Hi Mark
 

If I could send you some heat from Fla. I would send up the sunhine to you right now.
I remember those blizzards, don't miss them at all. I wish I could have everyone from Neruo talk come down here for the winter to vacation. I would have everybody over for a big super bowl party with sunshine in plenty. will be 80 here on sunday. Have a great weekend, and I do love your posts. ginnie

Hi Sandy K
 

Hope you get some great relief on Tuesday. I'm meeting my rep on Monday. Things have changed, but I'm only 2 months in. sending cold weather and fog from the central valley to you. :)

:) California, land of many ecosystems
 

Thinking of a lyric from God Bless America [Goodness, I don't hear that one sung anymore]...... from the mountains, to the prairies [the central valley is analogous albeit influenced by the coastal atmospheric influx in part], to the oceans white with foam...... your state has all of these...... I think I would feel more at home up Tahoe or Redding way.....

A mountain person at heart,
Yeah,
Me and my skis, backpacks, rifle, boots...... oh wait, scratch that,
Me and my stim,
takin in the view,
Mark56:hug:

I could be totally wrong here...
 

I, too, have had many problems with GI area. I'm probably totally off track here but thought it worthwhile throwing it out, just in case it's helpful.

I've been on a lot of antibiotics over the years and have had GI flare ups probably 3 - 4 times a year and was always just told I had a stomach bug. However, I felt it was something more than that because it just lasted too long. Long story short, turns out I was finally diagnosed with Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), which causes A LOT of abdominal pain, distension, nausea, hard to eat etc. For me Flagyl is helping, but have been told that given my individual circumstances that it will likely be a recurring problem for me. With SIBO it can be a problem because you get better for a while, and then it comes back,which can be baffling to doctors as they can't pinpoint anything physically wrong with you.

I think seeing your GI specialist is a great idea. Just wanted to add my two cents just in case you may be dealing with the same problem. Hope you get some answers!! :hug::hug:

Thanks Fiona
I'll make sure to ask my Dr about SIBO. How did they finally diagnose the problem?
Sandy

Sandy,

There was no test, but was related to my symptoms and how it would keep coming back. Actually, I don't think a test will show it unless there's a way to test one's guts for overgrowth of bad bacteria (may be out there, not sure).

My dr. went by my symptoms and said if Flagyl helped it then it's a sign it was the right diagnosis. If it didn't help it, then he'd have to keep on looking for an answer. The thing for me was the abdominal pain seemed to move around..would be in upper belly at one point and lower abdomen the next day, so he knew it wasn't anything obviously wrong with a certain organ.

He told me the pain I felt was actually gas that was being off-gassed by the bad bacteria, and that it wouldn't leave my system on its own (I couldn't "toot" it out:winky:) but that the flagyl would help kill off the bacteria that's causing the gas and the subsequent pain. For me I know when the flagyl is working because the gas pains begin to go away and I don't have belly pain when I eat/or shortly thereafter.

There is a medicine they can give that's a "big gun" that wipes out all the bacteria in your guts. It's called Xifaxan but unfortunately I can't tolerate it. You take it and then when you're done you have to replenish the good bacteria in your system with probiotics. This is one antibiotic that you cannot take probiotics with it at the same time as they want the whole gut system's bacteria (good and bad) killed off.

So I tried the flagyl and it's working. I'm usually on a high dose for about 10 days and unfortunately given my own particular circumstances, I have it come back several times a year. Most people who have this are probably only treated once and it doesn't return. Some others, like me, are blessed (being Ms. Sarcastic Pants here) with having to live with it.

Diet modifications help, esp. adding a high quality probiotic daily, as well as eating yogurt...anything to help keep the good bacteria in our guts up so they outnumber the bad ones.

Sorry to be so long winded here...:D

Hi fionab
 

I was reading your post. Have you ever been to an upper GI specialist or had an endoscopy performed.? I am just asking, as that test really does get to the source of any stomach problems. ginnie

Ginnie
Thanks for all the info. I think your points ruled it out as a possibility.
I've had upper and lower GI tests and many endoscopy procedures to treat Sphincter of Odi Disfunction. My pain is always in the same spot, sharp and stabbing. Seeing the pain management Dr and Bos. Sci. rep this am. Wish I could get some sleep. Stim not helping much tonight. Hopefully I'll get some relief.

Sorry to be so down. The stim was doing so well since implant in Aug. Wish I had Eva's positive attitude and strength right now. And she's going through so much more than I am.

Sandy

Sandy

Hi sandy kay
 

I really hope you get that relief. I go to my upper GI doc. this a.m. I know all of us get down now and then and I sure am no different. Thats why I hang out here, I get alot of support to keep going forward. I am sending good thoughts your way. ginnie

Ginnie: Yep, work with a GI specialist so already know I have hiatal hernia, GERD and Barrett's. I didn't want to get into all the details with Sandy about why I personally continue to have SIBO and probably will have to live with it (until God heals me, of course!). It has to do with my having a Primary Immune Deficiency, which is a rare disease, so felt it had no bearing on her situation. Thanks for the thought, tho :D:D