Think my stomach is going to explode...

[WAMS]

Something is going on with my health I have put on a stone in weight over the last 6 weeks. I have developed a distended belly that is uncomfortable, and I often feel vaguely nauseous. Nothing in my lifestyle has changed that I can think of. I'm not a food allergy type, in the sense that I've never had issues with IBS or intolerances. My GP has referred me for the ovarian cancer blood test just to be sure, tho neither of us thinks it's this. She had no other suggestions So I don't feel that I can go back to her, but this belly and the discomfort is really getting to me. Any ideas of what's going on anyone??

[MedSchoolRat]

Hurrah, I found the direct BMJ link. Which probably includes the criticisms WAM raises.

I can see why those who have SCH but no relevant symptoms could be a different patient group from yourself. It really depends how common the same symptoms are in people with normal thyroid levels or indeed completely different health problems. I'm not clinical so don't know about that.

Results from a cardiovascular trial don't need to be ruled out. The rules about random allocation to treatment would still be important.

Maybe you can get the hormones you want privately, and then come back & let us know if they helped?

[WAMS]

Given I'm wondering if I am sliding into hypothyroidism I've started reading around. And it seems that study was quite heavily criticised MedSchoolRat. Apparently many of the participants originally came from a cardiovascular trial and were not actually symptomatic from a SCH point of view! Hardly surprising that treatment would have no effect if they weren't suffering in the first place Also, the study adds it's own caveats...such as that the results may well not apply to people with severe symptoms.

Cut off points on blood tests are not always helpful. One person can be asymptomatic and out of range. Another in range but struggling. At the end of the day, shouldn't treating people be about symptoms rather than numbers?

[MedSchoolRat]

BMJ has just published advice, based on something like 14 pooled studies of > 2000 adults IIRC, that using thyroid hormones for adults with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is not effective (should not be done). I dunno what treatments posters propose, but the evidence that thyroid hormones would help is poor.

www.onlymedics.com/news/17/05/2019/british-medical-journal-publishes-new-guideline-for-subclinical-hypothyroidism/

[NuzzleandScratch]

@WAMS that's dreadful, your thyroid is clearly failing, I would try to see another GP and be pushy.

[lljkk]

Thanks for the update. x

[WAMS]

Nuzzle that may well be the issue. My TSH has been on a slow but steady upwards trajectory the last 10 years...was actually above normal range in the last blood test in August...but not sufficiently abnormal apparently Its in the family too, but GP not interested til its way over.

[NuzzleandScratch]

In my opinion, it sounds like your thyroid is the issue. The problem is GPs now are being told that the TSH needs to be as high as 10 before treating. Maybe go back and see another GP, or could you maybe see an endocrinologist privately? Not that you should have to.

[ToLiveInPeace]

Glad your scan was clear! I'm currently trying solve a similar mystery as I have bloating, occasional nausea and an infuriating wandering pain. I'm on the waiting list for a scan but trying to decide whether to pay for one myself.

Another possibility I'm considering though is SIBO, which Dr Google (sorry) tells me can be associated with weight gain. Does this seem worth exploring for you? If that's my problem, I suspect it was triggered by taking omeprazole.

[Hydrogenbeatsoxygen]

Fantastic news 💐

[WAMS]

Had a very thorough scan today and all is fine - phew! I do feel a lot more chilled about it now! Still all very strange tho...another 2lbs gone on over the last week and tummy still bloated. Maybe it is a sudden onset intolerance! after all I'll try to keep food diary so I can keep an eye on when I feel most nauseous. I really wish it would settle down, fingers crossed....and thanks everyone for your words of wisdom.

[Hydrogenbeatsoxygen]

@WAMS

Thank you 💐

I’m sure you are doing the right thing. Everything crossed that your scan doesn’t show anything horrid.

[lljkk]

Let us know what the scan found out? Hopefully something easy to fix.

