I just dont think it is Ibs...

Hi all,  I  just joined this board to try to find out what might be wrong with me.  Ive been sick for almost two years. I dont have insurance so the docs are not to excited to help me.  I would like to know if you all think my symptoms add up to IBS.  Ive been two 2 family docs and 1 gastroenterolgist(sp?) all saying I have Ibs.  All my blood work has come back normal with slightly low wbc.  Here are my symptoms:

Low blood pressure(dr says it fine) 90/58

nausea

weakness

fatique

brain fog(this is how it started)

dizziness

changes in bowel habits

loose thick stool(no blood)

go to the bathroom more than usual-4times a day

tons of mucus without stool (pink/skin color)

palpitations(mostly without any other symptoms at the time)

left sided pain under ribs dull ache

I feel like I need to take a deep breath and then the symptoms kick in

switches on and off like a light switch

Thank you for your imput and ideas would be appreciated. I cant stand to feeling this way anymore!

 

Post Edited (my4bostons) : 4/19/2006 10:51:55 AM (GMT-6)

Most of your symptoms seem to be non-GI related.  The loose stools and mucous are closely associated with IBS, but I haven't heard of dizziness, brain fog, weakness, etc. being associated with it.  You might get another CBC to check on the status of your WBC.  Your blood pressure is slightly low, but it can fluctuate 10-20 points over the course of a day and so you should be checking that at different points to see what the average is. 

Without insurance, it would be difficult to go through a bunch of expensive tests that might reveal the cause.  How debilitating are these symptoms?

Low blood pressure can make you dizzy and, I would think, also account for your fogginess and weakness and maybe even your nausea. A vitamin defciency can also cause those problems and maybe even your low white blood count.

Pain under the rib cage is common with IBS because of trapped gas. Mucous is also common, although I think most everyone's is clear. Even the palpitations happen in some people with IBS, mainly because of chest pains because of gas and/or panic attacks.

Have you been checked for diabetes? The American Diabetes Association often has blood screenings for free at different times in cities of a little size. You can also go to the public health clinic and get your blood sugar tested there for very little to nothing (cost is based on your income but regardless is still much cheaper than a regular doctor's office). Sometimes even pharmacies will sponsor a blood sugar and blood pressure check.

And while you're there at the public health clinic, ask if you can be tested for a vitamin defciency. I don't know if they draw blood and do workups there, but I think they do.

If neither of those tests comes up with anything, go to a GP and tell him that you are having weakness and dizziness and nausea that comes and goes suddenly and that you have been tracking your blood pressure and it's been showing as low a lot. Don't mention your stomach problems at all--make him treat you for the one thing first because low blood pressure has nothing at all to do with IBS (sometimes doctors can't see the forest for the trees). Then if after getting rid of the nausea, dizziness, fogginess, etc. your bowels are still off, then treat them as if you have IBS and try calcium and probiotics and allergy tests and the other usual recommendations on this board.

Keri, my grandpa gets that... It's called Vertigo. He takes Dramamine for it.

you know Keri, I have been waking up with very sore, wet earson and off for the past month. I went to the dr. thinking I had an ear infection and she looked but said they looked fine to her. Would I need to see an ear,nose and throat dr? The only thing is that I will be nauseaus without the dizziness and vice versa.

I forgot to mention that my hearbeats can be seen and felt in my stomach. If this makes sense. You can see my stomach move up and down because it beats so strong. The dr noticed and gave me an EKG and said all came out normal.

Thanks my4bostons...
Actually I'm on xanax xr now (different from regular xanax) and I am doing wonderfully (touch wood).
It was horrible for some time when I was in the peak of all of that and I always fear a relapse but I think monitoring my symptoms and managing my medication is the key. I'm sorry for your best friend, unfortunately for most it can cause severe depression and sometimes agoraphobia (which I did have a slight case before). I'm so glad the meds are helping her too. :)

Hi,
Just wanted to post this to tell you about my experience which sounds a bit like yours. I was a healthy person till 2 years ago and got glandular fever and then an inner ear prob called labyrinthitis. It made me lightheaded and very fuzzy headed and dizzy. You cant see anything by looking in the ear as its an inner ear prob and you need to see an ear nose and throat specialist. I had balance physio to help me. I had loads of viral infections after this and felt ill for ages and then started with he IBS with solitary rectal ulcer syndrome which is ulcers that ocur in the rectum for no apparant reason - they just happen and need to be treated with steriod suppositiories. I get loose stools frequently and lots of mucus. Its usually yellow but when i have an ulcer it is sometimes pinky red. I see a gastoentorologist at the hopsital for this. I had nearly a year off work with all this but im doing better now.
I hope you manage to sort your probs out. I really do feel for you.
Victoria

Your symptoms are probably more than one thing. I have never heard of pink mucous without stool. Did you tell the GI dr. that. I am more concerned about the heart beating that hard. I would suggest you get an ECHO, not an ekg but an ECHO and rule out a blood pumping problem. The nausea can be from just about anything as can the weakeness. I think you have to rule out the most serious thing first and that would be heart. Ulcers can bleed but that is pretty easy to diagnose. You can do a stool sample to see if it is blood. It must be but you can do a stool sample for ulcer bacteria, or a breath test or an endoscopy. In your case I would say an endo is in order to rule out bleeding ulcers. The burning feeling can be that. It is not always bad pain. The other test would be a colonscopy to rule out lesions or bleeding polyps. Hermoroids are not hard to check for. Good luck.

Hi My4Bostons,

In answer to your question, the symptoms I get when i get a rectal ulcer are

Pain, pressure and burning in rectum

Mucus with or without stool

blood in mucus but not alwys

I never get any stomach pain - only usual cramping

Victoria

With solitary rectal ulcer syndrome, the cause is unknown - it just happens.  Mine happen they think because my anatomy of rectum is a bit abnormal so when I starin to go to loo, everything doesnt go straight to pass a stool, its curved.  So when i get cpnstipated and strain, im causing ulcers apparantly.  Its all a bit wierd but thats what the consulatant told me.  He said they can also occur for no reason aswell but can be easily treated with prednisilone steriod suppositories

BTW, I was later diagnosed with what is either Fibromyalgia or the beginning of Lupus.

Sorry to hear about your situation and the severity of your symptoms. 

 

What caught my eye is your brainfog, low BP, dizzyness, etc.  I, too, think it sounds like Fibro.  One thing to keep in mind is that in IBS, Fibo, CFS, etc., part of our problem is that our autonomic nervous system doesn't function properly in regulating our system.  Kind of like working for someone who isn't qualified to run a department and you have to teach him the job. 

 

Here's a link [have to copy it to your browser] about the autonomic nervous system dysfunction--notice how IBS, Fibro and the like all fall under this heading. http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/womensissues/a/dysautonomia_3.htm

 

Start a list of all of your symptoms including the really oddball stuff.  You should have seen the lists I had:

• craved salt when getting sick
• can't find nouns and use the wrong word even though I'm think the right one.
• have become dyslexic with the letters B & P
• freakish creepy/crawly spells in my back--freakish form of restless leg syndrome

Well, you get the idea.  What you're going through probably is part of one over-riding illness like mine.  I have Fibro, IBS, hypthyroidism, IBS, RLS, atypical migraines, sleep apnea, hangnails, chapped lips and even fallen arches!!!!

Its fine Hayley... it's a broken link however so you will have to copy and paste it. Thanks for the post. :)