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[Robin]

Hi DD It got things moving for me too but caused loads of pain so I had to stop. I was told to start with tiny amounts and build up the quantity slowly as it's known to cause pain in some. It might not be the actual cause of your problem but be irritating wherever the initial issue was. Hope you manage to get an appointment x

[Robin]

Have you tried movicol? It's really gentle  on the tummy so might be worth asking your gp if you can try it if you haven't already.

[Dancinggirl]

Droppydrawers - when did you have your endoscopy?  You may need to have this again to see what's going on. If you are already on a PPI and if you symptoms are it is acid reflux, then it is not doing it's job. PPIs like Lazanprozole are not good to take long term because they can lead to osteoporosis and other digestive problems.  You could need a referral to a gastroenterologist and I'm afraid if this is ongoing you should insist you have further investigations.   If it is simply a hiatus hernia then this can be helped with certain strategies but you are understandably anxious and this constant pain should not be left.
If you are getting constipated then drinking lots of water, eating more fibre and getting more exercise, like walking, would be helpful and could ease things considerably. Also eat small amount often. 
DG x

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

A gastroenterologist told my friend to take flaxseed daily and it really helped her constipation however you need to grind the seeds before you eat them. I put mine in a coffee grinder and grind them to a powder. I agree that it's worth starting slowly and building up as your body needs time to adjust and the necessary bacteria need time to grow.

Droopydrawers - I hope you get sorted soon, I know how horrible any digestive upset can make you feel.

Take care everyone.

K.

[Droopeydrawers]

Thanks ladies I'm already doing all of the above recommendations and since stopping the hrt its been nowhere near as bad these last two weeks but still bad enough to stress me. I popped into gps earlier and explained to the guard dogs also known as receptionists that i was still having pain and would really like to see a gp she offered me a nurse I said no thank you I've seen the nurse I need the expertise of the gp now the nurse discharged me because they found nothing in stool sample but the point is I'm still in pain so need further investigation to which she responded we make 2 week advance appointments on Mondays only so come back then.so cold and robotic and obviously in the wrong type of career.ive actually made a private gp appointment now for Wednesday.earliest I could get.ridiculous but what choices do we have these days.fingers crossed I get some answers before I fade away lol.x thanks again everyone D.D

[Robin]

Absolutely shocking! How long does something have to go on for before it's taken seriously. There are many things that wouldn't show up in a stool sample. Don't give up DD x

[Dancinggirl]

I am feeling really angry about the awful service many GPs now give - I have lost all faith in what the NHS can give us.

We have a young girl of 21 in our village and for a year she was going to the doctor complaining of bad stomach pain.  She told the various GPs she saw that she was being sick after eating and she was loosing weight very quickly. She told me she was actually sleeping on her bathroom floor because she couldn't be away from the loo to be sick! Each time she went to the doctor she was dismissed as suffering IBS or an eating disorder - one doctor just told to her to go home and eat properly. 
Her mother finally stepped in and insisted they investigate.  The poor girl was a by now 6 stone, she had an MRI scan and within hours they had operated to remove a big section of her small and large bowel as there was a tumour!  She has been diagnosed with Acute Leukemia that is very advanced. If the GPs had listened, done appropriate blood tests or even examined her properly she'd probably be a in better situation now but because she is so frail the treatment is going be particularly difficult.
Sorry for the rant - but it makes my blood boil. DG x

[Rosie63]

What an absolute disgrace.  I appreciate these receptionists are only doing their job but we help to pay their wages with what we contribute into the state and they could at least try to show a bit more compassion with people who are obviously in distress and suffering.  It's so wrong that many of us have had to pay to see a private doctor because it's impossible to get an appointment with a GP. 

Sorry to rant but it makes me so cross 

Rosie x

[Snoooze]

That's terrible Dancinggirl but I think when the GP's don't listen, people should just go to A&E. At least you can get seen and assessed and they seem to me more thorough there with tests.