[WAMS]

CA125 came back negative this morning Hydrogen, which is good, but on the other hand is also more reason for GP to dismiss me. So I've decided to throw money at it since it's doing my head in. I have booked a private abdominal and pelvic scan for tomorrow afternoon. Its not cheap but I need either peace of mind or to get some idea of what, if anything, is not right. If everything comes back clear then I'm back to pursuing the hypothyroid angle...if not..well at least I'm armed with information then.

So glad to hear you are well Hydrogen.

[Hydrogenbeatsoxygen]

@WAMS

Do let us know how you get on. 💐

[Hydrogenbeatsoxygen]

@WAMS

I am nearly six years on and all good thanks.

[endofthelinefinally]

Tbh OP I would see a gynaecologist privately.
There was a lovely lady on here a while back with similar symptoms. I was one of the people on her first thread urging her to get a gynae opinion. It did turn out to be ovarian cancer. I am not saying thst is what you have, but it is one differential diagnosis and time is of the essence.
Don't be fobbed off.

[WAMS]

Sorry to hear that Hydrogen. Hope things are resolving for you? I will go back to GP, promise x

[Hydrogenbeatsoxygen]

When I had my first appointment with a GP with my worrying symptoms, I was told to come back the following week, as she was running late. I went back and she examined me and said it was just menopausal symptoms. I went again because I wasn’t happy and the GP wanted to prescribe some sort of HRT. Anyway, when I got the prescription the patient information leaflet said to only take on the advice of a doctor, if you have a blood clotting disorder; which I have. I went back again and she said she would email the consultant at the hospital to check whether I could use it. He emailed back and said with my symptoms I should be referred as an urgent two week appointment.

As I have said, my final diagnosis was cancer. I changed GPs after that.

You have to keep going back. No one knows your body like you do.

[Oldmum55]

That's the problem with wanting to be taken seriously. Last year after years of never needing the doctor, I went through a spell of various problems, real enough but every visit to the GP ended with all my tests came back OK. But my symptoms were real enough and it's only by luck that eventually they went away. I was made to feel that I was a hypochondriac!

[WAMS]

Thanks for all the comments everyone. I agree that there should be a bit more screening from the GP...but she was so dismissive Im not sure what to do Perhaps book a private GP appoinment?? Not cheap, but I want someone to listen that something's not right!

The GP did have a feel of my tummy and said it felt fine. I had issues with fatigue a few months ago and had a number of blood tests including the coeliac one which was very negative so not gluten. Helacells...thats interesting...I have had some suspect blood results for hyporthyroidism, my TSH is above normal range. Different GP that time, back in the summer when I was severly fatigued... he just said it wasn't abnormal enough and so I now have a chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis, which I don't agree with!

I really do feel that I'm being dismissed as a hypochondriac or something...admittedly I have been back and forwards to the GP last 5 months with a number of issues, but I feel that every GP I see looks at the one thing I present with on that day and doesn't try to see any kind of bigger picture. Im sure its all related. Helacells I was convinced for a while that hypothyroidism was the issue...I think I might look into that again.

In the meantime I guess I just need to be more assertive and get some more things checked out to be sure.Thanks for all the comments, Im reassured that you all think I need further investigation and that Im not being a fusspot!

[Hydrogenbeatsoxygen]

Bloating is the main symptom of ovarian cancer. Don’t mess about trying salads and gluten free, get yourself properly tested. Don’t be fobbed of by an inaccurate blood test. The CA-125 misses half of early cancers and can be elevated by benign conditions, such as diverticulitis, endometriosis, liver cirrhosis, pregnancy, and uterine fibroids, etc.

[helacells]

Could be severe gluten intolerance or hypothyroidism. I have both and they developed overnight. If I even look at a slice of bread my belly balloons in minutes, I look 5 months gone no joke. Ask for a full thyroid panel and eliminate all gluten and see what happens.

[endofthelinefinally]

Did the gp do a pelvic examination and are you booked for a scan? Both essential, so if not, you need to ask.

[Fatshedra]

Eating salads (boring long term) does make a difference to me. Try a few days of salads, not pasta but leafy ones, and see if it makes any difference.

[Coldhandscoldheart]

They may not do CT in the first instance, but abdominal & pelvic ultrasound.