Oily smelly poo and lots of other very weird stuff going on

Digestive health
1

Sorry for the waffle but bear with me…this is a long one!

I do suffer from health anxiety ever since I was a kid.  I am 44 yr old male. Normally in good health.

I had been noticing a film of oil in the toilet after a BM.  When I pass wind and my poo smells of rotting vegetables/camembert. My poo was varying from hard, to mushy, more often mushy, and floating in the bowl.

I reckon this has been going on for 3 to 6 months

That’s just the start of it however….

I started seeking Docs advice in January this year, scared about something sinister – I recently lost a friend to pancreatic cancer, and a relative to stomach cancer.  I was worried…!

I have been prescribed Trazadone, 100mg, which helps me sleep, but does not stop the worry.

I was having reflux and stomach pain - I am on Omeprazole, which seems to have done the job (I had Gastritis a few years ago)

Since then I have had an intermittent blotchy red rash on arms, hands and abdomen and neck (non itchy, not raised) – doc says Urticaria, I showed him some photos….  Took cetirizine, it didn’t go away

My legs have started itching like hell when sitting at desk.  I have several small red patches with whiteheads on.  When wearing shorts, they don’t itch. It comes and goes.

An intermittent niggling cough which has been going on for 6 to 8 weeks – I bring up occasional clear/very light green salty mucus, especially after exercise and mainly in morning. 

Found some lumps around my nipples – which scared me – doc pressed them – “don’t worry”

More recently and more worrying (past 2 weeks) I have been having incredibly randomly growling guts (upper and lower).  Especially when get up in morning, and after eating generally. I can literally feel them shake and vibrate through my body in a way that they never used to.

Haven’t done a “normal” poo in 2 weeks, has been very loose not watery, but not substantial, intermittent, sometimes want to go but just wind.  It terrifies me that I have a blockage somewhere.

Intermittent low back pain, which feels like something pressing, has woken me up in middle of night - again is there a lower bowel issue?

Worst of all, I am sure I can feel something rubbing around inside my rib cage when moving or breathing in front and back, mainly on right.  Sometimes is an audible “crack”, but sometimes like a rubbing/grinding inside.  Horrible sensation.

My back and ribcage generally are very cracky/clicky recently all day long

Today – I have had what I can only describe a sphincter pain (stabbing) when I wanted to go to the toilet, but nothing happened.  It eased off after 10 minutes.  I think this is what is known as Proctalgia?  I have had it before a few times in the past.

Generally I feel washed out, and incredibly scared.  Sometimes feel a bit confused/spaced out, a little low on energy perhaps.

At night I am generally fine – no pain (apart from recent lower back)

Appetite, pretty good, although not in the morning (I think that’s the Trazadone fog).  Not major weight lost (lost a few pounds after Xmas). Stable at present.

My thoughts (I am a chronic symptom checker) – Lymphoma, bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer, or something else horrible.

I have been to the doctors about 10 times this year, and I think he is now totally fed up with me.  He says – “you are fine”.  He asked “what do you want to do?”.  I didn’t know (he’s the expert!).  “Do you want to see a Gastroenterologist?” – I have decided I do.  I got the impression he doesn’t think it is necessary. I am now scared to go back for fear of wasting his time with new symptoms.

I am doing some CBT for health anxiety, but it isnt working.

I have been tested for

Blood tests

Enzymes of some sort which relate to liver, and something to do with pancreas - normal

Various blood /white cell counts – normal range

Coeliac – negative

Vitamin D – low (quite common at this time of year apparently)– now taking supplement

Poo tests

H Pylori – negative (normal)

Calprotectin – negative (normal)

Gardia – negative (normal)

Sputum – bacteria test – negative (normal)

Chest X Ray – normal

Upper GI ultrasound – normal (pancreas difficult to see due to bowel gas obstruction)

 

Based on all the test results, I am fine.  But my body is giving off all sorts of signs that I am not.

