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Original poster

Please help - so fed up and been ill for months - is it an ulcer/ibs/gallstones or what?

186 replies

kuckingfunt · 15/04/2011 21:47

I am waiting to see gastro specialist after 6 months of hell.

These are my symptoms:

dizzy/lightheaded
pain that I get under both ribs (just under boobs)
vomitting
pain goes into back
2 stone weight loss
occasional pain in chest towards right breastbone
constipated a lot

I can't see a pattern with it being worse after eating anything in particular, it just seems to be anything can set it off. It also isnt horrendous every minute of the day, it comes and goes.

I am getting desparate now though, had every blood test you can think of, had brain scan, had ultra sound for gallstones. My next step is to see the gastro specialist.

I have thought it could be a peptic ulcer, a duodenal ulcer, gallstones, ibs.

Anyone any idea and can any of the above make you feel dizzy?

I'm really getting down about this now - I can't plan anything as I never know how I will feel, I can't work as I am ill almost everyday. I had to cancel a holiday as I wasn't well enough to go, I can't even plan to even go and see friends as I just don't feel up to it. I feel like my life is on hold until I find out what is wrong. Today has been a bad day, pain and vomitting and I have spent most of it in tears to my DF - it has been going on 6 months now and I am so fed up of it.

OP posts:
Original poster
kuckingfunt · 29/04/2011 21:52

I'm seeing the gastro specialist next week. Not sure until I see him what they are going to do. I suspect an endoscopy.

Not sure about the dizzy tests - have had mri scan already.

OP posts:
rockinhippy · 29/04/2011 22:33

Hi,

I'm probably repeating, but too knackered to read the whole thread & just incase its not been mention .....

Have you had a blood test for Heliobacter Pylori???

I've had pretty much all the symptoms you mention over time, ended up having the endoscopy & still no answers, so IBS & GERD diagnosis ....weight loss was temporary, & other symptoms come & go, but always dealing with something, especially heart burn etc ....this has gone on for YEARS ....

my usual GP is on Maternity leave & I get a new one - see her as heartburn keeping my awake at night, coughing, sick etc .....she mentions the H.Pylori & organises a blood test as its never been done before

Results came back POSITIVE I have to have specific antibiotics & that apparently cures it -

I do have other diagnosis too, so with dizziness etc not 100% sure it will fix all of it, but basically I have had a stomach infection for years that is the cause of all of the symptoms you describe

might be something to look into, as its a very common, but apparently under diagnosed infection

moggiek · 30/04/2011 16:06

Thanks, cherryburton. Any news on your FiL?

cherryburton · 30/04/2011 23:07

Hi moggie. Well, he had the scan (that he had to pay privately for in the end) on Thursday, and he should hear something by...next Friday. Seems a bloody long time to wait when he can hardly walk around his own house to answer the phone. He's also had some bloods back which show a slight swelling on his prostate but they're saying not to worry about that at this stage. Hmm Feel very sorry for him and DH is worried out of his mind.

Bucharest · 01/05/2011 10:41

Just checking in to see if KF had seen the specialist yet....

My Mum has menieres disease, and a good friend of mine suffers from time to time with labrynthitis.....My Mum gets the ringing but no dizzyness, my friend is sick and dizzy when suffering,but as others have said,it doesn'tusually last very long. She's a MNer, I can ask her to come along and post about her symptoms when I catch her.

RockingHippy- I had the same as you- I thought I had something horrific, and tbh,my Gp was a bit rubbish and I kept saying "test me for h.pylori" and she kept saying "it'llbe gallstones, it'll be your liver, it'll be doom and gloom" Bloody woman.I had private blood test in the end (after scans and god knows what) +ive and cleared up with the antibs. (Had to have 2 sessions as the first ones didn't work) But it changed my life, and I hope it does the same for you soonest!

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 01/05/2011 11:52

Hi Rockin - I have been tested for that and its negative.

Thanks Bucharest for checking in - I see the specialist next week, I can't wait now! Thank you for the info on your friend and mum. That's why I think it isnt labrynthitis as it has lasted so long.

OP posts:
Acekicker · 02/05/2011 10:54

Bucharest's labyrinthitis friend checking in Smile.

I got a massively bad 'dose' of labyrinthitis a few years ago, it did last for a good 6 months or so, after the first couple of months it had subsided a lot but any kind of overdoing it (or sometimes just for the sheer damn hell of it) it would cause a 'flare up'. Part of the problem can be that if you don't fully recover from it in a short period of time then your balance can get royally fucked up (to use the exact medical term), this then means that you feel dizzy etc even when you shouldn't. Mine was fixed in the end through resting properly (ie not going back to work too soon when I was feeling better but waiting until I was properly better) and vestibular rehabilitation therapy (basically physio for your balance, lots of exercises to get my brain and ears back to doing what they should be doing.