[Conolly]

Hello DD and ladies,


DD, are you taking vitamin D and calcium? I had bad tummy (and asymptomatic kidney) issues because of HIGH vitamin D and calcium levels. These supplements are too powerful. Vitamin D is actually a hormone and calcium causes the kidney to activate vitamin D, which enables the digestive system to absorb more calcium, so taking both can make your metabolism go haywire.


Snoooze, I agree. If you think your body or mind are having serious issues you should go to A&E. GP's are ok for routine appointments and that's it.


Conolly X

[Droopeydrawers]

Hi conolly I'm now taking but d3 and k2 in a combi spray that you use orally but no calcium I didn't want to risk supplements so I went lactose free so I could have milk in cerial or yoghurt.ive just had bloods done.well 2 weeks ago actually and it's very comprehensive I've included ovarian cancer check and h pylori checks amongst a zillion other things lol.its a 28 page report which flags anything untoward and the last page is a summary of recommendations if any.for gp.the company I used were great and it was under £200 for this and ecgs they've been very thorough so I am hoping for the report b4 I see the private gp on Wed.its due any day now.ive had scans and stool tests I won't let them do invasive and nothing's showed I'll arrange a c.t. or mri when I see this gp they can do it there.i don't drink or smoke and my health and my family are paramount to me so that's why I pay rather than wait on the off chance the nhs.can squeeze me in and even when they do I'm still told no further action when it's obvious somethings not right.hopefully these tests will conclude things.dont get me wrong I do feel for our system but at the same time I'm angry that it fails me so often and in the space of 15 years I've had to go private more and more because of this.thank you again all xx D.D

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

Dancinggirl - your story of the young lady is very disturbing.  When my MIL was alive she was occasionally visited by her GP and on one visit he commented that her very large stomach would soon disappear  because he had prescribed drugs to reduce water retention. My MIL later joked with us that this wouldn't happen because her stomach was solid as it was basically fat! It was then that I realised that the doctor had not examined her because if he had he would've learned that her belly was hard and not soft! I think that with 10 minute appointments and computer screens to update there isn't time for the old fashioned hands on approach.

Our health service is buckling under the strain and we will all suffer when it's gone.

Take care all.

K.

[Hurdity]

Hi Droopeydrawers

Haven't seen you before so  - maybe introduce yourself in new members and tell us something about yourself - how old where in menopause etc?

Nausea is common if oestrogen levels are too high although this usually settles ( like in pregnancy) - I'm not sure it is known for causing ongoing gastric and digestion problems when taken transdermally although this is a very common issue with tablets. According to something I read IBS tends to worsen as hormone levels fall - although I expect this is another area where more research is needed.

It is important to investigate any ongoing digestive or gastric changes, as you are doing (and especially if it has persisted after stopping HRT anyway) - but this can all be done on NHS  - they have a duty to diagnose and treat you - and you should not need to pay!

Hurdity x

[dangermouse]

Once you get the NHS gastroenterologist appointment they can be very thorough, I had endoscopy, ultrasound, CT and MRI all within a few weeks. However, I had to wait 6 months for the first appointment as the waiting lists are so high for gastroenterology.

I was admitted twice by ambulance with a suspected bleeding ulcer but they refused an emergency endoscopy each time as they were just too overwhelmed.

My nausea was so strong that I lost 2 stone, and figured out by myself it was peri, during that wait but had the tests for reassurance (and they did find benign growths on my liver from high oestrogen) but was dismissed each GP and A&E appointment with “go home, stop worrying and eat something”.

Yes we shouldn’t have to seek private treatment but the reality is very differently unfortunately.

[Droopeydrawers]

Tonight I'm not feeling so sore so I'm hoping that it's as a result of my oestrogen levels dropping now I've stopped hrt but I'm just guessing.once I get these results and see private gp I'm sure I'll know more and I'll update, right now desperation makes us clutch at straws and I guess I'm clutching like nobodies business lol.it would be ideal if nhs was available to help but unfortunately it's just not happening and I'm not hanging around on the off chance especially with the waiting times now.that is if you can even get a gp appointment.thanks ladies for all your input.D.D