Please help.

[cutipup100]

I have bee having bad bowel movement for months now. They change in color all the time from dark brown, to reg. brown, very  very light colored and ever green. I have had blood in stool about 3 times over the last 3 months. I have been on meds basically this whole summer and had maybe a month break in between having I believe no meds. (these werent meds having to do with the bowel movements but they were meds for other things) my stomach has been hurting/painful, more so towards the middle right side, but all over the right side. I have also thrown up about 4 times within the whole summer (3 months) my stools are usually veryyy loose but sometimes I am constipated (but rarely) Can anyone help me with this situation? I don't know what to do. I have told my GI about my stomach hurting and throwing up and about the diarheea and constipation but not about the different stool colors. I have had such high anxiety lately, and every doctor thinks my problems are related to that, and that I need a therapist. I think there is a real problem here though. I would appreciate some help from anyone. Thank you in advanced.

[kirrali]

Have  a stress free, worry free relaxing holiday cutipup. It will be interesting to see if your symptoms improve after stopping the AB's.

[cutipup100]

no no one has said anything, they think im anxious and think its nothing....non can be told by a blood test? I am supposed to see my GI again in october. I don't know I feel like they think I am making things up. I didn't go in today but I might tmw. I will see how things go tmw. I am scared its really bad and a big problem. It just recently got like this. I think I am going to wait till im off this antibiotics. I am going to stop them wed. so If I can wait ill wait to go to a doctor after I come back. If not I will try and go tuesday or wed.I don't know what to say or do. Or how to approach it.

[kirrali]

Hey there cutipup,

I suggest you pop in to see your regular doc today if u can, that way if he refers u on to another specialist u can get it in motion b4 u go away.
Stool colour and consistency can change with our diet and can also be affected by medications especially antibiotics but any change in bowel habits really needs investigating. Two more suggestions Crohns or Ulcerative Colitis both of which r treatable but need 2 b diagnosed with a colonoscopy. Have they ruled out appendicitis? It could also be gynae related.
Off 2 work now have a great day and try not to worry too much.
Kirrali :O)

[cutipup100]

thank you so much for your detailed response. I did do a blood test for Coelic's which was negative I had a bunch of blood tests (I forgot what specifically but they had all come back negative.) I have no clue really what to do anymore about this problem. Should I wait until I get back which is the 31st? or should I not wait? Honestly this summer has been once of the worst ever and I need a vacation so bad so I am thinking of waiting and maybe going to my reg. doctor when I first come back. Or should I do so right away, like today? Thank you for the rest of your info, I will have to check it out. The pain on the right side is not unbearable but it does bother me. I feel like no one will listen (since Ive had a lot of things wrong and have been to 3 diff doctors numerous times this summer.) I am frustrated. Thank you again for everything. hope to hear from you soon.

[kirrali]

Hi Cutipup!
There are a few things that can cause symptoms that you are describing; here are just a couple of suggestions of what your problem may be - of course I may be completely off track. Please don't stress or freak out, these conditions are totally treatable with the correct management.
Has anyone ever tested you for Coeliac Disease? This is an intolerance to Gluten found in wheat and oats etc.
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS MAY BE: Diarrhoea and or constipation, abdo pain, bloating, wind, vomiting, depression, tiredness and lethargy, excessive weight gain or loss, anaemia, Vitamin and mineral deficiencies eg Vit D and calcium.
Are your symptoms worse after eating certain foods such as pasta or bread?
DIAGNOSIS: Your Doctor should be able to do a blood test but you should also ask for a referral to a Gastroenterologist and suggest they confirm the test by doing a simple Gastroscopy and a biopsy of your small bowel. If it tests positive you have to go onto a Gluten free diet which is a bit of an inconvenience but it will make you feel a whole lot better. I have several friends with this condition. Another suggestion :- your symptoms sound vaguely similar to mine. They suspected I had Coeliac but my tests were negative. I was sent to the Pathology department and had a Hydrgen Breath Test which showed that I have Fructose Malabsorbtion. So anything that contains Fructose or fructans such as apples, pears, honey certain veggies wheat etc I don't absorb in the normal way and get bad IBS type symptoms. For more info on this google FODMAPS or Fructose Malabsorbtion. I was also found to be Lactose intolerant. Do you ever get mucus mixed with the blood in your stool? If so you may need to have a Colonoscopy to check that you don't have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) again this can be googled for more info.
I hope you find the cause to your symptoms. I know how miserable it is to suffer with something for years and have doctor after doctor think that you are a hypochondriac! Be persistent and don't let them brush you off, they are working for you. Do your research on Coeliac, FODMAPS etc and dictate to them what tests you require.
I'm off for a glass of wine and will drink to your good health!!
Kirrali ;-D

[cutipup100]

Should I wait until I get back from my trip? on the 31st? or try and go to my reg. doctor first, for now? I had just went to my GI the other day I tell him my stomach hurts but It did not hurt in a specific place that day so I did not say that. My next appoitment for the GI is october 15th I believe.

[mama23babies]

I went to a specialist a GI but they are very knowledgeable in gallbladder issues. He did t he normal workup blood work, ultrasound, Upper GI and he just pretty much knew. He just had to make sure I didn't have stones first when I didn't he did the test. He pretty much knew from my symptoms that it was my gallbladder. He was an excellent DR who knew what he was doing.

[cutipup100]

I am on Omprazole for GERD and Doxycycline for acne. How can they fine out what is wrong though? what if it isnt the gallbladder? how did you or your doctor know to do the test?

[mama23babies]

The test they did for mine was called a papya(spelling??) scan. They put dye in your veins and make you lay they for almost 2 hours and scan. That was the only thing that showed mine being gallbladder.It will tell you what % it is working. What kind of meds where you on?

[cutipup100]

wow im freaked out :( ugh. I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know but I believe it started with the meds back in May and I have not fully gotten off meds ever since. What else do I tell my doctors? They don't believe anything is wrong. I had an ultrasound done on my abdomin and pelvic area and what was seen was a cyst on my left ovary, that was it. are there additional tests that I would need for other things? Other then an ultrasound? blood tests? other types of sounds that are done? scans? I am going on vac. on thursday, so I really don't know what to do about it now.

[mama23babies]

I know they think everything is anxiety when you have issues with anxiety. It sounds like my trouble. I would have pain under my rib cage radiating to my right should blade. I was so gassy and bloated. I got to the point where I was vomiting almost everyday before my surgery.

You mentioned being on meds. You wasn't on any pain meds were you? I had kind of the same symptoms coming off of hydrocodone is why ask. I definately recommend getting further testing. If it is your gallbladder you can develop infection from it. Good luck sweetie!!