I'm having stomach problems...

Post Reply New Topic

Have had for a several months in fact, and I went to a doctor few weeks after they started. I waited for a few weeks because stomach problems aren't unusual for me, so I thought they'd be gone after a few days to a week like usually. Then I figured I could wait a little longer since it could just be some persistent stomach bug and I don't like going to a doctor anyway, for they rarely take me seriously and I'll just end up wasting my time and getting a bill. Anyway, when I did go, that was basically what happened. They just said it was normal stomach problems, just a little more persistent than usual. I believed them at the time, but I went to a doctor again on monday since it's only gotten worse. Again, they didn't take me seriously, but this time they agreed to send me to bloodtests. It turned out I'm anemic and badly, it's likely that my intestines are bleeding or something, so now they said they'd send me summons to further investigate this.

I'm a little terrfied here to be honest. I already have a bad physical disability, so if this turns out to be something bad too and I'll have to deal with that on top of it all...

Of course, it could just be celiac disease. We have that in the family. While it would be a pain to learn new recipes and I would have to plan my budget all over again since gluten free food is very expensive, that would be relatively harmless and could be fixed without any permanent medication, which why I hope that it's the case if it's something permanent.

Another option, which I find most likely, is some kind of chronic disease, IBD or something. It's common these days, my mom has it and I've read that it's often passed down from parents and of course, the symptoms would match. If this is the case then, well, that's not so bad either if I don't have to use cortison medication. My mom does, and she went from being underweight to swollen and overweight in under a year after having to start the medication. And she has a physical job. Imagine what that thing would do to a normal weight person who's formerly overweight and has a desk job. This idea specifically terrifies me since I've put in so much effort to not get fat again.

There's a possibility of some kind of cancer too, but I try not to think too much about that.

Of course, it could be something completely harmless, like an infection that'll go away with some strong antibiotics. That's possible, right? Still, with my luck being what it usually is, I don't want to get my hopes up, but I'd really love it if this was the case.

So yeah, that's the situation right now... I'm trying not to think about it, but at the same time I felt like a little complaining would do me some good.

Hugs. Uncertainty is difficult. Even for minor medical stuff I would like my expectations set (when possible).

Wishing this is temporary or easily manageable.

So the doctor called today and I got an appointment for next week's wednesday. Got this medication too that I need to use to prepare for it, and it's going to be a real pain to take it. As an addition to that, I have to stop taking the iron supliments even though I'm horribly anemic. Ugh, if they'd taken me seriously the first time I went, these would be over by now!

I’m sorry you’re going through this.

My mother has ulcerative colitis. Is 85 years old and still managing. She takes infusions of Entyvio.

I hope they get to the reason behind your stomach problems very soon. And can come up with a suitable treatment for your anemia, too.

I am sorry you are going through this with the medical system. It is exceedingly frustrating to not be heard by medical providers.

You probably don't actually need to take your iron right now. The anemia, per your medical provider, is caused by a gastrointestinal bleed and taking iron wouldn't help the bleed. Also, anemia can be caused by things other than iron deficiency. For example, my anemia is caused by low B12. Until you find out the cause of the anemia you won't know what to do about it.

Once you find out what is wrong, your health care provider can make recommendations for your medications.

I hope it all works out well for you. Myself, I find just the various tests exceedingly difficult. (((fireblossom)))

Do you know why your iron is low? Iron is not absorbed well through the digestive tract. Sometimes you need to get it by IV.

I wonder if the root of both problems (stomach pains & low iron) might be due to ulcers. Ulcers can produce a blood loss, normally a bloody stool. That will reduce your iron levels in your blood.

If so, I would recommend that you be tested for a Helicobacter pylori infection. About half the people in the world have this infection and it is easily transmitted. It takes a simple test to detect. The condition can be detected by using a stool antigen test or by using a device to measure breath samples after swallowing a urea pill (urea breath test).

Might discuss this during your doctors visit.

My mother has to go to an infusion center every 8 weeks.

Update:

I got blood during the weekend and more iron today, so I don't really have to worry that much about being anemic anymore. The doctor did forbid me from using my iron tablets anymore, which is something I wouldn't care about normally, but it's kind of annoying since those were expensive...

As for the cause of this all, I don't have an official diagnosis yet as the test results aren't ready, but the doctor was very convinced that this is colitis ulcerosa I have. While I'm glad that this is finally getting somewhere and that there is a medication for this, which I'll have to take for the rest of my life in one form or the other, I have two major problems that make me really hate this: one, while it won't be my main medication, I'll have to eat cortisone for at least the next two months and two, the meds I'll be trying first are very expensive and only work for about 50 % of people with this condition.

I'm used to taking pills, they don't terrify me like they do to some people, but the reason I don't like cortison of all things is that I know that it causes swelling and gathering of fat almost without an exception. In other words, I might get fat again despite living properly, which just feels really unfair. It makes all the effort I put in to losing weight feel meaningless... though I suppose that had I not lost weight earlier, I'd become really fat instead of fat. Cortisone is also said to rise the user's appetite, but I'm not too worried about that as it doesn't actually rise a person's need for food. Self control is all I need to keep that particular problem at bay.
Anyway, at the moment the plan is to use it for the next two months, dropping the portion a little every week, so my plan is to monitor my weight, waist and stomach for the time and to be slightly more mindfull of what I eat. Then, if I no longer need it after two months, that's when I start the diet to reach the numbers that I am now. I don't have a proper one planned yet, but I have two months to do that.
I'm also worried about the permanent medication. Like I said, it only works for about 50 % of people, so if this one doesn't work I'll have to look for something else which is stronger and likely to have more side effects. Everyone simply starts with this one as it's apparently one of the safest that actually work (for some.)

And the other problem, money. Mom paid for the meds I bought today, which I'm grateful for, but she can't afford to pay for them every time and I wouldn't be able to accept it even if she did offer to pay since, well, could I really call myself independent if someone else paid for my bills regularly? Anyway, the cortisone's pretty cheap, but the other meds aren't. I'll have to plan my monthly budget all over again... not to mention that if I belong to the 50 % that the meds don't work on, I might have to use something even more expensive. And of course, there will be all the bills I've gotten and will get from going to a doctor for this. I have savings and they should cover what goes over my monthly budget, but that's still worrying since it means I'll have smaller savings from now on.

But yeah, that's the situation right now. I'm on sick leave until the first week of January is over, which is good for my physical health, but bad for my mental health. I don't like my job, but it's stressing to have my routines disturbed and being at work would give me something else to think about.

Colitis ulcerosa sounds pretty bad. The following link discusses the condition. Ulcerative colitis

I know a little about weight loss. The most effective way to accomplish it is by portion control. So I think you are on the right track. I lost 120 pounds in around 7 months time after weight loss surgery. A couple factors to keep in mind is that if you eat less, you might not be getting enough protein in your diet. So many individuals after weight loss surgery supplement their protein requirement with protein shakes or protein bars. Just make sure they are relatively low in the various types of sugars. Also drink a lot of fluids as you lose weight because they flush the chemicals that are stored in your fat cells through your kidneys and sweat glands. Also it is a good idea to be taking a regiment of multivitamins to make sure you are getting in all your vitamins.

I am glad you are under care and progressing towards improved health. I am sorry for the hardship. My savings went to medical at one time. And maybe again for a bit (related to mental health). I gained weight during my medical journey and have again recently with work stress. I've had the experience that this too will pass. (good or bad)