IBS / GERD / Colon Cancer? ... what am i dealing with here?

Digestive health
1

Hi everyone,

I'll try and keep this post as informative and compact as possible. I have questions that i just didn't think to ask my doctor when i last visited that i think can help me shed some more light on what's going on.

I've often had abdominal discomfort, usually higher up, under the breastbone - especially after eating. A few years ago i suspected a peptic ulcer but was treated instead for acid reflux with omoprazole (i think that's what it was called) and that cleared my discomfort up (at least i thought it did).

I tend to eat late at night as i don't finish work until 10pm, so in recent years when I've put my discomfort down to maybe poor eating habits and indigestion - but within the last year it has gotten progressively worse.

In December i became badly constipated and was passing blood (bright red - i beieve had developed hemmorhoids) was given mebeverine fybogel - i was tested for coeliac disease (results were negative) but the fybogel helped for a while - my doctor decided i had IBS and told me to start a food diary and manage my diet etc...

In January i became clogged up again and since then ive been having real trouble going to the toilet. I've changed my diet and haven't seen any great results. The problem i have now is that the symptoms i have could be anything and I'm at a complete loss with what to do or how to manage whatever it is that i have.

Symptoms i have are -

- upper abdominal discomfort

- constipation

- occasional visible blood in stool (90% of the time bright red - but maroon coloured a couple of times)

- decaying enamel on teeth

- always seem to have a tickly cough

- odd sensation in middle of breastbone at top of abdomen ... almost like an expanding sensation that takes my breath away tiny bit

- im usually fairly tired

- weight loss ... over a stone in the last few month

Some of these symptoms make me think I've got an ongoing GERD issue - but the only thing is i have no oesophagal issues - no heartburn or discomfort.

The worry for me is the blood in my stool - i have had hemmorhoids and it usually is when I'm constipated that i bleed, but the fact that I have had some maroon colored blood is now a concern as it tells me that that kind of blood is not from hemmorhoids - so where is it from?

The weight loss could be down to the laxatives and dietary changes I've made, but i haven't been this light for a while, so im not sure if it's caused by illness or the medication and lifestyle changes.

I'm going back to see my doctor today and am going to ask for tests to rule out more sinister causes - im aware that one of these tests is the colonoscopy and i dread it. If requested, would a virtual colonoscopy via the nhs be an option?

Does anyone else have similar issues / experiences?

Thanks for anyone taking the time to read this and anyone who replies.

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Hi mate reacuring hemoroids for some people is a condition that does effect people.

My friend is the same as you same symptoms.

They will cause you to bleed to and the blood will change color to that's normal.

You where probably getting the hemoroids further down at first but probably your getting them higher up now to making the blood change color with the poo its quite normal.

It could be the cause of your constipation too.

Your doing the right thing getting the tests done.

All the other issues you may be all linked to this but you could have something else which only the test will show.

Hows your dietary now when your on the laxatives ?

If there making you lose to much weight have you tryed foods that give laxative effect

Or asking the go to lower your dosage

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same issues and i have testicular and anal pain too... get a virtual colonscopy  done ...

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Yeah ... i hate the very thought of the invasive routine colonoscopy. I know it's worth it but the idea of a non invasive test that will return the same information is much easier to deal with.

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To be honest, the laxatives don't seem to be working too great now. I've been on laxido for a week 3 sachets per day and it hasn't helped much. I tried another over the counter laxative too and they didn't work too well but fybogel did help quite alot.

Not sure why laxatives wouldn't really be helping - but then again maybe they are - im able to go to the toilet but feel like I'm not done all the time - as is the symptoms of ibs / CC.

I have added alot more fibre to my diet and cut out potentially hard to digest foods and I'm not constipated 100% if the time. It seems like i am about 50% of the time and maybe always after I've had a big meal or if i sneak a takeaway in.

Too many factors to summise, really. I just hope the Dr. Can schedule me a non invasive test.

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Hi. I have ibs with constipation and also internal piles which bleed occasionally. My GP frowns on laxatives but gives me movicol. This is supposed to be exactly the same as laxido but doesn't work for me. What does help is lots of water. Bit boring l know but try upping your fluid intake. Have not had a colonoscopy but have had a sigmoidoscopy. Not as bad as you think, my husband has a colonoscopy every five years and he is given sedation. He says he doesn't feel a thing. Good luck

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Thanks Margaret. I'll see what my doc says. Regular colonoscopy might be on the cards.

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I have crohns or so they think, after a long IBS diagnosis. Had a colonoscopy a couple of months back and it was fine. The worst bit is the prep. U would probably welcome the relief of it tho if u r constipated! lol. U basically drink a litre of fluid laxative, ur bowel turns into a jet wash system for a few hours, u go to bed, then repeat it on the morning of the test. The actual scope was fine. I had sedation as I was terrified, but it really isn't bad. I had some pain going round the bends, like a gassy pain or cramps, but it was all over very quickly. It will be worth it for the reassurance. Good luck x

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I'm on Laxido orange and they do take time to work initially.  I think I took 2-3 sachets every day for a week at first, then after going umpteen times in one day (going from little lumps to just a bit softer than normal and what a relief!!!), I only need 1 sachet every other day now, sometimes 2 days.  I think they're great, well they are for me, but you have to regulate how many you take after the initial complete emptying of your bowels or else you can end up with diarrhoea.  

Everyone's different, but I'd give Laxido a fair go if I were you, but if you think that Fybogel works best for you, then stick with that.  I take Laxido with half a tall glass of soda water from the fridge and it's a really nice drink, a lot nicer than gloopy Fybogel.

Good luck.  I hope you get sorted soon.

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What type of fibre have you added ?

To much at once is not such a good idea for quite a lot of people.

Constipation galore that one ya have to introduce fibre gradually ie small amount to begin with and then increase. Brown rice is good enough to begin with I have that twice daily its a like saver for me.

I have rice with fresh raw oils always roughly 15 ml of oil per meal prefably mono saturated like rapeseed oil or I'll have fish oil or olive oil but more the rapeseed extra virgin.

You could try some herbal teas to relax

Watch out for your alergenic foods.

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Hi friend, please ask your Dr to take the Coeliac test again. This time, load up on gluten for at least a week before taking it. Except for the blood in stools, your symptoms are very familiar bc I've suffered them all! Went mis/undiagnosed for near 40 yrs until I became so sick, they did an endoscopy on me ... Biopsies taken from my duodenum revealed CD. I suffered over 50 symptoms off & on (there are over 300)! And yes, Hemorrhoids were one of them. The sensations you describe in upper chest could be a result of silent reflux which is a whole different animal than GERD. There's no heartburn involved & can bring on a host of major issues if not dealt with. 

CD can wreak havoc in every inch of the digestive system from sores in the mouth reflux to IBS to hems. Bc it's target is the sm intestine, it can affect nearly every system in your body. Symptoms can (and very often do) come and go. CD can also lie dormant in the body for a period of time bc it's an autoimmune disease. Sickness, surgery, stress or trauma often triggers full-blown attacks. 

Bc there is no medicine to treat CD, Drs receive no incentive by diagnosing it & it's a sneaky disease. You need to very proactive in this bc your dr will not.

I empathise with you! Your symptoms are very familiar, I can fully relate.

Be well & prosper.

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Thanks for taking the time to reply Gale.

I did think that myself. But with the blood test coming back negative i didn't think the doctor would listen. I'll definitely do what you say as i do think there's a huge possibility that i have CD.

I'll let you know the outcome. Thank you

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All the best to you my friend