What is wrong with me?

[Paula20018]

I cook very healthy (bake or broil) for both my husband & myself.  I have cooked healthy since we found out my grandpa had many many things wrong with him (diabetes, gout, high blood pressure, stomach issues, you name it-he had it) because my grandma cooked Hungarian style.
For the past month (since approx 03/20/09) I have had stomach issues: nausea/vomiting, very soft stool/diarhea, migraines, extremely severe lower abdominal pain, extremely severe gas. (The gas & soft stool has been extremely toxic) which I have never experienced before until the past month.  I waited to go to a gastrologist because I didn't have the money for the copay.  I was just informed that urine & stool came out normal.
If everything is normal, then what is wrong with me.  All of this very painful.  EVERYTHING I eat goes through me anywhwere from 20 minutes to 1 hr.  I can't go anywhere or do anything except sit on the toilet & throw up with a small trashcan on my lap.  When I have errands to run, groceries, etc I can't eat until I come home and being diabetic isn't good for me not to eat something.  I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place.  This is beginning to get me real depressed and I'm not a depressing person.  I try to keep my spirits up.  
This is worse than my chemo treatments last year.  MCV in Richmond, VA called it a liquid chemo for HEPC.  I was on a 48 week Interferon & Ribiviron (spelling?) treatment.  I am 98% cured.  I contracted HEPC in the late 1970's from a required emergency blood transfusion.  It laid dormant for over 30 years and the doctors said the diabetes probably brought it out.  Red count cells went down to 8.2 at one time.  Everything else seems normal, excellent heart, EKG, etc.
BUT now I have this extremely severe and very painful stomach issue.  Please help me try to figure out what this could be.  I am scheduled for an Endoscopy & Colonoscopy on April 30th.  My husband's insurance ***** and medical costs and copays are too expensive for us, since he is the only one working right now.  INSURANCE INCREASES IN JUNE 2009.
Just today I experienced a slither of stool.  I don't usually look at my poop, but did today.  It was the color of orange, like a neon orange, with a slight hint of yellow.  I have to be very discriptive in order to help you figure out what is wrong with me.  My apologies.  Please help as soon as you can.  Thank you so much!

[Paula20018]

Thanks for writing.  No, I haven't been checked for gall bladder or pancreatic issues yet.  I just recently mentioned to my GI that my aunt (mom's sister) died last yr of pancreatic cancer.  Also mom (breast cancer), maternal grandma (stomach cancer) and dad (colon cancer). So he has that in his notes now.  Endo & Colonoscopy this April 30th, will hopefully know more after those tests.
Skim milk has never bothered me before, but I have decreased my milk intake too. I used to drink 2 gals per week, now it's far less than 1 gal per week.  I will try what you suggest.  Thank you for your concern. Paula

[CalGal]

Paula, that orange color could indicate some form of fat malabsoption, and the yellow could also suggest that you're pushing food items through faster than is normal - which you intimated. Have you been checked for gallbladder or pancreatic issues? Both conditions can cause looser stools and misery. You may want to maintain a very low fat diet to see if that's of help.

And if your eating the activia for the probiotic quality, stop the yogurt and try some probiotics in capsule form. There are many good brands on the market. For some with GI issues, dairy is not a good thing to take in.

[Paula20018]

Thanks for commenting and making suggestions on my diet.  I apologize if it sounded like I was on a different diet.  I have eaten the same for years, (fresh (not canned), fruits (certain ones without too much sugar), 100% whole wheat bread, etc., other than increasing a little fiber as the dr suggested last year.  Everything you mentioned as what to eat, I already eat those things.  NO MATTER WHAT I EAT GOES THROUGH ME & now I am also vomiting.
The gastrologists has a nutritionist in his office and I wrote down everything (to help her) to try and figure what's going on with me.  I should know this Thrusday April 30th from the Endoscopy and Colonscopy.  Probably won't be online right away, I have an extreme low resistence to any type of meds and evrythig puts me to sleep for awhile.
I have also tried the Activia on my own, before the dr said anything.  The more Activia I eat, the worse it gets.  So right now, all I am taking is my normal meds simvastatin & metformin daily.  Thank you again for your suggestions.  This change in my system just began a month ago, out of the blue yonder, with no change in my healthy diet.  This is what's so puzzling.

[ggreg]

I forgot to add something that might help your digestion go back to normal more quickly, and that to get some probiotics in your bowels, by drinking Acidophilus milk (Nutrish is one brand) or eating Activia yogurt for a week or so.  It restores the good bacteria flora to your digestion.  Also, for a few days, put some real blueberries on your oat cereal, it also helps the digestion and that small amount won't cause a problem when combining with other foods.

[ggreg]

Well, the simple answer to all this is for gosh sakes go back to the way you were eating before you began this restrictive diet.  The likely reason you have diarrhea is because you're probably eating waaaay too much fiber foods like vegies and fruits, and those can also give you gas which hurts, and since they make waste go faster thru the bowel, that's what can turn it orange.

Look, you've already had diabetes, Hep C, and chemo treatments, so before you go and change your eating habits again, consult a nutritionist.  Now, let me also add that when you eat, you should be eating whole wheat bread, oat cereal, and salads, daily, and fresh vegies when you can get them from a Farmer's Market.  When you eat fruit, eat them by themselves as a snack, otherwise you'll get gas.  You have to eat a balance of the food groups AND you have to eat plenty of food, to where you feel full and refreshed.  You also need to drink plenty of water, but not too much... four to six glasses is fine.

There are ways to cut fat and still enjoy sour cream and butter when making dinner, and you don't need to eat millions of vegies at the expense of no noodles or no rolls.  It's hard to advise you because I don't know exactly what you're eating, but basically plez go back to exactly how you were eating before all this happened, and talk to a nutritionist after your guts settle down once again.