# I.B.S, LACTOSE INTOLERANCE, GALLBLADDER DISEASE, LIVER PROBLEMS, DEPRESSION, COLON POLYPS, 24/7 NAUSEA, GASTRITIS, ACID REFLUX



## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

So, this is my first time on this support forum and its so comforting to know that others are out there struggling with the same thing I am, because when this all first flared up my freshman year in college, i nearly lost my mind.THIS IS MY STORY (by the way, its 2 am and I'm up because my stomach hurts terribly) MAY BE LONG, BUT TRUST ME, YOU SHOULD READ ITI'm an only child and have lead a pretty decent, non stressful life with my mother and grandmother. I am a chocoholic and we've always eaten healthy, organic, non processed foods. I left for my freshman year in college in august of 2005 and immediately noticed the food offered in college is much different. My freshman year was typical until about the last couple months, probably around january of 2006. I started to notice myself being much more hungry, but having terrible cramping and pains. I have always had a painful period so when this happened I assumed that time of the month was coming. But my period came late the first time and I was horrified to think I could possibly be pregnant. I went to a local doctor by my school and discovered I was not pregnant. I was satisfied and moved on. But my cramping, pain, diahhrea, nausea, and dizzyness was getting a little worse. I decided to go back to the same doctor who asked me about my stress levels. They weren't bad at all since I saw other students so stressed out they were having ulcers. My doctor took some blood tests, found that all was normal and suggested I go to a gastroenterologist. This was about march in 2006. I told my doctor all of my symptons: cramping, diahhrea, nausea, bloating, dizzyness, and pain in my upper right quadrant of my abdomen. The doctor then told me to go get a CCK which measures how well the gallbladder is working. Its a shot of pure liquid fat that is injected while under a internal scanning machine of some sort. The normal range is above 60 and the abnormal range is below 30. My percentage of how well my gallbladder was working was at 62%. But what was strange to them was that when they gave me the shot, all the symptoms immediately arose and I almost threw up on the table. My doctor was concerned about my stomach problems but finals were coming up in april-may and then I was going home for the summer. Before I went home, my finals and some relationship problems took a huge toll on my stress and I was sick and phsyically in pain the whole rest of my semster, therefore taking a toll on my first semester grades. Since my doctor had not diagnosed me with anything, my teachers could not cut me any slack and all I could do was show up at class and finals trying not to keel over and throw up from the pain. The doctor by my school mentioned I.B.S but was more worried about my gallbladder and another possibility of gastritis that my mother had mentioned she had around my age. So they sent me in for an endoscopy. During my endoscopy they noticed I had gastritis but nothing else alarming. What gets me most is that although finding that, i was never given anything to relieve or heal the gastritis. (hint, the gastritis is what led to all my health problems today) So I went home for the summer already having one CCK done and an endoscopy and was supposed to go home to my doctor and have another CCK done and see what they could do. So I went home and had another CCK done. This time it was at 30% and had dropped rapidly. The doctors who gave me the second CCK said it wasn't possible for it to drop that rapidly in only a short couple months and blamed the first CCK for being done wrong, etc. But they thought that it was only on the line of being abnormal so they didnt really worry. I went back to my doctor (at home) who sent me to another gastroenterologist. This gastroenterologist i thought was an idiot but sent me to get another CCK done but swore to me that it was only IBS even though I was having all the IBS symptoms but sectional pain. This time, the third CCK was at 27%. I asked this gastroenterologist who was also a surgeon to remove my gallbladder. He said he didn't think it was a good idea ( he was too worried for his reputation and afraid to remove a perfectly good gallbladder) He also told me I was going to have a hard time finding any other surgeon to remove it. I went to another surgeon who didn't really care and said it was up to me, but never called me back. And then I phoned another surgeon who I met with a few times, agreed to remove my gallbladder, but then he never called back!!! On top of all this, I started to notice that I would get really sick after drinking milk, or eating yogurt, or chocolate and found out because of all this and my lack of eating because I was so sick, I became lactose interolerant! Which was heart breaking for me because I love milk and chocolate. So, I wasn't eating, and I wasn't eating the things I loved, and I couldn't drink milk. LACTOSE INTOLERANCE, who heard of such a thing because of all these health problems. So, this all started when i got home in early May, the third gastroenterologist never called me back, I had to go back to school in the fall in august still sick as all get out, my mother and I would call him constantly. He finally agreed to do the surgery sometime during my fall break in early october. We didnt set the date but I told him to call me back for openings. He never did. I was in extreme and unbearable pain by this point and finally we made the appointment for the surgery on December 27, 2006, 8 MONTHS LATER from when I first came home for summer break. SO, they took out my gallbladder and found gallstones and an enlarged, agitated, bile duct. (this was done laproscopic) The surgeon told me I should be feeling much better and that all my symptoms would be gone... Well two months after the surgery, I was still having the cramping, diahhrea (which i was told would be normal) bloating, nausea, dizzyness, and pain in my abdomen. Although my gallbladder didn't hurt, they waited so long to take it out, I almost got pancreatitis. So my left side of my abdomen hurt as well now. That went away for a while but then in february of 2007, while down at school, i returned to my gastroenterologist there still complaining of symptoms. It started to get worse because it was causing me not to sleep (still does due to the fact that its 2:30 am and I"m still up typing this) and when I dont sleep, I cant function! So basically he decided to put me on an anti depressent to calm my anxiety, hoping that would help reduce that acid in my stomach. I dont remember but I tried a few and decided on Lexipro which worked really well. But I was still having problems. So he decided that I should have a colonoscopy. I did and not only did the anesthesia not work so i was in a lot of pain (I'm sure you can imagine why) but they also found a polyp on my colon. I was extremely scared that it was cancer, but fortunately it was a juvenile polyp that was completely benign. So after that ordeal, the gastroenterologist there at school decided to put me on lexipro (anti-anxiety), caraphate syrup (to help calm and heal the stomach due to gastritis) and protonix to help relieve the acid reflux. I still cant have certain milk products although my stomach can take chocolate and some ice cream. But the reason I'm in pain now is more my fault because I haven't taken my lexipro which has led my body to think its stressed and now my stomach is killing me. I've recently decided to come home for good after my sophomore year in college to attend college closer to home due to all my restrictions on food and life with my health problems. And overall with all the research ive done on gastritis, I've learned that it can lead to lactose intolerance, gallbladder and pancreas problems and acid reflux and possible colon problems. And on top of all those health problems, I can add I.B.S to the list. All my doctors have decided that I had gastritis, acid reflux, over anxiety/depression, I.B.S, liver problems due to Mono which I had my senior year in highschool which really compromised my liver, which then caused my gallbladder to fail, the 24/7 nausea, the polyp on my colon, pancrease pain, the lactose intolerance, complete diet change, and the pain I dont know how I'm going to have to manage for the rest of my life. Sorry that was so long. I dont know if any of my information can help any of you out there, but please, continue to hound your doctors to find something to help with your symptoms! Let them know how awful you feel and have them do multiple tests to make sure its not other things as well! I definitely know how painful and difficult it can make life and its hell to have to live with nausea and pain 24/7. Good luck to everyone out there! let me know if you have any questions or comments. I've been through alot which in an amusing sort of way has lead me to change my career/major to nursing. So I know a lot about this whole issue.


