumbent stationary bicycle because that is fairly easy to do, and I have an awesome yoga DVD that has different workouts for digestive issues, back and shoulder pain, etc....and lots of stretching so I don't get so stiff, the bone and joint pain is bad enough, I don't need to be stiff too....How did your appointment go? Hope you are doing well!
sounds like hiv to me,,,or cancer,,lymphoma maby
this would explain the swollen lymph nodes,the stomach issues,the diahrea,,everything,,,you should get checked and then rechecked!!
this would explain the swollen lymph nodes,the stomach issues,the diahrea,,everything,,,you should get checked and then rechecked!!
Well sometimes the pain in my abdomin will creep across my lower back. I've also been very tense lately and my neck and shoulders are quite tight. I have allergies which leads to congestion and I was given an inhaler for that. I have weird bouts of insomnia then I'll sleep for like 12 hours. I haven't been working or exercising so I am tired alot. We're like two peas in a very messed up pod...
I looked up some stuff involving your symptoms. Maybe you should check out Diverticulitis, bowl obstruction, chron's disease, small bowl bacteria overgrowth syndrome. Some of the symptoms match yours, its always worth looking into.
I got a reply on my question to the Dr that I posted yesterday in the chronic pain forum. He said that I should go back to work and more or less "suck it up" (the pain) or it could lead me to feeling trapped. He also suggested seeing a gastro-intestinal surgeon (which I will do) and he believes that I do not have IBS.
I understand about physical activity and that it's helpful but the last time I tried exercising I ended up so sick my husband wanted to take me to the hospital.
So I posted my question to another doctor and hopefully I may get alittle more insight. Sometimes I wish doctors would have to go through what we've gone through in order to understand how we're feeling and sometimes just "sucking it up" doesn't work anymore.
Anyway, I'm hitting the hay but I'll be back tomorrow and I'll let you know how my appointment went. I'll also check with some of my nurse friends and see if they can come up with some ideas for you.
Stay positive!
I looked up some stuff involving your symptoms. Maybe you should check out Diverticulitis, bowl obstruction, chron's disease, small bowl bacteria overgrowth syndrome. Some of the symptoms match yours, its always worth looking into.
I got a reply on my question to the Dr that I posted yesterday in the chronic pain forum. He said that I should go back to work and more or less "suck it up" (the pain) or it could lead me to feeling trapped. He also suggested seeing a gastro-intestinal surgeon (which I will do) and he believes that I do not have IBS.
I understand about physical activity and that it's helpful but the last time I tried exercising I ended up so sick my husband wanted to take me to the hospital.
So I posted my question to another doctor and hopefully I may get alittle more insight. Sometimes I wish doctors would have to go through what we've gone through in order to understand how we're feeling and sometimes just "sucking it up" doesn't work anymore.
Anyway, I'm hitting the hay but I'll be back tomorrow and I'll let you know how my appointment went. I'll also check with some of my nurse friends and see if they can come up with some ideas for you.
Stay positive!
Wow, I am so sorry you had to go through that!! I am really intrigued by all of the similarities in our cases.....I also feel like I have something major undiagnosed, not a cluster of Endo, GERD, IBS and other things they have diagnosed me with because they can't figure it out....obviously it is something throughout my whole body.....Do you have breathing difficulties, cough, muscle spasms, bone pain or fatigue (some other things I am dealing with...)? I think thats really good that you are going to go to a GI specialist, hopefully they can help...I went to one in San Francisco that is supposed to we world renown, and I wish I could get back to see him but I live about 5 hours away.......I am amazed at how hard it is to find a competent, caring doctor these days....
I hope your comfortable because this may take awhile...hehe
December 1999 I started my period but was having a lot more pain then usual. I really didn't think much of it so I went about my business. A few days later the pain was worse (my entire abdomin was hurting) so I went to a walk-in clinic and was told (without any tests) that I had an STD. I totally dismissed that and went home. The next day the pain was still there so I went to another walk-in and was told (with only a physical test) that I had an inflammed colon so I was given anti-inflammatories and sent home. That weekend the pain was soooooooo bad that I got my sister to take me to the hospital. I ended up having all sorts of tests done (CT, MRI, internal ultrasound) but the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. On December 22 they scheduled me for surgery but in the morning the surgeon said that if he operated I might die. In the afternoon after the frontal lobes of my lungs collapsed and my stomach looked liked I was about to give birth (it was so distended) they performed emergency surgery on me, cutting me from my belly button down to my public bone and low and behold my appendix had ruptured and my entire abdominal cavity was septic.
