My colon problems

Digestive health
1

Hello,

 

I am a 26 year old male and for three years now (since I was 23) I am having colon problems. In these three years I have probably visited the doctor around 20 times and I have been send two times to two different gastronologists. I remember a period within these three years were my symptoms disappeared but other then that they are always there.

 

The first symptom I remember related to the colon is mucus on the toiletpaper. After I noticed this I started to pay attention to my stools. The next symptom is the shape of my stool. This varies every bowel movement. It is often loose en shapeless. When it has shape it is mostly flat or pencil thin but always soft. Sometimes it seems normal or even very thick but this is rare. Now lately I also notice that my body cannot digest some types of food. For example mushrooms and onions come out as they came in. Yesterday I ate asparagus and today I saw them coming out as they went in. So this is another food I cannot seem to digest well.

 

There are two x-rays made of my stomach. The first one showed that my entire colon was full of stool. The second x-ray (1 year later, last February) showed that my colon still had a lot of stool in it but not as much as on the first xray.

 

My doctor subscribed fiber supplements and I have been taking these for probably a year now. They don't seem to do a lot. The gastronologists said I have no worrying symtoms and don't want to do a scope. The first one called it IBS and the second gastronologist said it was a lazy colon.

 

But I am worrying a lot. I am thinking about it almost 24/7 and am always googling symtoms. I am planning another visit to the doc this week for the undigested food and to share my worries with him.

 

In the years leading up to these problems I have been experiencing severe/extreme stress (still stressed to this day but its getting better, while I did developed a panic disorder). I could not eat most of the time and I almost eat a bunch of bananas each day, since this was the only food i could eat easily). Today I am eating healthy, starting every day with a smoothie and eating a lot of fruit. Plus taking fiber supplements three times a day.

 

To summarize, my symptoms today are:

- Mucus in stool (almost always)

- A different shape/structure every BM (pellets, loose, pencil, normal, etc)

- Undigested food (asparagus, mushrooms, onions, spinach)

- Stool almost always floats

- Often a acid smell 

- Anxiety disorder

 

One last thing, a couple of months after my colon problems started I developed a breathing disorder. It all started out of the blue one day. I was thinking about my breathing and ever since that day I could not stop thinking about it. I had to breath manually for 2 years. It was horrible.. I am over it now (except in stressed situations it can come back) luckily. I don't know if this has anything to do with the colon problems but I thought I should mention it.

 

I am curious to your thoughts and experiences on what could be causing my symtoms.

 

Thank you!

2

Dear Peter

I am not a medical expert.

I have just 'filled' in the Bowel cancer envelope/cards that came through the post this week.

I also suffer from brittle asthma and stress, I have read your very comprehensive statement.

If you cover all bases with your GP Peter then you will have peace of mind and you may well then have less stress which is a very destructive issue.

Many people benefit from alternative help like taking up Yoga, breathing exercises etc. Exercise if you feel well enough...

If you suffer from IBS then that is difficult to pin down Peter.

if all tests for such illnesses are cancer free then diet also needs attention.

try the FreeFrom range in SAINSBURY'S, Waitrose etc. Gluten free etc.

if you choose alternative methods when all tests from your GP are clear then I bet you will feel so much better within yourself ... Have a real think about it.

All the best 

Helen 

 

3

Hi Helen, thanks for your reply. It's much appreciated!

The thing is, I have discussed all my symptoms with multiple doctors and they all think its nothing serious. But I am still worrying and experiencing a lot of stress because of it as the symptoms do not dissapear.

I do exercise a lot. I am running 3 - 4 times a week and am keep improving my time. Also training a couple of times a week with weights. So it seems physically I am ok.

I do think about going to an osteopath as I read this can improve the function of the colon.

A couple of years before this started I had attacks where I felt the sensation of passing out (it felt everything was going in slowmotion around me). Around that time I also started to having weird eye problems which never dissapeared (heartbeat in vision and spots in vision when looking to far left, right or up). I had a lot of tests done including multiple MRI's and a CT among many other tests but everything came back fine. In that time I was sure I had a brain tumor. In hindsight it was probably due to stress. But my anxiety started because of that and never left.

Again thanks for your reply.

