Help my Dad find a diagnosis. This is not ibs.

[Kathy919]

My Dad has been battling awful stomach issues for six months now, and his doctors are not making progress on finding a diagnosis.  He is feeling very sick, and throwing up a lot.  What we originally thought was a bug back in January has worsened to the point here he has gone to the ER four times this month alone, and has lost 35 pounds from his already thin frame.

Tests for barret's esophagus, divertiulitis, acid reflux, and many other common illnesses have all been normal.  The doctors are mostly suggesting ibs - which to me sounds ludicrous with all the time he is spending at the hospital.

All tests have come back normal, except for heightened liver enzymes.  An ultrasound picked up something on his left side, but they haven't figured out what it is, or if it's anything at all.

If you know of anything that might cause these symptoms in an otherwise healthy male in his 50s, please let me know.  My mom and I are very worried, and even on a clear liquid diet, he has not stabilized.

Thank you for your help.

[Loz192]

Believe me i feel ur dads pain!!
I am 22 and for the past 8 months i have had no bowel movements at all. i have been hospitalised 7 times already.
I have been being sick alot and when not being sick i feel sick, i have abdominal distension and excruciating pain down my left side. I am becoming lethargic, my skin is a mess, hair is falling out and my eyes are becomming jaundiced due to the toxins in my body.
I recieve weekly enemas and colonic irrigations and have had every laxative known to man, prescibed/non prescribed and herbal.
All blood tests/ct scans, xrays and ultrasounds are coming back normal. I recently had a biopsy which was normal although the lab requested a repeat and advised i should have a 'full thickness' biopsy of the bowel. Like your father all tests for common bowel diseases seem to be coming back as normal.
Im afraid i cant give advice but could it be a bowel obstruction?
Let me know how it goes with him and hopefully he gets better soon.

[patient915]

Because the ultrasound might have picked up something, he should have a ct scan of his abdomen to see what it was.  Also, has he had a colonoscopy?  Has he tried zofran to help with the nausea?