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## 20656 (Aug 30, 2006)

I would have a read of louise gittlemans book "copper overload" sounds like you may have a build up of copper in the body and liver leading to sluggish liver function and various other issues. Also do a low carb diet, inc no fruit or grains to limit fermentation, have a look at my posts yesterday for a little more info. Could take a couple of yrs to reverse that sort of build up though, the book covers it all though. You may also have mercury issues which can cause these problems, its commonly found with copper issues but not always. Shame about the gallbladder though, there is a olive oil/citrus drink process called a liver flush that can flush out those stones, just mention that in case anyone else has that issue. Just search liver flush on the web there lots available on it and will go a long way to helping symptoms you described with fat intolerance. A few of those and increasing healthy fats in your diet on a regular basis will keep bile flowing regulary helping to prevent the condition. Malic acid can also help to disolve themPhil


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## Kelly_K (May 15, 2007)

I was initially diagnosed with gastritis. Then I got acid reflux. But later, after an endoscopy, my gastroenterologist said she thought perhaps what was CAUSING the gastritis symptoms was something going on in my intestines and/or colon. So I then had a colonoscopy. Colon had 1 teenie tiny polyp, but she said I have IBS. The dairy thing...my friend (who was diagnosed with IBS at age 32), around the same time as I last year got the gastritis symptoms and acid reflux and then when she saw her gastroenterologist, he told her what to eat/drink and what not to eat/drink. One of the things in the NOT list was dairy (which consumed alot of...she loves cheese). She discovered that when she cut out the dairy, the acid reflux symptoms and pain were gone. So on my own, I decided to stop eating/drinking dairy and I too no longer had acid reflux. So I brought this up to my GP and asked her if this meant we were lactose intolerant. For the past few years I noticed certain things, such as milk, gave me gas and sometimes diarrhea. But she didn't seem to think I was lactose intolerant and that something else was going on, which is why she sent me to the gastroenterologist. But when I talked to the gastroenterologist about it, she said she couldn't even comment on it 'cause she'd never heard of dairy causing acid reflux because dairy is digested AFTER the stomach. I asked her about lactose intolerance, and she too said she didn't think I was, and she said that there was no testing for it. But I read in the internet that there was testing for it. So, I don't know if I'll ever be able to have dairy again or not. Does anyone else have such problems with dairy? Do things like Lactaid work?


