Completely Confused

[j9n]

I have been having problems for about 1 1/2 years. It seemed to come on suddenly and about the same time my doctor switched my blood pressure meds. The diarrhea got so severe the only thing that helped was a huge dose of flagyl. I was fine for a month. My GI runs every test in the book. Evidently I am a very healthy person! I am by this time so ill I am losing weight and missing alot of work. He runs a IGG, IGA panel and everything is normal but IGG is 34. He does a biopsy (2) and they come back negative but I have GERD, hiatal hernia. He tells me it is not celiac. Now I have diarrhea at least 12 times a day. I have sweats and can not walk because of the pain. I have a CT scan, normal except for very small fibroids (I am 42). My gyn says it is normal but gives me flagyl for 20 days because she can see I have an infection. I feel good for about 2 months. I called the GIs office and they tell me, over the phone by a nurse that I am borderline celiac and give me a prescription to a dietian. Now my blood pressure starts to rise and my PC doctor doubles my beta blockers. I was so ill I insisted they switch me to something else. Now I am on a medication that does not have diarrhea as a side effect. I tried to eat some crackers, bread, etc. No reaction. I went back to my GI and he basically shrugged his shoulders, says he thinks it might be bacterial overgrowth and come back in a year. Oh and don't take any more antibiotics. I really do not know what to do. I felt fine until last night. I was gluten free for 3 months with problems now not gluten-free and problems but less. I know no one can give me medical advise but I am so frustrated. This is the time of my life when I should be traveling to exotic places and having so much fun but I can not even go to a dinner party without the fear of "it" happening.

[Guest jhmom]

I know where you are and understand your frustrations. All I can say is hang in there, stay after the doctors. You know something is wrong with your body and you need to be persistant, don't take NO for an answer.

I have similar problems and currently being checked for Lupus. Several of my test have come back positive but I do not have a diagnosis yet. My last GI doc thinks some of my abdominal pain and tenderness is due to inflammation of my intestinal wall, I guess some of the other probs can be related to that as well (diarrhea, nausea, etc).

[Guest gillian502]

If you are going to the bathroom 12 times a day, it sounds like you have Colitis. Microscopic Colitis is not detectable without a colonoscopy including a biopsy (several biopsies, actually) so if you haven't had a colonoscopy yet, I'd say that's the next step. You might want to consider asking the doctor if a round of steroids would be appropriate at this time. Entocort is a steroid that's used for intestinal problems and does not have as many side effects as prednisone. I know how miserable you must be--I've had many health problems over the last 2 years myself and they are hard to handle, especially when it feels like no one is listening. Good luck to you.

[j9n]

I had a colonoscopy and everything came back normal. Jhmom, I am really curious since I think my tenormin might be a huge problem. It is listed as a drug that can cause drug induced lupus. I started getting joint pain, leg cramps, etc. I asked my pc and she says, get this, "Those are not symptoms of lupus". She doubles my medication and I was so sick I could not leave the house. She also keeps telling me it is just IBS and won't refer me to another GI. Needless to say I am looking for two new doctors. I am tempted to ask my gyn to be my primary care since she is the ONLY one who will even try to treat me and she can refer to me some one else.

Thank goodness for this board. Sometimes just venting can make you feel better!

[Guest gillian502]

I started taking Atenolol, which I believe is Tenormin, right? about a month ago. I had no idea it could cause serious problems, but I have not felt well since beginning it, despite the fact I'm on a very low dose. Could you tell me more about your experience with this beta blocker? I'm taking it for tachycardia.

[strack2004]

Hi! I would like to refer you to some posts by red345 (Kevin) about taking the type of products you are discussing. Posted around Sept. 21. My posts were nos. 17722 and 17716. I printed out that discussion, but don't have it with me, and can't remember what the title of the discussion was. Ruth