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SIBO, or Duodenitis, or what?
I’ve been through a battery of tests with no issues found so I figured it’s time to reach out to see if someone else’s experience could help diagnosis.
Prior to my current issues I’ve had minor digestive issues such couple days a week i’d have diarrhea multiple times in the morning, or id be woken up at night by digestive “rumblings” but nothing that seemed worth seeing a doctor over. I was also diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about a year ago (probably have had it for a while before then though)
My current issues started with me waking up one night with what felt like just typical bad indigestion from eating spicy food to late at night. Normally when this happens I just sit up for a few minutes and the pain passes with a bit of gurgling sensation in my stomach. This time it didn’t the ache just wouldn’t stop. The next day I felt a little less of an ache so I had some tomato soup for brunch. Two hours later I felt very nauseous and vomited. And barley at anything all day. At the end of the day desperate to eat something I tried smoking some marijuana. All though I still had pain in what felt like my stomach the nausea cleared up and I was able to eat. Three days later I saw my doctor he said wait 5 days to see if it’s just a “bug” I did and it didn’t go away. After having and ultra sound, a gastric empty test, and endoscopy all come back normal with no issues found my doctor agreed it could be trulicity causing the constant pain in what felt like my stomach as well as the diarrhea I had developed. After a month of no trulicity some of my worse issues like nausea did clear up but I was still left with the following symptoms. Alternating constipation and diarrhea, excessive belching to the point of (where is all the gas coming from?) and a sore ache in the dead center of my abdomen right where I the think the duodenum is. What ever is hurting I can actually touch by pressing the spot and it instantly gets more sore. After having a CT and CCK HIDA to check my gall bladder all come back ok no problem. I’m now waiting (have to wait 4 weeks) on a breath test for SIBO. (At this point I’ve had the constant pain for 2 and a 1/2 months). I am concerned though about what this test will show because some things do or don’t make sense for SIBO. For example although I do get bloating and belching the main thing that hurts is the thing I can touch and push on which dosn’t feel like the small intestines. Looking up SIBO online the pain should be from the bloating. Also I’ve had zero extra flatulence. I’ve been trying to fallow a low FODMAP diet and although what I eat does make some difference in the amount of belching, it dosn’t seem to match up to high or low FODMAP . For example two hard boiled eggs and oatmeal causes as much belching as a steak and cheese sub with onions and Mayo. The tenderness in the middle of my chest as well as the ache which at times can feel like hunger pain matches symptoms of duadentitis, bust my endoscopy show no problems.
If anyone could provide some insight if this sounds like SIBO or what it could be it would help me immensely.
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Did you ever find out what was causing your symptoms because your explanation of what you experienced is identical to what I am going through now and I’ve had endoscopy and CT scan and nothing has been found. I do have SIBO but my doctor says that’s not the cause. The pain is getting worse. I’ve had it for six months.
Have you tried the FODMAP elimination diet and also eliminating all grain? I am non Celiac gluten sensitive which means I do not digest corn, oats, wheat, or any grain well. My symptoms are excessive gas, nausea, stomach pain, and acid reflux.
It might be worth a try. You can also ask for the Celiac blood test if you are still eating gluten. If you are off gluten you can ask for the DNA Celiac test which will tell you if you have the genetic marker for it. If you do not have the marker and turn out to be gluten sensitive at least you know you do not have to worry about Celiac Disease complications.
Digestion is so complicated and so individual that you have to make the effort to figure out if food is the source of your troubles.
Best of Luck!
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1 ReactionHi. I posted a couple of months ago I think. In mid November, I suddenly had a really bad attack of what I thought was irritable bowel, but it went on too long. I had eaten an apple and some coconut milk yogurt, and got severely sick about an hour later and couldn’t eat for a week and then finally was able to eat a little bit, but had terrible diarrhea for a week and went to the ER and they did a CAT scan, and said I had inflammation in my lower bowel, which I could feel because it was burning. I’ve had IBS on my life, but I had never felt like this! then I saw my doctor and he wanted me to take an ad acid, but my food felt like it was sitting in my stomach for 10 to 12 hours, so I said no. He recommended aloe vera gel, and I bought some, but I’m highly allergic to all kinds of things and very sensitive, so I never tried it. The burning was starting to go away, so I didn’t think I needed it. I started blending my food and then I was able to eat a little bit more and fast forward to five months later and for the past three weeks I’ve been eating pretty normally, although still blending about half of my food, and I’m always on a bland, mushy diet since they removed my gallbladder in 2012. Well, the other day, I stupidly, decided to try some more coconut milk yogurt, the same exact kind of triggered my stomachache five months ago! Guess what? I was in massive pain all night and I tried to eat half an avocado this morning and I’m in pain and I think I’m gonna go without eating again and I’m scared because I only weigh 82 1/2 pounds. I’m 5 foot four. I can’t believe I did that again. Has anybody else experienced that? When I googled it, it looks like I might have SIBO and the probiotics in the yogurt triggered it. I’m scheduled to go to a gastroenterology clinic this Tuesday and I didn’t want to go because I don’t want to take a bunch of pills or have a bunch of tests. I can’t believe I was feeling better and I screwed it up by eating the yogurt. I’ve also been under a lot of stress lately, but it’s never been like this except for that thing that happened in November. I also had some sleep difficulties when this first came on and I googled it and it’s possible you can get Covid in your stomach (I know someone that happened to) and I had been in a car with someone five days before I got sick, so I thought I might have long Covid. I stupidly didn’t test myself when I first got sick because I’m here alone and I was afraid I would panic. Yes, I’m very anxious. I just wondered if anybody else had reacted to probiotics that way. I was taking probiotic capsules, but they started upsetting my stomach, so I stopped them. Does anyone else suffer from SIBO? Does it sound like what this could be? I’m so scared I’m gonna lose more weight. I can’t believe I was just starting to feel better and had been actually going out of the house which I hadn’t been doing for months because I was so weak. I feel like an idiot. Thank you for any help anybody can offer.
