Stomach problems for over a month and a half

[AmandaLou]

I have been having stomach problems for almost a month and a half now. It started out that every time I would eat I would get VERY bloated and gassy. Then about a week later it turned into nausea after I ate. About a week after that everything I ate give me a terrible pain about 3 inches above my belly button. After a while the pain just stuck around and I had it all the time. The pain also spread from above my belly button all the way down till about 3 inches below my belly button. When the pain started becoming constant I got concerned so I went to the doctor. This started a line of many doctors visits and a lot of different tests. I had and upper GI X-Rays, two ultrasounds of the GI track, one of the abdomen, a full cat scan, urine tests, stool samples, and finally a lot of blood work all of which came up normal. I finally was in so much pain that I called my doctor for some medication to help lessen the pain; his response was to go to the ER because it could be some rare acute Appendicitis. The ER is where I had the cat scan done. Everything again came up normal. About a week before I was in the ER I noticed these red dots on the back of my hand and I did not think anything of them because it just looked like dry skin but the day after I was in the ER I got those same bumps on my feet but they were VERY itchy unlike the ones on my hand. It took about three days for the itching to stop but the bumps have not gone away. Yesterday, about a week and a half after going to the ER, I found those bumps all over my body. They are on my legs from the knee up, all over my butt, side, stomach, and back. They don't itch but i really don't understand where they are coming from. I did not know if these "bumps" could be associated with all of my stomach problems.

Throughout all of this my stool has been inconsistent. There was a time when I did not digest anything. My food would come out almost whole (kind of like what happens when people eat corn). Sometimes I would have very loose stool and sometimes I would be so constipated that it would add to the already bad pain.

Eventually a few days after the ER the pain in my stomach has gone away and only comes back when I wake up in the morning. The feeling I have can be described like a nervous feeling or anxiety or maybe even period cramps. The pain is normally relieved after I start getting into my morning routine. I still get gassy and bloated when I eat and sometimes I am in pain. I have been trying to watch what I eat but it has been difficult because since this all started I lost 8 pounds and I now weigh 104lbs. I cannot afford to lose any more weight because I feel like I am just wasting away.

The final conclusion from my doctors is IBS but sometimes I feel like that is the last resort answer when they can't figure out what is wrong. I could really use a second opinion on what could possibly be going on with my body. I just want to feel like myself again and get on with my life.



This discussion is related to Problems with gas after eating.

[CalGal]

Did you tell the doc about the red spots? If not do so. In addition, ask to be tested for gluten problems. Many people with celiac issues get blotches or rashes. They don't get them all the time, but they do pop up and disappear.

You might also want to try an experiment for yourself. Cut all gluten-containing foods out of your diet for several weeks. That would mean take out everything that contains wheat, rye and barley. If that's the problem, you should slowly see a change in how you feel.