Really need some help

[vivalis]

Ok, I'm going out of my mind trying to figure this out and I could really use some input from others.  I am a 25 year old female.  I have had these issues for about 3 years and they seem to be getting worse.  

I am almost always 100% fine in the morning, and start to get extremely bloated after eating lunch (no matter what I eat).  It is like clockwork.  The gas is pretty much uncontrollable.  It almost always smells like sulphur (rotten eggs), which is horrible.  Sometimes it gets better as the day goes on, but never really goes away until I go to sleep and I always wake up fine.  On bad days, it continues full-fledged until I go to sleep.  My stomach feels very acidy and raw - like when you drink coffee on an empty stomach.  It bubbles and I can feel the gas moving around inside me.  I also have IBS-like symptoms where i vacillate between constipation and diarrhea, although the constipation is much more prevalent.

The bloating always begins after eating lunch and sometimes begins while I'm eating lunch.  On the weekends, I usually end up sleeping so late that I only get 2 meals in, and my symptoms are barely ever present.  I eat the same kinds of food for breakfast/dinner on the weekends that I do for breakfast/lunch/dinner on the weekdays, so I am totally confused.  I eat a really good diet with lots of whole grains, fruits, and veggies.  I don't eat red meat at all and I don't eat much dairy.

I finally found a doctor that took me seriously, and she has performed a lot of tests.  I had an endoscopy, colonoscopy, celiac's test, bacterial overgrowth test, lactose tolerance test, and a small bowel follow through.  All of these came back normal, although the endoscopy showed gastritis and possibly an ulcer forming (but no H. pylori).  I've been taking Prilosec everyday since I found out about the ulcer, per my doctor's instructions, but the symptoms have persisted.  I never really had ulcer symptoms, so I'm not really sure how that is related.

I was on Amitiza (for IBS-C) for awhile.  It seemed to help for about a month, but the symptoms returned after that.  I stuck with it for about 6months, but it is too expensive to not really be working so I stopped recently.  Now, my doctor has me taking Colace everyday.


Does anyone have any ideas?  Can anyone help me?  What should I do next?  My doctor wants me to have a camera endoscopy, but I don't know if my insurance will cover it.  I feel like the solution must be more simple than that because since all these tests have come back negative, how could it be that serious?  All I know is that I am miserable and willing to try anything.

[marymagdeline]

My stomach used to bubble and I could feel the gas moving around in my stomach too.  It was much worse when I ate anything fried, greasy, meat (except fish), or dairy of any kind.  That's probably why I thought you had the same problem as me.

[marymagdeline]

I am "mifegr" (I had to get a new name...long story).  I just reread your post and what I wrote to you.  I REALLY think that you should get the Heidelberg Gastrogram test done (google this).  It is a very easy test to take and completely accurate.  Yo really shouldn't be taken anything to get rid of the stomach acid or to increase the production of your stomach acid until you know if your stomach is producing too much or too little.  I really encourage you to get this test.  To answer your question, the hcl works immediately.  Also, try taking Activated Charcoal capsules to get rid of the gas.  If your gas is really bad, you may have to take 5 at a time to get relief.  Let me tell you a little something about myself.  Years ago I had burning in my stomach.  Constantly.  No dr could tell me what was wrong.  The I had the Heidelberg test.  The dr said that my stomach was really alkaline.  He had never seen anyone with such an alkaline stomach.  Even when they did a "challange" to see what my stomach acid would do when food was in it, it didn't secret any acid.  So, he put me on hcl.  And eventually, it cured me.  It took like 2 years.  Now don't screw around with hcl before getting the test.  I apologize with all my heart for giving you that advice.  Taking a good probiotic can never hurt anyone, and might help. I wish you all the best...NOW GET THAT TEST : )

[vivalis]

Hi!  I'm sorry to hear about your stomach troubles, but thank you for replying to my post.  I have never been checked for gall bladder problems.  I do get stomach cramps some times, but I always figured they were related to gas.  Sometimes they can be really bad.  It is like a gnawing pain in my lower abdomen.  I only get them maybe once a week, so I haven't been paying as much attention to them as the bloating/gas/heartburn.

The Pericolace does seem to help.  It makes me less constipated, although I'm still not great.  It does seem to cause some bloating...but I seem to always have that anyway so it's hard to tell.  It works about as well as the Amitiza did for me, but it is a lot cheaper (I use the Walmart brand) so I like that. :)  I hope the Amitiza works for you.  I had some strange side effects with it like exercise-induced asthma that was weird.  Be careful!  The breathing trouble wasn't too bad...I definitely wouldn't tolerated it if it had been helping my stomach more.

