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Help me please if you can

First of all, I am so embarrassed to be writing this, but I am way to mortified to tell anyone in person what's going on and I'm really scared. I'm still in my 30s, and I have three kids two are little and still at home- they need me healthy. I'm a single mom. I have several herniated disks in my lower back that cause me a great deal of pain. This last year I have lost about 40 pounds total. I have been obese my entire life and now I'm at 115 lbs, NOT TRYING TO LOOSE. I often have severe pain after I eat anything, especially on my right side. I recently developed some lumps in my stomach, and I went to my dr , but he said it was just stress and maybe a little hernia and possibly some small bowl adhesions? He acted like I was completely over reacting. I asked for a CAT scan just because that's all I could think of, in JUNE, he still hasn't done that. Now what really scares me and I'm so sorry it's so gross, I have now had twice that I woke up in poop. It is so devastating. I have a seizure disorder as well and I was hoping that maybe the first time I had had a seizure in my sleep and maybe that was the cause and that MAYBE IT WOULD NEVER EVER HAPPEN AGAIN!!!! Now it happened again. I dont know what to do. I sure don't think that this is normal... I'm not even 40 years old!!!! I'm too embarrassed to tell my doctor.
 
I am sorry for all you are going through. I would go to a GI. They have heard stuff like this before. I know it is not easy. Let us know how you are.
 

Scipio

Well-known member
Location
San Diego
Don't be embarrassed to tell your doctor about this problem. That's what doctors are for. I guarantee you he/she has heard much worse. And the doctor can't help you with problems that he/she doesn't know about

Go to your doctor and say just what you've told us.
 

valleysangel92

Moderator
Staff member
Please tell your doctor, they are used to dealing with this sort of thing and honestly it will be water off a duck's back. If they refuse to listen then ask to see someone else, you can't be made to keep going like this. Loosing that amount of weight without intending to is a clear indicator of something not being right and is a big red flag for conditions like Crohns disease.

I know its not easy to talk about, but honestly you did the right thing in reaching out. You are right, your kids want a healthy, happy mum, and you have a right to not be left to suffer. I can't stand the way doctors these days brush patients off.

Go back and insist on the scan, if they still don't get it done then find someone who will.

If you get severe pain, start to pass high levels of blood or start to get sickness on a regular basis, especially accompanied by a temperature, then present to an ER.

If you have any further questions or concerns then please ask, there is really no need to be embarrassed, we have all been where you are now and we are all in this together. No one here will think any less of you and there is no such thing as a silly question.
 
Hi there. I've just seen your post and was wondering how you are getting on.
Have you made an appointment to see a doctor yet?

I can only echo what's been said above. When I had my first symptoms I was mortified at having to go to see my doctor, and that's after having worked as a nurse myself!!

But the one thing that made me go was a thought that came into my head and wouldn't go away ... How can I ever risk having to say to my children "Mummy has a nasty illness that can't be made better because I was too embarrassed to go to the doctor and now it's too late".

At the time I was frightened that I had bowel cancer and so I knew I had to act quickly. It turned out to be Crohn's Colitis. I was so pleased that it wasn't cancer, although my husband did say "But at least they can cure bowel cancer" - he's so reassuring!!!

Now I always encourage my kids to be as open as possible about these things in case they ever have to go through it themselves.

So please take the plunge and get seen. It IS awful and embarrassing but your doctor has seen and heard it all before. As a nurse I cleaned up more 'accidents' every week than I had hot dinners (is this an international phrase?? - perhaps an unfortunate choice of example!!!) and I can honestly say my only concern was for helping and maintaining the dignity of the person I was caring for. A decent doctor should be the same.
 
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As the others have said, go and tell your doctor what you said here. That is what the doctors are for. They should be understanding, and they cannot help you if they don't know what is going on.

There is no reason to be embarrassed about this. The very same thing has happened to me while sleeping, at work, driving my car, waiting in line at a public bathroom, and other places over the years.

The sudden weight loss is also an indicator of IBD. (Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis).
 
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