# Light at the end of this tunnel?



## TummyTorture (Sep 30, 2011)

I have struggle with digestive issues since I had my child via c-section 8 years ago. I currently have severe bloating, discomfort, fatigue, sleeplessness, brain fog, loose and diarrhea stools, incomplete evaculation, etc. It started out with severe constipation. I went to an acupuncturist for this and it helped a lot. He actually thought I had female issues, so I made an appointment with my gyn. I had an ultrasound done and they found a cyst on one of my ovaries. She wanted to monitor and do another ultrasound in a couple of months to see if it would resolve itself. In the meantime, I went out to eat with friends and ended up with SEVERE stomach pains. Went to the urgent care the following morning. My white blood count was 11,000 (10 or 11 is normal) and they thought I had an infection. Sent me to the ER for tests. Ovaries were 7x normal size. My gyn admitted me to the hospital. Had another ultrasound. The cyst was still there but they concluded that it was not my ovaries, but a GI issue. The GI team did colonoscopy (was okay), then upper barium (again, found nothing wrong). They thought it was it gynecological. After 5 days I was released with a diagnosis of gastritis and told to follow-up with GI. My gyn wanted me to resolve my GI issues before surgery to remove the cyst.I did go to the GI who told me I had IBS and to eat more fiber and sent me on my not-so-merry way.I mostly ate soups and I continued to experience pain after eating. Albeit, nothing like when I was hospitalized. I decided to make the appt for cyst removal anyway. Well, when she was in there, it was not a cyst after all, but endometriosis. She said that it was everywhere, all over my abdominal cavity. There was a portion that was attached to my small bowl that was stretched to a point like a tent. So, that was what happened to me! She removed some of the endo and then I had to go on this drug Lupron for 6 months. It was horrible and in the end, I continued to have GI issues.I found another GI who told me to try low fiber diet (still nothing), then non-dairy (nothing), tested me for celiacs (nothing), upper and lower bariums, etc. Gave me a prescription for Amitzia? To move things along faster. Did not help.I went back to my gyn asking for another microscopic surgery because I was still having problems. During the surgery, she found the endo under control – but my large bowl did not look right. Had the head surgeon of the hospital look at it. I later made an appt with him and he said there was a section of my large bowl that was stretched out and twisted up like a pretzel. We decided to undergo major surgery to remove this portion (about a foot) of my colon. This did help quite a bit for a while but gradually all my symptoms came back with a few more as well.I did a whole bunch of self help things. I went organic, I tried probably about a hundred different supplements, I did a vegetarian diet, low carb, high protein, etc., etc…Every pie-in-the sky malady I read about- I thought maybe that is what I have.Then about 5 or 6 months ago, I heard on the news that there was some promising research on a new antibiotic helping IBS sufferers. So, I made an appt with the GI I had been to previously so I could get this. I also started searching the web and this site in particular and learned about Dr. Pimental, got his book and I thought I might have SIBO. My GI was not interested in the book or the research. She said I was too young to have SIBO and wanted to take a systematic approach. So, I did the non-dairy again. Then blood tests (the DNA one for celiacs) and everything was okay. Then she ordered the breath test and I am sorry to say now how happy I was to learn that I had SIBO. I thought I could get the rifaxim and get rid of it. Be careful what you wish for. Well, she said that the rifaxim would kill all my gut flora and would not prescribe it. She prescribed Cipro. I had 3 good days on that. I slept well, I had energy, my stools were even normal. I did still have a lot of boating. But, in the end the better symtoms did not last. I then had an endoscopy – nothing. I asked my GI again for rifaxim. She reluctantly prescribed it for me – but the dose was just 200mg per day. It did absolutely nothing. I had An upper barium – nothing. Although during the ultrasound portion, they noted that my large bowl was full and I had a decent sized BM just a half hour prior. I think I am constipated – but with soft or runny stools. On follow-up GI visit I mentioned this and she gave me Amitiza and another prescription for Cipro. I haven’t taken the Cipro, but I was on the Amitza for about two weeks. My GI also pretty much told me I may need to go elsewhere for help - I am her problem child.I started going back to acupuncture who put me on a gluten free diet (it’s been a couple months now), and I am still suffering. I feel like this is just slowly killing me. So, I am trying an elemental diet now. I have decided to try Dr. Siebecker’s (from SIBOinfo.com) homemade elemental diet. I pray to God I can stick with it and I pray to God there will be light at the end of this tunnel.


