What on earth is wrong with me

[kitkat0909]

Hi
Just looking for some thoughts. Have been unwell for the last year but nothing has been diagnosed by hospital.
Started off with feeling dizzy and lightheaded on and off for no reason. Then racing heart and palpitations. GP prescribed Sertaline as felt I was suffering from anxiety but also took bloods which showed low iron and folate. Then came 5 episodes, roughly 3 weeks apart of intense stomach pain in my upper abdomen slightly to the right. Each time I end up vomiting and can't cope after around 6 hours and go to a+e for pain relief (not a decision made lightly during the pandemic!).
X rays have shown lungs ok but evidence of bowel loops and faecal loading in abdomen. However I do not believe the faecal loading is the cause of the pain. Bloods each time showed raised CRP and on one occasion raised white cells.

Investigations I've had so far:
OGD - showed small linear stomach ulcer, duodenum not checked
Colonoscopy - normal but redundant colon seen
Ultrasound - normal kidneys liver pancreas and gallbladder
MRCP - normal
Small bowel MRI - normal with some inflammation noted

Iron and folate remain suboptimal despite medication although iron was great for a while following an infusion.

Any ideas?!

Coeliac?

I had all thesr symptoms including the right sided pain which may or may not be linked but I've just recently been diagnosed with PoTS.

Gastritis? Have you had an H Pylori stool test? I have just been diagnosed with this after going through all sorts of tests from CT scan to ultrasound to colonoscopy and endoscopy.
Pain, nausea, palpitations, some dizziness, raised ESR levels (similar to CRP) - have had it all. Been feeling utter shit months. Have antibiotics to take, haven’t started them yet. Hopefully that will help, but have been warned that recovery is a marathon and not a sprint.

Could be Crohn’s in the small bowel. I would ask for a pill camera to see what’s going on in the small bowel. It can often be missed on a MRI scan.

Thanks everyone. I had considered Crohn's and coeliac... haven't been diagnosed with either however (yet!).

Funny that PoTS has been mentioned as I have recently seen a cardiologist due to palpitations (mainly ectopic beats) and they tested my sitting and standing heart rate and BP. Nothing overly convincing but still a possibility.

@Mumma02

I had all thesr symptoms including the right sided pain which may or may not be linked but I've just recently been diagnosed with PoTS.

Can I ask a wee bit about your PoTS and the right side pain?

@KitKat0909

Thanks everyone. I had considered Crohn's and coeliac... haven't been diagnosed with either however (yet!).

Funny that PoTS has been mentioned as I have recently seen a cardiologist due to palpitations (mainly ectopic beats) and they tested my sitting and standing heart rate and BP. Nothing overly convincing but still a possibility.

Coeliac is fairly easy to diagnose so I doubt it’s that. Crohn’s a lot harder especially if not easily seen on colonoscopies and MRI but the inflammation would tie up with Crohn’s. Do you know what your CRP level was?

@kitkat0909 I had several uncomfortable and random symptoms for months which nobody could piece together and find an answer to. I had the usual stool test, blood tests, ultrasound on liver, gallbladder etc and everything came back normal. I've suffered bouts of nausea that come and go for the last 18 months. I've now learnt that PoTS is a form of autonomic dysfunction and can pretty much effect every part of you. It can slow normal gastric emptying, cause problems with the bladder, temperature deregulation...I could go on. So unfortunately I just think it's all a part of that for me now.

PoTS is hideous. My sister has been diagnosed for about 15 years. Took years to find out what was wrong (there is no true specialist in the U.K. since the one that diagnosed her retired). She has been part of drug trials but now has it under control through diet and exercise.

Many more people are being diagnosed after long Covid. She gives awareness sessions to GPs at her local surgery as they are feeling overwhelmed with it and are keen to understand more.

Addison's disease can cause abdominal pain and vomiting, there are other symptoms though, like fatigue and some people have skin changes

@LiveintheNow

Addison's disease can cause abdominal pain and vomiting, there are other symptoms though, like fatigue and some people have skin changes

I was tested for this! But it came back negative. Thanks for the suggestion though x

My CRP is always around 10. So nothing major but above average. My small bowel MRI specifically said "no evidence of small bowel Crohns" so I'm wondering if that's enough to discount it?

[quote Mumma02]@kitkat0909 I had several uncomfortable and random symptoms for months which nobody could piece together and find an answer to. I had the usual stool test, blood tests, ultrasound on liver, gallbladder etc and everything came back normal. I've suffered bouts of nausea that come and go for the last 18 months. I've now learnt that PoTS is a form of autonomic dysfunction and can pretty much effect every part of you. It can slow normal gastric emptying, cause problems with the bladder, temperature deregulation...I could go on. So unfortunately I just think it's all a part of that for me now.[/quote]
That's really interesting. Thank-you. Can I ask what your abdominal pain was like and how long it lasted each time / what the cure was each time?

@DicklessWonder

PoTS is hideous. My sister has been diagnosed for about 15 years. Took years to find out what was wrong (there is no true specialist in the U.K. since the one that diagnosed her retired). She has been part of drug trials but now has it under control through diet and exercise.

Many more people are being diagnosed after long Covid. She gives awareness sessions to GPs at her local surgery as they are feeling overwhelmed with it and are keen to understand more.

Sorry that your sister is suffering - I've read a bit about PoTS and it's certainly a horrible condition. So good of her to raise awareness and educate GPs.

Any updates op? I've been feeling similar and awaiting blood results.