Fatique, Abdominal Pain, Vomiting, and so much more///

[nightinggale]

I've been to two doctors now, and both have given me literature, and told me I have IBS. And I've read everything they have given me, and it just feels wrong. I am 18 years old. I have to leave school because of the pain, and my symptoms. I know alot of people are just going to say to go with my doctor's diagnoses...but it...just feels so wrong.

My symptoms:

[b]constant abdominal pain[/b]
     -all over, but focused on the lower part of my abdomin down the sides, sometimes one side is worse, sometimes the
        other usually depended on my position
     -the pain only goes away when I sleep
     -it is generally better when I am lying down
     -pain killers don't help
     -started about 2 months ago

[b]almost constant nausea[/b]
     -again, medication doesn't help
     -it gets so bad I can't move

[b]vomiting[/b]
     -not very often
     -just happens
     -pain isn't any worse than usual
     -vomited a lot for no reason over the years, more than the average person. several occasions concerned about    
       pregnancy, because it would happen every morning for a few weeks
     -on one recent occasion, I vomited about 1/2 a cup of blood
             -first time for me (blood) there was no straining, only the second time i threw up on that occasion
             -blood was bright red

[b]fatigue[/b]
     -no matter how much/how little I sleep
     -worsened about 2 months ago

[b]insomnia(?)[/b]
     -so hard to fall asleep
     -some days not until 5 am, even 8 am earlier this week

[b]diarrhoea[/b]
     -blood in stool about 50% of the time
     -occasionally, after several consecutive bowel movements the stool will be 90%+ blood
     -one incident happened right before the vomiting blood incident, the last 3 bowel movements were 90%+ bright red
       blood
            -i was checked by the doctor, there were no external tears or anything like that

[b]constipation[/b]
     -uncommon, but has happened in the last 2 months
     -was unable to have a bowel movement for about a week, then I did which lead to the blood in vomit incident, and
       the blood in stool incident which happened the same night

[b]stool[/b]
     -frequently different consistency
     -usually orange/yellow in colour
     -has been almost like mucus in it
     -often completely unformed, powdery/liquid

I have always had a sensitive stomach, but the last 2 months have been unbearable. I have had problems with my menstrual cycle since I started it 5 years ago, and now skip periods with my birth control because I cannot afford to be in bed a week out of each month. I have been battling depression and anxiety for about 6 years now.

I have had the following tests (in order)

[b]Blood work:[/b] came back normal
[b]Ultrasound:[/b] (everything but internal) came back normal
[b]Allergy testing:[/b] only a sensitivity to milk, which I already knew
[b]Urine test:[/b] normal, negative for pregnancy
[b]Upper GI study:[/b] results came back normal
[b]FULL blood workup:[/b] low B12
[b]Stool test:[/b] unknown
[b]Blood Pressure:[/b] low

No ulcers, no celiac disease, nothing obvious.

During all this, I have been on Welbutran (antidepressant) and Yazmin (birth control). Since starting I have tried 2 different antacids (for ulcers) neither had any effect. Buscopan had no effect. Just started on Dicetel, too early to tell.

Everything I've read lists foods that cause flare ups:
I ingest minimal to no caffeine (no pop, no coffee, no tea).
Nothing carbonated.
I do not eat spicy food.
Minimal dairy products.
Little processed food.
Very rarely have alcohol, never caused a problem when I have.
Red meat is infrequent.

Everything I eat upsets my stomach. The thing that upsets it the least, is fast food of all things!

I think I eat healthier than a lot of people my age.

One thing that really jumps out at me is how little food my stomach can hold. I've never been big on eating huge amounts, I've always maintained a fairly healthy weight (never over 135ish, at 5'6"). I used to be able to eat a normal meal and feel comfortably full.

For about 3 months now I know how people who have had gastric bypass feel! I can eat less than half of what I used to be able to eat before I feel full. My appetite has been greatly reduced, most days I only eat because I know I have to. I also maintained a steady weight of 135 for a long time (I gained the weight from another medication) and recently lost 10 pounds.

I don't exercise more than walking, because I'm too tired for that most of the time.

I know I put a lot of information here, and I'm sure I've forgotten things...but I need help. I'm 18, I have to drop out of University...I don't want to have another problem I will have to live with for the rest of my life. I already deal with my depression, anxiety and a headache 24/7 (had all the tests for that, I'm just one of those unlucky individuals who has to deal. no treatment, because there is no diagnosis).

I just want help...I don't know how long I can live like this...I'm so tired. I hope someone here has some advice...

[bedoubleyou]

Both the bleeding and the low B12 could be causing anemia which would show up as irregular blood counts and cellular properties in the blood work.