I started the HCl pills, a digestive enzyme supplement, and another probiotic as another commenter suggested.  I'll keep this post updated about my success with those.  If it helps me, maybe it will help you!  I am also going to look into the yeast-connection.  I wish you all the best.  This is not a fun way to live!

[vivalis]

Thanks for your suggestions!  I went out and bought everything you recommended.  I am up to 4 HCl pills per meal, and I still haven't felt any negative side effects from it.  My symptoms seems little better so far, but are still around.  Maybe I just need more?  I am cautiously optimistic.  I need to look into the yeast-connection more seriously as well.  Does the HCl usually start working immediately, or does it take awhile?  I've been taking it for about 4 days...slowly increasing the dose.  I discontinued the Prilosec.  Thanks again!

[cobalt8]

I could have written your posting myself!  I'm also a 25 year old female and have had problems for about 6 years.  I have IBS-C and my main symptom is extreme bloating.  It is always present and definitely worse after eating.  I have just started taking Amitiza, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything except making me more bloated.  Is the Colace helping you?

I had my gallbladder removed 5 years ago and have been taking Nexium for acid reflux since that time.  I have had a lot of the same tests as you - endoscopy, Celiac (negative), bacterial overgrowth (positive), and food allergies (some).  I have done a few treatments for the bacterial overgrowth which helped at first, but then I think they started to make me worse.  It is hard to tell what is going on since nothing seems to be consistent other than I constantly feel terrible!

Are you having any stomach pain?  Have you had any tests for your gallbladder? Have you been tested for food allergies?  I've noticed that my symptoms aren't as bad on the weekend either, but I think that is because I'm less stressed out since I'm not at work!

I know exactly what you are going through and hope you find some answers.

[mifegr]

What I meant to say above was that...Tests that traditional doctors do to find yeast and parasites do not always show that there is a problem when there is a problem.  Also, the best test to determine if you produce too much or too little hcl is called a Hydelberg Gastrogram.  See if you can find a holistic dr. that does this.  It's rare, but you may get lucky.

[mifegr]

Yes, have the endoscopy done.  Ask your dr. to test your stomach's ph while they are down there.  Even if it comes back normal, it still may be your problem.  I am a nutritionist and I have seen people with this problem.  Sometimes it is due to NOT enough stomach acid.  That means when you eat, your stomach doesn't produce enough acid.  The symptoms for this are the same as they are for too much acid being produced when you eat.  Traditional dr.s don't understand this problem or know how to treat it.  Sometimes it's a result of too much harmful bacteria in the gut (tests traditional doctors do test for this well enough.  Even if it comes up normal, you may not be).  In fact, people with yeast OFTEN have too little hcl.  So you could have both problems.  Find a Holistic m.d.  A good one.  Not a new age one.  One that is holistic but also works out of a hospital.  Tell him you want him to test to see if you have yeast and/or too little hydrochloric acid in your stomach.  In the meantime, you can try taking hcl capsules.  Get them at the health food store.  Pure hcl, no other digestive enzymes added. (Buy Omega Zyme by Garden of Life if you want to take a digestive enzyme with no hcl in it with your meals too)  Take 1 cap of hcl with each meal.  If you feel no stomach burning, take 2 with the next meal, if you feel no stomach burning, take 3 with the next meal and so on until your stomach burns a little.  Once it does, go back one pill.  For instance, if you don't get stomach burning until you take 3 with your meals, take 2 from now on with your meals.  Eventually, you'll get burning with that amount (it could take weeks or months), then you pull back 1 tablet until your off them.  This is how you cure the problem of too little acid in the stomach.  You stimulate your stomach to start producing it on it's own this way.  Also, get the tiny, little book called, "The Bible Cure for Yeast and Candida." by Dr. Don Colbert.  Read it and follow the diet.  This may help too if you also have yeast.  And take a good probiotic like Primal Defense Ultra by Garden of Life.  Get the capsules.  You can probably get the book off Dr. Colbert's web site.  Very easy to read.  Good Luck!  PS  This probiotic and digestive enzyme is the best on the market.  I really recommend you get them.  I'm sorry I don't know of a good brand of hydrochloric acid for you to buy.  Ask at the health food store.

[coughting]

You dr will make sure the test is approved by your insurance.  Just ask them to make sure they have pre-approval and you should be fine.  I definately would have the test.

good luck and let me know what the test shows.