The gut is called the second brain because it is lined with 100 million nerve cells. It reacts when we are nervous, and during especially stressful times, people's digestive systems start going haywire. Add a poor diet of sugar, stimulants and fatty processed foods, and by the time people turn middle age, nearly everyone has had some digestive issues.
The good news is that our gut is a big part of our intuitive warning system. The bad news is that many intuitive people suffer from digestive problems.
I started this topic so we could put our G.I. problems and possible solutions in one place. This forum is not a substitute for medical care, and we don't prescribe or do medical diagnoses here, but we do offer ideas and share helpful stories and links to further information for anyone struggling with digestive issues.
I don't often post on here but I know some of you are good at sending healing energy. I could sure use some right now.
Right after Memorial day my whole digestion just went on the blink. I think I had an ecoli infection; vomiting, you name it. it got better then worse again and by the time I got to the doctor I was tested negative for anything. That was over July 4th. Now a month later I'm still messed up, my issue now is heartburn daily, very raw and painful. My doctor wanted me go get a colonoscopy done; I'd just had one two years ago and suspected she was just covering herself. I'm calling this week if something doesn't change.
This all hit me right during the BLM uproar on TV nightly. That didn't help. I've been avoiding even reading a lot of discussion boards just to avoid the stress. There is a personal element in all this; I've lost most of my friends the past few years- over Trump. It's just a perfect storm right now. My wife does Reiki and has been doing that for me all this time. Any comments, suggestions welcome.
hi @martin , the best thing i have found for heartburn is baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)in water. It tastes terrible, but will relieve it almost instantly. I never measure, but about 1/2 a teaspoon for a glass of water, dissolved. Actually, if you put a very small amount in the water, it taste really good- like fresh rainwater. But for a bad case of heartburn you probably need to put enough in to make it bitter. Hope you feel better soon.
Were you also tested for COVID? Because if not, do that asap. Many cases of COVID begin with GI issues. I'd rule that out before getting probed again. In fact, a colonoscopy should be a last resort in this case, not a first line of testing. You may need to go to a rheumatologist and an immunologist to rule out a bunch of stuff. Also, I'd ask for an abdominal CT scan first - the GI stuff might be secondary to something else, and they won't find anything outside your colon if they don't look elsewhere.
Feel better in any case.
Is it your family doctor who is recommending a colonoscopy, or a gastroenterologist? Just wondering what tests you've had thus far. I'd investigate further if I were you.
I will say that I've had a number of gastro issues for the past two months. Nothing definitive has come up, but I do have a history of IBS. It's been years since I've had symptoms. In my case, stress plays a huge part with how my body responds. And let's face it -- this has been an incredibly stressful time for everyone.
I have a good friend who has also experienced some major gastro problems this past month. She also developed a low-grade fever and was severely fatigued so they tested her for Covid, which was negative. Her fever lasted two days. Her doctors have no idea what caused it, so they're speculating that it was some stomach bug. It's all very strange. She's better, but is still a little under the weather.
I will pray that you find a resolution, and will include you in our group healing meditation on Wednesday.
@Martin, We are not diagnosing or prescribing here, just offering some ideas in an educative way. But one common cause of that much heartburn, other than eating the wrong foods, is hiatal hernia. Have you checked it out?
What are you eating? If you have IBS, as Deetoo was mentioning, I didn't think it caused heartburn but it can cause terrible abdominal pain. Some of the worst foods are garlic and onion or the white part of any allium, although IBS sufferers have different food intolerances, but it always comes from foods with certain short-chain sugars that the small intestines can't digest. There's an IOS app that will list all of the IBS-inducing foods. And yes, stress will exacerbate any of these issues.
There are some recent food recalls because of salmonella and coli. Perhaps you may have eaten some item?
Is it your family doctor who is recommending a colonoscopy, or a gastroenterologist? Just wondering what tests you've had thus far. I'd investigate further if I were you.
I will say that I've had a number of gastro issues for the past two months. Nothing definitive has come up, but I do have a history of IBS. It's been years since I've had symptoms. In my case, stress plays a huge part with how my body responds. And let's face it -- this has been an incredibly stressful time for everyone.
I have a good friend who has also experienced some major gastro problems this past month. She also developed a low-grade fever and was severely fatigued so they tested her for Covid, which was negative. Her fever lasted two days. Her doctors have no idea what caused it, so they're speculating that it was some stomach bug. It's all very strange. She's better, but is still a little under the weather.
I will pray that you find a resolution, and will include you in our group healing meditation on Wednesday.
Its my family doctor. She's part of a large medical group that I suspect tell their doctors to push this. I had two recently, one in 2016 then another in late 2017, they had me come back because there was a larger ployp that needed surgical excision, they apparently got it all that time, but then started pushing me to come back in for a followup after six months, our insurance woudn't pay for it that soon. I just cannot see doing this now, but it looks as if I'll have to to get a referral to a GI doctor.
This all began suddenly after Memorial day, I think it may have been some parasite inection from lettuce or something but it sure seems it ought to be over by now, I've now lost ten pounds with it. I got tested for that but got a negative. I always feel fine when I get up in the morning. Once I eat something it starts in. I get relief in the evening after dinner. Been trying homeopathic with some relief but usually it doesn't last. Thanks to all for the encouragement. Also for inclusion in the healing.
I always feel fine when I get up in the morning. Once I eat something it starts in. I get relief in the evening after dinner.
Obviously I'm not a physician, nor do I play one on TV, but this sounds decidedly like a serious stress/anxiety issue. If you feel okay in the morning, and then you feel worse through the day and better in the evening, it seems to me that it's just following the stress pattern of your day. Morning = low stress, stress/anxiety increases and peaks through the day, and then evening = lowered stress/anxiety because the day is over, so symptoms subside. Perhaps investigate that angle if you haven't already?