Hi everyone. I just found this forum and can really use some support. Just to know that there might be other people out there with similar symptoms to me is so comforting, because often doctors even seem puzzled by certain things I tell them.
I was first diagnosed with GERD and occasional IBS 14 years ago. Most of the time PPIs (Prevacid) and Metamucil keep me going, with only mild morning nausea... but then either a two-day bout of constipation... or a sudden onset of gastroparesis... or lately eating even the tiniest littlest bit of onion or food with onion powder in it... throws me off. And I encounter some of the following symptoms. If anyone else has this happen to them, it would just comfort me to know I am not fully alone:
-Chills/Hot flashes while have a bowel movement. I can go from shivering on the bowl, the feeling flush and sweating, and then back to chilly, all in a matter of minutes. Sometimes this is also an early-onset symptom that I'm about
to have upper GI problems, as well. Sometimes if I'm having a day of feeling green, I am freezing everywhere I go. I even keep a hair dryer at the ready in one bathroom of my house - there are times when I get the chills so bad on the bowl, I have to turn on the hair dryer to warm myself up until the hot flash comes.
-Bouts of vomitting that continue until the stomach is empty and I am dry heaving, then finally, by the grace of God, I'll have a big dry heave that will produce a lot of bright yellow bile. I'll have no idea where this was hiding during my previous wretches, but once it is out, it is like I finally start to feel better and it almost "closes an episode" of upper GI distress.
-Going about
your daily activities, feeling absolutely fine, then you get the idea "hmmn, I may have to go to the bathroom soon." Then about
1 minute later you not only have to go, but you are experiencing massive cramps and you have to go RIGHT NOW, and then you have a massive bowel movement? All I can think is, really? my body gives me zero warning about
that?
-The sudden onset bm above may or may not result in the chills/hot thing -- but sometimes it also leaves me walking out of the bathroom feeling like I've worked 10 hours working construction -- I feel wiped out, and sleepy, and sometimes feel I need to lay down, where I quickly fall into a 15 minute hard nap, then wake up refreshed.
-I am not much of a drinker, but the once or twice a month I socially drink, I have a gin and tonic or three. Mostly this doesn't bother me, but sometimes hard alcohol is the off switch to my upper GI. I can eat a whole meal, feel fine, then hours later vomit up food that looks like it was put into my stomach minutes ago - totally undigested.
If anyone has any of these unusual symptoms, please post here and tell me about
it. This holiday I had a huge bout where I pretty much hit the grand slam and had all of the above happen to me. I probably brought it on myself my being a bit careless with my food choices and timing over the vacation, but it happens.
Post Edited (OtisC) : 11/29/2016 4:05:03 PM (GMT-7)