Saturday, 08 December 2012
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I'm Having Stomach Issues... Help!
So I've been having some stomach issues lately, particularly with digesting foods and having my stomach stay settled. It seems like every food I eat causes an issue and moves right through me, to put it lightly. This has been something I've had problems with for a long time now, and I know some of the main culprits like fried foods, and I avoid those, but like I said it seems like that group of "culprit" foods has expanded to almost everything I eat.I don't know what foods I can eat that will be easy on my stomach, and I'm really getting tired of worrying about what I'm eating causing problems. If you have any suggestions about what types of things I can eat that won't give me issues, I'd really appreciate it - but keep this in mind: I'm a college student making minimum wage working very few hours a week. I can't afford every organic expensive food. I also eat on-campus a lot, and if you have suggestions about choices to make in dining halls those are welcome as well. Thanks.
Share your thoughts and advice in the comment section below!
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- From: healthquestion@xanga
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Comments (28)
Sounds like IBS. You should see a doctor, though, make sure it isn't something more serious like Crohn's.
Try going to the campus doctor. Maybe you have an infection or something.
it could be a number of things.. celiac disease, h.pylori, gastric reflux etc...i had similar symptoms but i also had nausea/vomiting occasionally..instead of guessing I would just go see a GI doc...i did and had an upper endoscopy..hope you have insurance tho bc if I didnt, I would have paid more than 5 grand out of my pocket!
I have similar issues, and have for a long time. My mom asked her doctor about it (I don't have health insurance) and he said it sounded like IBS to him, but would need to see me to make a diagnosis. There are times when I can eat normally (still avoiding things like beans and chili, which kills my stomach and will keep me up all night) and times when it seems like I can't eat anything at all. I pretty much live on Zantac now. : / What was helping me for quite a while, was soy burgers and chocolate soy milk. One summer, that's pretty much all I ate every day, and my stomach felt great. Though that's not a great diet for a long period of time. You can also try yogurt like Activia, which is supposed to help your system regulate itself (didn't work for me, but that was because I don't like yogurt much and you're supposed to eat some every day) And starchy foods can sometimes help, especially with the diarrhea. Potatoes, breads, and bananas are good. You probably already know, but stay away from caffeine as much as possible (that part sucks!). I usually don't have a problem with salads, but be careful with the dressings. Oh, and a friend told me that decaffeinated green tea is really good for your stomach, too. Sweetening it with a little honey is okay. Go easy on any foods with a lot of fiber, because they can definitely make things worse (oatmeal, I'm looking at you). Replace regular milk with soy milk whenever you can, too. It helps. I really hope you feel better!!!
@chronic_masticator@xanga - I agree.
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You really need to see a doctor, because these don't sound like "stomach problems" to me at all. They sound like intestinal issues, i.e. inflammatory bowel disease (which includes Crohn's and Ulcerative colitis), or irritable bowel syndrome.
By the way, stay away from fatty and fried foods, as you've already noticed. Foods very high in fiber are probably not a good idea either.
Best of luck.
My advice is see a doctor, to make sure you don't have any intestinal issues and possibly rectal exam.
I have had this problem and been to the doctors twice in the last six weeks.
See a doctor.
stay away from the dining halls, maybe? God only knows what they're really putting in your food.
Sounds like IBS to me, but it could be something more serious, like Gastroentermiolitischnitzerblagen. Yea, I think that's it. I am a doctor, after all, like most of us Xangans.
I have had the same problems so I saw a gastroenterologist. It turns out I have a colon infection called C. Diff. (Clostridium difficile). Definitely see a doctor as it could be a variety of things you'll need an antibiotic for, not just a change in diet.
My wife had IBS and she received tremendous help through a book called "And they said it wasn't possible" written by Karen Hurd, but for starters google "IBS Karen Hurd" there is plenty of information online that she writes that should get you started in the right direction. Hope you find a solution.
@chronic_masticator@xanga - i was thinking the same thing... Definitely go see a Dr and make sure its nothing serious. They can also refer you to a dietitian who can help you figure out what to eat thats easy on your body.
Also if the problem does not solved it self after going to the doctors, keep going back, nothing worst than stomach ache
1) Go see a doctor.
