# New Here looking for help



## Sunsetdream3r (May 24, 2014)

Hello everyone,

After many years of suffering I found this place and want to ask for help or advice. My stomach problems began in 2005 after suffering some panic attacks and very stressful event the same year.

I started having a lot of pain in the lower abdomen. In 2005 I moved to Thailand with my future wife, during my first year stay everything was great. But after eating street food and spicy food for a year my stomach gave up. In 2006 I had my first endoscope procedure and was diagnosed with mild gastritis and IBS. Spent 2 weeks on lasoprazole and everything was great with occasional flareups.

In recent years lets say last 2 I started having flareups more and more often, right now I feel much much worse in the last year. Lots of acid, burping, very soft bowel movement mornign about 3-4 times in the evening maybe 2. Last two weeks I started to feel a lot of pain in the lower abdoment, very bloated, colicky pain in the morning, fullness throughout the day hard to eat as I feel like a baloon. Often get nauseus feeling, sitting down or leaning forward can be painful, pressing lower abdoment either gives colicky pain or dull pain. I had my colonoscopy done in January and endoscope again same time. Nothing was found apart from a few tiny red spots and irritation.

Problem is I live in north Thailand, good specialists are very hard to find.

Over the time I have been on, Lansoprazome/Omeoprazole, Colofac, buscopan, ranitadine,molilium, gasmotin, dicitel, simethicone, librax. Nothing seems to work especially in the last 2 weeks, i often feel colon cramps. Doctors said I might have dyspepsia along with IBS. Before some meds used to help, now doesnt seems like anything helps, but then again I never been so bloated before. Burping and hiccups are everyday norm, sometimes I will hiccup instantly after coughing. When I sit down now last 2 weeks I feel like my belt is too tight yet Im wearing nothing but shorts. I ate a bit almost 4 hours ago yet still feel like a had a buffet few mins ago.

I used to have problems with alcohol and still do, but I try not to drink anymore. Drinking (only beer) excessively even 1-2 days would trigger severe anxiety, cold sweats a lot of acid, chestpains which Iam 100% sure come from my stomach or intestines. Before if I dont drink even I had pains I can still sleep, now when I feel bad even without touching alcohol I get the same symptoms, unable to sleep, anxiety etc, sweats.....

Last 2 nights I had to resort to librax which has benzos there to help me sleep but I hate it as I dont like benzos and dont want to be dependent on it. I must admit my life has been stressful for years but I learned how to live and deal with my anxiety, maybe it became I norm that I dont notice it.

Some foods seems to set off my stomach more than others but it seems to always change, I cant pin point what is causing reaction.

I carry on or at least try to eat normally, I did gain in the last 2 years about 12-14 kg.

If anyone has got any suggestions, any tips or diets to try I would appreaciate it very much.

My last gp prescribes me GANATONE but I didnt take it as this meds are banned around the world for causing heart palputations and even some fatal cases.


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## Sunsetdream3r (May 24, 2014)

Since this episode started 3 days ago my IBD changed to constipation, bloating, indigestion, no stool in 3 days only greenish water coming out in the morning nothing else.


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## Jeaichi (May 24, 2014)

Wow, you have a lot going on! I'm new here too and not at all qualified to help you, but i'm going to let you know a few things i have figured out over the past 5 years that i've had severe trouble.
Food sensitivities could be a huge part of what is going on with you! If i were you and living out of the states i would check out any local "health care providers", and i don't mean the kind that follow western medicine. You' been on so many Rx's and not with much relief. Maybe you've already pursued this avenue and just didn't mention it. My family has been wanting to move out of the country and i keep saying i can't move until i get better, but part of me wonders if i would get better if i did move out of the country. I don't mean to go on about myself, i just want to emphasize that maybe there's a local that could help you. There's a relatively new diet called "FODMAPS", it's very restrictive but i've improved a lot ever since i've be on it! You've probably heard of Gluten free eating, this is along the same lines...there's certain foods that are hard to digest for some of us. As far as your panic attacks go and not knowing where they're coming from...i had never had a panic attack in my life, (i'm 49), until i started feeling backed up and constipated, IBS-C. I had to start taking xanax if i thought i was going to have a bm. When i described this to my pain management dr. He knew exactly what i was talking about. The way i understand it is that when a nerve gets pushed on by our backed up bowels thats what triggers the anxious feeling we can get. The only rx's i've used are Amitiza, it's for constipation and Linzess, also for constipation, due to opioid use, (i have chronic pelvic pain). What i've experienced is when i'm taking Linzess and following the fodmaps diet i rarely need to take a xanax. I also take 1-2 Colace a day, it's a stool softener. Sorry, i don't know how much you know about the "in's and out's" of all this fun stuff. I used to take Senecot daily but i don't need to anymore. colace is over the counter and safe to use daily, it will soften the stool so you don't have to push hard. BTW, you don't want to bear down hard! Besides causing, hemorrhoids, you can cause certain muscles to go into spasm and stay that way, this is a terrible ordeal to try to undo! senecot is an over the counter laxative, you shouldn't use any laxative long term. Have you been checked for Celiac disease? Personally, i would follow a gluten free, fodmaps diet, this would mean reading up and doing some research...unless you're eating perfectly "clean" you really don't know what you're consuming. And while i'm being a kill-joy...quit drinking until you have a handle on things! When i first got sick 5 years ago the first things i stopped were sugarless gum and diet coke, it just made sense not to be putting anything fake into my system. I wish you the best, no one should suffer like this! I think you're on the right tract, reaching out and talking to people. I hope you find the help you need!
With love,
Jeannette

P.S.

Please excuse my block form, i'm way too medicated to think about paragraphs!


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## Jeaichi (May 24, 2014)

Hi, just noticed your 2nd post. It would be a good idea for you to keep a food journal, daunting, but helpful! Why don't you have your wife go to where ever you go in thailand to get you some herbs or tea or something to help you have a bm and get you going? Sometimes this too can be a painful and uncomfortable process but first things first...you need some relief before you figure out the why's and wherefore's. Maybe she should ask for something to relax you too. I know the countries are different but i"'ve used many Chinese herbs over the years, some helped more than others. Do they de acupuncture in Thailand? I think you should seek out their equivalent. I meant to mention in my last post, heat packs have been my lifesaver over the years. I have rice packs (rice sewn into lg fabric squares, i use fabric napkins, i microwave them for a couple mins. The heat feels great With the pain i have. I have a microwave on a bench next to my bedside, i have a warm rice pack on more often than not. Also, if you have a tub, a warm bath would help. Recently i was having a terrible time and nothing was working for me, i called the telephone advise nurse through my ins plan, she told me to take an epson salt bath. There's also you tube videos that show you how to massage your abdomen to help with constipation. Would you have access to glycerine suppositories or an enema? I know this isn't a place anyone wants to go to...but sometimes you have to do things to help our bodies do what they can't do for themselves. What kind of healthcare do you have access to there?

Good Luck!
Jeannette


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