Help! I've Been Sick The past 9 Months

SYDworker on 27/03/2024 - 16:57
Last edited 27/03/2024 - 18:54 by 1 other user

HELP! Indigestion, tight throat feeling, stool fluctuation, throat gurgling noises randomly, regular burping randomly after food.

Hi OzBargain Fam,

I've been a long time reader and haven't posted much on here.

I'm really upset with myself as I've been sick the past 9 months, I've gone to GP done blood tests, gone to Gastroenterologist and they did a CAT scan on the abdomen and an ultrasound on the liver.

The GP said I have high uric acid, high Cholesterol the bad one, the CAT scan showed everything as normal, but the ultrasound showed a fatty liver.

I've tried so many things, but I still have a feeling of indigestion where if I finish eating food, I would burp inconsistently for the next few hours, I've been frequently going to toilet where the stool fluctuates some times diarrhoea. My throat has this tight feeling like something stuck in it, when I finish eating a meal I don't feel like being in someone car as I'll feel nausea. I drove 30mins away from home and I felt my throat tightening up and I had to park on the side of the road and gagged. My stomach makes water sounds randomly, usually after eating. Every morning regardless of what I eat, when I'm in the toilet I would have a long fart first before the stool.

These symptoms have been 9 months, before that I have not had any of them so consistently. It has ultimately impacted my life, I have not travelled far because of nausea feeling, told my friends I can't go to events. I really need this to end.

Last year my builder went into liquidation and I was upset and felt sad as I lost a lot of money. I'm not sure if it is related, and if it is why has it been lasting so long.

When I search online on Google it comes up as either "GERD, IBS, Dyspepsia" for the symptoms I described.

What I've tried:
Apple Cider Vinegar (positive impacts only when used, done for 3 weeks, 2 shots a day), Gastroenterologist recommended Benefiber and Movicol and that helped stopped the constipation I had every morning. Stop regularly using both after 2 weeks, chia seeds for 2 weeks, ginger tea for 2 weeks, psyllium husk flaxseed foe 3 weeks

Please someone give me ideas, I'm really trying to reach out as I would like my life back on track. I'm only 29 years old and this as ultimately ruined my lifestyle

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • Camelface on 28/03/2024 - 18:34

    The good eating habits and lifestyle changes are all good, but if there's an underlying medical condition, then that must be addressed sooner than later. Go to the GP again and get a referral to see may be a gastroenterologist.

  • 1Kenobi on 28/03/2024 - 19:15

    Apple cider vinegar and zyrtek

  • peekabooo on 28/03/2024 - 19:32
    +1

    Try to get uric acid down. Request allopurinol if it is very high as it can cause gout, that comes with the worst kind of joint pains. Do not worry about your high cholesterol. Take fish oil and stop eating all grain based products. Go full carnivore and slowly experiment with each kind of food and see if all of those sits well with you.

  • sntc on 28/03/2024 - 20:28

    Please give One meal a Day try for a week or two or a month of you can slowly. Drink as little to no water after/with meal. If you drink water other times, and 30 to 60 mins before meal, you will require less or no water during meal. Any meal that makes you thirsty, avoid or decrease them to minimum. Water with food dilutes the acid in your stomach reducing your digestive capacity.

    Walk for 15 - 30 mins after meal.

    No lying down or sleeping after eating for at least 4 hours.

    If you can, start running 5 mins, 10 mins upto 30 mins a day couple of days a week.

    Many great advices here. Don't try all at once. Make some plans. Make small changes, keep notes of what type of food, medicine, vitamins etc are making you better / worse.

    Best of luck.

  • jli789 on 28/03/2024 - 20:30

    I'd suggest the symptom is stress induced, and progressed further and have you tried to test for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) ?

    It could cause digestive issues, and stomach ulcer. Regards to things to try, honey is very good with stomach issues, just a bit honey and warm water everyday.

  • Tobias on 28/03/2024 - 21:56

    Lose 5kg and your symptoms might go away. Your BMI is close to being overweight even if you still look slim. Your guts & organs are probably struggling with fat.

    In my experience, I had some of your symptoms and my BMI was just into overweight. Lost 5kg and they went away.