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## kate072666 (Oct 1, 2002)

Kelly~K.....i can so relate to your story. I feel like I might be your twin. I have everything you have mentioned here, except liver problems...but hey, i probably do and don't even know it. Mine started with ibs...then came acid reflux...i also had a colonoscopy and had 8 polyps. I've had an endoscopy and they found nothing. I had my gall bladder out about 16 yrs ago. I had 13 gall stones from that. I am lactose intolerant too. I get sick every month around the time of my period...where i am totally nauseated and cant' eat at all...massive explosive diarreaha the works...severely fatigued and just feel like i am dyeing...i've been to the gastro and explained all my symptoms, and they can't tell me what's wrong....how frustrating is that? I don't know what in the world is wrong with us, but i know it's like being in hell. I have learned and accepted that i will just be sick the rest of my life. I try to just live day to day and pray alot. I don't know what else to do......i just want you to know that i understand what you are going through.


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## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

Lactaid milk and lactiad tablets work so well for the lactose intolerance. Plus if I ever have coffee at starbucks or anywhere else, I ask soy milk. But I completely understand with what you mean with you feeling like you're just going to be sick the rest of your life. I felt like that especially when I was waiting to have my gallbladder out and then I had it out, and I'm still feeling that way. In fact, today I'm still have stomach problems. I did find though after eating a bagel earlier this morning help subside my acid in my stomach. I hate eating carbs because honestly I want to lose some weight but the doctors are all telling me to keep eating carbs because thats the only thing that will soak up the massive amounts of acid in my stomach. Otherwise I seriously feel like my insides are being shredded. Make sure you keep telling the doctors your symptoms because its such an awful feeling to possibly think that the doctors cant do anything. Because in all seriousness, they didn't do much for me. I try to take probiotics and enzymes after I eat, I try and take fish oil capsules which helps neutralize my stomach pain, and I still cant have yogurt, sour cream, or even olive oil due to the gallbladder pain and diahhrea. I remember when I first discovered I had a lactose intolerance, I went to chipotle and got sour cream and within 20 minutes, had to rush as fast as I could to the bathroom and felt so nauseated. I had never been so uncomfortable and since then out of no where after having certain dairy or high fat foods I will be in the bathroom for 20 minutes. suggestion for book: "From Fatigue to Fantastic" by Dr. Teitlebaum


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## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

Lactaid milk and lactiad tablets work so well for the lactose intolerance. Plus if I ever have coffee at starbucks or anywhere else, I ask soy milk. But I completely understand with what you mean with you feeling like you're just going to be sick the rest of your life. I felt like that especially when I was waiting to have my gallbladder out and then I had it out, and I'm still feeling that way. In fact, today I'm still have stomach problems. I did find though after eating a bagel earlier this morning help subside my acid in my stomach. I hate eating carbs because honestly I want to lose some weight but the doctors are all telling me to keep eating carbs because thats the only thing that will soak up the massive amounts of acid in my stomach. Otherwise I seriously feel like my insides are being shredded. Make sure you keep telling the doctors your symptoms because its such an awful feeling to possibly think that the doctors cant do anything. Because in all seriousness, they didn't do much for me. I try to take probiotics and enzymes after I eat, I try and take fish oil capsules which helps neutralize my stomach pain, and I still cant have yogurt, sour cream, or even olive oil due to the gallbladder pain and diahhrea. I remember when I first discovered I had a lactose intolerance, I went to chipotle and got sour cream and within 20 minutes, had to rush as fast as I could to the bathroom and felt so nauseated. I had never been so uncomfortable and since then out of no where after having certain dairy or high fat foods I will be in the bathroom for 20 minutes. suggestion for book: "From Fatigue to Fantastic" by Dr. Teitlebaum


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## kate072666 (Oct 1, 2002)

I've never tried the lactaid products.....i guess i probably should. I'm bad about being too lazy to take my meds when i'm supposed to. I know i should do it and it might just help me!!!







I feel ya about the stomach acid. I have the same problem....and i can tell ya, i take my prilosec at 7am every day, and like the hour before that i can feel my stomach starting to hurt....so i know i have to take that one. Believe it or not my chiroprator told me about the fish oil pills...i ordered some from him, and took the first bottle of them, and then never got any more....i didn't really see any differernce with them...but i'm sure they have to do something.







I actually do eat alot of olive oil, well i cook with it....but i did hear that's good for you. I love garlic and onions...but onions don't like me too much....i eat all the stuff i know i'm not supposed to...but i just can't help it. Sometimes it will send me into a flare up sometimes it won't. So i never know. I'm not spending my life not eating the things i love....probably not a good attitude i have, but that's just me...i'm quite stubborn.


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## Kelly_K (May 15, 2007)

kittykat said:


> Kelly~K.....i can so relate to your story. I feel like I might be your twin. I have everything you have mentioned here, except liver problems...but hey, i probably do and don't even know it. Mine started with ibs...then came acid reflux...i also had a colonoscopy and had 8 polyps. I've had an endoscopy and they found nothing. I had my gall bladder out about 16 yrs ago. I had 13 gall stones from that. I am lactose intolerant too. I get sick every month around the time of my period...where i am totally nauseated and cant' eat at all...massive explosive diarreaha the works...severely fatigued and just feel like i am dyeing...i've been to the gastro and explained all my symptoms, and they can't tell me what's wrong....how frustrating is that? I don't know what in the world is wrong with us, but i know it's like being in hell. I have learned and accepted that i will just be sick the rest of my life. I try to just live day to day and pray alot. I don't know what else to do......i just want you to know that i understand what you are going through.


Kittykat - yeah I have really bad periods - the kind where you have nausea and/or vomitting. It's USUALLY just the first day of it, but sometimes it can be the first 3 days. I lost a good job (pre-IBS) in 2005 because I called in sick often, because 8 months out of 12 I have periods so bad that I just wanted to rip my uterus out with my own hands the cramps were so bad, and then the really bad diarrhea...period time is a nightmare for me most months. No one can tell me why. They just recommend aspirin or ibuprofen. Now that I have IBS, my last couple of periods have been automtic nightmares. Ugh! Can't just have a problem/condition at a time - noooooo


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## Kelly_K (May 15, 2007)

mcnic713 - be glad you don't have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). I have had that for 15 years now, and didn't get good treatment for it till about 3 years ago. The endocrinologist explained that it's not just cystic ovaries, but also high insulin. He explained that basically my body is producing more insulin than it needs. That means that if I don't change my diet, lose weight, etc. then I could end up with bigger problems, such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and/or heart disease. One of the keys is cutting down the carbs. Ok, so I did. Then I get gastritis and IBS and found that out of every food I tried, carbs didn't irritate my stomach as much as the rest. So now I don't know how to treat one problem, without making the other worse, and vice versa! My body is in conflict with itself I guess


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## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

Kelly_K said:


> mcnic713 - be glad you don't have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). I have had that for 15 years now, and didn't get good treatment for it till about 3 years ago. The endocrinologist explained that it's not just cystic ovaries, but also high insulin. He explained that basically my body is producing more insulin than it needs. That means that if I don't change my diet, lose weight, etc. then I could end up with bigger problems, such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and/or heart disease. One of the keys is cutting down the carbs. Ok, so I did. Then I get gastritis and IBS and found that out of every food I tried, carbs didn't irritate my stomach as much as the rest. So now I don't know how to treat one problem, without making the other worse, and vice versa! My body is in conflict with itself I guess


Hey,I was just in the hospital yesterday because of the last 3 days. I was waking up at 2-3 am every morning and only getting about 3 hours of sleep each night. Thursday night, my stomach hurt so badly and I was so nauseated that I almost went to the hospital but decided to wait until the morning to see if I could get a doctors appointment. I did. The doctor said I had a fever, pin-point pressure (meaning she could barely touch my abdomen without it hurting terribly) and my upper abdomen was strangely letting of heat. Like she would touch my upper abdomen and her hand would be really hot, and then she touched the bottom part of my abdomen and it was a cool area. So she sent me to the hospital, where this certain place honestly did nothing other than give me morphine and an anti nausea medicine. They also did a CT scan but found nothing and sent me home. I'm all medicated but I still think there's a problem. I got my period on wednesday and its funny that you guys said it hurts you so badly that you literally want to rip your uterus about because honestly, thats exactly what I said. Actually thats what I've always said because my menstrual cycles are just torture. And then on top of all this other pain, it certainly wasnt a walk in the park.Otherwise I feel a little better but I'm honestly afraid to eat anything, at all. Anyone have any good ideas about what to eat that was easy on their stomachs?


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## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

Olive oil may or may not be a good think to use in cooking all the time. The only reason I say that is because since it is just oil and if you have any diarrhea, it may be adding to the stomach or intestinal pain thus leading to diarrhea. Just an idea. I cant have olive oil at all because it was give me nausea and then lead to diarrhea. But sometimes I can have olive oil if its in pasta, but the restaurants that give you bread and olive oil, I definitely try to stay away from. (just an idea







)


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## Kelly_K (May 15, 2007)

I find that my stomach tolerates the best...Dinner - boiled meat (SMALL portion), whole-grain pasta, and some non-spicy gravy on it. I'll have some broccoli, carrots, or peas with dinner for 2 days on and 2 days off. If I have any of those veggies every day, the gas is astronomical and I'll get nauseas.Lunch - chicken noodle soup with 6-7 crackersBreakfast - 2 waffles with a small amount of Lite syrup. Sometimes I'll still feel hungry mid-afternoon, I mean let's face it, being mostly liquid, soup isn't very filling. So sometimes I'll have a deli-ham sandwich on plain white bread around 2-3pm. For snacks, all I can eat are jellybeans, and teddy grahams.If I have to be outsomewhere during meal times, I'll only have Subway or Arby's. A regular Arby's roast beef I am ok with, and a plain ham sub from Subway (with some olives) I am ok with. Fruits...







since getting IBS I haven't found a fruit yet that my system will agree too. And that totally sucks. I LOVE fruit. This has been my diet for months now. I hate it but I have to live with it. I'd kill to be able to have just ONE slice of pizza. I haven't had pizza since sometime last year. THAT was my only real bad food indulgence (unless you count soda, but that falls in the beverage category) - pizza 2-3 times a month. Now I'm afraid to even try 1 piece, given how my system reacts to dairy (the cheese part) now and I'm sure that tomato sauce would set me on butt too. Gosh, that mut have been scary, being told your upper abdomen was hot. I'd really wonder about that one. Yeah don't you love some of these ERs, where they take your blood, take some xrays, tell you they found nothing and send you home. That happened to me. So then when I got to my dr's office for a follow-up (3 days later), she sent me to the hospital for an upper GI and bingo I had a stomach ulcer and a little acid reflux.


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## 22144 (Aug 6, 2005)

Sounds like autoimmune.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> I would have a read of louise gittlemans book "copper overload" sounds like you may have a build up of copper in the body and liver leading to sluggish liver function and various other issues.


This sounds pretty silly.









> Olive oil may or may not be a good think to use in cooking all the time. The only reason I say that is because since it is just oil and if you have any diarrhea, it may be adding to the stomach or intestinal pain thus leading to diarrhea.


Olive oil does not cause diarrhea.


> Sounds like autoimmune.


No evidence of that here.


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## 13540 (Aug 18, 2005)

i have lived with the nausea and upper right side pain going on three years now i know how you fill i was putt on xanxas for the axiety and it helps me to eat other wise iam nausea pretty much all day long i fill for you!!


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## 13540 (Aug 18, 2005)

So this hole time they nevr gave you a ultrasound of your gallbladder are liver to see if you had stones ultrasounds a pretty good at picking up stones in most cases they give you that before a hidascan with cck because that test it over two hour long but dang thats over kill three hida scans that sounds like they where after the money to me and not very good docs wanting to test you over and over again i had to beg my doctors to do all my testing i have has all them test and more i have had two ultrasounds hidascan endoscopy cap endoscopy colonoscopy small bowell with follow threw sleep study nero testing tons of blood work 10 heptic pannels over the three years stool studys stress test and found nothing but like you nausea all the time and when i eat stomach makes all kinds of noises bad d and bloating and gas did they take biopys of your liver colon and small bowell to make sure its all fine?I pretty sure they did on your liver since they have taken your gall bladder out the best thing for that to cut down on the bile is caltrate there is a lady name lynn on here she could help you with that and my help with alot of the problems you have since your gallbladder is now gone so iam not sure if your taking it already you can get it over the counter it called caltrate 600 it kinda slow things down and will help since you cant drink milk anymore!


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## Kelly_K (May 15, 2007)

I use olive oil with my pasta (so it doesn't stick together) and it hasn't caused me any problems. Sometimes I use olive oil-based butter on my potatoes and that too hasn't bothered me (so far). So I don't think olive oil would bother her. BUT, as I have learned, everyone is different and their systems handle things differently.


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## 22302 (Apr 29, 2007)

mcnic713 said:


> So, this is my first time on this support forum and its so comforting to know that others are out there struggling with the same thing I am, because when this all first flared up my freshman year in college, i nearly lost my mind.THIS IS MY STORY (by the way, its 2 am and I'm up because my stomach hurts terribly) MAY BE LONG, BUT TRUST ME, YOU SHOULD READ ITI'm an only child and have lead a pretty decent, non stressful life with my mother and grandmother. I am a chocoholic and we've always eaten healthy, organic, non processed foods. I left for my freshman year in college in august of 2005 and immediately noticed the food offered in college is much different. My freshman year was typical until about the last couple months, probably around january of 2006. I started to notice myself being much more hungry, but having terrible cramping and pains. I have always had a painful period so when this happened I assumed that time of the month was coming. But my period came late the first time and I was horrified to think I could possibly be pregnant. I went to a local doctor by my school and discovered I was not pregnant. I was satisfied and moved on. But my cramping, pain, diahhrea, nausea, and dizzyness was getting a little worse. I decided to go back to the same doctor who asked me about my stress levels. They weren't bad at all since I saw other students so stressed out they were having ulcers. My doctor took some blood tests, found that all was normal and suggested I go to a gastroenterologist. This was about march in 2006. I told my doctor all of my symptons: cramping, diahhrea, nausea, bloating, dizzyness, and pain in my upper right quadrant of my abdomen. The doctor then told me to go get a CCK which measures how well the gallbladder is working. Its a shot of pure liquid fat that is injected while under a internal scanning machine of some sort. The normal range is above 60 and the abnormal range is below 30. My percentage of how well my gallbladder was working was at 62%. But what was strange to them was that when they gave me the shot, all the symptoms immediately arose and I almost threw up on the table. My doctor was concerned about my stomach problems but finals were coming up in april-may and then I was going home for the summer. Before I went home, my finals and some relationship problems took a huge toll on my stress and I was sick and phsyically in pain the whole rest of my semster, therefore taking a toll on my first semester grades. Since my doctor had not diagnosed me with anything, my teachers could not cut me any slack and all I could do was show up at class and finals trying not to keel over and throw up from the pain. The doctor by my school mentioned I.B.S but was more worried about my gallbladder and another possibility of gastritis that my mother had mentioned she had around my age. So they sent me in for an endoscopy. During my endoscopy they noticed I had gastritis but nothing else alarming. What gets me most is that although finding that, i was never given anything to relieve or heal the gastritis. (hint, the gastritis is what led to all my health problems today) So I went home for the summer already having one CCK done and an endoscopy and was supposed to go home to my doctor and have another CCK done and see what they could do. So I went home and had another CCK done. This time it was at 30% and had dropped rapidly. The doctors who gave me the second CCK said it wasn't possible for it to drop that rapidly in only a short couple months and blamed the first CCK for being done wrong, etc. But they thought that it was only on the line of being abnormal so they didnt really worry. I went back to my doctor (at home) who sent me to another gastroenterologist. This gastroenterologist i thought was an idiot but sent me to get another CCK done but swore to me that it was only IBS even though I was having all the IBS symptoms but sectional pain. This time, the third CCK was at 27%. I asked this gastroenterologist who was also a surgeon to remove my gallbladder. He said he didn't think it was a good idea ( he was too worried for his reputation and afraid to remove a perfectly good gallbladder) He also told me I was going to have a hard time finding any other surgeon to remove it. I went to another surgeon who didn't really care and said it was up to me, but never called me back. And then I phoned another surgeon who I met with a few times, agreed to remove my gallbladder, but then he never called back!!! On top of all this, I started to notice that I would get really sick after drinking milk, or eating yogurt, or chocolate and found out because of all this and my lack of eating because I was so sick, I became lactose interolerant! Which was heart breaking for me because I love milk and chocolate. So, I wasn't eating, and I wasn't eating the things I loved, and I couldn't drink milk. LACTOSE INTOLERANCE, who heard of such a thing because of all these health problems. So, this all started when i got home in early May, the third gastroenterologist never called me back, I had to go back to school in the fall in august still sick as all get out, my mother and I would call him constantly. He finally agreed to do the surgery sometime during my fall break in early october. We didnt set the date but I told him to call me back for openings. He never did. I was in extreme and unbearable pain by this point and finally we made the appointment for the surgery on December 27, 2006, 8 MONTHS LATER from when I first came home for summer break. SO, they took out my gallbladder and found gallstones and an enlarged, agitated, bile duct. (this was done laproscopic) The surgeon told me I should be feeling much better and that all my symptoms would be gone... Well two months after the surgery, I was still having the cramping, diahhrea (which i was told would be normal) bloating, nausea, dizzyness, and pain in my abdomen. Although my gallbladder didn't hurt, they waited so long to take it out, I almost got pancreatitis. So my left side of my abdomen hurt as well now. That went away for a while but then in february of 2007, while down at school, i returned to my gastroenterologist there still complaining of symptoms. It started to get worse because it was causing me not to sleep (still does due to the fact that its 2:30 am and I"m still up typing this) and when I dont sleep, I cant function! So basically he decided to put me on an anti depressent to calm my anxiety, hoping that would help reduce that acid in my stomach. I dont remember but I tried a few and decided on Lexipro which worked really well. But I was still having problems. So he decided that I should have a colonoscopy. I did and not only did the anesthesia not work so i was in a lot of pain (I'm sure you can imagine why) but they also found a polyp on my colon. I was extremely scared that it was cancer, but fortunately it was a juvenile polyp that was completely benign. So after that ordeal, the gastroenterologist there at school decided to put me on lexipro (anti-anxiety), caraphate syrup (to help calm and heal the stomach due to gastritis) and protonix to help relieve the acid reflux. I still cant have certain milk products although my stomach can take chocolate and some ice cream. But the reason I'm in pain now is more my fault because I haven't taken my lexipro which has led my body to think its stressed and now my stomach is killing me. I've recently decided to come home for good after my sophomore year in college to attend college closer to home due to all my restrictions on food and life with my health problems. And overall with all the research ive done on gastritis, I've learned that it can lead to lactose intolerance, gallbladder and pancreas problems and acid reflux and possible colon problems. And on top of all those health problems, I can add I.B.S to the list. All my doctors have decided that I had gastritis, acid reflux, over anxiety/depression, I.B.S, liver problems due to Mono which I had my senior year in highschool which really compromised my liver, which then caused my gallbladder to fail, the 24/7 nausea, the polyp on my colon, pancrease pain, the lactose intolerance, complete diet change, and the pain I dont know how I'm going to have to manage for the rest of my life. Sorry that was so long. I dont know if any of my information can help any of you out there, but please, continue to hound your doctors to find something to help with your symptoms! Let them know how awful you feel and have them do multiple tests to make sure its not other things as well! I definitely know how painful and difficult it can make life and its hell to have to live with nausea and pain 24/7. Good luck to everyone out there! let me know if you have any questions or comments. I've been through alot which in an amusing sort of way has lead me to change my career/major to nursing. So I know a lot about this whole issue.


