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Clear blood tests but still unwell

10 replies

Pyroglyps · 23/08/2024 16:04

DP has been suffering with IBS symptoms for as long as I can remember. He’s tried everything and changed his diet but nothing has helped. He lives on immodiums like they’re going out of fashion. He spends half his life in the toilet as we can’t go out often as he worries about being caught short, especially as we live in a high traffic area.
He’s also permanently tired no matter how much he sleeps. He falls asleep briefly whenever he sits down which again means we can’t do much with the children as he’s either too tired to drive or doesn’t have the energy to play with them. He’s recently been waking all through the night unable to sleep, I wake up finding him crying because he’s so exhausted.
We haven’t had sex for over a year which I’ve gradually become resentful for as he knows it’s important to me. He just isn’t interested or we’ll attempt it and he’ll stop. It’s making me so unhappy I gave him an ultimatum to see a doctor or we’re over.
Hes has numerous blood tests recently and they have all come back clear for everything. No explanation for the tiredness or IBS at all. They have essentially washed their hands of him because it doesn’t show anything wrong.
Can anyone share their theories or any potential illnesses with these symptoms so we can arrange private testing elsewhere please?

OP posts:
JDob · 23/08/2024 16:10

Try a dietician, check for ulcerative colitis and crohns, coeliac and do a stool test for bowel cancer. Could be serious.

ButtSurgery · 23/08/2024 16:14

See a proper registered dietician, not a nutritionist (anyone can claim to be it). IBS is usually nothing to do with health ie blood detectable and everything to do with diet.

What are his blood levels for things like vitamins B, D, iron?

Nogodsnomasters · 23/08/2024 17:56

Did he have stool tests for the bowel issues?

Mich1986 · 24/08/2024 20:26

He needs a faecal calprotectin and a fit test, if abnormal they should do a colonoscopy. I've recently found out that my IBS is actually bile acid malabsorption, disgnosed through a sehcat scan and medication is needed. Hope he gets it sorted and please try to support him, my life was pretty rubbish last year with all my bowel problems and anxiety around it.

Mumofoneandone · 24/08/2024 20:30

Just have to keep going back to the GP until they listen. Refuse to be fobbed off!
I've had to do it over the past few years/months due to mainly, extreme tiredness. Finally been referred along CFS/ME route. Has taken a long time to get this far.
Good luck

Iamthemoom · 24/08/2024 20:32

See a functional medicine practitioner and have a thorough stool dna test. This sounds exactly like me. I had a tropical parasite which all nhs tests failed to pick up, found through functional med tests and healed with very strong antibiotics only available privately. I also had a very bad hpylori infection simultaneously and nhs tests failed to test positive for that either. I was ill a long time and better in the space of a week once it was identified and treated. Honestly nhs tests are very basic and as far from cutting edge as you can get when it comes to gut issues.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 24/08/2024 20:36

Does he smell like something's crawled up his arse and died at all? If so, I'd suggest he asks about a course of Metronidazole for Giardiasis. It's a lot more common in the UK in recent years, but health services haven't completely caught up with it yet.

crackfoxy · 24/08/2024 21:21

He needs stool tests: faecal calprotectin and h.pylori. A FIT test if bleeding. Try the FODMAP diet. If all clear then dietician.

Pyroglyps · 25/08/2024 00:45

Thank you all, we will book in for those tests, I appreciate the advice and suggestions.
I never considered a parasite!
His breath is pretty awful but he doesn’t smell in general.

OP posts:
CoastalCalm · 25/08/2024 00:47

Took me 3 years for Crohn’s diagnosis , never showed up in blood tests and 25years on and many surgeries later blood tests never have shown inflammation - ask for camera up and down

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