What does it mean? Doctors don't always know the answers.

[Sally123123]

What does it mean when you have had digestion problems for two months and doctors aren't finding out whats going on with you? I have constipation and can only go by using a laxative. I always have bloating, cramping, spasms, discomfort in the left side that gets worse after eating or when I'm up on my feet. The problem is that it's always there. My diarrhea looks like its black mud in the toilet and sometimes it's green or yellowish. I had a urinary tract infection a while ago and my primary told me there was nitrates in the urine. An internal bleeding was suspected. I'm slightly anemic. I have seen a GI specialist. He just told me tests revealed my stomach and rectum are inflamed. No insight on what else to do. Now in the past week I have a lost of appetite, sharp pains on the left side sometimes going on the right and under the ribs to the heart and into the back on the left side. I also threw up a couple times. Some new symptoms have occured and it things are getting a little worse. These symptoms affect my life greatly. I feel tired and fatigued no matter how much sleep I get. My digestive system is out of wack no matter what I eat. Doctors dont always know the answers nor do they help. I'm 25 years old. I don't know if I have a disease, infection or what. Any opinion I would appreciate.

[JMcCormack]

Also you may consider getting a referral to see an allergist for testing.  

Cheers

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Your symptoms are suggestive of irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by mild to severe abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating and alteration of bowel habits. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements.Diarrhea or constipation may predominate, or they may alternate (classified as IBS-D, IBS-C or IBS-A, respectively). IBS may begin after an infection (post-infectious, IBS-PI) or a stressful life event.

Majority of IBS patients have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Another 20% have depression, and the rest have other disorders.
Irritable bowel syndrome can be a very difficult diagnosis to make. IBS is called a diagnosis of exclusion, which means that a doctor considers many other alternatives first, perhaps performing tests to rule out other problems.

Treatment includes addition of more fiber in your diet,cessation of smoking and taking stress,antispasmodic medicines,antidiarrheal medicines,antidepressants and new medicines like Alosetron (Lotronex) and Tegaserod (Zelnorm).

You can read more about this from the following website and discuss it with your doctor:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/irritable_bowel_syndrome/article_em.htm

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing.