# symptoms out of control !!!



## 16388 (Jul 26, 2005)

Can anyone help and identify this condition please which started 6 months ago. My doctor has labelled this IBS but few tests have been done apart from a double-barium contrast xray of the stomach to check a throat swallowing problem I had, two months before this stomach problem started. Sypmtoms inc loads of gas especially belching, bloating, rumbling, fullness feeling, acid reflux burning, cramp in the stomach high up and low down, heart fluttering, irregular bowel habits, like the whole system is slowed down. Bread and beans do not help. The situation is worse just after meals and the problem seems to ease at night when I lie down. Eating slowly helps but if I rush food or eat the wrong food I suffer all night. I cannot control the problem but I am on zoton to reduce acid but that does not help the other problems. If I am honest, i have had irrregular bowel habits for many years, normally I go once every two or three days or sometimes twice in one day when there is urgency to go or very hard to go. I sometimes wonder if this is really serious but the doctor seems unalarmed. He says it is common but I never suffered indigestion syptoms until 6 months ago.any help advice much appreciatedtony


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## 16271 (Jul 28, 2005)

Hay,I'm not sure about advice, but i can tell you that it sounds similar to me.I haven't been diagnosed with having a reflux problem, but i have all the symptoms same as you and try to take things for that problem like gaviscon and it helps. So maybe you too have it. I think it can develop at any stage of your life, so i don't know if it matters if you haven't had it before...I have always been irregular, once every 3 days or so, went to a gastro doctor when in my teens and told i had a lazy bowel. Therefore eat more fibre. (so easy to say that but hard to do) I also told him i belched a lot.. and he said i had a lazy valve at the top of the stomach.I have since discovered this causes heartburn too, which is the acid going into the osophegus (sp) etc...I started getting IBS symptoms 4-5 months ago while backpacking, from changing my diet regularly and anxiety etc... Have stopped travelling and settled my diet, So am just starting to work out how to help myself cause the symptoms (most of what you mention) are bloody horrible. The doctor doesn't seem alarmed because they all say they are not life threatning (as long as all the bad things like ulcers etc.. have been ruled out) so it's up to the individual to sort themselves out with feeling comfortable.Basically you have to work out if foods/drinks affect the way you feel. ie: i can't drink coffee in the mornings. Also if i have a real pig out on chocolate over a weekend, (Pig out as in, the same as my friends are eating) then i'll pay for it on Monday.Calcium carbonate helps me with the bloated and nauseated feeling... found in Tums and Gaviscon. I've started having success with the liquid gaviscon, relieves the pressure in the stomach and makes the burning go away.Um... what else, just knowing what's going on in your body acutally helps a lot. By reading these sites forums and online info it really helps you feel more under control of what's going on.Hopefully you can read this and get something from it. Sometimes it just helps to know that you're not the only one feeling like ****. I feel like such a moaner sometimes, but have to remember it's not my fault and i can try and help myself.


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## 16388 (Jul 26, 2005)

Thanks Butcha for your valued input and thoughts... I feel that I can learn from other people and hopefully benefit from symptom control. i,m mystified as to why doctors assume the problem rather than investigate furtherbest wishes, tony


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## 23582 (Aug 19, 2005)

Tony,IBS many times goes hand in hand with GERD / refulx. I suffered terrible reflux for 20 years. I am completely cured now by following a reduced carb diet. I have researched this approach (wrote a book on it) and concluded that consuming excess carbs is the root cause of GERD. Give this approach a try. E-mail me if you like.Dr. Norm


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## 13977 (Aug 11, 2005)

Hi Dr. Norm, Do you still have GERD? May I ask your symptoms? i'm getting pretty tired of this problem is been 3 weeks since I had a esophagitis attack. and I still feel like the top of my stomach has a lump. and my throat is sore, and feels dry...I been drinking more water then ever. I havent eating that much...I get full just with a small amound of food. They gave my Protonix and I only took it for two days. and it gave me problems, So i'm not taking any meds...I do take a pepcid, I do have Rx Zantac, I dont eat fatty foods. since that attack...but why do I feel not right yet? Any advice? This is really scary too me...I had have a chest Xray, total blood count, and everything came out fine.Thank You


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## 23582 (Aug 19, 2005)

Hi PoserAngel,I think that once you have GERD, you will always be susceptable to it. I do not suffer any symptoms now that I adopt a reduced carb lifestyle. I don't miss that suffering a bit. I hated taking all thos meds too. I don't take any meds now and remain symptom free. It really is the carbs. I have started several posts on healingwell.com and will not repeat that information here. All I can say is it really is the carbs. Name a trigger food and I will likely be able to find the association with carbs. Try significantly reducing your carb intake. Once your symptoms abate, you can begin adding them back gradually.Good Luck,Dr. Norm


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## 22742 (Nov 14, 2005)

Hi Dr Norm i wanted to email you but saw no method to do so,anyways i believe carbs may be a major factor as i cannot eat potatoes any more.They cause me to have a major acid problem and i mean major,extreme pain and bloating within an hour of eating them,especially if the potatoes have skins on for some reason.My stomach cant digest them.My stomach will not tolerate anything solid right now if im honest,i feel very low.


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## 23582 (Aug 19, 2005)

Mark,I feel for you. I also have major problems with starchy carbs like potatoes. I have been controlling my symptoms for 2 years not by replacing these carbs. For potatoes, I now cook brocolli (without the stems) and mash them like potatoes adding butter, salt and pepper. Delicious without the gas and, in my case, reflux. YOu should be able to see my url and e-mail in my public profile. Best,Norm


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## 22742 (Nov 14, 2005)

Norm your theories are sound for some but what about people like myself who have problems with alcohol?Is my Gerd due to the booze or is it just food related?Are you an actual doctor or is this a forum related thing?


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## 23582 (Aug 19, 2005)

Mark,Sorry, in my last post I meant cauliflower! That would be some pretty mean looking mashed potato dish.I am not a medical doctor. I have a Ph.D. in microbioloogy. I recently wrote a book (don't think I am allowed to name it) on heartburn and controlled carb dieting. Many people, including myself, are able to stop reflux and stop the meds by controlled carb dieting. In these cases, alcohol and other so called "trigger foods" don't seem to matter. My book describes a theory on why this approach is effective.Good luck,normMy opinions based on my experience and research into GERD.


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## 23582 (Aug 19, 2005)

Mark,I have had many requests for the information on Heartburn Cured. The book is reviewed by Michael Eades, author of Protein Power, on his blog (search Eades blog) in the November archives. Best of luck,Dr Norm


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## 17176 (Mar 31, 2005)

welcome tony







my heartburn is slowly driving me insane.


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## 23582 (Aug 19, 2005)

Hello,Has anyone from this board tried my approach. The book is called Heartburn Cured. My web site is heartburncured.com . My book was recently reviewed my Mike Eades, the author of Protein Power. Search Eades blog. Dr Norm


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