I am looking for advice. I will start this by saying that I will be visiting my doctor regarding what I am asking about this week, as I know the common answer is to “seek the advice of a professional”. But, I have worked in the pharmaceutical industry for quite some time and, well needless to say, I am a bit weary of the medical community. I have seen so many things that make me question their “authority” in certain situations. I often find the best advice out there are from people with personal experience with such matters.
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I made an appointment to see my physician because for the past few years I’ve been having intermittent heart palpations, and finally decided to check on it, because of family history. I have only visited a physician going on almost ten years because of a bulging disc in my back, so while I was there, I thought I would bring up the fact that I have been having stomach issues and fatigue. I thought that they may just be related. Ie…heart issues lead to fatigue and poor sleep and that ends up leading to the fact I wake up every morning with minor to severe stomach issues. That I just was not resting well enough for my body to digest properly. Throw in the amount of travel I do, apparent stress that I have (I’m not very stressed as I am busy), the inconsistent diet, overindulgence on occasions and all other factors…I thought for sure this was my issue.
I have gone through several tests that have not answered any questions, other than minor abnormal liver function and slightly high cholesterol. Next on tap is a sleep study, then on to a dietician and perhaps additional blood work and a colonoscopy. This ruins my original theory. As well, I have been rummaging through my brain as to what realistically is my lifestyle. My diet is not perfect, but it is way better than I assume the average diet is. I don’t drink soda, coffee or caffeinated beverages. I don’t eat fried or fast food. I eat a balance of starch, vegetables, fruits and protein on a daily basis. I rarely skip meals. No snacks, rarely processed food. I drink plenty of water and moderately drink alcohol. I’m not really into sweets, but will try a bite now and then. I take no regular medications and other than my back have no other medical issues. I am 5’10” 165 lbs and I work out an average of 6 days a week. I do have issues with sleeping as my schedule is not very consistent…but even given that, I don’t eat like crap. I do have one vice, I love to eat out and often have to on the road, which includes meals that are rich and include drinks and sauces, etc.
Now for my symptoms. An average morning at home, I wake up at 6-630 and I cannot leave the house for at least 2 hours. I wake up, have to use the bathroom. I start working from home before I have to use the bathroom again. At this point, I can try to eat a half of something (English muffin, protein bar…I’ve tried everything). Now comes the waiting. This is the point when I wait to find out how many more times I’m going to have the use the bathroom and/or if I will have to take Immodium and whether I will be well enough to work out before I go to the office. Sometimes I am stuck for the better part of the morning. Sometimes I risk it and pay the price. And fortunately some days it works out. But that is only the morning. I’m sure I could go on, but the whole day is a risk. Thank god I am the only one who has access to my office bathroom.
I feel four different sets of pain. I have the average indigestion, which I get pretty much every morning. This varies in severity. I also get a very severe internal burning pain just below the middle of my chest, that radiates up into my jaw on occasions, which subsides briefly by drinking cold water. Another pain that I get is (best way to describe it) bubbles that cause pain and give me chills, but don’t seem to produce anything. Lastly, and I’m getting it right now, severe cramping…enough to cause pain in my sides. I have been getting dizzy spells and a lot of pressure around my eyes and it causes me to get faint, sometimes while I am driving. I’m not sure if it is the pain or just dealing with all of this, but the fatigue is overwhelming. I sat out the entire Thanksgiving weekend because I just don’t feel like moving and I have NO appetite…which is just not like me. I love food.