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## 22302 (Apr 29, 2007)

I am with you with the struggle. I began having problems at 19 as well. After Mono it seems my immune system was pretty messed up. I've gone through a lot as well, including a lot of unsupportive and ignorant doctors and medical staff. It is so hard to have to be your own medical advisor. I was misdiagnosed, operated on and now I have severe nerve damage, pain and IBS, reflux, and gastroperesis. I'm always here to listen. Thanks for sharing your story.


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## 20656 (Aug 30, 2006)

I would have a read of louise gittlemans book "copper overload" sounds like you may have a build up of copper in the body and liver leading to sluggish liver function and various other issues.This sounds pretty silly. Flux, why don't you stop being such an idiot and either ignore a post if you believe its not possible or post something useful. This does exist, there is also a genetic form called wilsons disease. But the form mentioned is where too much food like grains, chocolates (high copper) and not enough zinc rich food is eaten. Over time with some poeple for various reasons the scale tips and it can cause problems i.e. zinc/copper ratio in the body. It not hard to understand, you eat too much calcium rich foods no magnesium, same thing issues with excess calcium. Except copper gets stored in the liver and brain predominently and does not get eliminated well. The book is there if anyone is interested and the author is quite well known with yrs of experience, testimonials are included.


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## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

I am with you with the struggle. I began having problems at 19 as well. After Mono it seems my immune system was pretty messed up. I've gone through a lot as well, including a lot of unsupportive and ignorant doctors and medical staff. It is so hard to have to be your own medical advisor. I was misdiagnosed, operated on and now I have severe nerve damage, pain and IBS, reflux, and gastroperesis. I'm always here to listen. Thanks for sharing your story. Mono definitely screwed up my immune system.yeah now the doctors want me to go get another endoscopy believing i have an ulcer. I'm currently on 5 medicines (including carafate) which have helped but I hate the fact that I'm daily putting these pills in my body and God knows what will fail next. I love food, and I think thats the biggest reason why I'm having so many problems accepting the fact that I cant have certain foods and would rather be sick. No joke, I cant stand the idea of living on a bland diet!!!


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## Kelly_K (May 15, 2007)

mcnic713 said:


> I am with you with the struggle. I began having problems at 19 as well. After Mono it seems my immune system was pretty messed up. I've gone through a lot as well, including a lot of unsupportive and ignorant doctors and medical staff. It is so hard to have to be your own medical advisor. I was misdiagnosed, operated on and now I have severe nerve damage, pain and IBS, reflux, and gastroperesis. I'm always here to listen. Thanks for sharing your story. Mono definitely screwed up my immune system.yeah now the doctors want me to go get another endoscopy believing i have an ulcer. I'm currently on 5 medicines (including carafate) which have helped but I hate the fact that I'm daily putting these pills in my body and God knows what will fail next. I love food, and I think thats the biggest reason why I'm having so many problems accepting the fact that I cant have certain foods and would rather be sick. No joke, I cant stand the idea of living on a bland diet!!!


I had an ulcer earlier this year. I didn't even know it because the extreme pain I felt was actually from the acid reflux I also had at the time. I found out about the ulcer when my dr. sent me for an upper GI because of the pain (which as I just said was from acid reflux, in the bottom of my esophagus). That was 2 weeks of fun...not. 4 times a day I had to take Tetracycline, Metronidazole, and bismuth pills, along with taking the Nexium I was put on at the time, once a day. Then, I couldn't take the Tetracycline around dairy or the bismuth; the Metronidazole had to be taken with food, which sometimes included dairy. So because of the way I had to schedule the pills, I lacked sleep the whole 2 weeks 'cause I had to get up early and go to bed late. 11 days into treatment I suddenly felt worse. So that's when my dr sent me to a gastroenterologist for an endoscopy, which showed a little acid reflux, no ulcer. So then I had a colonoscopy, and found out I had IBS.


