Health Issue, and yes, I've seen a doctor

In My Humble Opinion
1

I think this is the right place, but maybe this should be moved-- it won’t hurt my feelings, and no need to PM me first.

So, I am finally getting my CGMs, and learning a LOT about my sugar levels-- the spikes that precipitate drops are higher than anyone suspected, and when I’m asleep, it runs from 80 to 65 all night, and drops below 65 often enough that the squawking monitor woke me up 7 times one night. At night, I turn off all but the “below 55” monitor, because when it drops to 63 or 64, it does it briefly, then rights itself. These lows are not precipitated by spikes, which is probably why they don’t get VERY low, and why they right themselves.

But here’s the damnedest thing: a couple of weeks ago, I started getting really bad stomachaches whenever I ate solid food. Got to the point where I was living on milk and sports drinks, because liquids are fine. So I capitulated, bought some Equate sugar-free meal drinks (generic version of diabetic Boost or Ensure). Splenda also makes a sugar-free meal drink, so I got some of those-- taste better and more protein.

Also got some baby food juice, because regular juice is too acidic.

Some of you might remember that I had something like this years ago, and it turned out to be twisted gut, and I had surgery.

I’ve had imagery, and it isn’t that. Nor a blockage of some sort. Isn’t appendix or gall bladder. Kidney & Liver are fine. A1C is fine.

I’m scheduled for a colonoscopy/endoscopy. Also, a Pap smear, even though I’m not due, and my last one was normal.

The only out-of-normal things have been some dental work, for which I was prescribed 6 doses (2 days, and I didn’t take it all) of hydrocodone, which can constipate me, so I got some fiber supplements with it. Dentist said that hydrocodone can cause stomachaches, but not for two weeks after the last dose.

I recently got steroid injections in my knees, but this is something I get every 9 months to 1 year, and this was about the 4th time I’ve had it.

I’m not really very hungry. I get hungry a couple of times a day, and have one of the drinks, or kefir (I can drink that), and I feel fine. My energy has been a little low, but not terribly so.

No new meds, no stoppages, other than the hydrocodone. No changes at work. No moves, no deaths or births.

I finally started menopause, but that was last September.

I know most of you are not doctors, and none of you are my doctor. But right now, the doctors are just running general diagnostic tests hoping for some abnormality that makes one of them go “Aha!”

They’re quizzing me about my whole history, which does have some weird things-- I had an H. pylori infection once, before people knew what it was, and thought stress caused stomach issues. But I finally got the right treatment. I’ve had a few endoscopies, and I seem to have recovered OK. They want to try me on an antidepressant.

Has anyone had anything, or had a relative with anything that rings any bells or sends up any flags here?

I’m not going to do “Google research” and self-prescriptions based on a post-- not even going to make herbal tea or anything-- just going to read, and take it to my doctor if it sounds worth investigating, and let him make the final judgment.

So post whatever you’ve got.

2

Gastroparesis, reactive hypoglycemia, soft tissue adhesions from your gut surgery, gastritis.

maybe one of those is worth exploring with your medical team.

3

Normal results on imagery is reassuring but some kind of obstruction would still be my concern. Motility issues (like gastroparesis) are more often just as bad for liquids as solids. Not impossible (and then metoclopramide for treatment) but not high on list in my mind. I’d be thinking the endoscopy, probably with biopsies, is the most important next thing. In kids I’d place my bet on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) but in adults probably a reflux related stricture or peptic ulcer leading to obstruction is more common. The unlikely but must cross off one is esophageal cancer. Unsure how good imaging is to eliminate it. The scope with biopsies though would. Sound like they are not going to leave stones unturned!

4

This is light weight, but here it is:..some of the Ensure, generic or otherwise, drinks hurt my stomach.

I’m not sure what it is in them, but on an empty stomach and I’m in agony for an hour at least.

I’ve decided it’s an allergic reaction. Any flavors that cause a reaction I never drink again.

You are doing the right thing going in for tests and letting the learned folks look into it.

(Try the clear varieties)

5

It might help the doctors if you started keeping a concise medical diary (date and time when you wake up, eat, defacate, experience stomacheaches, and sleep). Maybe include what you eat and when you take medicines. Sorry, pretty non-specific.

~Max

6

I had EoE as an adult and I’m pretty sure it hurt all the time, not just when I ate and while solid foods were terrible, liquids weren’t that great either. I kinda feel like she wouldn’t be complaining of pain in her stomach if it was EoE - it feels like everything is stuck in your esophagus.

But, you rule it out too. I’m just double ruling it out :slight_smile:

7

You could try, as a “I’m waiting on someone smarter to figure this out”, drinking a cup of buttermilk twice a day if your diet can accommodate it.

Buttermilk is amazing stuff for bellyache issues. Just sayin’

(Maybe add a bit of ginger, too)

8

To be clear I do not. I just lower it from the top spot it would have in my personal pediatric focused list.

Anyway all my list would be addressed by the endoscopy with biopsies so add nothing to the plan. And my real world would be sending to Gastro!

9

They will do biopsies during the endoscopy. I had several blood tests that supposedly make cancer, or at least any advanced or metastatic cancer, extremely unlikely. My parents both died of cancer, so I’ve been worried.