 

Does anyone have any insight as to where I am with all this, and what I should be doing.   I feel out on a limb at present?

2

I have almost all these symptoms right now and im only 19. I know where your coming from bro. I''m waiting on my results for a few blood tests, if i get told anything unusual, i will let you know. My stools also have not been normal consistently for a long time now. Obviously when something is going wrong with the digestive system i have learned from experience that it messes with the entire body. Literally. I'm not in favor of the risks associated with the colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures so i still havent got neither of them. I would much better prefer a capsule endoscopy. My chest x rays have also came out normal. I would personally advise you to do a full body detox and see how you feel after. Sometimes doctors wont tell you the little things, literally when i went to visit my doctor with all those symptoms you explained (mines are very similar) he asked me what kind of tests did i want to have done or checked. Obviously this is pretty cool, but i dont want to expect that from a doctor. Take it easy on your bowels for a few weeks. Maybe try some banana's here and there, that helped me some. I was scheduled for a colonoscopy and when i went through the bowel cleansing protocol i decided to not do it at the last minute, and i dont regret that. After cleansing my bowels and going on a strictly banana diet for a few days, my bowels are alot better. I would say you should go for a try man. Good luck. If you ever figure out whats going on give me a heads up

3

Cheers Cristian. Some people perhaps wouldn't worry about this stuff maybe I over think . catastrophising my Dr calls it. But my body is so far out of whack it terrifies me. Take care . Simon.

4

PS - I should add, I think that the Dr now must think I am some sort of nut job for coming back so often (he really did seem p*ssed off with me at my last appointment), but I have only done this as the symtoms have changed. And they have definately changed.  I agree there is a degree of health anxiety, but I feel physical symptoms, and I believe if you have a concern you should be able to discuss it with someone.

5

Sounds to me you are bit of a hypo. Get checked out with a colonoscopy then you can put to bed your worry about digestive problems. remember if you eat greasy foods then stools will be as well. Take a probiotic I would recommend one but they will just delete my post. Stop the freaking out because that will cause symptoms and make you feel tired. If you had all the workups for different things all normal please don't continue this as you will cause yourself problems if the doctor sends you in for invasive testing that you don't need. I know that it puts ones motality in perspective when you watch loved ones die of disease. It makes some become self absorbed in it and some where along the way we forget to enjoy life by constantly worring about our own mortality. I tend to do it myself and as a result end up not having fun. In my case I should be trying to find a lady to date rather than worry about my health. Take Care.

6

Don't forget to live! Enjoy life.

7

I am a bit of a hypo - I agree.  And maybe all this has been brought on by stress/worry.  I just dont know, cant see the wood for the trees, and I struggle to equate the power of the mind with physical symptoms. All I know is that "stuff" is happening, and I dont understand it, and would like it to go away!

I hope you get a date soon! 

8

That is a bit of a struggle at the moment - but you are correct, and thanks

9

Hi Simon, sorry for your troubles. Has your doctor not suggested IBS to you? It seems a likely explanation to me. The 'oily' film you are getting on the water may actually be a thin film of mucous, which is common in IBS. I only know this as I was worried my daughter might have it and so recently googled the symptoms.

Have a google yourself....I think your digestive/bowel problems sound like they match the symptoms fairly well.

As for the other things you mention, well those could very well just be anxiety. Many times over the years when my anxiety levels have been especially high and I am in full on 'worry mode' I start to notice every ache, every lump, every bump, every little freckle (that suddenly seems bigger and darker than before!) suddenly seem sinister. I've been like that since my teens and I'm 40 now and still going!!

I hope this helps a little. Best wishes x

 

10

I'm no doctor but went through major surgery in December learnt a lot, wonder if your bile duct is blocked not producing bile to mix with stomach contents that would produce what your symptoms are, there's a pill you can creon produces worth asking 

 

11

Have you seen a nutritionist?