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Ongoing Digestive Problems- Help Please
Alright my story is a long one, it's been occurring for almost 2 years now. I am a 17 year old male, 6'2" and 185lbs at the moment.
It all started two Thanksgivings ago, so the Thanksgiving of 2010, I came down with a bad case of stomach flu that lasted about 3 days; so I had vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, etc. Following this period my mind was constantly thinking about this and I was consistently feeling full and nauseated. Then in December I started having bad indigestion and heartburn, so my doctor put me on 2 weeks of Zantac 150. My symptoms following this period turned into constant feeling of bloating, indigestion, heartburn, feeling of fullness, fatigue, unable to eat much, burping, and I would go to the bathroom 3 times a day with a constant feeling to go.
Eventually we were led to an allergist and he had done tests and we figured out that I was allergic to soy, all nuts, sunflower seeds. So we had eliminated that entirely from my diet. I also had a blood test done to test for Celiac, but at the time I was not eating any wheat( thought I may be allergic to wheat). I had the test done and it came back negative. So we figured that the cause of all my problems was the food allergies. There was a point where I started eating soybean oil, lecithin because I felt it would give me no problems and when I reintroduced it I had no new symptoms.
Eventually I had a blood test for vitamins and it came back saying my ferritin was low, but the rest of my iron was fine, so the doctor said it was okay.
Considering i was still avoid my food allergies and still having symptoms, I thought that I may have had low stomach acid and/or a lack of digestive enzymes, so I bought myself betaine hydrochloride and digestive enzymes. I tried this for a while, with no real change in symptoms, so I quit. A little while after I quit, in August of 2011, one day I had came home and had really bad diarrhea, it was watery, floating and such. So I assumed I had some type of bug.
I also had a blood test done prior in the month to having the diarrhea. It was ordered by my gastroenterologist, the results showed I had raised Eosinophila around 11%. The gastroenterologist said he thought the cause was due to my food allergies. So he set a date when I was to have an endoscopy and to see what was going on.
My gastronenterologist also had me retested with a blood test for Celiac Disease and this was when I was eating wheat and it came back negative once again.
Ever since the diarrhea episode (still to this day) I have had loose, floating stools that are chronic but occur on and off. My symptoms had changed, now I was constantly having these floating stools and I noticed that my hunger had increased, it feels like I cannot get full from a meal at times.
So, then in October of 2011 I went to have the endoscopy done, so I was put into conscious sedation and the doctor was unable to get the camera down my throat because I was subconsciously not allowing it to happen, so we never were able to have the endoscopy done.
During this school year I began working out at school and I began gaining muscle, so I was confused that I was able to gain weight while having these malabsorption like issues. I went from around 155 to 160 to currently 185lbs. Ever since this all started I have also been having dry skin, in the winter my knuckles get very dry and red and bleed at times; I also am very tired after school when I was not in the past. I also noticed that it seems my hair is falling at a faster rate, I can rub my fingers through my hair and get 3-10 hairs. I also have had a drop in libido that has accompanied these symptoms within the past year.
Since the endoscopy day, I have still had the same ongoing bowel issues and continuing to figure out what could be the problem, I have tried peppermint oil when I thought I had bacterial overgrowth and it didn't do anything, I am currently trying garlic to see if it can kill any parasites (although I had a stool test for parasites that showed nothing), I retried the betaine and digestive enzymes with no results.
Recently when I've been going to the bathroom I've been observing my stools more closely and I've noticed that whether it's a bad days of loose/floating stools or an okay day where they aren't floating, either way I noticed that bubbles come out from my stool when it enters the water and the bubbles come to the top of the water and when they pop they create a white film where they pop and I am assuming this is probably fecal fat, but am not positive.
I really would appreciate any type of help you can give me, this is something I need information on. I don't know if the cause could be food allergies (although I am not eating anything i am allergic to, I dont know if i possibly have another allergen), I dont know if it could be celiac disease, I dont know if it could be the result of taking the digestive enzymes, I dont know if there is some type of parasite. No matter what it is, the cause has to connect to having eosinophilia and diarrhea so I guess it narrows it down.