    Eat no food after 6pm. Eat small meals. Have biggest meal at lunch time. Reduce sugar/alcohol intake. Exercise.

  • slackerman on 28/03/2024 - 22:09

    Try to include any physical activity in your schedule.I know it can be daunting if you have never done that before but probably start it with just with a 30min walk around your neighbourhood.

  • xrayed giraffe on 28/03/2024 - 22:12

    Swallowing problems?
    Barium Swallow with a radiology company. Referral from a GP

  • Sheez on 28/03/2024 - 22:32

    List the typical food you are eating each day, I would start there. Do you eat well, or eat lost of carbs/highly processed foods?

  • CWJ on 29/03/2024 - 00:02

    Surprised a specialist hasn't recommended a gastroscopy & colonoscopy.
    Did you travel overseas in the lead up to the problems starting as I've heard of people picking up parasites from food eaten that was hard to pick up but caused all sorts of problems.
    Best of luck & hope you can find someone to help resolve soon.

    • matt-ozb on 29/03/2024 - 00:06

      That would be a mild case of post infectious colitis or IBS triggered by a prior infection .. but I don't think that would cause the poor digestion.

  • matt-ozb on 29/03/2024 - 00:14
    +2

    My recommendation is ……..

    1. do a colonoscopy and endoscopy (most likely nothing)

    2. do some research here and buy some of the books with IBS and diet info
      https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/
      then do some extreme elimination diets .. unfortunately there is a truck load of allergies and sensitivities that you might need to work through over 12 months .. I would recommend an extreme approach to elimination diets .. be patient, take your time, then cross things off the list slowly. The Monash books have processes with extreme diets to assist.

    3. try amitriptyline or moclobemide, as may be stress related and these medicines have lead to great results for some of my patients with IBS.

    4. try this probiotic that my patients have reported positive results and one of the rare (perhaps only) probiotics proven to colonise.
      https://www.mutaflor.com.au/

  • Punda on 29/03/2024 - 06:42

    Use a probiotic. Also try Actilax to relieve constipation

  • ur enq on 29/03/2024 - 08:35
    +6

    Hi @SYDworker
    As a general physician specialist looking at your symptoms.. Your symptoms may not be linked to a specific diagnosis. Indeed it is difficult to diagnose without examining you, but my few differential diagnosis are as follow:

    1) The mention of indigestion could be as you have pointed out, GORD or esophagitis. Sometimes, people can get a bacteria infection in the stomach call helicobacter pylori that can cause gastritis and oesophagitis, resulting in constant indigestion. There are a few ways to diagnose it including a blow test (can be done by GP) or gastroscopy with biopsy (my dad recently was diagnosed via this method). This is easily treatable with antibiotics and reflux tablet for few days.

    2) Fluctuating stool consistency, also known as alternating bowel habit. Most common cause is intolerance to certain food, such as milk or fructose. this can cause bloating of the stomach after a meal, indigestion, followed by diarrhoea. best way to find out is to eliminate certain food, ie you can try by eliminating milk/ diary product first and see if this helps. Other potential causes can be coeliac disease, and this can be diagnosed via a blood test but more definitive, once again via gastroscopy.

    3) you mentioned of something stuck in your throat, the symptom is called dysphagia. this can once again caused by oesophagitis (such as helicobacter infection), or could be caused by something going wrong with the oesophagus like achalasia (peristalsis or milking mechanism of esophagus impaired) or a blockage/ pouch in the oesophagus. The only way to find out, once again, is a gastroscopy.

    My advice, go see another gastroenterologist who will investigate this more thoroughly. ultimately, best test to have is a endoscopy (gastroscopy and colonoscopy, both can be done in 30 mins).

    All the best and good luck

    • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 29/03/2024 - 08:37
      +1

      ^^ This ^^

      Although get a GI Map done.

    • Thaal Sinestro on 29/03/2024 - 23:54

      This is a great response, covering all of their symptoms. Though, since they started experiencing all 3 at about the same time, I feel they must somehow be connected rather than 3 unrelated problems. But an endoscopy to check for internal abnormalities such as ulcers would be the best starting point.

