Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 32 Location: High Ridge, MO, USA
Diahreah Posted: 02-13-08 12:01pm
In December, I became very ill. I was
suffering from diahreah, abdominal pain,
nausea, vomiting, acid indigestion, and
very foul smelling burps that I would say
smelled like rotting eggs (I hadn't eaten
any eggs, btw). The day I felt the worst
was Christmas Day and my Doctor's office
was closed, so I called the exchange. I
was instructed to go to the Emergency
Department. At the ED, they took some
blood from me and told me that my whilte
blood cell count was elevated. They wanted
to collect a stool sample from me but I
was unable to produce one while I was
there. So I was discharged and sent home
with a prescription for Flagyl. I took
most of the Flagyl but stopped taking it
because it seemed to be making my upset
stomach worse. Diahreah never stopped, so
I went to see my primary doctor. Here is
everything that the doctor did between
December and now:
*tested me for h. pylori: negative
*pelvic exam: normal
*stool test for c. difficile toxins a
& b: negative
*stool test for salmonella: negative
*stool test for ova and parasites:
negative but possible error (I had to mix
the stool with the preservatives in the
containers and was instructed to freeze
them by my doctor but the employee at the
lab said it should not have been frozen)
*abdominal ultrasound: normal
*colonoscopy: normal
Also about every other week my white blood
cell count was checked and was
consistently high. I just had it checked
on 02/11 and it is still high.
The doctor ordered another round of stool
testing which I am expecting results from
at any time.
I am expecting a call from a local
hospital to schedule a CT scan of my
abdomen and pelvis.
My symptoms vary quite a bit. I have
diahreah every day about 3-5 times.
Sometimes I have abdominal pain that feels
like cramping. Sometimes I have severe
nausea but am unable to vomit. Sometimes
the foul burps come back and I ALWAYS
throw up on days that they do. I have acid
indigestion/heartburn frequently as well
which is something I never experienced
prior to the onset of this illness. I also
sometimes have a strange feeling in my
stomach like tingling or numbness. PLEASE!
If you have any idea of what might be
wrong with me, post a response. I would be
happy to answer and additonal questions
that may arise.
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kimb1048
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 28 Location: , TN
Posted: 02-13-08 12:39pm
My husband was having similar problems but
not everyday. But many days a week he
would go sometimes 10 times a day. He had
a colonoscopy and many other test....did
test positive for H Pylori. Gave him
antibiotics and said it was IBS. He was
told to start taking fiber. I thought his
doctor was a quack. Who would tell
someone with diarrhea to take fiber.
Anyway, he got some Metamucil and started
taking it. A week later....he started
become regular. Now, when he does skip
taking it a few days...he will get
diarrhea.
Have you been to a Gastrontologist or had
your gallbladder checked? My husband also
had Acid Reflux/GERD and they put him on
Protonix which really helped. I hope they
figure out whats going on. Good Luck
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poisonangel168
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 32 Location: High Ridge, MO, USA
Posted: 02-13-08 12:48pm
Yes, I've been to a gastroenterologist and
he performed a colonoscopy and prescribed
some medicine called hyoscyamine but it
didn't really help. At first he said I
might just have ibs but when he realized
my white blood cell count was high he
ruled it out. My gallbladder was checked
when I had the abdominal ultrasound and
everything looked normal.
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Galaxy
Supporter
Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 512 Location: U.K,
Thanks: 5
Thanked:0
Posted: 02-13-08 13:09pm
It's beginning to sound like some sort of
food intolerance, is it not?
I have been ill for the last few days with
identical symptoms (except that in one day
I went to the toilet more than 20 times!
It seems there is an outbreak of viral
gastroenteritis in my city and it is very,
very nasty. I am only telling you this to
let you know that someone on this planet
is sharing your misery right now!
PS Try a plain water fast for 24 hours
then gradually introduce simple foods like
rice, carrot etc, one at a time, to see if
you can isolate a trigger.
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kimb1048
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 28 Location: , TN
Posted: 02-13-08 13:12pm
How elevated was your white blood count?
Inflammation or stress can cause your
count to be elevated as well as an
infection. I am sure that you are
stressed and you are more than likely to
have inflammation due to your symptoms.
Have you had any bleeding?
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poisonangel168
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 32 Location: High Ridge, MO, USA
Posted: 02-13-08 13:27pm
They said the white blood count was
12.8...I'm not exactly sure what that
means though. I am 20 years old, if that
helps. I have had bleeding but the
gastroenterologist said that he found
internal hemorroids, so I guess that's the
cause. The doctors are leading me to
believe that since my white blood cell
count is elevated, there must be something
wrong with me. Is this true?
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kimb1048
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 28 Location: , TN
Posted: 02-13-08 14:04pm
I think the normal range is 4.3 to 10.8.
If that is true then yours doesn't seem
that high. It could be stress or
inflammation. Your colon has to inflamed
due to the diarrhea. Have they tested for
food allergies? I don't think the doctor
should rule out IBS though. Also, when
you get the results of your latest stool
sample....see if white blood cells were
found....it could mean an infection.
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Galaxy
Supporter
Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 512 Location: U.K,
Thanks: 5
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Posted: 02-13-08 14:05pm
I believe your white blood cells readings
can be elevated when your system is
reacting to an allergen.
I note they do not seem to have returned a
reading for giardia. Your symptoms are
similar. Check it out.
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Galaxy
Supporter
Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 512 Location: U.K,
Thanks: 5
Thanked:0
Posted: 02-13-08 14:10pm
Giardia: Symptoms of infection include
(in order of frequency) diarrhea, malaise,
excessive gas (often flatulence or a foul
or sulphuric-tasting belch, which has been
known to be so nauseating in taste that it
can cause the infected person to vomit),
steatorrhoea (pale, foul smelling, greasy
stools), epigastric pain, bloating,
nausea, diminished interest in food,
possible (but rare) vomiting which is
often violent, and weight loss.
Taken from Wikipedia article.
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poisonangel168
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 32 Location: High Ridge, MO, USA
Posted: 02-15-08 17:29pm
I just got my most recent white blood cell
count results. It has now risen to 16.9.
I had a ct scan of my abdomen and pelvis
yesterday that came back normal. My
doctor has scheduled me for a pelvic
ultrasound on 02/19. He said that if they
still don't find anything they are going
to order some kind of test to check on the
functioning of my gallbladder. If that
comes back fine, I'm going to be referred
to a hematologist.
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poisonangel168
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 32 Location: High Ridge, MO, USA
Posted: 02-15-08 17:32pm
I also received the results of my most
recent stool tests and nothing was found.
I have been tested for Giardia (and many
other things) several times now and the
tests have all been negative.
