I am a 22 year old female. I initially went to my GP with severe IBS symptoms, very severe mouth ulcers (usually at least 5 but up to 10 at a time all over my mouth including my tounge, lips, gums and at the back and roof of my mouth. They are around 1-2cm and often bleed), tiredness and having constant minor illnesses. Over the last year I have had shingles, the flu, several UTIs, several cold and coughs and sinusitis. Also I suffer with very mild asthma which is getting worse and my inhalers have now been changed. I had a range of blood tests done which found I was severely deficient in vitamin B12. I was then tested for pernicious anaemia which came back negative so was put on B12 tablets and my bloods were retested 3 months later. My blood tests showed I was still very deficient however my GP decided not to put me on injections but referred me to gastroenterology. The consultant there referred me for a colonoscopy and biopsies which all came back negative. he also referred me for an MRI of my small bowel which was done last week. A few weeks ago I went back to the GP as for the last few months my periods have become very irregular and I have been exhausted having to nap throughout the day also my appetite has reduced and I am struggling to finish meals (I have not lost any weight). My GP did more blood tests which showed I am deficient in folate and my inflamitory markers were raised and has put this down to irregular bleeding. I know there is something wrong with me and I just want answers. I am fed up being too tired to see friends and not be able to go out for meals as I have so many painful mouth ulcers. This can't be normal. Thank you for reading and any advice would be much appreciated!
Hi Amy, I believe you have an imune disorder much like chrohn's disease. Do youi have a red rash on your face that kinda resembles a racoon? This is a sign of Lupus. The symptoms you describe can all be cuased by this condition. You should mention it to your doctor. If so it needs to be treated aggressively as it can damage major organs. Usually an immune suppressant is used such as Prednisone. I hope they find out what is going on soon and I hope you feel better. Hang in there.
Oh, I almost forgot. I have Crohn's disease and I get mouth sores, plus I have a hard time absobing vitamins like D and B. This is common in immune disorders. I don't have Lupus, but my immune system can and will attack other places in my body other than my digestive tract. currently it seems to be beating up on my Prostate. Immune disorders can be very serious as your immune system has a malfunction and attacks anything it deems as a threat including life giving organs. Have you ever had Vasculitis? It looks like broken blood vessels under the skin. This is caused when your immune system attacks your blood vescles. I had this as well. It is also a sign of Lupus. One thing I don't have a problem with is getting colds or flu, my immune system is to strong. It doesn't allow me to get these things. It sounds like your immune system has weakened in certain areas if you had shingles. That is unusual in someone so young. It is definately an immune disorder, but which one. i hope they figure it out soon as I know it can be frustrating not knowing what you are dealing with. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have. When I was getting sick I remember I was passing blood and it kept getting worse. I tried to ignore it and one day I was so physically weak that I went to the hospital ER. They made me an appointment to see a gastro. and my colonoscopy showed massive bleeding in my colon. But I got better and you will as well. take care of yourself ok.
IBS would not cause mouth problems because IBS is a problem
with the intestine. However, crohn's disease can cause problems
from the mouth to the rear end. It is autoimmune.
This is not a substitute for medical advice. Please ask your doctor.