What's wrong?

[Traine]

I am 32, of average height and weight and I exercise daily.  I began struggling with periods of extreme fatigue, excessive sweating, nausea, muscle weakness, etc. about a year ago.  I expressed these annoying symptoms to my doctor and had several blood tests done which did not show anything abnormal.  He decided that we should try a different birth control pill.  I tried it for one month, felt worse and didn't ever have a period that month.  I returned to the other pill I had used, which I had been using for over a year.  I did have a period like normal but decided I would try going off the pill entirely to see if that would alleviate my symptoms.  I had another period just 21 days after discontinuing the pill but have not had one since.  That was two months ago (56 days.)  My abdomen is very distended and I've started feeling abdominal twitches several times a day.  I've taken two pregnancy tests (two weeks apart), even though I've not had unprotected sex, and both have been negative.  I'm growing extremely frustrated and want to feel better.  I want more energy and want my distended stomach to go away!  What can be done to help me?

[carruff]

I completely understand the fustrations of your doctors not listening to you or not  completely trying to find the root source of the probelm so I took it upon myself to narrow down the search and found an excellent source for symptom diagnostics:
Web MD Symptom Checker
It allows you to put in your symptoms and it comes up with possible solutions that are consistant with your symptoms. Since doing this I have found a doctor that listened to me and I am being checked for 6 of the 10 possible solutions I narrowed it down to. Hope this helps you.

[yvonne123]

I realize some of your problems might be female, but my question is have you thought about seeing a Gastro.  You might have a double edge sword.  Distention, fatique, could also be signs of a Gastro problem.  Do you have frequent Bowel Movements on or off the pill?  Have you detected a change in BM's when you came off the pill.  Twitching could be numerous things, but can also be a gastro sign.  I have all the above, But only when I take a certain medication.  When we have contipation, it is more or less toxic, and can grow bacteria, among other living creatures in us.  I visited a health food store (not GNC, but a real good, all natural health food store)  and found something to help me.  Look at your med's and make sure after getting off the pill, nothing is a side effect...

[Keith Downing, MD]

Hello,

There is no easy answer to your complaints.  Your physician should have worked you up for common causes of the symptoms you describe such as anemia, thyroid dysfunction and depression.  Other systemic illness should be entertained if your symptoms do not improve.  I would encourage you to continue to work with a physician you like and trust to help sort out why you are feeling the way you do.

Best regards,

Dr. Downing