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## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

yeah so i was in the hospital again this morning. I awoke at 3 am, with pain in my stomach (upper abdomen) and decided to take tylenol with codeine because thats what they gave me last time I was at the hospital for pain. Within 20 minutes I was writhing in pain. I couldn't stand up straight and I was screaming. I made myself eat two yogurts and crackers because I thought it was hurting because i took it on an empty stomach but it said nothing on the bottle to take with food. I was in so much pain that my mom took me to the emergency room. Instead of morphine, they gave me deladin (sp?) and Compazine for the nausea. It started to subside, then they gave me the deladin and I started screaming again. That confused them, the fact that I took a medicine by mouth and then they gave me one by IV and the pain was unbearable from both! So then after that, they're wondering whether or not ontop of the IBS i have endometriosis, whatever that is. Because the pain isn't only centered on my abdomen but all over and pain to the touch. I'm having major problems because its seriously lucky if I can make it through the night without waking up in pain or nauseated. Its miserable and they still haven't found anything from the blood tests or the CT scan. I'm afraid I might be making a monthly trip to the hospital for pain medicine every time this flares up around my period...


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## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

UPDATE:Still miserable and waking up almost every night unless I take ambien which is my only sleep relief. It took me 3 weeks to get two appointments, one with a gyno and one with another gastroenterologist. I'm going to be tested for endometriosis tomorrow but I'm getting really nervous. On top of all this, I'm starting to have chest pain, and that I researched on WebMD that could be a aortic aneurism (sp?) but associated in the abdomen. I'm sure I'm just scaring myself but becuase I've been miserable so long, I'm seriously scared half the time that I wont wake up. So I'm embracing anything and everything. I'm getting annoyed though because every time my home doctor suggests me getting an ultrasound or a sonnogram, the people at the hospital are like, "oh no, that wont show anything, instead we'll get a CT scan..." which showed nothing. But something is still wrong. The pain has gotten worse in that I cant lie on my stomach and its now radiating heat all the time. I work at a hospital as a nurse's aid so on top of all this, I'm working full time, 12 hour shifts. My sleep schedule has been all off because I work night shifts and I'm now addicted to this ambien sleep medicine because I cannot sleep without it. I'm losing my hope and sanity.


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## mcnic713 (May 16, 2007)

I've also seen others replies and stories on here claiming to have all these symptoms for years and years, up to 20 years. Honestly, and I say this with complete seriousness, I dont want to live if this is what I have to face for the rest of my life. I might have to check myself into some sort of mental facility if I am told I'll just have to live with this...


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Most people find something that works so I would think that it is more likely once you get all your tests and if you work on it a bit (which may take finding the right doctors who will help you find the right treatment, and there ARE treatments that work) you will find something that will help.I did Cognitive Behavoral Therapy and I will tell you that I found that when I am in "I can't live like this forever" mode the pain from the IBS is much worse and lasts longer than when I can focus on getting the pain to calm down and go away.K.


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## megflyin (Jun 16, 2007)

Have you thought about birth control? I used to have have really bad periods as well - they would last 7-8 days and I bled so much i became anemic. But now I take Loestrin 24 Fe and it is a lifesaver - 3 day periods and they are super light! Still take Midol for cramps on the first day.. but it works like a charm and I don't feel a thing. Meagan


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## megflyin (Jun 16, 2007)

Kelly_K said:


> I find that my stomach tolerates the best...Dinner - boiled meat (SMALL portion), whole-grain pasta, and some non-spicy gravy on it. I'll have some broccoli, carrots, or peas with dinner for 2 days on and 2 days off. If I have any of those veggies every day, the gas is astronomical and I'll get nauseas.Lunch - chicken noodle soup with 6-7 crackersBreakfast - 2 waffles with a small amount of Lite syrup. Sometimes I'll still feel hungry mid-afternoon, I mean let's face it, being mostly liquid, soup isn't very filling. So sometimes I'll have a deli-ham sandwich on plain white bread around 2-3pm. For snacks, all I can eat are jellybeans, and teddy grahams.If I have to be outsomewhere during meal times, I'll only have Subway or Arby's. A regular Arby's roast beef I am ok with, and a plain ham sub from Subway (with some olives) I am ok with. Fruits...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


As far as fruit - I can eat frozen grapes, bananas, and melons without problems. And for some other food suggestions - quaker ricecakes, saltines, omelette made w/ eggbeaters and veggie cheese, vegetarian sushi, wonton soup, white rice. I also have a ton of fat free recipes for sugar cookies, banana bread, pumpkin cookies, ginger cookies, apple spice cake, rice pudding and some others if you're interested.Meagan


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