Some of you may remember me, I've been posting here on and of for years now.
Healthwise things have been pretty good for me. My NMH problems are minimal (which is fantastic) and joint pains, headaches etc are gone...
On a personal note I have recently gotten engaged to the most wonderful man in the world, am selling my house and we are buying property together upstate to build on. All good things ....
Buuuuuut.... I have been plagued with stomach issues on and off for about 3 years now and they're just getting worse and worse.AT first I had diarrhea alternating with constipation. I had a colonoscopy an an endoscopy both of which were fine. The symptoms would come and go but were never severe so I let things go on. Then I began to experience stomach pain and gas also along with an increase in the frequency of diarrhea.
At that point I decided to see my gastro again but he no longer accepts my insurance. So, I am on a waiting list to be seen somewhere else in 6 months.
Over the past 2 months my gastro symptoms have become unbearable along with a chronic vaginal and oral yeast infection.... yech My doc gave me 1 Diflucan which cleared things up for a week but then it all came back again. He refuses to give me anymore Diflucan.
My symptoms right now are:
17 lb weight loss in 2 months daily stomach pain complete loss of appetite nausea in the am's and when I try to eat anything diarrhea several times a day
My doc ordered a CT scan of my abdomen which was fine.
I've also had bloodwork which was esentially normal. Only thing worries me is my "anion gap" was 0.0 . Doc says a low anion gap is nothing to worry about but stupidly I googled it .... ARGH!
Anyway, I'm taking tons of acidophilus and eating as much yogurt as I can get down (not much since after 1 spoonful I feel like vomiting).
Drinking lots of fluids.
Taking Yeast Fighters and a good Multi.
Anyone have any ideas of what could be going on? I want so much to be happy with my new life, new love etc ... but these tummy/weight loss issues are debilitating!
-------------------- ~Kristina~ Posts: 173 | From Long Island ~ New York | Registered: Mar 2003
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AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
Congradulations on the engagement!!!
I do not know exactly what is going on with you but I can tell you what the same symptoms have been for me.
I have had diarhea and just general unhappy intestines from two things...
1. c diff 2. yeast infection
acidolphilous is good for preventing yeast infections but it will not kill the yeast once it exists.
Also I do take a natural herb to try to control yeast and for some reason for me it never completely seems to knock out the yeast in my digestive tract.
I usually have to take an antifungal (like diflucan) for a little while .... probaly at least two weeks to be sure it is gone.
I have problems with my stomach (pain, nausea, sometimes vomitting) it took awhile to diagnose but eventually I found out it was gastroparesis... which is delayed stomach emptying. which means my food sits in my stomach alot longer than it is supposed to.
The gastroparesis was diagnosed through and endoscopy though... but I thought I would mention it anyway.
I think the gastroparesis, loss of appetite and weight loss for me has been babesiosis (sp?) but there are other causes too.
This is just my expereince though.
I hope you find something that helps your digestive system.
sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I have those same symptoms ... it was recently discovered through a stool test (3 day random sample collection) that I have a klebsiella and citrobacter overgrowth and am deficient in beneficial bacteria even though I take plenty of probiotics.
I took 20 days of Cipro, and I had no symptoms while on it. The day I stopped, the diarrhea came back.
Now I'm taking herbs (Uva Ursi and Oregano Oil ... will add plant tannins and berberine when I get around to ordering them on the internet).
I also take Ultra Flora, Theralac, and VSL#3 (450 billion organisms in the VSL#3 which is available online).
I've been on the herbs for about a week. I still have diarrhea, but some of the stomach pain is lessening. It will take time to heal ... probably months. That is why they didn't want me back on the Cipro.
My LLMD did this testing from Geneva Diagnostics. I don't know if a GI doctor will do this type of stool test.
For the yeast, will he put you on Nystatin? It's more benign. Also, eat lots of coconut oil. You can take caprylic acid and garlic as well. I'm sure you know to avoid sugar, simple carbs and yeast.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
If you can't get a script for yeast, you may want to try Cumanda. You can order it online from Nutramedix.
It's used as part of the Cowden protocol, but it has anti-yeast characteristics. I didn't use it on major problems, but it kept yeast at bay when I was on abx.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I had/now have intermittent am nausea, diarrhea, lost 20 lbs in 2 months, and had daily stomach pain-treating babs and bart has alleviated most of my problems. I never had a headache or nightsweats, just a positive test.
Have you been tested for either?
