Well it's been a while. I used this site for venting, thinking and just processing so here I am again typing away on my keyboard!

In late March or early April I got sick. Now when I say sick I mean pain shooting from my gut and nausea that could kill a elephant! I went to the ER after suffering a few days. I was officially diagnosed with colitis and a colaped bowel. Now I'm not going to lie, I felt like I got amazing care and this was my answer so I took the medicine and went through the motions. A few days later I had an appointment with a GI specialist to check me out again and this is where it all goes wrong. Now flash back to last year shortly after my wedding.. I was given the news I had a celiac disease after taking a blood test. My doctor advised me to stop eating gluten and wheat. So I did. Now pack to this year.. The GI Doctor told me I may not have it. Apparently the only way correct way to test is by biopsy which is done in a endoscope and colonoscopy. He said take my medicine and cram gluten down!

I cried, a lot! I was scared because I was told how bad gluten was and I finally was starting to see improvement in my body. It was like coming off a drug cold turkey then being handed a all you can eat buffet of that drug! I was so afraid of how my body would react or how I would feel since I was already sick. I tried for about two days. I was so sick that I couldn't hardly drink water without feeling sick. Everything made me feel full and uncomfortable but worst of all I was nauseous all the time! I called a few more times and he advises it was time to do an endoscopy to find out what's wrong. So I did.

My results...inconclusive! 4500 dollars in bills later and he throws a maybe it is this or maybe I have that. My celiac, undiagnosed. GERT and a hernia are supposed to be the blame for my lack of energy and nausea. I was told to eat whatever I could to keep myself alive. By now this we are entering May and this still aren't good. I was sick all the time! Sleeping and eating basically weren't a thing. I was losing weight which the doctor feels comfortable with since I'm heavy. In this time I had been to the ER two more times. A reoccurrence of Mono, colitis, and possible stomach bug are now my diagnosis.

Now enters June and I am sicker then I was in March. I can't eat. I can't sleep. Moving is difficult. Crying takes up most of my day. Another couple trips to the ER. Instead of just my stomach pain and nausea now I have trouble breathing and tightness in my chest. Guess what, it's depression and anxiety! I can't eat, can't leave my house, even water fills me up and sleep almost never finds me. Yet I need to come to terms with depression and anxiety. Meanwhile there was a mold scare, a decision to move out of state and financial worry that all took place between May and present day.

Now I will admit that I may be depressed. My life as it stands isn't worth living. I can't go on dates or even leave my house. I could feel fine for an hour then be redused to tears and belly ache the next. My husband cries. He worries about me and worries he can't help. So I cry more. I've searched high and low for a doctor. I call friends and family for support. Most days I can't leave my bed or the bathroom and almost never go outside. Every test is inconclusive. Every medicine gives a new and worse side effect. Every upset phone call or doctors appointment ends in me feeling like my body is betraying me. Like it's just had enough!

I cry until I can't breath, then I catch my breath pull myself together and take a shower. I cook I clean and I pretend I'm not dying inside. When it's all too much I quietly allow my tears to fall. I have tried every medicine. Every specialist. Heard every comment about how I'm lazy or lying. I have felt like if today I died someone would cry for me but maybe then the doctors will listen! Maybe if they cut me open and see it all they will finally understand! Don't worry I'm not going to self harm. I just dream of being free! I try and remember what my marriage was like before the nightly emotional hugs. Or I try and remember what my phone calls and text were like before I had to live on the floor in my bathroom. I used to love shopping and eating. I love friends and laughter.

It's 230 on a week day and here I am broken and alone. My husband is asleep in the other room while I cry and research my latest symptoms. Through this all I refound faith. I pray and I beg for God to give me strength. To give me answers. To just give me comfort. My resolve is always lonely tears and countless attempts at treatment to end this suffering. God willing I make it through another day. Another week..or just another hour. I just have to persevere and find the person who will listen. The one person who will finally give me an answer! Meanwhile..I sit in my own personal hell..

Hello!
I am a 24-year-old female and I have had significant jaw pain when I chew anything or open my mouth wide.  I've had this since I was at least 7 or 8.  I haven't had it checked out until fairly recently, because my mom swore it would go away as I got older and that it was probably "just anxiety."  I have always been pretty sure it's TMJ-related, and my symptoms seem to fit.  When I had a doctor look at it, she gave me some anti-inflammatories but not much else.  The anti-inflammatories didn't do much good at all.  Currently, the left side of my jaw tends to hurt the most, but the right side does pretty regularly and the right side clicks while the left side doesn't (however, the left side used to click more often).  
The gross symptom that my doctor didn't give me any information about is the most troubling, though.  Every time I chew food, I can hear and faintly feel this gush of air (best way to describe it) that seems to be coming OUT of my left ear.  It literally just sounds like a small "poof" and it's consistently quiet and the same length of time, which is just a second.  I think it happens with each bite, although  if I'm around others or talking, I don't notice it as distinctly as I do when I'm alone or when it's quiet.  My hearing seems to be alright and I've never had any significant ear problems.  
This concerns me a lot, and I also was a bit put off that my doctor didn't seem to find it to be important at all.  She said that it would go away with the anti-inflammatories, but it certainly didn't.  
I would like some advice, if possible, before I go back to a doctor and get the blow-off again!  Thanks!   