Do you or have you gotten your water from a well?  Do you or have you traveled/moved?

Any rashes?

[ktmom]

Hello, I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. I have similar problems=see my post below and have always been told it is IBS.  If you have blood in your vomit you should definitley get an endoscopy and colonscopy.  Also, even if your blood work for celiac came back negative it does not mean you do not have it.  Check out Columbia University Medical center-Celiac center. they have alot of good information about this.  Also if you are really nauseated I would bring up kidney stones. I get these as well and feel really nauseas. I actually am up now with the nausea and pain and trying to wait for the morning to go to the dr.-think I have another stone. good luck to everyone and let me know what happens.  Maybe we can help each other figure it out together.  

[Sally123123]

Your anemic because of the blood loss and thats why your weak. the blood is the concerning part. Go see your gonacologist. If your constipated and you have a test done it can block the problem that could be happening. Have a pelvic ultrasound and take a laxative milk of magnesia or something like that before any test. I dont not think you have IBS. Doctors don't even know what causes it. They say stress and anxiety but they say that because they don't know whats going on inside your body. Right now I have the same symptoms minus the bleeding. My period had been abnormal for a while. The problem is something in your reproductive system like everyone else is saying ovaires or endometriosis. My body hasnt been able to produce a bowel movement for the past  months and doctors say ints constipation and IBS. I know thats not true. I have to wait until Jan. 9 to see my GYN. Good luck and don't suffer with these sypmtoms. Theres something wrong. Keep looking and eventually you will find out what it is.

[shoey1790]

Hon, that sounds really bad.  I would definitely ask your doctors about the potential of ovarian cysts.  Pretty much all of your symptoms sound exactly like mine when I was 10 years old.  I am now 18 years old and that whole situation is behind me now and doesn't effect me at all.  When  I was 10, I began having abdominal pain in the summer of 2000.  I got really nauseated and light headed and this lasted for about 2 weeks.  Then it disappeared, until January of 2001.  I began feeling really sick and vomited all the time.  I couldn't keep food down and I was constipated all the time.  I went to see doctors several time that month but they assumed I was acting up for attention because I was the oldest of 8 children, their other hunch was that I was just seriously constipated.  Finally it went away, for about one more month.  Then it got serious.  I kept vomiting, I had serious abdominal pain, and I couldn't sleep anymore.  I would sit up all night just rocking back and forth because it was the only way I could feel moderately comfortable.  I was just soo sick.  Finally I checked into the hospital.  The doctors had no leads, they still thought I was constipated.  Finally a new doctor came to look at me and said to get me into surgery as soon as possible.  They found that my left ovary had grown to the size of a large grapefruit and was obviously the source of all my uncomfort.  It had not grown correctly and was about to rupture.  It was removed and I recovered quite well.  It does not effect me at all now.  I would recommend you go to your doctor and ask them to consider your ovaries as a source of the problem.  It may not be the problem but you never know.  I hope everything gets better for you.

[Jane872]

I'm so sorry to hear that you have such severe symptoms. I've found in my experience that the birth control pill can cause quite severe reactions, e.g. severe nausea, pain, exhaustion and mental affects also.

I would suggest looking up some information related to the pill that you are taking and see if any of the symptoms you are experiencing are similar to other people.

It's sometimes hard to tell what are related symptoms and what symptoms are as a consequence of the condition that you have. For example, it would be expected that you'd have anxiety as a result of all of the things you're going through, and that could cause sleeplessness.

Have your doctor's considered conditions like endometriosis? Do you think it is period-related or related to some other area in your abdomen?

The problem is that with the symptoms of abdominal pain/nausea there are so, so many conditions that it could be. The presence of blood in your stool seems quite concerning though. and quite a serious symptom to attribute to IBS.

Could you get your doctor to refer you to a specialist that may be better able to diagnose your condition?

I'm so sorry to hear about your condition, I hope you have the strength to keep trying to find a solution to it and that you have the support of people close to you.

Another condition you could investigate is UTI - urinary tract infection. Sometimes, in the latter stages, this can cause quite severe symptoms. UTI's are quite common.

I hope you find a solution. Just keep your eyes open to different conditions that match your symptoms and you could suggest these to your doctor if they haven't thought of them.

Also, STIs - sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia can cause abdominal pain. Though a urine test should have showed up this condition if it was present.

Hope you find a solution soon. xoxo

[Encephalomalcia]

Did the ultrasound show your ovaries?  Wondering if you could have a cyst on your ovaries with all the abdominal pain you have been having.  The bowel problems sound like IBS to me.  It can be pretty severe feeling.  I would think fast food would make it worse though.  If you seen blood again make sure to go to the doctor right away.  Also, have your stomach checked to rule out a tumor.