Hey Everyone,
I stumbled on these forums recently while researching this god awful problem we all seem to have. Here is a little back story that leads up to what I am dealing with.
I have generally been very healthy my whole life. When I was 17 I had my first real health issue. I had Acute Hep A. I was on my back for a month. Very sick from a suspected bacterial infection of my liver. I think they thought it was a food born hep infection most likely. Since then I have been mostly normal. Occasionally I would have minor uncomfortable "attacks". This was very spread out and never even crossed my mind as an issue. Usually happened on road trips for the most part.
Now on to what has been going on now. about
5 years ago ( picking my son up from daycare) he was 1. I had an urgent rush to a bathroom. I was in shock. I had never had that happen where I couldnt control it. I cant remember anything I ate back then as it was a one time thing so I wasnt paying attention. As most of us do I now look back on my symptoms and kind of noticed when everything started going down hill. The farthest back I can remember was when I had started to work out with friends early in the morning before work. I had a long drive to Minneapolis to meet them. I noticed that I would have to get to a bathroom fast. It seemed to get worse each day. Sometimes I feel like I barely made it. At this time I was only having the symptoms right away in the morning. The rest of the day I was normal. about
a year later I moved into a new house, had my second baby, got a new job. I started having trouble driving to work in the morning. I would have to stop multiple times on my way in. I would panic if I was stuck in traffic. This went on for a few months and then I started having the issue during the day. I was out to lunch with some co workers and rode with them. I would sit in agony hoping they would hurry back to the office. This went on for a long time leading up to my most recent problems.
I went on a crash diet with my fiance just to try something new (still dealing with my issues but this was not to try and make me feel better). I ate very bland and no alcohol, no caffeine, no sugar, high protein, low fat, etc. It was the 17 day diet or something. My morning commute symptoms practically vanished. I was in shock. I was telling my soon to be mother in law about
it and she is a celiac. She said it ws possible that it was the lack of gluten that was helping me. I had never been so sure of something. It was like a light switch. I continued to eliminate gluten from my life and I stayed in pretty good health. every once and a while I would have D. I usually chalked it up to contamination or something I didnt think had wheat in it. Everything was going well until I went on a road trip to the east coast from MN. A few days before the trip I noticed a nagging soreness in my right kidney area. Not horrible but enough to where I tried to rub it etc. When we took off I had some pretty good discomfort that I would say was due to anxiety and being the first trip since I changed diet. We got on our way and everything was great. We reached New York and stopped for breakfast at a local dennys (puke). I selected from the gluten free menu and got a meat heavy skillet meal. It was very greasy with cheese etc. I also had a coffee. WE ate and I started to get the urge to go... I tried and tried as my friends were out waiting in the truck. I went out and got in the truck feeling very uncomfortable but I knew we had to hit the road. about
a half hour later I was miserable. I felt like I was going to overheat, pass out, puke, and have d. I made them stop at a "texting stop" (god help us) and I had to jump a barbed wire fence to use the outdoor lab if you catch my drift. I was shocked I had never had that happen ever. I was embarrassed. I got back in the truck and we hit the road. I felt sick the rest of the trip but it was mainly stomach flu like feeling. just uneasy.
