Any feedback is a GodSend.

[scarletnymph]

Let me start by saying this is not IBS. In Jan. 2010 I flew to FL and my ears didn't pop. As a result pressure built up and I got a sinus infection that lasted almost 3 months. I had never had any sinus problems before (No allergies or sinus infections) A month into this I started getting at least 2 nosebleeds a day varying in severity.  I was on 5 different antibiotics. Less than a week finishing the last round, I got a UTI (which I get at least once a year) that started to spread to my right kidney. Another antibiotic. Less than a month after that, I got a stomach bug or food poisoning and have been out ever since. This year has been hellacious. I am nauseous all the time. My BMs are orange/yellow diarrhea most of the time. I have random pain on both sides of rib cage and lower back into buttocks, had severe bouts of acid reflux, yellow on back of tongue, swollen pale/white tongue. At its worst I can't eat or drink the nausea is so bad, indigestion, I get chills for hours at a time but with no fever that I can tell, and bad headaches. None of these symptoms are relieved by bowel movements and I don't get cramping.  They have diagnosed stomach virus and mesenteric lymphadenitis almost 3 months ago; both of which should “go away within a week on their own”… 2 and a half months ago.  I have been put on 2 other antibiotics. I have had a colonoscopy, endoscope, small bowel follow through, tested negative for Chrons, colitis, H Pyl., Salmonella, Shigella, Chamylobacter, Staphylococcus, Giardia, Cryptospor, C diff., Random blood tests looking for specific things. I'm not gluten intolerant, diabetic, or a hypochondriac. I have never been allergic to anything be it medicine, food or otherwise. No blood pressure problems, never a broken bone and the only surgery I’ve had was to remove wisdom teeth and an ingrown nail.  I have been on probiotics for 2 months in hopes it was just my gut flora imbalanced. I will have a few days where I start feeling better and then with no common trigger I’ll get turned again. Days of relentless nausea, weak, light orange/yellow diarrhea. I’m trying to stay positive but am losing myself slowly to whatever this is.  I really don't like going to the doctors, missing work and driving myself financially into the ground via all these tests. I want my life back but I feel like I'm going to be dumped into the "We don't know what’s wrong - it’s IBS." category. I don't know if the sinus issue is relevant but at this point, it can't hurt to look at a bigger picture. I’m not getting better. Please for the love of God, help me.

[patient915]

I believe her gallbladder has been removed.  It is fine if you want to give up on the celiac disease idea but just remember that a hematologist/oncologist is not an expert in celiac disease.

[michell221]

Have you thought of having the gallbladder removed to see if it is the source of your problems?  A GB that is not functioning well can cause some weird stools and just feeling horrible.

[scarletnymph]

Well, the hematologist.oncologist is one hell of a nice guy and is very understanding. So relieved. He ordered tons of blood work that I should be hearing back on soon and I had an MRI of the head w/ contrast and a CT w/ contrast of my abdoman and pelvis Monday. I am still getting the orange coating to my tongue but it is swollen now and pale. I still get headaches but they are now on an almost daily basis.
The hematologist said that I do have mild Thrombocytopenia. I asked him about depression as it keeps cropping up by outside sources and he said no. He said depression in these cases are natural but that doesn't mean it should go untreated if needed. He explained that this type of depression is called organic depression - it grows from something else or stems from something. He said no matter how sad I get I can't make my platelet count go down. Period. And talking with my doctor about celiac as it too crops up still and is recommened that I go at least 2 months trying he explained that while going without gluten is one of the easiest and fastest ways to rule it as a cause is is not the only manner to diagnose it and I have done all three. He is certain it isn't and says only a handfull of my symptoms fit to begin with. He said for all of my symtoms to fit I would have to have a severe form that would have shown up on tests and would have at least gotten better when I went 4 weeks gluten free.
The Hematologist/Oncologist wrote that on the side of his paper low platelets, anemia and chronic infections... so now I'm just playing the waiting game again. Thank you all again and I will keep you posted.

[scarletnymph]

Endocrinologist says it isn't hormonal that she can tell. But with my symptoms, she is recommending a neurologist and a hematologist. She says some forms of siezures that effect the involentary nervous system present themselves with symptoms very much like mine. And the hematologist is self-explainitory. She says they are some of the best internists out there and figure out a lot of the hard, weird cases. We will see where that goes.  Not a long update for now. I hope youall are doing well. Thank you and have a good day.

[cramphappy]

Hi sweetie, a couple of things.

First, I am having a similar situation brought on by an antibiotic I took for a sinus infection (it was azrithromicin).

In order to keep your sanity focus on what you CAN do.  Today, I can wash my face to feel better (it's a bad day).  You have to focus on what is possible for you and try not to dwell on what you aren't able to do right now.  It's important to your peace of mind.

Probiotics to replace your flora:  Saccharomyces boulardii is one to research.  There was an article on CNN about this http://articles.cnn.com/2009-03-10/health/healthmag.probiotics.stomach_1_boulardii-probiotic-saccharomyces?_s=PM:HEALTH Take a look.  Also make sure you are taking a good quality probiotic with Lactobacillus strains to repopulate your gut. I find that sitting or lying down during the day makes my symptoms worse.  Not sure why but it does.  Even though you're tired try to move at least a couple times an hour and see if that doesn't help you feel better.

I wish good health for us all - we will get through this.

Hugs

[ggreg]

Hey Scarlet,
Glad you wrote back.  I can give you some tips on your constipation.  And I want to encourage you to ask your doc to order a CT scan for your abdomen, I would feel better knowing previous ultrasounds didn't miss anything.  That orange swollen mouth of yours needs to be looked at, too, by a gastro doc.  Hope your stools and urine are looking normal color.  

By the way, sorry I keep up with common duct obstruction, but it's a larger duct that three smaller ducts EMPTY INTO, and it's the common bile duct that empties into the beginning of the intestinal tract.  The duct itself can get a growth in there that will slow or prevent passage of bile from the liver (and your previous gallbladder) and pancreatic enzymes, which you need both those items for your food to digest correctly... lack of bile can create your orange mouth, change color of digestion, and make it slow to move.  That's the only reason I keep bringing it up, and it's why I think a CT scan of abdomen would be important.

You probably know the drill on constipation, but Acidophilus milk (probiotics) on Cheerios (fiber) every morning with a little orange juice and scrambled eggs (protein) and a glass of water should help two things, your digestion and your fatigue, with the protein reducing fatigue.  That discomfort you feel in the morning after breakfast is your bowels wanting to move, but since you're constipated, that urge with no results is gonna make you miserable.  Eat a salad (fiber) with dinner pretty much every day.  Drink a couple extra full glasses of water daily.  Do some form of exercise daily too, even a short easy stretching routine in the house will help keep your muscles toned so digestion works better, and of course walking on a nice day around the neighborhood is great for the constitution.

I don't know too much about white blood cell counts, either, except it's a marker for infection and illness.  I just know it has to be monitored in a sick person.  I think you have become a sick person.  I hope the scar from your surgery doesn't hurt too much and has healed up good from your gallbladder surgery.  While I don't think any amount of coats and sweaters will help your chills, some soft "long underwear" will keep the heat in... husband puts his on beginning of winter and wears them throughout the season, he's a coldish kinda person.  

I continue to hope, despite all I've mentioned, once your constipation settles down to what is more normal for you, that the color of that and your urine will settle out, and your nausea will dissipate, which is the most annoying aspect of your illness.  And since your upset tummy, headaches, wierd tongue, those are not right, then I hope your docs will continue their investigations of those items.
GG