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]

Good, I'm glad you are getting somewhere with a doctor.

[scarletnymph]

Well. I saw the endocrinologist again this week and she has ordered more blood work. As well as another 24 hour urine analysis. She did an ultrasound of the growth on my left thyroid gland and printed pictures...and scheduled another appointment. We will see what happens. Thank you all again for providing so much support. Fellinglike you're not alone is so vital.

[scarletnymph]

Yes, I've tried ginger for the nausea. And peppermint. In regards to the bloodwork - I used the wrong adjective. I wish it came back inconclusive - at least that would still be an oulet. The tests came back negative but she still wants to do an ultrasound of my neck because one thyroid glad is slightly larger than the other. If the bloodwork came back normal - I can't see paying the co-payment plus what the ultrasound will cost to have the ultrasound done.... We will see.

[patient915]

I'm confused by what you mean when the blood work for thyroid came back inconclusive.  Bowel movements sinking is actually normal, floating is what indicates a problem.  Have you tried ginger for your nausea?

[scarletnymph]

I am still maintaining. Blood work work addison's and thyroid came back inconclusive. I know the gallbladder needed to come out.. but I am still frustrated as to what is going on. I am taking this as it comes and am seriously considering a different gastro Dr. One that doesn't assume I'm "emotionally labile" - this is what the nurse wrote on my file when I started crying when after over 3 weeks when I first got sick she told me there was a nasty stomach bug going around.... Anyways. I still get the feelings of hopelessness now and then and don't go a single day without the nausea. Since the gallbladder removal I get constipated now and then but then - like this morning - it'll be very light brown,almost pale and thin. But no matter the look - all my BM's sink. So theres that..nausea and every morning sometimes lasting throughout the day.. a pale swollen/scalopped tongue... that gets an orangy coating once I start eating...but it isn't acid reflux that anybodys been able to say.Weakness, fatigue and chills with no fever.

[patient915]

What you describe is common.  It's hard going through an illness when you don't know what is going wrong.  Also, it's common to feel anxious or depressed when you have to go through something like this.  I am not by any means saying that depression or anxiety caused your problems.  I think that your problems caused some depression or anxiety.  I recommend that you ask for some medicine to help with this.  This can usually be prescribed by your PCP and it will help.  You will probably say that this won't fix any of your problems but there are many reasons to do this.  Depression/anxiety causes physical symptoms and there is no way of knowing if some of your newer symptoms are caused by this.  Also, it will help you keep your motivation up.

Here's a little bit of my story.  Three years ago I got mono and then started developing a ton of symptoms.  I got horrible stomach pain, nausea, dizzyness, shortness of breath, among other things.  I had every test: blood tests, stool tests, urine tests, abdominal X-rays, abdominal, pelvic and chest CT scans, brain MRI, Smart-pill, colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, EGD and small bowel manometry, gastric emptying scan, upper GI small bowel followthrough, hydrogen breath test for small intestinal bacteria overgrowth, rectal manometry, HIDA scan of the small bowel, sitzmarker study, EKG's, stress echo, holters, and echo with bubble study.  Most of those tests were normal.  My point being that you have to push to get testing done to figure out what is wrong.  My mom and I spent hours researching what it could be.  Finally after about 2 1/2 years my mom and I found something on the internet that fit, we saw a doctor about it and she did a simple test proving what was causing all my symptoms.  My life right now is my no means easy, I'm on about 30 pills a day and I feel pretty bad most of the time.  But you need to keep on trying.  Whatever it takes.  If you need me to message you every week asking what you accomplished (ex. seeing a doctor, getting a test done, researching something on the internet) then we'll do that.