Scared about stomach health. Not IBS anymore?

Digestive health
1

Hello all,

After some advice.

I have dealt with IBS for a few years and know the pain well. I also have developed pretty bad anxiety as a result which never helps.

I am really worried about my stomach health now. I feel a right mess.

For about 3-4 months I was passing blood when I went the toilet. Being a guy a thought, leave it, I was under high stress, it will go. It didn't and progressively got worse. During this time my toliet habits completely changed. I was consistently getting painful cramps at night, really bloated, gassy and exhausted. I was waking up at 4am just to run the toliet and pass blood (no stool..). It was horrible. The fatigue horrendous, not due to poor sleep just shear fatigue.

I can't eat much, everything upsets me. Sometimes I can go the loo 3/4 times in an hour, especially the morning!

I have developed bad reflux which I have never had as well which I think is due to the bloating.

I went the doctors who asked for a few bloods and stool tests as I was getting a mix of symptoms. It's hard to distinguish stomach health from anxiety...

Basically at the moment I am:

Congested constantly (throat mucus) and have panic attacks because it chokes me.

My eyes are swollen, red and itchy.

I have cramps, pains, gass and bloating.

Irregular toilet habit and frequent urge to go.

I can't stand on the spot?! My body just feels like a lead weight pulling me down and I get very dizzy all the time.

Migraines and tiredness

Allergies and balance issues ruled out by ENT after two years continuous tests. And Apparently the congestion and eye problems are related to my stomach issues?!

My stool tests came back positive for inflammation (pretty high) and blood presence (which I expected).

I have been referred to a gastroenterologist now. Apparently my results indicate chrons or colitis.

What can I expect and can anyone relate / give some advice of how to get better?

Thank you

2

Hi Thomas

Gastro consultant, will work out what it is. You may have to have tests, like endoscopy, colonoscopy.

It is easy to say try not to worry, if I had a pound every time someone says don’t worry, I would be a millionaire.

Do you have anyone you can talk to?

Hope your appointment comes soon.

Take care

Junie

3

Hi Thomas

So sorry to hear about your problems, sounds like you are having to deal with great pain and distress, no wonder anxiety has set in as well.

I was suspected of having Crohns or Colitis following two high faecal calprotectin tests, however following an endoscopy and colonoscopy with biopsies, on top of the numerous scans, X-Rays, blood and urine tests, they found nothing wrong other than haemorrhoids. I also didn't share the common symptoms of Crohns or Colitis, and it was therefore decided that I did not have either of these conditions, even though I do suffer with abdominal / digestive issues still. During the build up to these tests and the fact that I was suspected of having Crohn's or Colitis, I did a lot of research on these conditions, and spoke to a lot of sufferers to get an idea of what to expect. I have to say that your symptoms do in fact sound a lot like you are suffering with an IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). The first thing will be for you to get a confirmed diagnosis, which could include any of the following, colonoscopy, endoscopy, small bowel MRI scan and a pill cam, you will probably have blood tests to support these procedures. If a diagnosis is confirmed then you could be put on a course of steroids and/or immunosuppressants, which will be used to get your condition under control and help you into a remission phase. Unfortunately, it is something that cannot be cured so it is more a case of making your life easier to deal with. Surgery could be suggested if during your investigations, parts of your digestive tract are badly affected by either condition. You will also have to follow a strict diet, which will help you get the nutrients you need, but also be gentle on your digestive system. From what I researched this seems to be what most IBD sufferers have to go through, obviously I'm sure you will hear from IBD sufferers who can elaborate more on what I've said.

I really feel for you at this time and I do hope the results of your investigations are positive, hearing stories like yours make me feel incredibly lucky that in my case IBD doesn't seem to be the cause of my problems, although I do still wonder at times as I can feel really ill at points.

I wish you all the best for the future, do take care.

4

Hi Paul

Do you follow a special diet?

Junie

5

A colonoscopy would confirm IBD and show whether it is Crohns or colitis.  Discuss this with your doctor.

6

OMG so sorry for what you are going through!  I guess there's always someone out there worse off.  One lady suggested a naturopathy to me!  Maybe that isn't a bad suggestion for you!  It's so sad when people like yourself have to be in that awful state!!  I'm probably no help but maybe it's a start

7

Thank you, I will look into it

It's a catch 22 really. On the one hand, I am glad it's no longer anxiety and they have finally found something wrong, especially after having 2 therapists saying it's my thought process driving the symptoms and there is nothing wrong. Yet no matter what I tried offered no improvements. On the other hand, now I wish it was just anxiety again!

I will wait to see the consultant before worrying (more so) as it could be something or nothing still at the moment. Maybe a bad IBS flare-up?

It's just difficult at work for the moment as working on a quiet office, it's very uncomfortable!

8

Hey Thomas I can understand what you are going through and how it is difficult to keep our brain away from the thing which is confusing and we want the definitive answers....I was there a year ago and after colonoscopy and endoscopy and with numerous blood tests i got diagnosed with IBS...I am not giving you false hopes but when I was going through that phase I was looking at the youtube videos of crohns and ulcerative colitis'  patients and after watching those i used to get motivation that doesn't matter whatever the result will be, If they can do it, I can also do it....See videos of those patients who came out from those diseases and how they managed....As carol said naturopath is a good option, But first you get your diagnosis confirmed and see what doctors are saying, with that you can consult a naturopath with your diagnosis and they will help you in long run to manage your condition...

 During those phase yoga, meditation and positive thoughts helped me a lot...I surrounded my self with the ppl whom i love and they became my support system...It is very important doesn't matter what the diagnosis is, your surrounding should be positive...and I am sure you will come out from that victorious, Just look at this as an opportunity to see the life differently and make it better than what that was....I can now say that IBS was one of the good things that happened with me as now I live the life more than what I used to live without IBS...so what if it comes with pain but that is worth it