Hi everyone. I searched around LJ for an appropriate community to discuss some issues I've been having, and this one looked like a pretty good bet.
I've been having symptoms which lead me to believe that I have BV or PID. I'm going to the doctor in a few days to get tested for it. However, prior to me even knowing what BV was, I was convinced I had an STD. My husband and I both got tested to see if we had any STDs or a UTI. Nothing came up. I've heard a fishy smell after sex is a classic symptom of BV. I'm really confused though, because it's actually his semen that has an unpleasant smell.
What could be causing that? I don't remember it smelling that way before. We got tested for every STD under the sun. He also says he has pain when he urinates. Is there something the doctor might've missed, or something specific he should be tested for? I don't want him to reinfect me after I get treated. Help?

Can anyone tell me if it's standard practice to merely prescribe narcotics and muscle relaxers to a patient with a 4+ year history of back pain (bulging dic, nerve damage) who is complaining of increased pain, tingling in both feet, increased sciatica, being so stiff in the mornings they can barely stand, and having to majorly decrease the amount of physical activities they perform?

Otherwise a completely healthy 29 year old in excellent shape who attempts to stay active. MRI was done over two years ago, about a year since the last set of xrays (showed spondylosis).

I just feel like doctors are throwing drugs at me, when I want to know HOW I can get better, not how many drugs I have to take to mask pain. All ready on regular NSAIDs and tramadol as needed. Have done physical therapy with limited success and the chiropractor made it much worse. I'm in the military, so at least it's free... but I have not met that many military doctors who have given me satisfactory answers. They're not bad, it's just most of them aren't so great in my experience. Have to deal with people faking injuries so they can get out of running... unfortunately for me, my discomfort is quite genuine :(

Thanks!

Ok so I could do with some replies here because to be honest I'm a little concerned (and I'm not due to go back to the doctors for another 2 months so would appreciate some feedback here.)

For approximately 2 months now I have started gaining weight (only in my stomach area), which I can't understand because I don't over eat, have a balanced diet & exercise. (Although in fairness I could be doing more.) To be more precise, I have ALWAYS weighed 8 stone 3lbs but I am now up to 9 stone 8lbs.

I have an awful feeling in my lower abdomen pretty much all of the time. It's a feeling of fullness, like I haven't emptied my bladder or something. My belly is also sore to touch at times - When it feels like I am bursting for the loo. But even when I do go do a piddle, the horrible feeling of fullness doesn't go away. My belly doesn't seem to be hard or anything but it does feel kinda strange.

I have included a photo of my stomach right now. I look like I'm 20 months pregnant. :( I am sexually active with my boyfriend but I am 100% NOT pregnant because I've done numerous tests & I still get my periods. 

So I guess I'd like some opinions here to help settle my mind until I go to my doctor in 2 months time for a routine check-up. Have I just got a ridiculously bloated belly or do you think something else could be going on? I'm 27 next month, by the way. I am coeliac (but am on a strict gluten-free diet) but that is the only problem I have. 

Thanks so much for your time.

http://pbckt.com/pN.uPtYen

Hi, I could do with a bit of input here if anyone can help me.

For quite a few months now, I have been experiencing pain in my side. It starts in my right side & penetrates around my tummy & back in waves for roughly 5 minutes & then it eases off. I mostly get it the following day after I have been drinking alcohol the night before. It is such an intense pain & I be rolling around in agnony until it gradually eases off.

Could this just be my body working hard after drinking alcohol? The most I would drink is a bottle of wine or the equivalent on a Saturday evening. I have also began getting these strange little blue dots on random parts of my skin. They look like little blood dots or something. Not sure if it is related but thought I'd include that anyway.

I got tested for kidney stones a few years ago because I was having a lot of infections but I was clear for that.

I would really appreciate some input of anyone can help me out here, I don't want to go to the doctors d it's unnecessary but I am a bit concerned about it because it is happening more frequently. It used to just be after a night of drinking but now I am experiencing it during a day - although it is no where near as painful. I am a 27 year old female.

Thanks so much for your time.

I cut my fingertip a couple days ago - vertically through the nail, and down into my finger beneath the nail about 5mm. The nail is split, the split is about 5mm long. My boyfriend helped me tape dressing to it, I held it above my head and it stopped bleeding and it doesn't hurt.

1) would I need a tetanus shot? I have no idea when my last one was.

2) Should I try to remove the dressing which has stuck to the wound?

We had no gauze, we used cottony makeup pads, and it has stuck to the wound in the fingernail. It is saturated in dried blood, I was able to cut most of it off. I don't want to start it bleeding again, and I understand that it should be kept dry for it to heal, I put plastic over that hand while in the shower. Is it best to just let it be for now? I put Polysporin on the cotton stuff just now and put a Band-aid over it to protect it.

thanks!

( gross photo under cutCollapse )