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Feel so awful but scan and bloods clear

24 replies

Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 14:23

I'm 41. For the past two months I've felt so run down and awful. Tired, wake up yawning and ready to go to sleep again. Achey. Digestion issues - gurgling stomach, sometimes left handed pain under my ribs (dull, rather than severe), bloating, being very gassy including burping a lot which is unusual for me. Now I have what feels like uncomfortable gas, like there's a bubble of gas below my ribs in the middle of my upper abdomen.

I've been having increasingly heavy periods for the last year and the gap between them is getting longer when it used to be like clockwork. I then got Covid which always screws with my periods, so now they are all over the place but still very heavy and painful.

Because of this I had full blood count plus Vitamin D, B12, Iron, Celiac testing, thyroid function, CRP and LH/FSH. I also had an abdomen ultrasound to look at my ovaries and check for fibroids. All came back clear or normal although I was on the cusp of the prediabetic range in my bloods.

I have anxiety so have been back on sertraline for a while and I was convinced a lot of these symptoms would clear up once the sertraline kicked back in but they don't seem to have. I feel drained from it all but GP isn't worried, told me to review my diet and exercise which I am doing.

Aside from that, not interested. I'm not sure if the scan looked at other organs ie liver, pancreas etc, I think it was just ovaries.

I wasn't anxious about it because I thought I'd get bloods back and find I was low iron or something but that hasn't been the case and now I'm starting to get more anxious about it because I'm just supposed to get on with it?

Help! Any advice? Anyone experienced the same batch of symptoms and can shed any (unqualified, obviously) ideas?

OP posts:
ridiculousemail · 10/12/2024 14:24

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Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 14:34

At the moment I'm not exercising as much as I normally would as I feel so rubbish, but I walk a lot and do cardio twice a week.
Diet isn't brilliant I'll admit, I'm eating a lot of carbs and probably more sugary things than I should as it's the run up to christmas.
Today for example I've eaten a cheese sandwich and crisps, plus a few biscuits. Evening meals are better and more balanced, I don't tend to eat breakfast and probably drink too much coffee.

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ridiculousemail · 10/12/2024 14:39

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lakesiders · 10/12/2024 14:42

What nhs class as normal isn't necessarily optimal - do you know what your bloods were? Can you ask to be referred back for a different test? Also definitely look at your diet Flowers

Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 14:44

I know it's stupid but it's like I've forgotten how to eat healthily, I'm always just grabbing a quick fix because my brain is in a thousand other places. It's not an excuse, I need to get better at planning what I'm going to eat.

I didn't get the numbers they just called and told me it was normal, I think maybe one of them was satisfactory - maybe the thyroid function one. I'm not sure what other test I would ask for.

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AllProperTeaIsTheft · 10/12/2024 14:45

I presume they've checked for gallstones? Because those are classic symptoms.

lakesiders · 10/12/2024 14:46

If you've got stomach issues an endoscopy- they can do a proper check for celiac issues or a ct to check other organs. If you're in England you might be able to check results on the Nhs app

Zofloramummy · 10/12/2024 14:48

Perimenopause and gallstones would be my bet.

Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 14:48

I don't know if they checked for gallstones, the scan was mainly on my lower abdomen nothing else. I think I'll try to eat better and keep a food diary. I know stomach issues can be a side effect of sertraline as well but I've never had them with it before.

Thanks - my celiac bloods came back normal.

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AllProperTeaIsTheft · 10/12/2024 14:53

Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 14:48

I don't know if they checked for gallstones, the scan was mainly on my lower abdomen nothing else. I think I'll try to eat better and keep a food diary. I know stomach issues can be a side effect of sertraline as well but I've never had them with it before.

Thanks - my celiac bloods came back normal.

Well they are daft if they didn't check for gallstones. You basically just described how it feels to have gallstones! If I were you I'd check that they checked that.

ridiculousemail · 10/12/2024 14:54

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Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 14:57

@ridiculousemail yes I do, I do the classic thing of looking after everyone else then not actually looking after myself. DP tends to cook most evenings as he loves it and he's great at making decent balanced meals but it's during the day/later at night when I end up eating rubbish.

I'll ask about gallstones.

I did think about peri as my hair has gone very brittle and thin and I've started getting spots on my neck and face for the first time in years.

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ridiculousemail · 10/12/2024 14:58

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TeenLifeMum · 10/12/2024 14:58

Did they check ferritin? My iron always comes up fine but when I feel awful, my ferritin is around 6.

BadgersGalore · 10/12/2024 15:01

Doesn't sound like gallstones to me. In my experience the pain is on the right not left and is severe not dull. Literally the opposite of what OP describes.

Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 15:28

I actually got my ferritin number - 28.

i don’t really drink. Maybe a couple of glasses of wine if I go out for dinner but that’s a rarity these days!

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violetcuriosity · 10/12/2024 15:29

Sounds like peri and gastritis x

lakesiders · 10/12/2024 15:44

28 needs supplementing. Don't bother with floradix and the like they're not strong enough. You need to take with vit c and nothing either side for a couple of hours. It needs to be at least 70 for optimum but best at least 100

Barleycat · 10/12/2024 15:49

I'd want my pancreas looked at.

Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 16:30

@Barleycat i assumed it would show up in my bloods if there was something wrong with my pancreas?

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Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 16:33

I think the GP thinks it anxiety which I do understand

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Notnowbarnaby · 10/12/2024 21:06

I’ve taken some gaviscon and I think it’s helped a bit as I’m suddenly incredibly gassy which is slightly mortifying

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XmasElfOnTheShelff · 10/12/2024 22:40

I’m following with interest as I have similar left sided gas and bloating problems. Tests normal

Notnowbarnaby · 11/12/2024 21:34

I think mine is stress. Today I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to think about it and haven’t had any issues.

apart from when I started thinking about it and the bubble sensation started again.

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