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.

[scarletnymph]

I'm sorry to hear you may have to have surgery. I hope everything works out as it should  whichever choice you make. I appreciate you keeping in touch. It is so nice to have an outside party to speak with about this. I am seriously considereing it but I am afraid, like I said, of getting worse. I understand and acknowledge that I can't know until I do have it removed, but the finality of it is daunting.  My husband will stand behind me no matter what but my mom wants me to have it out if there is even the slightest chance it will make it better. I just have such odd gallbladder symptoms I think.... nausea is the main complaint, gas and bloating, digestive issues and headaches.... Anyways. I don't know if there is anything else to look for. I guess I am praying so hard they find its a parasite - I take a couple pills and will get better... har har har...... Thank you again ggreg and keep me posted on how you are doing with your back. You're in my thoughts and prayers.

[ggreg]

You can do some reading online about how folks do after their gallbladder is removed, but I think they do rather well.  And since it initially came up as 30 percent effective, and since bile comes out of there, that could explain your symptoms.  Plus you have the added benefit of a surgeon who goes in there of being able to see the common bile duct and visualize your liver, too.  But after surgery, you'll get another bunch of antibiotics... when you finish your final round of it, a tip you can try is, for two weeks either drinking Acidophilus milk or Activia yogurt to get the probiotics in you that restore normal flora to the intestines that antibiotics disturb.  Talk to that surgeon again about the good, bad, and ugly of gallbladder removal, so you'll be prepared for it.  My back needs an operation and I absolutely don't want to go there, and wonder if it will make things worse, too, so I know where you're coming from.  But if the docs recommend it, I think I'd give it a go, in hopes that after you recover from the surgery and get adjusted to not having that gland, you will get to feeling worlds better.  Gosh, I hope things work out for you.  I'm sick too, and it drives me right up a wall, so frustrating.

[scarletnymph]

I'm still feeling ill. Some good days. Thank God for anti-nausea meds. I spoke w/ a surgeon yesterday. One heck of a nice guy. He told me however that he couldn't give me any answers. He told me to have my gallbladder removed was a choice I had to make on my own. He said I wasn't sitting on a time bomb but that if the symptoms were effecting my day to day life - we should remove it.  I realize just how attractive I must sound from the previous post.. *palms face* Anyways. It's a double edged sword for me I think. On one side - when I'm feeling so sick to my stomch and chills.. I would go to the hospital right now if I thought for a moment there was a chance to end this horrible quality of life. But when I'm feeling better - I think to myself... there has got to be a better way. The main symptom is nausea and it is still dragging me down.... My gallbladder may be coming out and I'm terrified of the after effects.... I am so scared of getting worse.

[scarletnymph]

As a side note - the BMs 'sink' not 'stink' : )   And the urine is only dark some of the time. It goes back and forth regardless of how much fluid I drink or don't drink. And the BMs aren't always yellowish either. They vary in color as well. I have stopped taking prilosec now for a week and the acid reflux seems to be a lot better (or I'm getting used to a degree of it). I still get the coating on my tongue though. I did the 'spit test' for candida and that only affirmed my saliva isn't normal either (which I could have told anyone who asked - but I don't believe it to be candida) *shakes head*  You know, I was a competative gymnast for over 9 years. Hard core training and strick al-be-it healthy diets and felt great!! I never knew a childhood with long term sickness and maybe thats why I feel so helpless now. But even when I had colds, UTI's and mono I 'felt' strong. I don't with this... There are symtpoms I have had for years that I have written off as normal for me but may have been an indicator of something else. I wrote off flaky dry skin as the house being cold and not lotioning myself all the time. Dry hair as genetics. Weight gain steadily despite excerise and healthy eating to multible forms of birth control. The past half a year or so I will go from fine to raging hungry - I ruled that as my hypoglycemia. Constant infections as being a bit sickly? Thats a stretch because aside from those infections I have never had a broken bone, no allergies, nothing. Anyways. I'm going to go eat some toast. Thank you again for keeping in contact. I check everyday and it makes me feel better seeing a post - it makes me feel like I'm not alone in this.

[ggreg]

Scarlet,
Interesting your liver tests were okay (except the elevated CRP, which is produced in the liver and can indicate a bacterial infection).  I tell you what, next time you see the doc, ask him what your bilirubin results were (they should have done that test).  Then ask him why your urine is so dark, and your yellow diarrhea stinks so much, and you have this endless nausea and lost 30 pounds.  I'm with you, I don't see how a person can go from fine to zero in a matter of days, really.  And I DON'T like it that they threw all those antibiotics at you, which can be one reason why your hair is falling out.  I don't know what's wrong with you either, other than the few things I mentioned and some of the other posters mentioned.

Gosh, I feel for you.  You could try taking an ordinary alka seltzer when your tummy gets uggy.  See can you find some liquid children's vitamins at the drugstore, to keep up your nutrients, and keep that water going down.  Just eat your favorite items, maybe that'll tempt you beyond your nausea.  And keep in mind you might need a referral to a gastro specialist at a hospital in a university setting, perhaps.
GG

[scarletnymph]

So my liver and kidneys are fine. However my c reactive protien is 9.1 and normal is below 3. More blood work to rule out lupus (apparently I havn't been tested for that yet after all...)