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Dealing with multiple GI issues
I have been adding new diagnoses to my already numerous this past six months. My former gi dr just thru meds at me mostly. So about 11 years ago I got diagnosed with redundant colon and IBS-c (which sometimes I think is a catch-all for who knows what's wrong with you LOL) when I started following the low FODMAP diet loosely (onions and garlic are out for sure.) Two years later I had severe lower chest pain and went to ER, where I eventually diagnosed with EOE, gastritis, hiatal hernia. Put on prilosec then and still on them, top dose now. Had my colonoscopy 9 years after the first as I was having issues again and got sent to specialist colon dr as I have flat large precanerous polyps that took 3 more colonoscopies (4 in 20 months), and the last two were two day preps with two gallons prep that I could only get 1 1/4 down both times. On a yearly schedule now, sigh. I was having issues with swallowing again this past June and had another endoscopy where gi dr broke a Schatzki ring at the bottom, and showed an erosive esophagus, no EOE. I also saw a couple of ENTs shortly after as I was having vocal cord issues (from long Covid in the spring), and turns out I have LPR, and acid reflux is hitting my vocal cords. I switched to a larger practice who did three tests - ph impendence (119 weakly acidic events in 24 hours, some up to my vocal cords, on meds), esophageal motility which showed gastroparesis, and manometry which showed inefficient esophageal motility. I was too complex for them so I am being referred to a university center. I also met with a dietician who helped me figure out how to deal with these conflicting diagnoses! I am eating very little solids, granola in am (to keep me not constipated but gives me heart burn) midmorning a homemade muffin or similar, soup which I just stopped pureeing for lunch, Owyn protein drink for mid afternoon, and a smoothie for dinner. Avoiding as much acid foods and drinks as possible, only drinking alkaline water. Just wondering if anyone else has similar multiple issues. And what anyone has found that works! I am on a new med for the motility issue, bethanechol which hasn't helped much yet (bloating still bad.) And I have lost almost 30 pounds in 4 months, needed to but not sure when it will stop.
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I have a motility disorder,reflux,gastroparesis and chronic constipation,I was wondering if anybody is experiencing joint pains with their various GI issues?
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2 Reactions@truthfinder - what types of joint pain have you experienced along with GI issues?
Elbow and knee pain bilateral for both
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1 Reactionsuddenly woke up and lost all feeling of hunger, feels like rock in stomach, constant nausea, burping. been to er for all the regular scans and tests that show nothing. referred to gi doctor. lost 25 pounds.
sending me for hida scan, gastro emptying and barium swallow. what is wrong with me. had a upper gi done and showed some inflammation and hiatal hernia. One gi doctor just said gastroparesis and another said maybe hiatal hernia. have never thrown up or felt acid reflux.
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3 ReactionsHi @newportgirl1 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. That is frustrating that you're having all these symptoms yet scans and tests show nothing.
So you could chat with others also talking about multiple gastrointestinal issues such as @truthfinder @graceym1 @oliveoyl123 @mimisayhi and others, I moved your post here to this existing discussion on a similar topic.
You mentioned the doctor was sending you for a HIDA scan, gastric emptying test and a barium swallow test. Are these all scheduled? If so, when will you be doing them?
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1 Reaction@lisalucier
hida scan monday, gastric emptying next friday and barium swallow on oct. 27th. one dr. thinks gastroparesis but it came on overnight and different types of food do not make it worse or better, food doesn't seem to change anything for me. one dr. thinks hiatal hernia but I don't have acid reflux. thank you.
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1 ReactionI too have had multiple tests which show nothing. Have been put on Xifaxin for two weeks and I felt worse. Was told I have a fructose intolerance and to eliminate fructose-this did not resolve my problem either. I get every 1,2, or 3 days a feeling like I have appendicitis pains which last about 5 hours. This pain feels like hell on earth for me. Nothing relieves it. Have been to multiple doctors including at the Cleveland Clinic. Lost weight (50 lbs) by intermittent fasting 2.5 years ago. 1 year later, I felt good and then BOOM thought I might be hospitalized for what seemed like a severe UTI and flu combined. (Was tested and found to be covid (-) Was put on a sulfa drug and two days after finishing the sulfa drug, experienced the appendix area pains which went into my back on the opposite side and up to the waist on the right side. The pain is so bad that I have prayed to God to "take me home" at times. I asked my doc why I have lost weight and have gotten worse with blood pressure that is not lowering and increased tinnitis. He said I am just maybe just aging. Found something unusual though. When I go to visit friends in Florida, I take hormone testing at Life Extension/Fort Lauderdale. In Dec 2024, my IGF-1 was 195 (cut off for normal is 196). In March 2025, my IGF was much higher (beyond range), In Sept 2025, my IGF-1 was 90 points above range. When I contacted my primary doc's office (just walked in) my doc came out into the waiting room and said he was going to order a MRI to check the pituitary gland. Google: pituitary adenoma. This can also affect the GI system quite severely
@newportgirl1 I wish I could tell you what to do next but force them to keep looking !
Hang in there❤️
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2 ReactionsHello @lindaltoews and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.
As you encouraged @newportgirl1 to keep looking, I'm wondering if you have had a hard-to-diagnose health issue. If you would like to share more, please let us know what brought you to the Digestive Health support group on Connect.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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2 Reactions@newportgirl1
Have you been checked for Fatty Liver Disease? Have them do a CT Scan. It could be that. I have a lot of burping, hiccuping, difficulty swallowing, chest pain at times. I have a hiatal hernia too, also gastritis, acid reflux also. I had the barium swallowing test and gastro emptying test too and they said everything was normal. I recently had an MRI and the Neurologist found I have chronic microvascular ischemia-memory storage area is shrinking- that could be why I am having difficulty swallowing. See if your GI could do any CT scan's of areas where you are hurting. My tummy would hurt a lot when I would eat steak, beef- fatty meats. I also have folic acid deficiency and I had gone off of my Methyl folate supplement and I lost all feeling of hunger. Taking it again and now I am starting to feel hungry again. Have primary care Dr. check for folic acid deficiency in your lab work. I have had nausea too and bloating. I have lost about 20lbs.
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