How are you?

I know it is quite dull reading these health posts of mine, I had always intended to keep this a happy, work free whinge blog but I feel the need to post about my health in case others are going through the same thing. Also I keep hoping that some people will come forward who may be able to help me... these are my previous posts.

 

So when I last wrote in June I was so pleased to say that I'd been diagnosed with Helicobactor Pylori. I started a course of 2 antibiotic for 7 days and a gastro resistance one for 45 days which wasn't at all a nice experience. I've hardly ever taken antibiotics so to take 2 types was a lot and I suffered the usual of metallic taste, sore throat, hot flushes etc... but I continued as my head felt so clear. Once I stopped that and continued with the gastro resistance it was awful as I suffered extreme bloating/trapped wind and swollen painful ankles that I had to go back to the doctors. He advised me to stop taking the medication as I didn't have long left and to watch everything sort itself out which it did. He told me to wait 2 weeks before doing another test and not before... I ended up waiting 3 weeks which was agonising as the stomach pain was slowly coming back, the tiredness, the seriously painful ears etc... They tell you to wait 10 days but I knew it wouldn't take long for the test to come back as last time I gave it on a Wednesday and heard from them on a Monday. This time it was a Monday so I knew if I didn't hear from them by Friday it would mean it was negative... Friday came and went... I ended up waiting until Wednesday the following week and then went to see the receptionist who told me it had come back. The next morning I got an appointment and went to see the doctor.

 

I knew straight away on seeing him that he was no use to me, he looked like the type of person you'd have a joke around with and not in the least bit serious. Well I went in, asked about the H.Pylori, as imagined it came back negative, so I was completely devastated as I'm back to square one of my battle. I mentioned my symptoms were the same and I've probably still got it, I was made to feel like a complete idiot because if the test is negative... it is negative!!... its not the case at all as I've read on many forums since I found out I had it that it can be negative but actually still have it. The doctor I saw in July said as much himself but he was on holiday at that point so there was no way I could just as easily go back to see him (why can't things be so straight forward!). He wouldn't move off his view of this. I then asked him to explain my symptoms as I'm in agony, he then went on to say I should take Lansoprazole, that's the best thing. Well that is the gastro resistant tablets that I had to stop taking, I was confused so in the end I said that I'm sure those are the ones I stopped taking due to the side effects. Again I was made out to be lying or a complete idiot because he claimed they have no side effects, he said it about 4 times 'they don't have any side effects'. In the end I got him to check a) if those are what I had taken ~yes~ b) what the side effects of it are which you click on that button to do... oh! It does have the side effects you mentioned on it. Never once did he apologise. By this point I'd already said I think I will need to see someone else which he said by all means get a 2nd opinion (insert colourful offensive words here). He then turned to me and told me I was really indecisive about what I wanted... excuse me! You are the doctor, not me, what do you suggest? Eventually he agreed to having a complete stomach scan to check all organs etc.... but I'm not sure if it will show me having any kind of bacteria still there, I hope that it can as I'd hate to have to push to have a camera put down my throat. I also asked him about maybe having allergies, maybe something like Lactose Intolerance and is there a test, he told me to stop eating certain things as no tests were available. I said to him I could just stop eating altogether then. Reading up later I found Lactose Intolerance has a fasting test available where you have to drink something to see what your levels do! Shows how much he knew.

 

After this appointment I came home quite upset. I came online and decided to have another attempt at trying to find a local place I can go to to have an allergy test done. I'd found some online that wanted around £150- £400 which I wouldn't mind spending but its a lot of money to put trust in a company on the internet but also its quite hard to image having to take your own blood. Anyway I first came across an article that said know the difference between an allergy and an intolerance. That got me thinking as I'd really struggled finding allergy testing places. I typed in Intolerance tests and the first one that came up was The Intolerance Test Group. I was completely taken to this one as it was so simple, you send in hair, all communication is done through an e-mail so no need to worry about waiting for a phone call and trying to find a time for them to phone me due to my hours and you pay through PayPal. The bonus of it all is that the intolerance test is £45 to test 600 food and none food items. I paid an extra £5 for the nutritional test too as they test a further 80 things your body needs and to be honest I've never even heard of 85% of the list of things listed so its worth it.. I'm now waiting patiently to see if anything comes up. Its something I've considered a long time but didn't know how to go about it until this year to be honest when I started looking things up.

 

For a week I was in absolute agony as to put it nicely I'm seriously constipated. On the day I went to see him it felt like I had a brick in my lower abdomen, I couldn't sit, walk and was so uncomfortable. I've always had pain in my lower abdomen or on the side which is maybe why it was hard for them to pick up I had H.Pylori before hand as I didn't have the typical heartburn, indigestion and I can eat like a horse (which shows!). I had some Senokot which I bought in February so I took one for about 2 days which eased things a little but I didn't want to take too much as the doctor had completely ignored that I was in pain and didn't even tell me what to do. I knew that now with the scan being agreed to, none of the doctors will do anything until that is done. I've forgotten to mention that my ankle pain has been one thing that has never been sorted, there are days I can't stand up first thing in the morning and have almost killed myself by almost falling. These were absolutely horrendous in this week so by the following Wednesday I had spasms all the way up my left leg that I was practically dragging my leg. I went back to the doctor as imagined he didn't want to do anything with a scan on the list. He also refused to even consider that I may still have H.Pylori, he said it will be IBS which I will only now consider if all tests done don't come up with anything. I'd mentioned I'd taken some Senokot which he was pleased with and told me to continue with it for another 10 days! That just showed what a joke the whole thing was... I took it for 2 and on the 3rd day I woke up with a slicing pain in my abdomen. I've not taken any since but can you imagine if I took it for 10! I feel at a complete loss as they haven't helped me in the least bit. I also mentioned to him about the test just to see what he'd say. He told me to save my money as these things are pointless but its not any better then what you are doing for me.

I now need to wait until this scan is done but I haven't in 2 weeks received an appointment so who knows when it will be done.

 

I've been keeping on top of my blood pressure and actually purchased a machine to check. The reason was that my ears were so painful I also couldn't bear it but my 24 hour check isn't until 2 weeks away (I've had this appointment since June which is such a long time to wait). I knew the doctors wouldn't do anything so on buying my machine I was shocked to see it was normal (117) so it didn't make sense. I typed in painful ears on the internet and came across this website, I decided to try the one where you hold you nose and breath. To start with it worked for an hour or two then started hurting again but after doing it a few times its helped a lot.  Since all this stomach problem its slowly going up again so probably by the time I have my test it will be on an all time high. I will then be given a prescription to deal with that instead of the actual thing causing it.

Oh! I will just have to wait and see how things go. Wish me luck!