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Looking for others with stomach swelling

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 3/5/2006 2:11 PM (GMT 0)

Thank you all for replying!  It is so nice to hear encouraging words, and more, to know that there are others that deal with this...I would like to give history if that would be ok...I am seeking others that have the same problem I do because I believe there is more going on than standard IBS, and I would like to have it confirmed or denied.  Maybe all IBS sufferers deal with this, I don't know!

January, 2004

I had a horrible flu.  You know, the both end kind.  It lasted for several days.  On the 4th evening, I tried to eat some crackers.  I had slept for 4 days, so I was up late.  As I am eating the crackers, my whole stomach is swelling.  Not a little.  Within 20 minutes (the time it takes for food to hit your stomach) I looked 9 months pregnant.  I woke my husband, who freaked when he saw me!!!  I was huge!!!  He took me to the doctor the next morning and he decided he wanted to run some tests the next week (assuming gall bladder). By Sunday, the swelling was so bad that the stretching caused horrible pain, just like my first pregnancy.  I couldn't breathe because it pushed on my diaphram.  My husband took me to the emergency room.  They admitted me and I stayed for the better part of January.  In the end, they had removed my gall bladder and told me I was obese.  I gained 33 pounds in that month and maintained less than 500 calories a day.  Where did the weight come from????  How did I become obese?  No one knew. 

They tried several medications throughout the next year and a half, ran more tests than I can count, and sent me to countless doctors.  KU told me I had a virus in my intestines and would get over it in 6 months to a year.  Lay and bed and rest.  Right!! We have 5 children and 4 yorkies (I breed and show my dogs) who in the world can rest for 6 months?  Several tests don't come out right, even now, but not enough to be alarming, so I cope, right?  I wear maternity clothes because EVERY time I eat or drink anything, I go from a normal flat stomach to a huge maternity stomach!  I eat very little because if I do indulge in a normal meal, the diarrhea is so bad, I can't leave the house. 

June, 2005

The migraines start.  The first came on in 30 seconds flat.  My husband was afraid I had an anurysm, so he calls an ambulance.  My stomach starts swelling without food or drink that night.  They admit me again and I spend two lovely weeks in Hotel Hospital with the same migraine.  No meds can get rid of it.  My family thought I was brain damaged because I was unintelligable and out of it.  They decide to send me to Mayo.  They do measurements on my stomach and see that I swell NINE inches in 30 minutes!!  I had been subjected to horrible head tests and they were baffled as to why the headache would not subside.  My blood pressure was 210/140(related to the pain) so they wanted me to head to Minnesota.  By the grace of God, Mayo had an appt. the following Monday (3 days later), so I was released from the hospital, packed my 6 year old up, and my mother-in-law (thank you SOSO much) drove me to Minnesota for the first of two weeks. 

Bottom line...infectious onset severe spastic colon.  Or, IBS.  Fibromyalgia...yes, I knew that.  Been living with that for 6 years.  Learned alot of valuable information about fibromyalgia and they put me on 120 mg of Cymbalta because their studies showed it helped with the symptoms (an antidepressant), in addition to two migraine meds and meds for stomach spasms.  The prognosis is not good.  The  flu caused this problem, but it would have fixed itself within 6 months if it was going to.  It didn't.  I know live with this and will forever.  Right along with fibromyalgia.  Another inexplicable condition.  I am 35 years old and live like an old woman in my heart. Doctors can't help, and I believe they just don't know.  I have talked to 3 other woman with basically the same stomach experience, and I am curious if there are any others??? I am making it my mission to find others.  Alone we are a single case...together we are an epedimic.  Anybody out there have this, or know of someone who does?  Please pass the word around and I will post the same message in IBS.

I will get off the soap box now and say that I am grateful to have a place to deal with the daily issues of fibromyalgia.  Thank you for accepting me so graciously! The Cymbalta is amazing and I would love to talk to anyone with curiosities about it, let me know

Posted 3/7/2006 10:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

Have you considered having a stitz marker test done on

your large intestine??  I had problems with IBS for yrs

and had gotten to the point 1-1/2 yrs ago I couldn't keep going on with bloating, severe constipation, etc.  I finally

found the right doctor who did the stitz marker test and that showed that my large intestine didn't work at all.

May 2005 I had it removed and am ever so thankful that I did.  The surgery was difficult but I'm finally free of the

bloating (yes, sometimes I looked pregnant) and pain.

Linda

Posted 3/8/2006 2:55 PM (GMT 0)

Do you have the time to give me more details on what you where experiencing?  I have water d. (the opposite), but I'd love to hear other details...my email is available if you'd rather?

Thanks!