2) In the meantime, I hear the BRAT diet is a good bet for the types of issues you're having: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRAT_diet My mom advocated chicken broth, bland (white) pasta, rice, and crackers, no fruit or veggies because fiber is hard on the stomach and intestines. 3) If it is something like IBS, it could also be stress-triggered. I know this is hard as a college student around finals, but getting proper sleep may help.@Fatal_Lightning@xanga - Activia helps with probiotics (bacteria that are good for you and live in your intestine and help digest foods). You can get them in pill form, too!
This could possibly be a very serious issue.
I had a friend with that problem who lost a ton of weight. She originally thought she had IBS (I have it and it is not THAT bad) but wound up with Crohn's disease. Not something to put off or mess with.
You need to see a gastroenterologist. If you don't have your own insurance, you should be able to use some your school gives you.
It could be any number of things, of course, and only a doctor will be able to really diagnose you (maybe a food allergy test is a place to start), but I've had a lot of success with going Paleo. Cutting grains and sugar helps my digestion so much.
Good luck.
Please go to a gastroenterologist to find out what is going on..
I had the same issues, which then turned into intense pain. I pushed off going to the doctors and now 6 years later i have just had my 5th surgery to repair the damage that my liver leaking acid into my stomach caused. If i had gone when symptoms started it would have been a simple drug therapy.
It may be nothing, but trust me, its worth going to the doctors!
I agree a doctor visit is in order to rule out IBS/IBD. In the meantime, the BRAT diet is a good suggestion for short-term. I'd also try a "low residue" diet longer term (Google it -- it's basically low-fiber foods or anything that's more difficult for your body to digest). My daughter has Crohn's and that was one diet the doctor recommended during her flares.
Good information from everybody above, especially the 'seeing a doctor.' This shouldn't be messed around with. Only thing I don't see mentioned above is the possibility of gall stones. Having dealt with issues of this nature for many years and having been diagnosed with IBS, which proper diet has helped resolve, this was one thing they never checked.
I finally had a doctor recommend a cat scan to rule out other problems. Turns out I have one rather large stone & it is causing a number of problems. A change in diet to low fat, high fiber has done a lot to keep things from going straight through my system. That means no hamburgers, fries, certain cheeses, even chocolate can be a problem. Start eating salads (sans oily dressing), fruits, nuts, beans, fish, chicken, turkey, stay away from beef. You'll know what works & what doesn't.
Surgery has been recommended, but we are taking an easier route because of a heart condition that doesn't deal well when under anesthesia.
There is no age limit for gall stones and it seems they may also run in the family. So... while getting checked out for everything else, have your doctor put this on the list. Always better healthy than miserable.
Wishing you well in getting this issue figured out so you can be back to yourself. This isn't something you want to contend with in college and these words of wisdom come from someone far older than many who have responded to this blog. *smile...
I agree with everyone else. First and foremost, see a doctor. I know it sounds strange, but it really helps if you keep a journal each day of times and frequencies of bowel movements and what you have eaten.
Second, if you DO end up having IBS, you have a lot of options (I know this because I have it, and I am in pharmacy school so we learn quite a bit about treating it). Mine started in college as well. Personally, probiotics and fiber helped me the most, but everybody's different. I know you're thinking "Fiber...what? Isn't that used as a laxative?" And the answer is, yes, but it's a bulk forming laxative. The "bulk forming" part is the goal. In smaller doses, fiber can help improve transit time (how long food stays in your GI tract) if you are having diarrhea. You can take fiber supplements or you can try fruits and veggies, whole wheat, and beans.
Hope things work out for you!
Could be Celiac Disease or IBS -- I had the exact same symptoms for over a year and it left me almost bed ridden. I'm 5'9" and was less than 110 lbs.
See a doctor now before you change your diet. Many problems can't be diagnosed if you change your diet (Celiac is one of them. If gluten isn't in your system, you'll get a false negative).
What type of foods do you eat to begin with?
I have no idea what it is, but you should see the campus doctor. If it is IBS, there has been some evidence (low) that shows bifidobacterium infantis is the bacteria that can help. It can be found in the product Align. I saw this product over-the-counter yesterday.
Eat turmeric (sp?) pills. They should have it at herbal shops.. they are VERY good and effective at treating any stomach-conditions.