After they stitched me up and let me recover I went home to become reinfected and had to have my stitches removed. So for the next three months I watched as this gaping hole in my stomach slowly closed. I was not given any post-op information so I ended up getting a blood clot in my lung which was sooo not fun.
About a year later I was still having pain and bowl issues so I went for a colonoscopy which the conscience sedation did not work and I felt EVERYTHING! I screamed so bad that they couldn't finish and diagnosed me with IBS and a hyper sensitive colon.
It took me years to figure out how to deal with my symptoms and it's been a long hard road. I finally got into a routine, went to school and became a health care aide (or nurses aide) which I thoroughly enjoy but it is a very stressfull job.
This September I started having a lot of pain again (started with my period of course) and after an internal ultrasound (where they found a fybroid) MRI and Ct they decided to do a laporoscopy and removed scar tissue from my bowls and right ovarie and fallopian tube. The surgeon said he could understand why I had so much pain but said that the scar tissue wasn't the cause of it.
That leads me to today where I can't work and I have no idea why my bowls and stomach are so mad at me to cause me so much pain. I see the doctor tomorrow where I will insist to see the surgeon and get a referral to a GI specialist. I also may be advised not to return to work which bites because this is not a good time anywhere to be without a job.
During all of this I have learned to do as much research on my symptoms as possible and more or less be my own doctor. I also work with nurses so that really helps too.
I also think I have some undiagnosed issues but all my tests seem to come back ok, or so they tell me.
December 1999 I started my period but was having a lot more pain then usual. I really didn't think much of it so I went about my business. A few days later the pain was worse (my entire abdomin was hurting) so I went to a walk-in clinic and was told (without any tests) that I had an STD. I totally dismissed that and went home. The next day the pain was still there so I went to another walk-in and was told (with only a physical test) that I had an inflammed colon so I was given anti-inflammatories and sent home. That weekend the pain was soooooooo bad that I got my sister to take me to the hospital. I ended up having all sorts of tests done (CT, MRI, internal ultrasound) but the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. On December 22 they scheduled me for surgery but in the morning the surgeon said that if he operated I might die. In the afternoon after the frontal lobes of my lungs collapsed and my stomach looked liked I was about to give birth (it was so distended) they performed emergency surgery on me, cutting me from my belly button down to my public bone and low and behold my appendix had ruptured and my entire abdominal cavity was septic.
After they stitched me up and let me recover I went home to become reinfected and had to have my stitches removed. So for the next three months I watched as this gaping hole in my stomach slowly closed. I was not given any post-op information so I ended up getting a blood clot in my lung which was sooo not fun.
About a year later I was still having pain and bowl issues so I went for a colonoscopy which the conscience sedation did not work and I felt EVERYTHING! I screamed so bad that they couldn't finish and diagnosed me with IBS and a hyper sensitive colon.
It took me years to figure out how to deal with my symptoms and it's been a long hard road. I finally got into a routine, went to school and became a health care aide (or nurses aide) which I thoroughly enjoy but it is a very stressfull job.
This September I started having a lot of pain again (started with my period of course) and after an internal ultrasound (where they found a fybroid) MRI and Ct they decided to do a laporoscopy and removed scar tissue from my bowls and right ovarie and fallopian tube. The surgeon said he could understand why I had so much pain but said that the scar tissue wasn't the cause of it.
That leads me to today where I can't work and I have no idea why my bowls and stomach are so mad at me to cause me so much pain. I see the doctor tomorrow where I will insist to see the surgeon and get a referral to a GI specialist. I also may be advised not to return to work which bites because this is not a good time anywhere to be without a job.
