Ongoing Tummy Issues / shaking

[ssunniebear]

I have had ongoing tummy issues for the last two or so years. I have had various tests including colonoscopy, Ultrasound and MRI. I have tried loads of diferent medications including imodium, buscipan, mebeverine, codiene, soluble fibre bile salt medications and currently take low dose amitryptiline and creon enzimes. While there has been some improvement in symtoms I still frequently need the toilet 6 or more times a day and get a burning type pain on the top left hand side of my tummy which leaves me feeling drained and fatigued.

I am concerned that when the pain gets bad I feel exausted and need to sleep. The other week I felt incredibly hot and cold and went shakey for a couple of hours despite lying down and resting.

So far I have been to the toilet 5 times since mid-night and would like some relief which allows me to sleep and go to work refreshed. Has anyone found a magic cure for something similar?

Also meant to say have tried probiotics [tablets then symprove]. Over the last few weeks there have also been times with lots of mucus at times potentialy exclusively mucus.

Try to go wheat free.

Thanks, have previously tried avoiding wheat and did not seem to make any diference. I can not see any patterns linked to what I have eaten. After the shaking I seem to feel better after salty food and a banana, so wonder if all the bathroom trips are affecting salt levels in some way.

It sounds like Chrons disease. Could you get referred to a gastroentrologist? You need more investigation. The shaking & frequent bowel movements aren't normal. It seems more than just IBS.

Thanks
I have been seen a Gastroenterologist who did both a colonoscopy and an MRI.

Its dificult to know what is normal for IBS. I go through periods where I will say have 4 BM's a day and some mild pain where I think that because I have not lost weight it is likely IBS. I then have other times where I go to the toilet very frequently and either have shaking or a pervasive exaustion where I need to sleep where I think there must be something else going on. Really not sure what extra tests I should be requesting.

Does sound like Crohn's - have you had results back from the colonoscopy and MRI yet?

Are you on any medications daily for anything else?

Yes I have had results from the tests. Neither the colonoscopy nor the MRI showed any sign of inflaamation. I am not sure how many biopcies they took when they did the scope.

I am not on any other medications other than the things I take for the bowel stuff [digestive enzimes, low dose antideppressants and ocationally codeine, imodium or kaolin depending on what I think will best control the type of diorrhea.

What tests do you have to check your gaulbladder? I assume an abdominal MRI could show problems. I also had an ultrasound however, this only seemed to look at the lower part of the tummy where I do not really have pain.

Meant to say thanks for all your input it is really nice to feel that complete strangers care to post particularly when it has been so difficult to get any conclusive answers from medics.

Does Gaulbladder pain tend to be worse after fatty food? I would have expected that things like my work Christmas party on Tuesday / eating a mcdonalds yesterday would have made things worse that are affected by fat, when if anything my symptoms have been better than normal.

yes gall bladder should be worse after fatty food

hmmmm I am now wondering about a blockage if you are passing mucus .. also fatty foods helps with constipation (which is what a solid blockage is) ... GP should be able to feels it in your tummy though

sorry I've got nothing else!

Thanks for all the input. I have not been pursuing this with the docs. I had a number of blood tests which all came back normal, which does not really explain anything.

Meant have been going back to the GP about it. Nothing really changed symptom wise but think just before AF things are worse.

If it is IBS and you have noticed a link with your menstrual cycle, it might be worth trying the pill, I was reading here the other day that someone found it helpful for their IBS symptoms (I was looking at IBS threads, having recently been experiencing gut problems myself).

Endometriosis is sometimes misdiagnosed as IBS I believe?

Thanks. Really not sure if the cycles thing is a bit of a red herring, things are definately looser at that time of the month but other random. times can be worse. I.

I don't really have an IBS diagnosis as medics seem to say that this shouldn't give symptoms which wake from sleep. However, not sure if this is just symantics as they then say potentially it is some sort of functional condition, which seems to be medic speak for IBS which does not fit the definition of IBS.

I think the next stage will be trying a low fodmap diet. Which hopefully will bring some relief as struggling to work and be available for my family. Will also be going away over easter and had planned a walking style holiday. If I will be away from toilets I think I may have accidents as this has nearly happened.

I will look into the pill thing as does not seem a lot to loose. In my late teenage years I found the pill helped with stomach pain which I had been having / some loose stools as a happy side-effect so maybe there is a hormonal link after all.

Good luck, op, hope you find something that helps.