In any rate, as I had mentioned before, I am getting this looked into this week. I am 38 and now that I look back upon it, I have been like this in some fashion for quite some time. I’ve never been the type of person to complain, bother others with my own issues and have always assumed that I was doing something wrong and I was responsible to fix it. But after spending time learning about intestinal issues and how it relates to me, I find I have similar issues. Though I’m weary of certain aspects of the medical industry, I do believe in empirical test results, so I will trust in that. In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone can relate (I’m sure many have larger issues) and if anyone could provide any suggestions as to what I should bring up with my physician (and down the road, the specialist) and if there is anything else I need to know, no matter the diagnosis. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I made an appointment to see my physician because for the past few years I’ve been having intermittent heart palpations, and finally decided to check on it, because of family history. I have only visited a physician going on almost ten years because of a bulging disc in my back, so while I was there, I thought I would bring up the fact that I have been having stomach issues and fatigue. I thought that they may just be related. Ie…heart issues lead to fatigue and poor sleep and that ends up leading to the fact I wake up every morning with minor to severe stomach issues. That I just was not resting well enough for my body to digest properly. Throw in the amount of travel I do, apparent stress that I have (I’m not very stressed as I am busy), the inconsistent diet, overindulgence on occasions and all other factors…I thought for sure this was my issue.
I have gone through several tests that have not answered any questions, other than minor abnormal liver function and slightly high cholesterol. Next on tap is a sleep study, then on to a dietician and perhaps additional blood work and a colonoscopy. This ruins my original theory. As well, I have been rummaging through my brain as to what realistically is my lifestyle. My diet is not perfect, but it is way better than I assume the average diet is. I don’t drink soda, coffee or caffeinated beverages. I don’t eat fried or fast food. I eat a balance of starch, vegetables, fruits and protein on a daily basis. I rarely skip meals. No snacks, rarely processed food. I drink plenty of water and moderately drink alcohol. I’m not really into sweets, but will try a bite now and then. I take no regular medications and other than my back have no other medical issues. I am 5’10” 165 lbs and I work out an average of 6 days a week. I do have issues with sleeping as my schedule is not very consistent…but even given that, I don’t eat like crap. I do have one vice, I love to eat out and often have to on the road, which includes meals that are rich and include drinks and sauces, etc.
Now for my symptoms. An average morning at home, I wake up at 6-630 and I cannot leave the house for at least 2 hours. I wake up, have to use the bathroom. I start working from home before I have to use the bathroom again. At this point, I can try to eat a half of something (English muffin, protein bar…I’ve tried everything). Now comes the waiting. This is the point when I wait to find out how many more times I’m going to have the use the bathroom and/or if I will have to take Immodium and whether I will be well enough to work out before I go to the office. Sometimes I am stuck for the better part of the morning. Sometimes I risk it and pay the price. And fortunately some days it works out. But that is only the morning. I’m sure I could go on, but the whole day is a risk. Thank god I am the only one who has access to my office bathroom.
I feel four different sets of pain. I have the average indigestion, which I get pretty much every morning. This varies in severity. I also get a very severe internal burning pain just below the middle of my chest, that radiates up into my jaw on occasions, which subsides briefly by drinking cold water. Another pain that I get is (best way to describe it) bubbles that cause pain and give me chills, but don’t seem to produce anything. Lastly, and I’m getting it right now, severe cramping…enough to cause pain in my sides. I have been getting dizzy spells and a lot of pressure around my eyes and it causes me to get faint, sometimes while I am driving. I’m not sure if it is the pain or just dealing with all of this, but the fatigue is overwhelming. I sat out the entire Thanksgiving weekend because I just don’t feel like moving and I have NO appetite…which is just not like me. I love food.
In any rate, as I had mentioned before, I am getting this looked into this week. I am 38 and now that I look back upon it, I have been like this in some fashion for quite some time. I’ve never been the type of person to complain, bother others with my own issues and have always assumed that I was doing something wrong and I was responsible to fix it. But after spending time learning about intestinal issues and how it relates to me, I find I have similar issues. Though I’m weary of certain aspects of the medical industry, I do believe in empirical test results, so I will trust in that. In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone can relate (I’m sure many have larger issues) and if anyone could provide any suggestions as to what I should bring up with my physician (and down the road, the specialist) and if there is anything else I need to know, no matter the diagnosis. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
