Long running health problems; need fresh ideas

[Katymac]

I have diagnoses of ME/FM/IBS and I feel sometimes this masks another condition

I also have (have had?) Deficiencies in Vit D, B12, Iron, Folic Acid & Zinc

I've seen several gastro people (& had more than one colonoscopy & biospy)and have been diagnosed with "a very fast transit time" which tbh I consider a symptom rather than a diagnosis and I really don't have coeliac.

I've seen several rheumatologists who have excluded RA and diagnosed the FM

I saw a neurologist in January and my pain isn't a result of the B12 deficiency & I recently found out I have been over doing the B12 a bit (spots/acne as a side effect of over doses)

My mouth ulcers have greatly reduced with the zinc supplements but I still have a lot of pain (joint/muscle/bone & constant headaches), exhaustion & awful IBS unless on a very strict FODMAP diet (intolerant to milk, eggs, almond, coconut, fruit, pulses, anything grainy or bitty)

More recently I have had new symptoms of dizziness, queasiness, blurred vision

The GP thinks I'm depressed; which to some extent I am but I have a lot going on & I'm always poorly - I use a lot of talking therapy and I have good family support but I don't feel I need antidepressants at the moment - I have needed them before but I think I'm OK now

So where do I go from here?

[Badders123]

So they could cover you til xmas?
You need rest.

[PoshPenny]

Katymac all I can suggest is getting a printout of your results with all the ranges and going through your blood results one by one and finding what each one really means. This "normal" business is a bugger. I honestly don't understand how GPs after all those years of study and training can just sit there, read results of a computer and if they're in the range tell us all is "normal" when the patient in front of them clearly isn't. Having done this analysing printouts for myself I then went back to the doctor and courteously challenged him on the clearly borderline (1point within a very wide range) results and got him to try a bit harder. He is no longer my GP. I found a private functional medicine doctor very helpful in this situation, not least because he diagnosed me with hypothyroidism when the GP refused to and told me I was reading too much rubbish on the Internet. How are your thyroid results by the way as they are notoriously normal when they're actually anything but.

[Katymac]

Can't afford it - bit broke atm

Week off at Christmas - plus I get odd sessions off as children come & go (Tues & Wed am, Fri pm) so it's better than it could be

[Katymac]

The odd thing about my results is that if you added low& high range & divided by two that is almost exactly my level for everything how bizarre!!

TSH 2.81 (0.35-3.5)
FT4 12 (8-21)

[Wiifitmama]

Have you heard of SIBO? Your digestive issues could certainly be that. Here is a recent article written by one of the few specialists. It is written for medical professionals so quite technical but worth reading.

www.townsendletter.com/FebMarch2015/sibo0215.html

[Wiifitmama]

I should add, your GP will most certainly not have heard of SIBO or test for it. I can recommend a private gastro who specialises in this area and can do the breath test but it is very expensive.

[gleegeek]

I'm watching this with interest as you could be describing me... only difference is I'm not working so have stopped going to the Dr's. Not needing a sick note means no point going as they're so useless. Although I've started having what i think are panic attacks so might actually have to heave going...
Similar history of illness through childhood, god knows how I got any exams as I was off so much! Had pneumonia and two serious bouts of food poisoning and haven't worked since

[puffylovett]

Sibo is the type of thing a functional medicine practitioner would check for too. And would probably consider those thyroid results as verging on hypothyroid.