It sounds as if you've got other problems as well which if they're causing you to be very run down would mean that it's proving harder to 'shake off' the labyrinthitis. It certainly can carry on for months (happened to both me and a family friend). Overdoing it which effectively your body is doing by fighting the other problems will be making it much harder to recover from the labyrinthitis.

I was on both Buccastem (think that's the anti-sickness pills you've got) and Betahisthine which acted on the ear/vertigo bit of the illness. It may be worth asking about something to address the dizzyness and not just the nausea.

Hope you get some answers soon.

iscream · 02/05/2011 11:38

Hello
Just read this thread, and my heart goes out to you with all of this sickness.
I wanted to mention my mother has Menieres and it has not affected her hearing. She does take gravol and another medication every day and has for years. Dh and I also have a friend with Menieres, he was dizzy for several months, in hospital for several days during the worst of it, but he is almost better now. It hasn't affected his gearing either. Both of them have bad allergies to molds, pollen, cats, dust and all those thing, and it affects their ears.
Anyways, good luck with your appointment. Oh yeah, I had sedation for my endoscopy and didn't remember anything about it. I was scared, but it was not bad at all. There was a towel on the pillow, and I was on my side, nurse said to just let the saliva run out onto the pillow, and not try to swallow it, as swallowing with the scope in your throat can give you a sore throat afterwards. I didn't have any soreness at all, and did doze off during it, even though the sedation was only to relax, I slept.
I hope you get an answer soon.

moggiek · 02/05/2011 16:22

Hi, cherryburton. Poor man, my heart really goes out to him. Let us know when you have any news.

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 02/05/2011 16:43

Thanks for all the info on labyrinthitis and menieres - the ENT doctor didnt think Menieres but who knows. Its interesting to know labyrinthitis can last months though.

Acekicker - I am already on Betahisthine. Been on them 5 months now - they sometimes help but not sure how much unless I stop taking them, I am afraid to do that though incase it is unbearable.

Thanks too for info on endoscopy - think i will definately go for sedation. I have a feeling they may want to do a colnoscopy too .

Anyway, no use trying to guess, I have only got a couple of days to wait now until I see the specialist and I can't wait.

Cherry - thats awful about your dad, I really hope he gets some news quickly.

OP posts:
iscream · 03/05/2011 01:42

Colonscopy is even easier, as you will be asleep, and wake a bit and feel a cramp when the tube goes around certain area's.
Good luck.

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 03/05/2011 21:11

Smile Smile Smile Smile Smile Smile SmileSmile

My appointment tomorrow.

OP posts:
TruthSweet · 03/05/2011 21:31

Good luck for tomorrow and I hope they have an answer or at the very least a plan of attack to find the answer.

Am36butfeel66 · 03/05/2011 21:34

Oh I am glad that you are getting seen. I find it helpful when I see a specialist to write down before hand all the symptoms I have and how it affects me. I find that I tend to forget things when i see a dr as I get so worried about it.

Hope that your appointment goes well for you and that you get some much needed answers to how you are feeling.

cherryburton · 04/05/2011 10:46

Good luck kucking ! Hope all goes well, let us know. (FWIW I've had a colonoscopy in the past and whilst I wouldn't want one every day it was alright!)

(Moggie, kucking, thanks for checking in re FIL! Smile No news as yet but expecting to hear something any day now so will keep you posted.)

Bucharest · 05/05/2011 08:15

How did it go?

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 05/05/2011 12:54

Ok update - I am having an endoscopy a week on Wednesday and also a full CT scan (not got date for that yet).

OP posts:
PeachyPossum · 05/05/2011 19:45

Hope you get answers soon.

I have the same symptoms but have had the round of tests with no diagnosis as yet. Don't worry about 'oscopys, you'll be fine!

cherryburton · 06/05/2011 13:35

Good luck for that kucking - hope it finally leads to you getting sorted out!

FIL finally got his diagnosis: pancreatitis.

Which is pretty much what we thought all along, but he's had to spend two months in pain and a wodge of cash to get the official diagnosis. Not sure what they're going to do about it quite yet... Hmm

CantSleepWontSleep · 08/05/2011 21:02

Great that you've got a date kf, but it's still more waiting around in the meantime isn't it :(.

moggiek · 09/05/2011 19:36

Hi cherryburton. Glad your FiL has a diagnosis at last. What's the next step for him?

cherryburton · 11/05/2011 10:29

Hi moggie. Smile God knows! He's still waiting for feedback, again, any day now, apparently... Hmm

CantSleepWontSleep · 18/05/2011 16:30

Was the endoscopy today kf? How did it go?

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 18/05/2011 17:58

Hi, had ct scan and endoscopy - they found a hiatus hernia in my endoscopy. Still waiting for results of CT scan and some abnormal bloods to be re-tested. Hernia shouldn't really be making me feel this bad I don't think so the other tests should show what else is going on.

OP posts:
Bucharest · 18/05/2011 18:23

Hey KF!
That's a relief of sorts I think? My friend has one of those, and GERD so is forever gastricky. I think she manages hers with prescription drugs.

Hope your blood results come back soonest.

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