    • Dano33 on 30/03/2024 - 23:16

      @ur enq, I think you're onto something regarding the helicobacter pylori! I know the OP said they have had a test but definitely worth exploring further.

      @SYDworker, The following story of how this naturopath cleared helicobacter pylori in a patient who had it for 25 years is mind blowing.

      https://youtu.be/cBuK73K7t_0?si=V-wQQ1r-oLuFn-ip&t=1334

      Stop drinking 30 mins before a meal and don't drink anything for 90 mins after a meal. Keep yourself well hydrated with clean water. Good luck

  • altomic on 29/03/2024 - 08:42

    I was speaking to a friend last night who has dry reflux. He's 50. Reasonable health and diet.

    He's been advised to go on a food elimination diet to check for foods that cause his reflux.

    Link to the diet

    • Thaal Sinestro on 29/03/2024 - 23:58

      For me, coffee, tomatos, onions are triggers. Unfortunately I like all 3. Avoiding them 2 hours before lying down, at the very least. One could switch to caffeine pills instead of coffee.

  • addison666 on 29/03/2024 - 10:43

    I'm gonna say stress. I had a bunch of issues like you're saying, bouts of vomiting/diarrhea with lots of burping etc etc. Turned out it was being between homes for a while and moving, combined with my job (it's high stress anyway but I was newish as the time, and was doing it rough). Doc gave me some tablets to stop diarrhea, but ultimately I found a new place, and work settled down, and now it's better again. Also knowing what it was helped. I had to get a bunch of tests etc, was thinking man is this my new life? Which also adds to the stress as well lol. Worth considering.

  • bubbleo00 on 29/03/2024 - 10:48

    Have you tried intermittent fasting?

  • DiscoJango on 29/03/2024 - 11:41

    Hypothyroid

  • mducpham on 29/03/2024 - 11:52

    @SYDworker I highly recommend mental treatment first, the stress you have from the builder going into liquidation is probably the main cause of the upset stomach. I have a friend that stopped working for the same stress reason due to the builder going under too. I hope you are ok. Try some breathing exercises and mediate if you can.

    • Hangryuman on 29/03/2024 - 18:48

      yeah over-active repetitive loop negative thoughts can be a downward spiral to bad decisions and health outcomes

      today I was looking at photos from last century of a schoolfriend who looked like a handsome guy from a rich family with every opportunity in life

      he suicided with a shotgun probably before he turned 30

      from what I heard his father was cold and unloving and demanding he become something he could not.

      meditation - dropping repetitive thoughts - can relieve nervous health problems.

      the past is history, the future a mystery, all we have is now. Relax - sunk cost money is history. Plan instead for happiness in future - that doesn't involve much money - it mostly involves time with loved ones. Spend more time with loved ones. That can alleviate a lot of problems.

  • Xiaoyih on 29/03/2024 - 12:39

    Food intolerance like gluten, lactose some other proteins?

  • Dack Smith on 29/03/2024 - 12:53
    -2

    What you have is as yet undefined but does have notable examples

    Unfortunately you should get your affairs in order as there is no cure and your organs will eventually give out under the strain.

    You’ve got maybe a year or two before death, you should make the most of the time left and do some good for society before you die

  • Sgios74 on 29/03/2024 - 13:20

    It all came with the speed of science

  • MrThing on 29/03/2024 - 13:36

    OzDoctor

  • DemocracyManifest on 29/03/2024 - 13:39

    Cut out dairy entirely and take inner health plus

  • Mythreesons on 29/03/2024 - 13:43

    You need to see a specialist and book in for a Upper GI endoscopy, my son has something called esophageal achalasia, he takes daily medication for it. He would cough a lot, complain of indigestion, was very gassy , would often dry heave/throw up after eating, sometime he would be up throwing up during the night, had a cough all the time and was clearing his throat a lot. They tried him on a few medications before they found one that works and it’s made a huge difference. Hope you get some sort of help.

  • Freestyle on 29/03/2024 - 14:59
    -1

    please stop asking random internet people and talk to a specialist

  • Drewbo on 29/03/2024 - 16:43
    +1

    High uric acid…… You had a gout attack yet? From experience, it's not a lot of fun.

