Thank you for your advice. I saw a gastroentrologist 6 months ago and had some examinations which found negative results but symptoms still persist and I have been offered no alternative options or treatment apart from the peppermint.
I am so tired all the time and after loosing weight am unable to regain this 2 stone I lost over the 3 year period.
I also experience nausea on occassions too, I just want my life back and be able to have the odd alcohol drink with friends but this seems to make things worse and leaves me worse for a few days after. I decided to ask to see another GP at my surgey and she did tests for overian and hormones which also were normal, at this point after all this time I cracked up into tears out of frustration and thats when hynotherapy was given as a suggestion. I am not depressed just frustrated and as I have just got engaged want to look forward to planning my wedding knowing I will have a great day without feeling this way.
I read through your post very carefully and based on that I feel that you are possibly suffering from Celiac Disease/Ulcerative Colitis/Irritable Bowel Syndrome. All these result in tender abdomen, loose stool or loose stools alternating with constipation, abdominal distention, cramps etc. Please refer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulcerative_colitis
Parasites in the gut like threadworm, tape worm, giardiasis etc can behave this way.
I would strongly recommend you to see a gastroenterologist (a specialist who looks after the diseases of our digestive system). Maybe your physician can recommend someone.
A number of times a gastroenterologist is able to diagnose these conditions by clinical examination and detailed medical history. Blood tests to rule out anemia, stool test to look for white blood cells, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy etc are used to diagnose ulcerative colitis. Braium meal and follow through, endoscopy etc are done to rule out GERD, Crohn’s disease etc. Irritable bowel syndrome is diagnosed by elimination of other causes. Gluten is a complex protein present in four main grains---wheat, rye, barley and oats. If you have gluten intolerance, then you probably have celiac disease or Non Celiac gluten sensitivity. There are blood tests called celiac test to detect gluten intolerance.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!