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## TummyTorture (Sep 30, 2011)

TummyTorture said:


> I have struggle with digestive issues since I had my child via c-section 8 years ago. I currently have severe bloating, discomfort, fatigue, sleeplessness, brain fog, loose and diarrhea stools, incomplete evaculation, etc. It started out with severe constipation. I went to an acupuncturist for this and it helped a lot. He actually thought I had female issues, so I made an appointment with my gyn. I had an ultrasound done and they found a cyst on one of my ovaries. She wanted to monitor and do another ultrasound in a couple of months to see if it would resolve itself. In the meantime, I went out to eat with friends and ended up with SEVERE stomach pains. Went to the urgent care the following morning. My white blood count was 11,000 (10 or 11 is normal) and they thought I had an infection. Sent me to the ER for tests. Ovaries were 7x normal size. My gyn admitted me to the hospital. Had another ultrasound. The cyst was still there but they concluded that it was not my ovaries, but a GI issue. The GI team did colonoscopy (was okay), then upper barium (again, found nothing wrong). They thought it was it gynecological. After 5 days I was released with a diagnosis of gastritis and told to follow-up with GI. My gyn wanted me to resolve my GI issues before surgery to remove the cyst.I did go to the GI who told me I had IBS and to eat more fiber and sent me on my not-so-merry way.I mostly ate soups and I continued to experience pain after eating. Albeit, nothing like when I was hospitalized. I decided to make the appt for cyst removal anyway. Well, when she was in there, it was not a cyst after all, but endometriosis. She said that it was everywhere, all over my abdominal cavity. There was a portion that was attached to my small bowl that was stretched to a point like a tent. So, that was what happened to me! She removed some of the endo and then I had to go on this drug Lupron for 6 months. It was horrible and in the end, I continued to have GI issues.I found another GI who told me to try low fiber diet (still nothing), then non-dairy (nothing), tested me for celiacs (nothing), upper and lower bariums, etc. Gave me a prescription for Amitzia? To move things along faster. Did not help.I went back to my gyn asking for another microscopic surgery because I was still having problems. During the surgery, she found the endo under control - but my large bowl did not look right. Had the head surgeon of the hospital look at it. I later made an appt with him and he said there was a section of my large bowl that was stretched out and twisted up like a pretzel. We decided to undergo major surgery to remove this portion (about a foot) of my colon. This did help quite a bit for a while but gradually all my symptoms came back with a few more as well.I did a whole bunch of self help things. I went organic, I tried probably about a hundred different supplements, I did a vegetarian diet, low carb, high protein, etc., etc&#8230;Every pie-in-the sky malady I read about- I thought maybe that is what I have.Then about 5 or 6 months ago, I heard on the news that there was some promising research on a new antibiotic helping IBS sufferers. So, I made an appt with the GI I had been to previously so I could get this. I also started searching the web and this site in particular and learned about Dr. Pimental, got his book and I thought I might have SIBO. My GI was not interested in the book or the research. She said I was too young to have SIBO and wanted to take a systematic approach. So, I did the non-dairy again. Then blood tests (the DNA one for celiacs) and everything was okay. Then she ordered the breath test and I am sorry to say now how happy I was to learn that I had SIBO. I thought I could get the rifaxim and get rid of it. Be careful what you wish for. Well, she said that the rifaxim would kill all my gut flora and would not prescribe it. She prescribed Cipro. I had 3 good days on that. I slept well, I had energy, my stools were even normal. I did still have a lot of boating. But, in the end the better symtoms did not last. I then had an endoscopy - nothing. I asked my GI again for rifaxim. She reluctantly prescribed it for me - but the dose was just 200mg per day. It did absolutely nothing. I had An upper barium - nothing. Although during the ultrasound portion, they noted that my large bowl was full and I had a decent sized BM just a half hour prior. I think I am constipated - but with soft or runny stools. On follow-up GI visit I mentioned this and she gave me Amitiza and another prescription for Cipro. I haven't taken the Cipro, but I was on the Amitza for about two weeks. My GI also pretty much told me I may need to go elsewhere for help - I am her problem child.I started going back to acupuncture who put me on a gluten free diet (it's been a couple months now), and I am still suffering. I feel like this is just slowly killing me. So, I am trying an elemental diet now. I have decided to try Dr. Siebecker's (from SIBOinfo.com) homemade elemental diet. I pray to God I can stick with it and I pray to God there will be light at the end of this tunnel.


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## TummyTorture (Sep 30, 2011)

I forgot to add that I did have a food poisening incident approximately five years ago. I never related that to my GI issues because I had them starting 8 years ago with the endometriosis. This may have been around the time my IBS-C became IBS-D - but, I don't know.


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