IBS/Hunger Pains

Community Leader
Registered: 07-16-2001
IBS/Hunger Pains
6
Sat, 02-04-2006 - 11:31pm

I am not sure where to go from here, so I figured I'd ask all of you.  I see that at least two other people have some of my same symptoms, so that helps me feel not crazy.


My problems started about three or four years ago- right after I went on the BC pill.  I waited until this December to see my doctor because I hoped it'd go away, plus she's really good at dismissing pain, so I wanted to be sure that I could justify seeing her. 


I told the nurse that I was having lower abdominal pains with an urgency to have a bowel movement, which was very painful.  When it first started, I was throwing up but I've figured out how to stop that.  I also told her that for the past year, I had been getting severe hunger pains with a bad headache and confusion, and eating wouldn't make it go away.  Both problems were so sporadic that going when I was in pain was out of the question.  Apparently, the nurse wrote on my chart that I was having upper right side abdominal pain because that's what's been written on all my paperwork so far. 


When the doctor came in, she seemed convinced that it was my gall bladder and sent me for an ultra sound.  It showed I had sludge, so I went in for a pipida scan.  The pipida came back fine, she said I "just had a case of IBS" and told me to keep taking the Bentyl she had prescribed on the first visit.  She also said she thought I just had an ulcer and gave me Prevacid (it didn't do anything). I pushed her on it because IBS did not explain the hunger pains, so I went in for a CT scan of my  upper abdomen, which came back normal.  Her response was she "just didn't know what else to do."  I got her to refer me to a gastroenterologist, who agreed with the IBS, but was puzzled by the hunger pains.  He also changed my med to Robinul-forte because the Bentyl was going to my head.


I went in for an endoscopy on Jan. 26, and he said that it just showed some stomach inflammation, but no ulcer and they took a biopsy to check for bacteria.  That was over a week ago, and I haven't heard anything back.  I'm expecting it to be normal since no one has been able to find anything so far.


I'm really frustrated (as it seems a lot of people are!) because 1) no one seems to understand what I mean by "hunger pains" and 2) apparently, IBS causes every pain known to man.  The gastro doc said that it could be causing my headaches.  Yeah, right.  He did mention maybe sending me to a neurologist and maybe my headaches were causing the stomach pains, but that just doesn't make sense to me.  It almost feels like my blood sugar has dropped and I haven't eaten in a long time, but I've tested my blood sugar and it's been fine.


My point when I came here was to ask if anyone else had experienced this, and now I know they have.  But I still don't know where to go from here.  I do have a follow up appointment, but it's with a NP (couldn't get in until March with the real doc) and I'm not sure what good that'll do.  I honestly just want to know what's wrong and for it to go away.


So far, I've severely altered my diet- I eat chicken noodle soup and jello everyday for lunch and (until last week when I got fed up) was eating pretty much the same for dinner.  It's the only thing I found that didn't cause problems- either upper or lower.  The Robinul doesn't seem to be doing much either (except going to my head and making me feel drugged up).  I stopped taking the BC pill last week, and had an IBS "episode" just yesterday.  I haven't really had the hunger pains for more than a few hours since December, but I have felt pretty nauseous after I eat, something that's rather new.


Could IBS be causing these hunger pains?  Someone below mentioned the gall bladder in relation to the hunger pains.  Could that be?


Any ideas???


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-28-2005
In reply to: shywon
Wed, 02-08-2006 - 2:05pm
Hi shywon.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
In reply to: shywon
Wed, 02-08-2006 - 6:18pm

Hi Shyone!


Welcome to the board!

 
Community Leader
Registered: 07-16-2001
In reply to: shywon
Thu, 02-09-2006 - 8:52pm

Thanks a bunch!


The doctor's office did call on Tuesday and said that I was positive for H. pylori and prescribed the antibiotics to take care of it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
In reply to: shywon
Sat, 02-11-2006 - 12:21pm

Hey Shywon!


I am glad you finally have a diagnosis for your pain.

 
Community Leader
Registered: 07-16-2001
In reply to: shywon
Sun, 02-12-2006 - 10:26am

I did know it could be contagious, but I didn't know it doesn't always cause problems.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
In reply to: shywon
Mon, 02-13-2006 - 8:20pm

Hey Shywon,


How's it going today??