  • screensaver on 29/03/2024 - 18:14
    +1

    Switch to A2 Milk or Lactose free milk, use only low fat milk (light milk)

  • JH100 on 29/03/2024 - 19:07
    +1

    @SYDworker Someone at the beginning of this mentioned going to a Naturopath. Give it a go, if only to eliminate it. But you might be surprised too.

    Especially as you intuit a connection between your 'illness' and losing a lot of money, correctly I suspect. The stress of losing 4 years pay all at once is a shock to anyone's system, and it's not just the money, is it.

    The mental/emotional is directly connected to the physical, especially the gut, and it wouldn't surprise me if you just need to re-balance something internal that was adversely impacted at that time and hasn't self-corrected.

    Modern medicine only knows so much, you might find an 'alternative' works for you. One size does not fit all, as you have realised, or you wouldn't be here.

  • doncarajo on 29/03/2024 - 19:34
    +1

    Doctor here. Sounds like you are overweight. If you lose 5-10kg your symptoms will improve.

    • DiscoJango on 29/03/2024 - 20:18
      +3

      Doctor here. Just drink more water and eat vegetables.

  • frugalftw on 29/03/2024 - 22:29
    +1

    Last year my builder went into liquidation and I was upset and felt sad as I lost a lot of money. I'm not sure if it is related, and if it is why has it been lasting so long.

    It definitely is related, but it’s not the first event in your life that triggers you this way. A build up of similar things kept piling on. It’s lasting this long because you haven’t cleared previous events/memory that affected your body-mind.

    Your digestive system is a physical version of your ability to digest emotions and whatever happens in life. When one dysfunctions, it bleeds into the other and the chicken becomes the egg. You might not have been taught how to process emotions, or that it’s an inherited trait that runs in the family. That said, it’s very treatable but requires a lot of courage. Feel free to pm.

  • Fysh on 29/03/2024 - 22:46
    +2

    Can you please tell us how you go , my other half has the same symptoms for 3 years and they just say it's anxiety. All the life threatening stuff has been ruled out but they won't go on flights because the throat tight feeling just doesn't make them feel safe.

  • ahara on 29/03/2024 - 23:02

    My 2 cents:
    - work with a good dietician and change your diet over time, monitoring for changes.
    - Maybe do allergy tests that can identify autoimmune issues.
    - perform a colonoscopy if concerned about bowel issues and color.

    My mum has issues with allergies and autoimmune related issues and can also only eat very specific foods without getting diarrhea. In my humble opinion your symptoms sounds about like her autoimmune issues.

    Don’t get worried but do seek some additional tests to exclude the obvious autoimmune diseases that are not visible as such, but appear as IBS or similar symptoms based on food intake.

    Good luck and wish you the best

  • TiredKitty78 on 30/03/2024 - 00:51

    I haven't googled it. But when i've had issues with GERD, i came across a mention of one persion literally having to have surgery on something in their throat that was not i guess 'closing' or 'tightening' as it should to keep all the belly juices down where they should be.

    Was the surgery to fix something faulty, or to create a fix for the GERD caused by stomach acid rising in the throat? Idk.

    Skimming this page here looked promising that it might have what i was thinking of:
    https://aboutgerd.org/treatment/surgery/surgical-treatments/

  • RealUltimatePapo on 30/03/2024 - 07:33
    +1

    This seems like a really popular post, so I hope you see this

    Based on your symptoms and (limited) history, my guess is that you have a hiatus hernia, that gives you the stuck feeling in your throat when you're mega stressed (tightening of the diaphragm), or having especially gassy foods or beverages. If you're gurgling on or directly after eating, that's another potential symptom of a hiatus hernia

    The fatty liver will make sense if you're drinking your stresses away, and also explains the high uric acid. My guess is that you like your beers?

    Get a endoscopy+gastroscopy. You wanna confirm if there is indeed a hiatus hernia screwing up the top of your stomach, but you also check the esophagus; something like a Barrett's (leaky) esophagus can potentially become cancerous if left unchecked for too long

    In the meantime, lay off the beers, and minimise other foods and beverages that create excess gas in your stomach. The FODMAP diet is a good place to start

    As I said, I hope you see this. Best of luck

  • Cusack on 30/03/2024 - 09:06

    Look into the carnivore diet, fasting. And hit the gym.