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1 ReactionFirst of all, definitely see your doctor. They may be able to help and ease your anxiety.
Try drinking bone broth to see if that helps heal your stomach a little. I am also experiencing stomach upset and that sometimes helps me.
Also, I wonder if you have a food sensitivity?
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1 ReactionI saw my doctor, but he didn’t do anything. I am going to a clinic though on Tuesday that specializes in gastroenterology. I have tons of food allergies! I’m on a very limited diet. I’m vegan, but at this point, I would probably eat anything that I thought would help me. I can’t have anything that has any spices in it whatsoever, not even a dash of onion powder. I have no idea what’s in bone broth. I’ll check it out. This is so frustrating. Thank you for your help!
@blessedwildapplegirl could it possibly be that you are allergic to coconut … or coconut does not agree either your stomach?
That’s possible. But I also tried some probiotic capsules, and I didn’t take the whole capsules, I opened them up and just took some and put it in some water, and drank it and I used to do that all the time, and it was fine, and then all of a sudden that started hurting my stomach! So I’m confused. I bought a bottle of coconut water at the health food store, but I haven’t tried it yet. I read that it was good for you, but I’m kind of afraid now that it might bother me. It’s a vicious cycle: you have a reaction to something and then you start worrying about everything! And then, of course the stress makes your stomach worse. I’ve had allergy testing done at my doctor’s office before and it told me that I wasn’t allergic to things that I knew I was allergic to! so apparently those tests don’t work. I guess I won’t eat any more coconut milk yogurt. It’s too bad because I love it and I don’t have that many things I can eat. And coconut oil is supposed to be good for you. Oh well! At least I can eat avocados, thank goodness because I don’t get much fat in my diet.
@blessedwildapplegirl
You may benefit from seeing a nutritionist/dietitian in addition to the gastroenterologist. You may need testing to get to the root cause.
Do you think you had food poisoning?
Have you seen a psychiatrist and psychologist to help you with your anxiety? There is definitely a connection between the brain/mental health and stomach/digestive system.
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1 ReactionI’m almost embarrassed to admit that I’ve been speaking with a psychologist for seven years and for the last few years, twice a week, plus I speak with a social worker once a week. Nothing seems to help. I just have too much stress in my life, and I’ve been through too many losses, and I’m suffering from grief and my last family member, my older sister, is slowly fading away with lupus and Alzheimer’s, and I feel like I’m going to die. I’m terrified. So yes, I have tons of stress. All my friends and my support system are 1800 miles away and I want to move back home, and I had planned to go back home for a visit and look around this summer, but then this stomach thing came in November And I wasn’t able to Because now I’m too weak and tired. I feel like every time I take a step forward, something knocks me back. I have no idea what to do, to be honest with you. I eat pretty healthy when I’m able to, but I have many food allergies, as I may have mentioned before. And after they removed my gallbladder, I had to go on a bland, fairly mushy diet. (For the first five years I sub, assisted on steam potatoes and canned carrots and applesauce, and I nearly died because I got so skinny.) Finally, I was able to eat better foods like steamed cauliflower, and broccoli and canned salmon, etc., but that was before my husband passed away. I’m really struggling. Thank you for all your kind suggestions. I’m hoping I won’t be too dizzy to drive to the stomach appointment tomorrow. I just got up after sleeping 9 1/2 hours and I’m so dizzy I could barely walk into the kitchen to get something to eat. I’m eating so I don’t pass out, but my stomach still hurts. It’s either eat or die I guess. I used to think my doctor was good, but I think he’s getting ready to retire and he just doesn’t care anymore. I’m so tired of struggling with this by myself. I’m not sure what to do, to be honest.
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2 ReactionsHi,
Probiotics can be the worst thing to try with some forms of SIBO as it can feed the SIBO. If you have SIBO it is not something to be played with. I hope you can make that appointment.
I get periodic flare ups and get straight onto medication as quickly as I can. I keep a two week course at hand for the flare ups so as not to be waiting around for a Dr's appointment.
Stress certainly can affect the stomach but as yet I have not discovered a remedy or found anyone that can stop it. All I have heard is to stop worrying, easier said than done.
Cheers
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