47-year old male Symptoms: Excessive gas. Belch after drinking water even. Wind is excessive and over the 25 times per day average. More of a pinch type of pain in the back upper right between spine and shoulder blade. Wake up at like 3 am every night to sounds of my intestines “running” -just seem to rumble Cramping but not real bad pain just feels kind of full Alternate weeks between loose stool and more solid stool. It used to be textbook brown and now it is a lighter brown. Sometimes undigested food bits when the stool is loose. In the last few months I woke up like two times with acid reflux in my throat Physical exam that doctor did of my abdomen was normal no pain when they pushed and no lumps Tests they have run already: Upper endoscopy: H Pylori negative, minor reflux, mild inflammation, nothing major Ultrasound: clear Blood tests: Liapase normal, amylase normal, comprehensive blood panel normal (with the liver blood tests), CBC/Diff blood panel normal, an extra liver enzyme test called L GGT blood test normal, L Celiac Ab blood panel normal no celiac, TSH3 blood test for thyroid normal. Urine test: normal Fecal tests: Pancreatic Elastase stool normal, 4 different test for parasites infections: Cryptosporidium; Stool culture for Sal, Shig, Campy, and Shiga; stool ova and parasite exam; and stool C difficile toxins A+B, EIA all negative On Tuesday of this week they are doing colonoscopy and while there they will sample tissue for microscopic colitis. Any thoughts on what this could be? I just want thoughts based on your own experiences I appreciate that no one can diagnose me from a distance. What other tests would you request?
Have you had an upper endoscopy? I've been having almost these exact symptoms and have had all of these tests plus the upper endoscopy. Usually they do the upper endoscopy as part of the testing to rule out conditions such as Crohn's Disease. Also, does your doctor think you might have microscopic colitis? Because that's what my doctor was thinking I might have and wants to go through with a colonoscopy as well to sample the tissue.
Sounds like IBS. I think you have had many tests and all of them are negative. When all tests are negative, IBS can be diagnosed. Has IBS been mentioned by your doctors?
Hi Courtney,
They did an upper endoscopy and it was normal. I do the colonoscopy tomorrow. That should be able to rule in or out microscopic colitis. I wish you the very best figuring out your symptoms this has absolutely ruined my once very happy life. Just not knowing what is causing all of this is driving me crazy...
Does your doctor have any other theories about what is causing your symptoms?
Hi Pippa,
One of them mentioned it, I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't something more sinister that I ignored...
I am struggling with IBS because there are so many symptoms yet they can't find anything technically wrong...Does that make sense?
With IBS, if that's what you have, nothing will show up as technically wrong. I think your doctor had covered everything.
Thank you for your replies Pippa! It helps to hear from others somehow going through this mess...Were these symptoms anything like what you experienced? I just went from feeling great everyday to feeling not right!
Does anyone know how they test for SIBO?
For anyone that has had SIBO, do the symptoms I have sound like SIBO maybe?
Thank you, I wish you the very best figuring out your symptoms as well! My doctor is leaning towards microscopic colitis based on my symptoms, so I am going to try tested for that as well at some point. I've been to two other doctors who thought it was IBS D, but I wanted to get another opinion. Maybe consider asking your doctor about a video capsule test and also a test for SIBO. SIBO symptoms are very similar to the symptoms you have described.
There's a SIBO breath test, and there is also a blood test! I was tested via the blood test. Your symptoms do sound like SIBO. Both tests can show either a false positive or a false negative result, so just be aware of that! You should consider getting tested for that! If you have any questions about SIBO, please feel free to ask! I was tested for it and the nutritionist i was seeing thought I had it, so i learned quite a bit about it.
Hey Courtney,
Thank you so much for the SiBO test information. I am going to ask to get tested!
Do my symptoms sound a lot like SIBO or just somewhat?
I have my colonoscopy tomorrow so if i find out anything useful I will share. Because we have some similar symptoms, if they find something tomorrow, it may help you to know which test to try next...Maybe hopefully save you some time and/or misery.
All the best, David
Hi david12137
Have you changed your eating habits or diet?have you had a change of lifestyle in anyway?Do you drink alcohol or eat close to bedtime?
My symptoms started with persistent constipation and constant, daily, generalized abdominal pain that moved about followed by nausea and loose, urgent stools. I had four different types of pain: stabbing, deep grinding, dull and sore to touch. It was sore on both sides and the middle when the doctor felt my abdomen.I had a strange taste in my mouth and it felt like a bug. One day I was fine, but the next day I awoke with raging stomach pain. I also had lower back pain. It took three and a half months to diagnose it as IBS. Everyone's symptoms are different which makes it difficult to identify. All my tests were negative. However, I never lost my appetite and I had no problem foods. The only trigger was stress.
Hi Mary,
I used to have an occasional beer or two before this all started. When I started feeling bad I quit even that. I do not eat close to bedtime after I had reflux a couple of times. I drank more when I was college aged, but that was a long time ago lol
Since my stools were loose I started eating more bananas, toast, oatmeal, stuff like that...The stools on this new softer diet have me switching between regular consistency and loose stools. They are always light brown now. Which worries me. I don't know if it is because I eat a banana every day now and i really didn't before or what...This color change is weird to me though...
To be honest since all this has started I have been afraid to eat a little. I try to eat small portions and not push it.
Did you see what they had tested me for so far? Tomorrow they do colonoscopy so I should have a little more information. Can you think of any tests you would recommend?
Do my symptoms sound like they match any condition?
Hey David,
Of course! Yes definitely ask to get tested for SIBO because your symptoms sound a lot like it. Do you feel tired all the time?Because that's another common symptom of SIBO. Yes, please keep us updated on the colonoscopy goes, because that would be very helpful for me as well! Thank you for your help as well! It is nice to talk to someone who is going through something similar. I have been struggling to find answers to my stomach problems for 2 years now, so I really appreciate any insight you or anyone else has!
Hi All,
I wanted to send a quick update...
I survived the colonoscopy today. For anyone who hasn't done this test yet,the preparation for it is kinda rough. The worst part in my opinion is the taste of the drink. It has to be a biohazard it is so foul tasting lol All I can say is think of your happy place because that preparation day is going to wear you out.
As for my results, they found two different polyps in the sigmoid part of the colon that were each 2mm in size. The GI doctor sent them off for cancer check but he did not seem worried by the way they appeared...
They also took a sample from a part called the Cecum to check for microscopic colitis.
They thought the results would be ready in about a week. If anyone has any questions about the procedure i'm happy to share whatever info I can to help.
All the best, David
Have you been tested for SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) yet?
Hi Sarah,
Not yet. I am going to ask for that at my next appointment. Have you been tested for that?
Best wishes, David
Dear Courtney,
i just got the results back from the colonoscopy.
the two polyps were benign.
The biopsy they took for microscopic colitis came back negative.
i did the CT scan today and am waiting on the results.
Have you received any updates since we spoke last?
best wishes, david
Hi David,
Thank you for updating me! That is good that the colonoscopy was normal! The CT scan is pretty much the only testing I haven't had, so I am curious to see what the results will be for you. I have to get repeat labs of my lipase and amylase to see where I'm at, since both of those have been elevated since I have been having stomach problems. Once I do those, I'll go from there. The next step might be the colonoscopy to check for microscopic colitis, but I really don't want to have another one because my last colonoscopy was in 2018.