Posted 3/9/2006 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

For several yrs I was experiencing severe constipation and

abdominal pain.  I had my gall bladder out in 1999 and in

2002 a complete hysterectomy.  I still continued to have

the pain.  In 2004, I was miserable and along with the pain was having severe stomach bloating which caused me to go from a size 8-10 to a size 12 which fit in the stomach but bagged in the legs.  I had gone to a gastroenterologist who was suppose to be very good in Grand Rapids, Mich and he told me to drink 1/2 cup Milk of Mag 2x week.

I went back to him again a couple months later and he again told me the same thing.  By the end of 2004 and

into 2005 I was walking the floors at times and just constantly in pain and bloating.  Went to another doctor who sent me to another specialist.  This specialist was a

god-send to me because he knew what I was talking about.  He did several tests (some were nasty) and told me that my large colon wasn't working at all.  He sent me to a

surgeon who deals with this and she told me that she could remove the colon, attach the small bowel to the rectum.

She told me about the seriousness of the surgery and

complications but said that it was either that or continue living the way I was.  I didn't hesitate for 1 second.  Told her to do the surgery.  Had that done within a month (May 2005).  Since then I've been pain free, however, I lost weight (I only weighed 125 at the time

because prior to that I was nauseaus a lot, too).  Food goes through me quite fast now, so I go to the bathroom

up to 10-15 times a day, but this is not a problem for me.  I don't have to be right near a bathroom, I can hold it for a little until I get to one.  I'm happy I had it done, though recovery was slow.  I still don't have 100% energy yet, but I'm older (58) and had 3 major surgeries in 6 yrs and also work full time.

Hope this helps!

Linda

Posted 6/15/2006 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
I too have this same problem. Although it seems to me that mine started after I had appendicitis. It's very frustrating. I can literally stand in front of a mirror, drink a bottle of water and watch my stomach just swell and swell. I also have a lot of trouble losing weight. I eat right and work out daily but nothing seems to help my stomach. I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone.
Posted 6/15/2006 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Mandee,
Just wanted to welcome you to Healing Well!!
Posted 6/19/2006 3:14 AM (GMT 0)

mad  I have the same problem.  Its annoying.

Posted 6/27/2006 8:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there,

Please read and tell me if anyone has any ideas. It is a little long, but I wanted to give history.

I thought I would be glad to find others who suffer like me, but I'm not. I have been suffering for almost 4 years now. In the beginning it was not that bad. I had some pain and some diarrhea, I would even get sick to my stomach at times. There for a while it would be triggered by foods, so I learned to stay away from them. It didnt last long, before I knew it, it didnt matter what I ate. about two years ago it starting getting unbearable. I really didnt know what to do. I went to the emergency room one night as the pain was so intense and was just not letting up. They did an upper and lower GI and then gave me pain meds and sent me home. Said there was no emergency. I later followed up with a doctor who at first thought I had an intorlerance to gluten. I tried that but nothing. After seeing him a few more times and being told that he did not know what was wrong with me and made me feel like a fool, I went to another doctor. I was also seeing and GYN Dr as another symtom I have is painful intercourse sometimes. He checked me for everything under the sun, convinced I had an STD which just made me furious! Nobody could tell me anything and here I was getting worse and worse. I insisted they go in and check things out anyway. I was paying for it, so I should have a say right? They went in and found that my appendix was hot. They removed it right away. I thought "thank god they found it!" A week after being home it was back again. I have it all, severe pain which will get so bad at times that vicodine does not even work, diarrhea, severe bloating of the stomach. I dont have to eat anything at times for it to happen and others, yes a simple glass of water, or piece of bread will set it off. Stress does not help at all. The least little bit and BAM, hits just like a freight train. Does anyone else notice that? It is taking a serious toll on my relationship as well. We have been together for awhile and he remembers me when I was not sick. I used to be so active. Outside all the time, always up for doing anything. Oh yeah did I mention that I can not even eat out. Dont know what it is about resturant food, but anyway, not happening. He just does not get it. I have been searching the internet for answers and others like me. I am sure that you all know how I felt when I found this site. I know that I have done on and on, but I just wanted to get my story out there and see what else I can do. I stopped going to Dr. cause I just dont think that I can handle one more look that I am crazy. I gained almost 30 pounds in less than six months and can not get it off for the life of me. I know it is not from eating to much, god only knows that one as my other half yells at me all the time "you gotta eat more, your going to get sick". I think I am already there.

So I am only 29 and have two kids. I have also have three dogs, a ferret, a bird and a couple of fish! I would have more if he would let me. I love life and love my family. I just want to get back to being able to enjoy it. I hope one day we all can. It really makes you look at life differently though. We go through life not thinking about much else. Then one day, our lives change forever. I would love to be pain-free again. The things I would do. I now know that there are others out there, not that I thought I was alone, but I couldnt reach out. If you dont mind I would really like to be apart of this forum. I had a really bad night again and was so glad to find you all here.

Anyways, I feel for each and everyone of you and hope to get to know as many as I can.
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