  • bmgoau on 30/03/2024 - 09:47
    +1

    Might be insufficient stomach acid and poor gut flora. See this comment for tips: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/806939?page=1#comment-1445…

  • TEER3X on 30/03/2024 - 09:53

    Try cabbage juice, water fasting, cut out all added sugar, but first see a specialist. Do NOT take any non pr scribed supplements or long term use of any acids unless under doctors orders. And certainly don't listen to any advice on a bargain forum :)

  • knk on 30/03/2024 - 10:18

    reddit.com/r/askdocs

  • Afjimbob on 30/03/2024 - 15:21
    -1

    Gluten? Father just discovered after 70 years that he is celiac. Always had reflux, felt a bit off. Also impact iron absorption.
    A 100% GF diet is relatively straightforward and accessible these days. Try it for a bit and see how you feel.

  • blingdaddyking on 30/03/2024 - 16:58

    Try albendazole - kill parasites

  • Willy Beamish on 30/03/2024 - 18:48

    Simple change of diet will be the first step.

    Also eat less, exercise more, eat earlier.

  • Oofy Doofy on 30/03/2024 - 19:42

    About $1100 out of pocket full fee cost to have a gastroscopy and a bravo. Not including initial specialist gap fee. (Actually a couple hundred less than $1100, as you'll get some money back from Medicare for the anaesthesia)

    You'll likely be sent for a swallow exam using Omnipaque as well. That's about $200 gap fee.

    If you think it is all stomach related, it's definitely worthwhile.

    Good luck.

  • George87 on 30/03/2024 - 23:52

    Im no doctor but I would try Kefir made from kefir grains.

  • THICKnSLOW on 31/03/2024 - 06:37

    Early onset perimenopause

  • tvi on 31/03/2024 - 16:35

    Your symptoms sound very much like mine from a few years ago. Like you, I was diagnosed with GERD/acid reflux. I wish there was a simple solution I could give you that solved it all for me. But there wasn't.

    However there is hope down the line. It took a few years and I am largely symptom free. But, even today if I do something out of the ordinary I can feel the disease rear it's ugly head.

    In terms of medicines the main thing that worked for me was Somac. It's generic equivalent Pantoprazole is equally effective. I had to start out a pretty high dosage 40mg per day. But I was able to slowly wean myself away over months.

    Other thing that made a big difference in my case was actively talking time out to care for myself. Just as you look after the little ones or partner in your life. Remember you are not invulnerable.

    I used to skip meals regularly and binge on fast food to make up for it. But now I make as much of an effort to eat three proper healthy meals a days, with portion control.

    I've also started introducing a light exercise routine every day. (Again, I used to live a very sedentary life style). But, even a quick walk around the block while listening to my favourite podcast makes a big difference to my gut health.

    This health condition has had a major negative impact on my career as well as social/personal and mental health. But there is hope. Keep working on it little by little every day and in a few months it will be behind you.

    Hope this helps. Feel free to reach out to me if I can help in some way.

  • Gamer Dad Reviews on 31/03/2024 - 17:02

    Gluten sensitivity

  • theclearout on 31/03/2024 - 17:38

    You mentioned CAT scan and Ultrasound. Has your GP sent you for the 2-ended scope, i.e., gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
    If not, like others have said, go see a different GP and if they can't help ask for a referral to a specialist, e.g., Gastroenterologist.
    I'm not medically trained so this is not advice but everything you've described points to lifestyle choices and maybe a hiatus hernia and an ulcer.
    Whatever it is I'd concentrate more on seeing a competent GP and a specialist referral and less on self diagnosing. Dr. Google is not your friend….is ok for the 'what could it be in the range of food too spicy to imminent death'

  • cupcake on 02/04/2024 - 16:09

    Go back to clean eating and see what happens.
    Cut out sugar, salt, fried, processed food.
    Eat as fresh as possible with lots of green vegies.
    Oats with milk, seeded bread, avocado, salads and boiled eggs.
    This is good for everyone.

    You must always keep an eye on symptoms like severe back pain and blood in your poo.

    Have you had every test under the sun?

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