I’ve been told the tests can’t rule out things like “precancerous tissue changes,” but those can usually be dealt with through excision as an outpatient. Which I guess was their way of avoiding the word “surgery” so as not to worry me. But I’m not worried about a surgery.

I hadn’t thought about problems from the earlier surgery, but I think they looked for things like that when they did the imaging.

I can get stomachaches from eating sugary things on an empty stomach, but I’m drinking low sugar, or sugar-free versions of drinks-- generally stuff labeled safe for diabetics.

I’m waiting for this to turn out to have something to do with hormones, because so far, menopause has been way too easy. Like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

10

“Diabetic” foods are my worst fear.

Things added to them to make them palatable can mess with your gut.

Get off that train. If I can be bossy.

Don’t look for things that feed your taste wants. I know, I know, it’s hard.

My way is to eat a very small amount of regularly seasoned and sweetened foods. Same as everyone else is eating. (within boundaries).

Small portions are the way to do it.

Also No :broccoli: broccoli. Does bad things in the(my) belly.

I was having so much pukiness during dialysis and severe cramps that I was sent to a surgeon and had a intrathecal pain device implant. It has really helped. I don’t recommend it, it has drawbacks for the working person and it has to be serviced/refilled regularly.

Oh the whole I’d say in the time while you wait for the doctors to figure it out, eat small amounts at a time(I eat about 8 times a day). Stay out of the diabetic food aisle. Don’t drink too much protein meal replacement in a 24hr period. (I have reasons to say that, it’s gross so I won’t say it out loud).

ETA…no carbonated drinks!

11

I really don’t think this is going to be helpful, but if it is helpful, then it is a critical piece of information that was not mentioned.

I had a friend with similar symptoms of not being able to stomach solid food for days at a time, and only being able to keep down Ensure type drinks (her support beverage of choice was chocolate milk). Her problem was alcoholism.

I’m not sure exactly what damage being an alcoholic was causing to her digestive system, but I have to believe that getting 50% of her calories from alcohol was directly related to most of her health issues.

Like I said, I suspect this doesn’t apply to you, but if you are drinking that much, it should be the first thing you’re discussing with your doctor.

12

I appreciate your dotting every “i.” No, alcoholism isn’t the problem. I don’t drink at all, and I never have been much of a drinker, not even really in college.

Beck, the reason for the “diabetic” stuff is that I have reactive hypoglycemia, and have to be careful about sugar intake-- not as careful as a diabetic, but careful, and sugar on an empty stomach is bad news.

Also, I honestly haven’t had much of an appetite-- it’s not like I want to eat and can’t. Albeit, one doctor did suggest putting me on steroids to increase my appetite; I’ll try that if I start losing a lot of weight, but I’m not there yet.

13

I have no guesses for the problem. But I do have a suggestion that may be helpful. When I needed a bland, easy and nutritionally complete meal replacement, I settled on Huel Black vanilla flavor.

Ka’chava and Soylent were also quite good, but the huel black, mixed with fairlife milk (high protein, lactose free) instead of water, came closest to the protein/calorie ration I was trying to achieve. And it is nutritionally complete.

Hope that helps.

14

I’ve been drinking milk, and paying the extra for Fairlife-- it doesn’t just have the extra protein, it has some added vitamins now. I’ve been buying the whole milk version as well, and it’s not giving me heartburn, like I was afraid it would.

I can drink kefir, and most of the time I can eat yogurt.

One of the doctors has suggested I try mashed potatoes. I have a masher that will make them without lumps, and I can put in a lot of milk, so I’m thinking of trying that for the fiber. Albeit, I’ve been buying the “added fiber” versions of the “Glucerna”-type drinks.

I’ve also got a juicer I’ve had for years that I got for running old, or partially rotten or just very overripe fruit and veggies through-- stuff that was beyond using for much of anything, just so I wouldn’t have to throw out food. So, been juicing what I already had, and buying stuff at the store on sale because overripe or bruised, just for juicing. I take a little of the pulp the juicer makes, and put it in the food processor on puree, then mix it back in to the juice, and shake it up. I get some vitamins and fiber.

I’m not under the illusion that it’s just as good as eating whole fruits and vegetables, but it’s better than not getting any. And it doesn’t have sweeteners and preservatives like commercial juices, and hasn’t been Pasteurized (not something I’m against, but it does destroy some of the vitamins).

Adult vitamin pills have been giving me heartburn, but surprisingly, children’s vitamins are not bothering me. I found some without gelatin on the label, that claim to be vegan (they have D2 instead of D3, minimal calcium and iron, and no B12, so I’m inclined to believe it); I’m taking one of these a day, along with at least two of the “meal” drinks, about 8 oz homemade juice, and 8-16 oz Fairlife milk. Doctor has approved this.

I also have some sublingual B12 that have something like 1,200% of the RDA of B12. I tried one and puked. The doctor said to cut one in quarters and swallow it like a regular pill with lots of water. I didn’t need to get the entire 1,200%. If this is still going on next week, I’m having a blood test to look for specific vitamin levels. If B12 is very low, I’ll get a shot.