Something is wrong with my digestive track... help?

[Lonna480]

So, I'm a recently 18 year old female who's having some problems with her stomach, bowels, and probably digestive track as a whole.

Now, I've always assumed that I just had a sensitive stomach, or IBS with certain triggers that I stayed away from (caffeine, tomatoes, milk, etc). But now, I'm wondering if it's just IBS that I have. Recently, my stomach has taken a turn for the worse. After every meal (well, probably 9-10 meals) I become extremely bloated with mild pain/cramping, a "sour" stomach, popping/bubbling noises, and the whole thing is worse than uncomfortable. The aftermath is what I'm worried about, though. My stools are loose most of the time (they seem greasy, too), and they always float. I thought that stools only floated when there was a high concentration of fat... but I do not eat a lot of fat! Plus, I'm a vegetarian, and have been for 5 years. And when I do have to pass gas, it smells like sulfur (usually no matter what I eat!). This is new, too-- I've never had an odor before. There is also a "burning" sensation when it passes. It's like my stomach is struggling to pass even the simplest things, like english muffins.

I'm at a loss. I am going to set up a meeting with a local Gastroenterologist, but I wanted to see what others thought. This started happening in january or so, then it went away for a month, but now it's back (3-4 weeks). I'm wondering if it's malabsorption syndrome? I'd never even heard of it till a couple moments ago when I was searching around on google (http://www.endonurse.com/articles/diseases_disorders/589_641diagnosis.html). So, what do you think? Again, I'm at a loss and this is affecting my daily life. It's gotten so bad that I miss my volunteer job, stay at home, and feel uncomfortable hanging out with friends.

Thank you!

[JDS2805]

i would definatly follow up with your family doctor. are you having anyother symptoms such as weight loss, blood in your stool ect? sounds to me like it could be ibs or a spastic colon- keep us posted

[jamgs]

Have you looked into Gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease?  There's a test that can tell if you are at-risk for it.  My daughter and I have had great relief eliminating wheat, rye, barley, and oats; there are plenty of other flours to fill the gap.  Read everything and look for Gluten Free products - could be helpful.
JAMGS

[Banned1]

I am so happy that you have found some relief with diet.  So many people refuse to adapt their diet or even investigate it as a possible cause.  Hopefully you'll find the answers you are looking for.  It almost sounds like malabsorbtion from minimal change chronic pancreatitis but the only way to find out is to have an endoscopic ultrasound and they are relatively new and difficult to find.  An extremely skilled professional is key to accurate results.  

I wish you all the best and hope you are pain-free in no time!

Take care,

Sam

[Khhyli]

Hi,

I have also been having stomach pains and diarrhea since Nov 2005. since Nov 2005 to about Nov 2008 i have had to go to the bathroom after every meal or during every meal. i have done lots of colonoscopy and biopsy and nothing was found to be wrong. I generally have cronic stomach pains and as soon as i visit the bathroom i have to eat agaiin and i am fatigued during these occurances. Since late last year i started to write down all the things that i ate which reacted in a bathroom visit. i have stopped eating foods like dairy, lobster and flour. strangely as soon as i eat flour i have a massive bellyache. i am not saying that this slove the problem however i am tired of going to doctors and havign no results and also i have stopped taking any form of over the counter or prescrption drugs and this is helping me alot. as soon as i take a pain killer or a prescribed medication i get chronic stomach pain and diarrhea. I now have a rearly have a tomach ache and if  do its becasue i ate one of the things from my list of food that i cant have. I am currently doing some reseach on the liver to see if something might be wrong here since my stomach is ok. I realise that some food does not absorb in my body for example eas soon as i eat lobster i hear a sound in my stomach and then i have to rush to the bathroom withing 15 minutes. i also cant have sugar and i have lost about 15 and have weight 92 since late 2005 and i am 31 years old, granded i am only 5 feet . I hope this helps you and all the best. i know that when i stop having certain foods is not a solution to the problem but its an interim one that is wroking for me now until i discover the real problem.

[Banned1]

Hi Lonna:

I'm so sorry you are suffering.  I can relate.  I'm not a doctor and know nothing about medicine but I've learned a fair bit through researching my own undiagnosed illness for the past two+ years.  Happy reading and best of luck to you!

Sam

Pancreatitis Resources
http://www.***********.com/resource/health_a-z_detail.asp?AZ=9
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20070515/1513.html
http://www.top5plus5.com/Childhood%20pancreatitis.html
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20071201/1693ph.html
http://www.pancreasfoundation.org/research/diagnose.shtml
http://www.joplink.net/prev/200401/07.html
http://diet.ygoy.com/diet-for-pancreatitis-2/
http://www.medicinenet.com/pancreatitis/page4.htm
http://www.surg.umn.edu/diabinst/treatmentspancreatitis/pancreatectomy.html
http://www.northshore.org/clinicalservices/gastroenterology/conditions/default.aspx?id=3969&source=overture&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gi&utm_term=pancreatitis
http://www.pitt.edu/~anat/Abdomen/Pancreas/Pancreas.htm
http://gut.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/41/2/263
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/pancreatitis-000122.htm
http://www.gastro.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=855
http://health.yahoo.com/digestive-overview/pancreatitis/mayoclinic--DCE55FA1-A252-4CAE-82F298767822DB69.html
http://www.cme-ce-summaries.com/gastroenterology/ge2211.html
http://pancsod-library.blogspot.com/
http://www.righthealth.com/topic/Pancreatitis_Diet_Plan/overview/fadam?fdid=001144&section=Summary
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/pancreatitis/DS00371.html

Digestion and GI Health – Your Gallbladder – http://www.womentowomen.com/digestionandgihealth/gallbladderhealth.aspx
Cholecystitis – http://gastroresource.com/GITextbook/en/chapter13/13-2-pr.htm
Gallstone Removal – http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/Fi-La/Gallstone-Removal.html
Management of Common Bile Duct Calculi – http://www.surgeons.org/Content/NavigationMenu/WhoWeAre/Regions/QLD/080506_CWon.pdf
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) – http://www.sages.org/sagespublication.php?doc=PI11
Functional Gallbladder and Sphincter of Oddi Disorders – http://www.romecriteria.org/pdfs/p1498FuncGallbladderandSOD.pdf
MERCK – Gallstones – http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec10/ch140/ch140b.html
Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease – http://adam.about.com/reports/Gallstones-and-gallbladder-disease.htm#adamHeading_4
GALLSTONES (Cholelithiasis) – http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/b1.illness/b1.1.illnesses/GALLSTONES%20(CHOLELITHIASIS).htm
Cedars-Sinai – Gallstones – http://www.csmc.edu/5344.html
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) – Gallstones – http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gallstones/index.htm
Gallbladder Attack – http://www.gallbladderattack.com/gallbladdersurgery.shtml
Pathology Outlines – Gallbladder – http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/gallbladderpf.html
Diseases of the Gallbladder and Bile Ducts – http://rezidentiat.3x.ro/eng/litbiliaraeng.htm