Peter

4

Hello Peter

         My son has anxiety attacks as well and he works himself all up into things that cause stomach problems, heart racing, breathing problems ect. I talk him down a lot to reassure him that it is the anxiety that is causing all his health issues. Your body cannot possibly digest food properly when you worried, stressed out, knots in your stomach, rushing to eat food to get it down, taking in so much air while you are eating that food down etc.

 The first thing you have to do is deal with you anxiety because if you don't fix your anxious thoughts, you cannot fix your body. Your body is only reacting to your thoughts which excellerate when you let your thoughts go out of control.

There is a forum on here for anxiety attacks, have you talked to other people with that so they can tell you how they deal with it. There are lots of ways, but it takes a long time to train your brain, not to have those negative thoughts. There are lots of books that train you how to deal with this problem and will help you calm down.

As far as the eating goes and the undigested food. You should try the organic Apple Cidar Vinegar(with the mother in it) by Braggs. You can get it in the health food stores. All you have to do is take one teaspoon of apple cidar vinegar and mix it in 6 ounces of warm water. Stir and drink with a straw slowly so it doesn't stain your teeth. Drink it after lunch and supper. It will give you the proper amount of acid that you need to break down your food. It sounds like your stomach is in such knots from anxiety that you don't have enough acid to break down the food. Most people think when they have acid reflux that they have too much acid when in reality they don't have enough acid to break down the food properly etc.

If you don't like the taste, just start out with drinking a few ounces after lunch and supper. NOW MY BIGGEST ADVICE IS TO STOP THINKING YOU CANNOT BREATHE. YOU HAVE YOURSELF SO STRESSED OUT THAT YOU ARE CREATING NEW PROBLEMS FOR YOURSELF THAT REALLY ARE ALL UNDER YOUR CONTROL. YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE. I TELL MY SON ALL THE TIME AND HE IS GETTING MUCH BETTER AND SO CAN YOU. GET THOSE BOOKS AND START TRAINING YOURSELF TO GET IN A BETTER PLACE. YOU CANNOT HEAL YOUR BODY UNTIL YOU HEAL YOUR MIND WHICH AT THE MOMENT IS FULL OF NEGATIVE SCARY THOUGHTS. GET RID OF THAT AND INSTEAD OF SAYING WHAT IF, WHAT IF, SAY WHO GIVES A CRAP AND SO WHAT.

                           BLESSINGS TO YOU

                           LYNN

5

Thank you for your reply Lynn,

I know the anxiety and stress is a big problem. I have been working on this for a long time and it is getting better. Regarding the breathing, I was indeed thinking I could not breath or that I was breathing wrong. I have overcome this for the biggest part though. It gets my every now and then but most of the time it is on the background now. I will try our your advice regarding the undigested food and I will also make a post on the anxiety forum.

I am still curious for people with the same symptoms.

6

The best medicine that your body can receive is relaxation and going for a simple walk will improve your entire outlook. I learned a long time ago that long walks will take away from yourself as you enjoy everything else around you. You have to get away from yourself to relax. Some people do that by walking, golfing, swimming, reading, painting, whatever it takes that you enjoy to turn your thoughts into positive thoughts. Thats the key to relaxation and your digestive system will follow. When your mind is calm, so is your body. As soon as you tighten up and get stresed your body says , oh oh here we go again, stomach problems, gas, knots etc. Hope you feel better soon and do all the research you can. Talk to others who suffer from the same things and hopefully you can find what works for you.

                     Blessings to you Peter

                     Lynn

7

Yes walks are great. Thank you.

I am just wondering if I should do a colonoscopy at a private clinic. Since the doctors dont think its necessary its my only way to rule some conditions out. 

8

Dear Peter

My husband had a colonoscopy and the result was that it was not in the best of shape. Surely your GP could refer you Peter, rather than go privately?

if it gives you peace of mind then go for it, however try not to worry yourself into an early grave ....  

Seriously stress is very bad for you .

regards

Helen x

9

Its up to you what you decide to do regarding the colonoscopy. I cannot tell you to do or don't do it. All I can say is try to relax and see if your digestive system relaxes with you. Did you have stool smear test to see if there is any blood in your stool? Sometimes this simple test is done. However, if you have hemorroids you cannot have this test because bleeding hemorroids interefere with this type of test. I think you doctor must know your health much more then we do, so again, maybe you should also follow your doctors lead. However, again that is a choice you have to make for yourself.