We arrived out where we were going in New Hampshire. We were out there for my personal business to do an outdoor vendor show. We got set up and went to eat. I had a pretty healthy meal (salad gluten free) I also had a Angry orchard cider beer. The next day I felt really bloated. I tried to burp over and over and could not get it to go away. The next day I noticed on our way to the grounds I had the need to go, even worse after breakfast. Then through that day I had the extreme bloated full feeling happen again. We went to a very expensive restaurant where I eventually left and waited in the truck. I felt like I was going to die. I was so full and bloated that I felt like I was going to explode. I nearly thought I should go to the ER. When my friends came out we hit the local walgreens. I bought a laxative and went back to the place we were staying. I took some. I really felt horrible. I couldnt burp or pass gas. No matter how hard I tried. I bought prune juice as well. I was desperate to get things to move. The next day I felt a little better but still bloated. I decided not to eat. I actually didnt eat the remainder of the trip. I just wanted to get home and go to a local doc. On the way home I felt really bad. Each stop i bought alka seltzer thinking it would make me burp at least. I feel like i barely made it home. I made an appt right away. they did abdomen xrays. They immediatly said it was IBS without any tests. My x rays came back and she said I was full of S. Literally. she said to take a lax to get cleaned out. I did as told and it helped minimally. I then went back and they referred me to the Gastro doc. I went in there and they scheduled me for a colonoscopy and endo. I lived in misery until that appt. I couldnt figure out any way to be symptomless. My morning drives were stopping every gas station. but when I got to my shop I could manage to feel normal. Im on my feet all day. I had to keep on the gluten because they wanted me to have it in my system for 6 weeks. I got to my appt after the miserable prep lol... Everything went great. Results in.... Nothing big. Hiatial hernia and duodentitis. My followup appt was filled with nothing good. "you have IBS, take these, and this antidepressant etc". I was in disbelief. I was for sure I was a Celiac. Why could I eliminate gluten and feel good for so long? Then when I introduce it again I am back to being miserable with D.
Since then I have been in rough shape. I have had a very sore back, the fullness every day, Feels like my kidneys are swollen, bloating, I feel like I have a grapefruit in my ribs. Everytime I eat I have the need to hit the bathroom and get very ill. After my procedure I went back on gluten free. The first few days seemed promising. solid P, felt normal. It was great. Then a few days later back to normal horrible me.
Now I research online daily like all of you. You know the drill, we all have cancer at the end of the online day ;). I ran across the gallbladder stuff. It was like I was reading about
myself. I was certain that was it. It all made sense. Greasy meals triggered problems every time, the fullness, the bloating, the D, the all day feeling that something is in me that shouldnt be. I went into a different doc and told him I wanted to look into gallbladder. so we did. I just had an ultrasound done and blood work to check on the liver. Much to my expectations.... NOTHING... Everything was fine other than some small kidney cysts. He basically shrugged me off, said it was IBS, and then gave me Amitriptiline 10mg. I was shocked. I thought for sure I knew what it was. Now that brings me to present day. I just started to take this antidepressant. I hate it. I hate pills, I hate the fact that it has come to this. I honestly would rather have my symptoms than be dependant on a drug.
I am frustrated. I am a 33 year old man that cant control his bowels, feels horrible daily, sharp pains in my abdomen, cant eat anything good, and sometimes even if I am starving I cant eat. We went to may favorite place to eat a few weeks ago and I felt like I wasnt going to make the bathroom first, then I couldnt even eat. I sat there starving while everyone ate and felt uncomfortable because I was sick and kept running to the bathroom.
I still feel like it has to be my gallbladder. What do you all think? I am calling monday to request a hida scan. My right side feels like something is in there. My back is tender upper right under ribs. My D is almost perfectly timed after I eat. Riding in a car is the worst. I feel like I cant get comfortable. the seat pressing on my back seems to aggravate my symptoms. I used to go to lunch every day with my business partners but now I avoid it because every time I eat and we drive back I feel like I am either going to vomit or have D.
I am in rough shape. I just dont understand what is going on. I have been so healthy until this and like all of you, I feel this is ruining my life. I am lucky to be self employed. I have been considering getting a job to help with downtime at my shop but It makes me sick to think of dealing with these issues with new people. especially if it involves needing to drive or ride along for whatever reason. It has been so depressing.
At this point I am just praying they find my GB is broken so I have an answer. I honestly would take the D back over this fullness bs any day.
Well there is my story so far. I figured I would finally post in hopes that I can either help or get help in the future. I am calling Monday (today is Saturday the 14th of May) To request a hida scan. I pay good money for doc visits and they seem to be quick to say IBS after a 5 min conversation. I am hoping I can find a doc that will at least help me be sure. There are so many people saying it took 5 years of suffering before they found it being the GB. I need to at least try a couple times. Thoughts?
Post Edited (Matt-k) : 5/14/2016 5:30:57 PM (GMT-6)