My gastroenterologist wants to redo the endoscopy and also do a colonoscopy at the same time,but he wants to put me fully under this time not only under conscious sedations and he thinks it might be some type of large bowel disease.
It all started two Thanksgivings ago, so the Thanksgiving of 2010, I came down with a bad case of stomach flu that lasted about 3 days; so I had vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, etc. Following this period my mind was constantly thinking about this and I was consistently feeling full and nauseated. Then in December I started having bad indigestion and heartburn, so my doctor put me on 2 weeks of Zantac 150. My symptoms following this period turned into constant feeling of bloating, indigestion, heartburn, feeling of fullness, fatigue, unable to eat much, burping, and I would go to the bathroom 3 times a day with a constant feeling to go.
Eventually we were led to an allergist and he had done tests and we figured out that I was allergic to soy, all nuts, sunflower seeds. So we had eliminated that entirely from my diet. I also had a blood test done to test for Celiac, but at the time I was not eating any wheat( thought I may be allergic to wheat). I had the test done and it came back negative. So we figured that the cause of all my problems was the food allergies. There was a point where I started eating soybean oil, lecithin because I felt it would give me no problems and when I reintroduced it I had no new symptoms.
Eventually I had a blood test for vitamins and it came back saying my ferritin was low, but the rest of my iron was fine, so the doctor said it was okay.
Considering i was still avoid my food allergies and still having symptoms, I thought that I may have had low stomach acid and/or a lack of digestive enzymes, so I bought myself betaine hydrochloride and digestive enzymes. I tried this for a while, with no real change in symptoms, so I quit. A little while after I quit, in August of 2011, one day I had came home and had really bad diarrhea, it was watery, floating and such. So I assumed I had some type of bug.
I also had a blood test done prior in the month to having the diarrhea. It was ordered by my gastroenterologist, the results showed I had raised Eosinophila around 11%. The gastroenterologist said he thought the cause was due to my food allergies. So he set a date when I was to have an endoscopy and to see what was going on.
My gastronenterologist also had me retested with a blood test for Celiac Disease and this was when I was eating wheat and it came back negative once again.
Ever since the diarrhea episode (still to this day) I have had loose, floating stools that are chronic but occur on and off. My symptoms had changed, now I was constantly having these floating stools and I noticed that my hunger had increased, it feels like I cannot get full from a meal at times.
So, then in October of 2011 I went to have the endoscopy done, so I was put into conscious sedation and the doctor was unable to get the camera down my throat because I was subconsciously not allowing it to happen, so we never were able to have the endoscopy done.
During this school year I began working out at school and I began gaining muscle, so I was confused that I was able to gain weight while having these malabsorption like issues. I went from around 155 to 160 to currently 185lbs. Ever since this all started I have also been having dry skin, in the winter my knuckles get very dry and red and bleed at times; I also am very tired after school when I was not in the past. I also noticed that it seems my hair is falling at a faster rate, I can rub my fingers through my hair and get 3-10 hairs. I also have had a drop in libido that has accompanied these symptoms within the past year.
Since the endoscopy day, I have still had the same ongoing bowel issues and continuing to figure out what could be the problem, I have tried peppermint oil when I thought I had bacterial overgrowth and it didn't do anything, I am currently trying garlic to see if it can kill any parasites (although I had a stool test for parasites that showed nothing), I retried the betaine and digestive enzymes with no results.
Recently when I've been going to the bathroom I've been observing my stools more closely and I've noticed that whether it's a bad days of loose/floating stools or an okay day where they aren't floating, either way I noticed that bubbles come out from my stool when it enters the water and the bubbles come to the top of the water and when they pop they create a white film where they pop and I am assuming this is probably fecal fat, but am not positive.
I really would appreciate any type of help you can give me, this is something I need information on. I don't know if the cause could be food allergies (although I am not eating anything i am allergic to, I dont know if i possibly have another allergen), I dont know if it could be celiac disease, I dont know if it could be the result of taking the digestive enzymes, I dont know if there is some type of parasite. No matter what it is, the cause has to connect to having eosinophilia and diarrhea so I guess it narrows it down.