Posts: 561 | From eastcoast | Registered: Aug 2006
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Well look who's back!
Hot diggity dawgs!
Nice to see you starz...
Good to hear about the most wonderful man in the world snagging you!!! My heart smiles for you and HIM!
As for the tummy.
Be sure there is no FOS (other name is a mile long word that has the letters FOS in it) in your probiotic. That can mess up a tummy big time in some folks.
SOMETIMES the probiotic is too strong for folks.. so keep that in mind too. You may be taking too much! I had that problem and have seen it happen to others.
I don't pretend to know what is up with your tummy.. but I can say..
Bartonella can mess up tummies.
If not allergic to nuts.. the real ones.. not like the members here.. hehehe... try eating cashews for a few days.
Yeast is a BIG concern here. The products recommended above could help.
Caprylic acid.. over the counter in health food stores... has been shown to be even more effective in a study than all other yeast products.
Monistat... two weeks- cream- no off brands.. even if you think you don't have a vaginal yeast infection (as they don't always display "normal" symptoms) will often help especially in the lower GI area as it seems to kill yeast in the whole area.
Last but NOT least.. Leaky Gut syndrome. Look it up.
The cure is to take L-Glutamine- powdered form found in health food stores - pharmacutical grade ONLY with NO additives.
Great Smoky Mountains Lab does a food allergy test that can be VERY helpful in this situation.
posted
Oh my! Thank you all for the great advice and the congrats!
I haven't been on since I posted the first post because I'm too sick.... ugh! My temp spikes daily to 102 and I'm just miserable.
Doc ordered some stool tests and bloodwork. Anyway, Im printing out all the great responses to take to my bed with me so I can really read them and make lists of what I want to try.
Thank you all and tincup ... you make me smile and that is much needed right now. My fiance is back in Denmark so I don't even have him here at the moment.....
Ok, Im off to my bed with my printout and to stop feeling sorry for myself.
-------------------- ~Kristina~ Posts: 173 | From Long Island ~ New York | Registered: Mar 2003
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I have lots of tummy pain (upper left area) .. lots of gas (ha my fiance should love this when he's back )still some diarrhea though I think the Questran and Metamucil are helping, severe fatigue, chronic yeast problems, night sweats and just general malaise.
I think I've stopped the weight loss ... I'm staying steady at around 139 lbs ... I'm 6ft tall so this is a bit on the low side.
I'm taking good acidophilus, caprylic acid, good multivitamin and waiting on an order of Immunostim and Florastor.
I just want to feel better ... all my Lyme/Autonomic sxs are gone and now this... and just getting engaged. I'm really feeling down in the dumps right now.
-------------------- ~Kristina~ Posts: 173 | From Long Island ~ New York | Registered: Mar 2003
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AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
what about babs?
have you been tested treated.
I know it can cause nightsweats and I think it can cause fevers...
I have to watch my weight or I will lose weight very quickly (I have babs)
and I think i have noticed a trend that alot of the people on this board that say they havea hard time keeping weight on have babs.
- just a thought and I thought I would mention it.
posted
Tincup ~ Ive been reading about Leaky Gut Syndrome. I am going to ask my doc to give me the mannitol and lactulose test. Hopefully he will agree or else I will have to seek out a nutrionalist I suppose.
I'm considering taking L-glutamine as you suggested. But reading further I've found warnings about how the body converts it to Glutamate and ppl sensitive to MSG may become worse taking it? Do you know anything about that?
Thanks again everyone for the help.
-------------------- ~Kristina~ Posts: 173 | From Long Island ~ New York | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Have you been tested for celiac (autoimmune disease against gluten). Perhaps a trial diet without wheat, rye, oats, spelt might be worth a try while you wait for other tests. Hiker
-------------------- Hiker53
"God is light. In Him there is no darkness." 1John 1:5 Posts: 10177 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2004
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No I haven't been. My doc is being very uncooperative. He just wants me to see a gastro and I'm on a 4 month waiting list.
Yes, was thinking I should try and eliminate certain foods. But honestly, right now, I'm really only eating yogurt and bananas that's about all I can handle at the moment.
-------------------- ~Kristina~ Posts: 173 | From Long Island ~ New York | Registered: Mar 2003
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He refuses to give me anymore Diflucan.![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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)still some diarrhea though I think the Questran and Metamucil are helping, severe fatigue, chronic yeast problems, night sweats and just general malaise. 
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