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Thinking I Have Malabsorption

Posted by flow65 @flow65, Aug 17 8:22am

Hope someone could shed some light on this. All I’m told is I have anxiety and depression. Which I do for years. Constant heat in esophagus. I take Nexium. I’ve had endoscopy and colonoscopy. Found a polyp in stomach. It was removed. Colonoscopy was fine. I have no appetite though I get hungry. I have episodes of constipation and diarrhea. In April 2024 I was experiencing abdominal pain. Went to ER. Did a number of tests. CT, MRI, blood tests. I had 2 small tumors in bladder. Was bladder cancer. Those were removed and treated. Had a uterine polyp which was removed. But this lack of appetite and being hungry at the same time, the nausea, and heat in my esophagus is killing me. It doesn’t matter what I eat. I hope I explained as much as I could. I’m really upset about this. I’m 68 yr old female. Since the pandemic I’ve gone downhill. I didn’t have Covid but it affected me deeply. I don’t want to do anything. Plus now these physical ailments are making me feel worse. I’m not sure if I have malabsorption or something else. Sometimes I think I have PTSD because of the past 4 years. I’ve lost a lot of weight but gained some back. My PCP just did a blood test for celiac and it was negative. I explained as much as I could. This post may seem confusing and I’m sorry. Thank you for any information.

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aegis1952 | @aegis1952 | Aug 20 12:43pm

Classical malabsorption symptoms are suggested by steatorrhea, excessive fat in the stool, which are offensive smelling, float and difficult to flush away. If you don’t have these features, and evidence that you are not absorbing particular fat soluble vitamins and other essential nutrients, another cause needs to found. Do certain foods exacerbate your symptoms? You’re not taking medication, or supplements that might be causing your looseness? Could this be simple IBS-D?

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1 reply
flow65 | @flow65 | Aug 20 2:46pm
In reply to @aegis1952 "Classical malabsorption symptoms are suggested by steatorrhea, excessive fat in the stool, which are offensive smelling,..." + (show)
@aegis1952

Classical malabsorption symptoms are suggested by steatorrhea, excessive fat in the stool, which are offensive smelling, float and difficult to flush away. If you don’t have these features, and evidence that you are not absorbing particular fat soluble vitamins and other essential nutrients, another cause needs to found. Do certain foods exacerbate your symptoms? You’re not taking medication, or supplements that might be causing your looseness? Could this be simple IBS-D?

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Sometimes loose and other times constipated. Not sure what’s causing these things. Maybe anxiety or depression. Have an appt with a gastroenterologist. Thank you.

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sb4ca | @sb4ca | Aug 21 3:22pm

I have fat malabsorption but rarely get diarrhea. But because i'm not absorbing fat I've had a huge weight loss. But I would think you'd see some obvious evidence of oil in the toilet with floating stool. Your doctor can easily test you for either pancreatic enzyme deficiency or fat malabsorption with stool tests. My vit/min levels were normal at the time I was tested. My weight loss has been a very steady thing however and I can't gain weight at all. In terms of the heartburn, it's possible it's bile reflux vs stomach acid. Good luck at your appointment.

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2 replies
flow65 | @flow65 | Aug 21 5:21pm
In reply to @sb4ca "I have fat malabsorption but rarely get diarrhea. But because i'm not absorbing fat I've had..." + (show)
@sb4ca

I have fat malabsorption but rarely get diarrhea. But because i'm not absorbing fat I've had a huge weight loss. But I would think you'd see some obvious evidence of oil in the toilet with floating stool. Your doctor can easily test you for either pancreatic enzyme deficiency or fat malabsorption with stool tests. My vit/min levels were normal at the time I was tested. My weight loss has been a very steady thing however and I can't gain weight at all. In terms of the heartburn, it's possible it's bile reflux vs stomach acid. Good luck at your appointment.

Jump to this post

Thank you

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rka19 | @rka19 | Aug 26 10:32am

Talk to your physician about EPI. I had to insist on another blood draw specifically for pancreas issues. Have had this for 3 + years. On enzymes now at $647 per renewal. I’ve got to build my muscles back. Good luck

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flow65 | @flow65 | Aug 26 10:55am

Thank you. Good luck to you too.

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shelleyW | @shelleyw | Aug 26 5:04pm
In reply to @sb4ca "I have fat malabsorption but rarely get diarrhea. But because i'm not absorbing fat I've had..." + (show)
@sb4ca

I have fat malabsorption but rarely get diarrhea. But because i'm not absorbing fat I've had a huge weight loss. But I would think you'd see some obvious evidence of oil in the toilet with floating stool. Your doctor can easily test you for either pancreatic enzyme deficiency or fat malabsorption with stool tests. My vit/min levels were normal at the time I was tested. My weight loss has been a very steady thing however and I can't gain weight at all. In terms of the heartburn, it's possible it's bile reflux vs stomach acid. Good luck at your appointment.

Jump to this post

sb4ca,
I am just plain jealous (in a good way) of all of you that don't gain weight with absorption/💩/pancreas issues. I am struggling to lose any ounce I can. I have Celiac disease, I was diagnosed at 50, a lifetime of damage to my villi, so I still don't absorb well. I know weight loss for the wrong reasons isn't good, but I'm still jealous 🤪ShelleyW

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