During all of this I have learned to do as much research on my symptoms as possible and more or less be my own doctor. I also work with nurses so that really helps too.
I also think I have some undiagnosed issues but all my tests seem to come back ok, or so they tell me.
Lol funny you should mention it, my boyfriend and I have been seriously discussing it recently.....Thanks for the advice, I did send it to the experts on here so hopefully I will get some advice and help....I have looked up info on swollen lymph nodes, it says it is usually an infection if they are swollen in your neck, but when they are in multiple areas of the body it is usually more serious......I don't know....I did try going on Webmd. and got frustrated because it told me stuff that I already know, like the fact that I have Endometriosis and GERD....but those wouldn't cause this degree of problems.....Can you tell me a little about your surgery? I have had 2 laporoscopic surgeries for Endo, one when I was 18 to diagnos the Endo my OBGYN was sure I had because my mom had it and my symptoms, and one about 14 months ago....
Too bad you can't come to Canada!
Well it least sounds like your new doctor is being straight with you. It ***** that you had to go through those tests and get brushed off like that. I wish I had better advice for you but I know that all the tests and doctor's visits cost you money. I hope you send this question to the doctor's here maybe then can suggest at least who you should see. I would post it in as many places as possible to get a timely response from someone.
I know that usually when your lymph nodes are swollen that means you are fighting an infection, same with your white blood count being off. Hmmm...try going to webmd.com as well. There you can put in your symptoms and it will show you information on what might be going on. It's not concrete but maybe it can lead you into the right direction. I hope things get better for you soon..if you need to talk I'll be around..
Well it least sounds like your new doctor is being straight with you. It ***** that you had to go through those tests and get brushed off like that. I wish I had better advice for you but I know that all the tests and doctor's visits cost you money. I hope you send this question to the doctor's here maybe then can suggest at least who you should see. I would post it in as many places as possible to get a timely response from someone.
I know that usually when your lymph nodes are swollen that means you are fighting an infection, same with your white blood count being off. Hmmm...try going to webmd.com as well. There you can put in your symptoms and it will show you information on what might be going on. It's not concrete but maybe it can lead you into the right direction. I hope things get better for you soon..if you need to talk I'll be around..
Thanks Ruthy66....I went to the ER about a month ago (I felt I needed to go to the ER because I had been constipated for 4 days and I had to resort to doing a fleet enema and when I had no results, I got really nervous and the pain was horrible) the doctor took blood work, did a CT scan and pelvic exam (all he did with the pelvic exam was take a swab and look at my cervix and said it "looked ok")....The doctor sent me home saying that he couldn't find anything wrong in the blood work or CT scan....But when I got home I looked at the blood work report and there were exclamation points and up and down arrows all over it and so I decided to look it up on my own....In the differential some of my white blood cell counts were too high and some too low, potassium was low, glucose was low....and also my new GI doctor was looking at my medical history from my last doctor and found blood work he did in June 2008 that showed elevated liver enzymes and she said she didn't know why he hadn't investigated that more (I was also told back in 2003 that my liver enzymes were really high and the doctor accused me of drinking alcohol even though I have never had any.......see what I mean about feeling brused off)...I found the lymph nodes after my last Dr. appt so I haven't had them biopsied yet....I also don't know what type of doctor I would have to go to, and can't waste money going from doctor to doctor anymore.....
Wow, that really sounds bad. sometimes in order to get tests done and fast you have to take yourself into the emergency room and tell then you won't leave until they've figured out what's wrong with you. I had to do that this September because I had so much pain, I couldn't work and my doctor was taking his sweet time in getting anything done. So I went to the nearest hospital, sat there all night and let them do as many tests as they could. If the test was negative I asked what else it could be and to test that. At the end of October I ended up having surgery to remove scar tissue from my abdomin from a previous surgery. I'm still in pain but not nearly as bad. You have to demand care sometimes which really ***** but sometimes it's all you can do.
Good luck with everything!
By the way I was 22 when I had my first surgery so I can understand about not being taken seriously!
Good luck with everything!
By the way I was 22 when I had my first surgery so I can understand about not being taken seriously!
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