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??

[Hydrogenbeatsoxygen]

@WAMS

Thank you 💐

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

[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]

Fantastic news 💐

[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.

[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.

[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.

[lljkk]

Thanks for the update. x

[NuzzleandScratch]

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

[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/

[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]

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?