Hello, I was very excited to find this forum!
For years I have been plagued by stomach problems and a rash on my legs. I was diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (which is an autoimmune disease and has nothing to do with alcohol) and told I have IBS (this was about 6 years ago). Just some added information, I am a 48 year old female that had a hysterectomy 9 years ago.
At the time of diagnosis with PBC, I was told to go gluten free and have been since. This helped some of my stomach issues, but not all.
Fast forward to this past June. I passed out cold sitting at the kitchen table. Ambulance was called. Everyone thought that I had had a heart attack (I'm 48 and overweight). Nope. Then they were sure it was my thyroid. Nope. Then the ER doc says that I'm anemic- but not much (9.0!). I wasn't anemic at my last physical a few months before.
Then I soon began having diarrhea like I'd never experienced before. Many, many times a day to include waking up in the middle of the night.
I was finally able to get into my regular doctor who referred me to my GI. By then my blood count was down to 7.9 (about 3 weeks after my ER visit).
I have had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy. I have inflammation everywhere. My stomach is full of polyps and they removed 4 polyps from my colon. The biopsies of the tissue samples did not go along with a diagnosis of IBD.
So I had a CT scan (found out that barium and I do not get along at all). Zippo.
Tuesday I have a pill camera thingy scheduled. Hopefully, that will show something.
I've lost over 20 lbs since the beginning of July. And feel like crap. I am on iron, which is helping to some extent, but I'm constantly tired, weak, cramping and running to the bathroom.
Thanks for "listening" to my long story!
For years I have been plagued by stomach problems and a rash on my legs. I was diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (which is an autoimmune disease and has nothing to do with alcohol) and told I have IBS (this was about 6 years ago). Just some added information, I am a 48 year old female that had a hysterectomy 9 years ago.
At the time of diagnosis with PBC, I was told to go gluten free and have been since. This helped some of my stomach issues, but not all.
Fast forward to this past June. I passed out cold sitting at the kitchen table. Ambulance was called. Everyone thought that I had had a heart attack (I'm 48 and overweight). Nope. Then they were sure it was my thyroid. Nope. Then the ER doc says that I'm anemic- but not much (9.0!). I wasn't anemic at my last physical a few months before.
Then I soon began having diarrhea like I'd never experienced before. Many, many times a day to include waking up in the middle of the night.
I was finally able to get into my regular doctor who referred me to my GI. By then my blood count was down to 7.9 (about 3 weeks after my ER visit).
I have had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy. I have inflammation everywhere. My stomach is full of polyps and they removed 4 polyps from my colon. The biopsies of the tissue samples did not go along with a diagnosis of IBD.
So I had a CT scan (found out that barium and I do not get along at all). Zippo.
Tuesday I have a pill camera thingy scheduled. Hopefully, that will show something.
I've lost over 20 lbs since the beginning of July. And feel like crap. I am on iron, which is helping to some extent, but I'm constantly tired, weak, cramping and running to the bathroom.
Thanks for "listening" to my long story!