My gastroenterologist wants to redo the endoscopy and also do a colonoscopy at the same time,but he wants to put me fully under this time not only under conscious sedations and he thinks it might be some type of large bowel disease.
Tatin, it sounds like gluten intolerance to me. Tests can come back negative, and gluten is hidden in so many things, you may not be aware. I know from personal experience. I did an elimination diet and was still sick even though I only was eating fruit, veggies and tofu. I didn't realize the teriyaki sauce I was using on the meat was made from wheat! (Some brands aren't.) As soon as I removed all forms of gluten (even caramel coloring has it), I was better within 24 hours. All your symptoms are from malabsorption, as all hormones are made in the small intestines, and if they are inflamed, you don't absorb the B vitamins, and you have problems with thyroid, which controls energy, dry skin, depression, etc. Go to celiac.com and learn how to avoid even the most minute bit of gluten. That's all it takes to cause that autoimmune reaction, and tests won't confirm it. You have to do it on your own. Good luck!
the usual stool test is 95% of the times false negative, since pinworms do not live inside the stool, they hang on the gut wall. You have to be really, really heavily overloaded so that you can see them in the stool. Even the scotch tape test is only 50% reliable, since the worms do not lay eggs every day.
Besides, GPs often think that pinworms infect children only, so they forget to check that.
Besides, GPs often think that pinworms infect children only, so they forget to check that.
Dear Tatin,
Your story sounds alot like mine. Eosinophiles are not only raised when you have allergies, but also when you have parasites. This is no reason to be freaked out, they are more common than you think, and even the best hygiene might not protect you completely, since you can inhale some parasite eggs.
Common symptoms for parasites are> bad, restless sleeps, itchy butt (not necesary), slight anemia, fat malabsorbtion, hunger but also loss off appetite, bloating, nausea and vomiting, bad skin (pimples, dry) increased hair loss, sharp pain right side of belly button. But it still can also be due to bacterial overgrowth, so it is a bit tricky to distinguish.
For one, stay clear of all sugary and starchy foods. Eat veggies and fruits, but no potatoes or bananas. Increase garlic intake. Go and buy one tablet of vermox. This is an anti-parasitic drug, and you need to take it with lots of fat (40g), else it wont work. If you bloat more than usual after that tablet, I would say you have parasites. If nothing changes, you might have the bacterial problem.
You can also ask your GP for a scotch tape test which tests for the most common (and hard to get rid of) parasite. If there were kids around at thanksgiving, they gave you the parasites, since those are most common in kids. I have some protocols and diets you might want to try, but these might be a bit much to write in here.
PM me once you have an idea what you want to try, and what it might be of all the things I told you about.
If it is a bacterial problem, I also have some ideas how to get rid of them.
Your story sounds alot like mine. Eosinophiles are not only raised when you have allergies, but also when you have parasites. This is no reason to be freaked out, they are more common than you think, and even the best hygiene might not protect you completely, since you can inhale some parasite eggs.
Common symptoms for parasites are> bad, restless sleeps, itchy butt (not necesary), slight anemia, fat malabsorbtion, hunger but also loss off appetite, bloating, nausea and vomiting, bad skin (pimples, dry) increased hair loss, sharp pain right side of belly button. But it still can also be due to bacterial overgrowth, so it is a bit tricky to distinguish.
For one, stay clear of all sugary and starchy foods. Eat veggies and fruits, but no potatoes or bananas. Increase garlic intake. Go and buy one tablet of vermox. This is an anti-parasitic drug, and you need to take it with lots of fat (40g), else it wont work. If you bloat more than usual after that tablet, I would say you have parasites. If nothing changes, you might have the bacterial problem.
You can also ask your GP for a scotch tape test which tests for the most common (and hard to get rid of) parasite. If there were kids around at thanksgiving, they gave you the parasites, since those are most common in kids. I have some protocols and diets you might want to try, but these might be a bit much to write in here.
PM me once you have an idea what you want to try, and what it might be of all the things I told you about.
If it is a bacterial problem, I also have some ideas how to get rid of them.
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