                                                  Lynn

10

Hi Helen,

My GP has referred me twice to two separate specialists but they dont want to do the colonoscopy because they say my symptoms aren't serious and because of my age..

Peter

11

I did not have the blood test. Maybe I can do this privately but I believe there is not always blood is there?

12

Peter,

If it is diagnosed as IBS that means that all other possibiities, given your symptoms, have been tested and rejected. But it sounds like you have not had a colonoscopy. In my wife's case a colonoscopy was done twice before her primary physician reluctantly decided it was IBS. We have been trying every possible treament, as yet without success. Recently we found the Mayo Clinic's web page about IBS and found that they are suggesting Alternative Medicine. When MDs do that you can be sure they don't have all the answers. They even suggest acupuncture, yoga, and other treatments you don't usually get from an MD.

Our gastroenterologist explained that all available diagnostic tests are like snapshots of a dynamic process, and thus they do not detect abnormal contractions and relaxation of the muscles that cause the bowels to move content thru the system. He said that anxiety and stress may play a role in IBS for some or many patients. This has keyed us to try yoga and to study alternative medicines that have a reputation for relieving stress-related pain.  These medicines may be illegal in some jurisdictions.

13

Blood on the bowel could be caused by bleeding internal or outside bleeding hemorroids. If you don't have hemorroids and you see blood in the stool, then that would be something to tell the doctor and he could make the best call on that one.

                                                                      Lynn

14

I have not seen blood but I meant even if the blood test is negative it doesnt rule anything out right?

15

Not seeing blood is a very good sign. Have a good day and get out and enjoy the day. I am off to church now. Remember something, none of us are ever promised tomorrow, so each day is to be lived to the fullest as if it were your last , just an expression. But its true, if everyone would just enjoy the day they have today and not worry about tomorrow, your frame of mind would be much happier. You have no control over your path ahead. Its already all planned out. So go with the flow and do something today that makes you happy. You must have some interests or hobbies or something that can get you out of this frame of mind and get on with living. Your very young and have your whole life ahead of you.

                                             Blessings to you

                                             Lynn

16

An update from my side:

A couple of weeks ago I went back to my GP. He did another bloodwork which came back perfect. I also have a little lump just above my groin. They made an ultrasound of that. In this ultrasound there were no abnormalties seen. They also looked at my lymph nodes in that area which were normal. My GP said this was a very good sign. I also did the TFT test and no parasites were found. Last friday they made another xray because my GP wanted to see if my colon is still full of stool. I will get the results of that tomorrow.

For the last 3-4 days I have a little sick feeling in my stomach and have no appetite. This is causing a lot of worries. I am done with the worrying so I am going to get the coloscopy at a private clinic. Tomorrow I will hear what the first possible date is.

One other thing I realized. About 9 years ago my appendix perforated and I was two weeks in the hospital. Could adhesions from this surgery cause my symptoms?

Thanks.

17

Hi, Was reading through your issue I too have lazy bowels and often dry stool only, I think it's because of not drinking too much as your body absorbs too many liquid what makes you water gain. 

Only thing that helps me is a liquid juice diet and avoid foods im allergic to like milk.

And same for me doctor didn't take me serious too

18

hii i too hv problems exactly same as you...i m suffering this from last two years

19

Peter,

I have had the same exact experience including the lump above my groin area and the trouble breathing. I'm also in my early 20s and have over the past 6 months been suffering from colon issues. For me the lump appeared before the GI issues. In addition, my stomach is extremely distended after meals, especially in the evenings. 

I had an endoscopy done and my doc told me I had extremely high stomach acidity and a number of ulcers there. I have now been on prilosec for about four weeks but haven't noticed any real improvement. In fact a side effect of prilosec is stomach bloating, gas, etc so I can't really tell now if the stomach distension is due to the prilosec or the stomach acidity. 

Next week I'm getting tested to see if I have all the correct digestive enzymes since my stomach doesn't seem to be fully digesting food. (Maybe you should try this as well). 

In any case, if you ended up resolving your GI issues please reply and let me know what worked for you. I'm starting to lose hope. 

 

20

Hi a43876.

Did you get tested. What was the result, please provide feedback it could help others.