Please help me! System irregularity causing big issues

anfmusicgrl

Hey everyone! It's embarrassing that I have to talk about this in the open but I have never had these issues before and am looking for some advice. I am gonna give the background on what my issue is, so I apologize this is long. I really, really need some advice, because my constipation/regularity issue is beginning to affect SO MUCH of my day to day life.

Basically...the last 6 weeks I've had this crazy "cold/flu/infection" that wouldn't go away. I went to my primary dr., a walk in clinic, endocrinologist, and emergency room. I was diagnosed with everything from : mono, strep throat, chronic middle ear infection, Eustachian tube dysfunction, a viral infection, sinus infection to chronic sinusitis. I went through 2 rounds of antibiotics; prednisone 10 mg to prednisone 50 mg; flonase (nasal steroid); mucinex-d; antihistamines, hot packs, sinus irrigation, ibuprofen, ear drops for pain, ear drops for infection/inflammation; singulair.... YOU NAME IT.

Obviously, none of the dr's knew what was wrong, and probably thought I was nuts. It got to the point swallowing even my saliva felt impossible. I had wierd asthma like attacks where my throat felt like it was so swollen I coudn't get any air. None of those treatments helped anything. Every day I woke up feeling sort of normal...then as the day progressed I'd start getting a "post nasal drip", my throat would swell up, it hurt to swallow, and by the end of the day my ears wouldn't be draining and would begin building up with fluid.

FINALLY I saw an Ear,Nose,Throat specialist and he went in with a little scope with a camera on it...He said my pharynx and larynx (voice box and throat) were blood red, severely swollen, and speaking/swallowing etc were hard for me because of this. He said I had severe LPR reflux. It was causing my salivary glands to swell and produce a thick mucus, which then as the day progressed would start collecting at back of throat because of how swollen my throat was. Eventually leading to my Eustachian tubes from ears not functioning. This IS different from GERD that most people suffer from- with the normal heart burn or acidic burn feeling in esophagus. Read post below this if you want to know more about LPR vs. GERD.....

Anyhow, the biggest thing that has changed is that the last 2 months I've been irregular in terms of digesting food, etc. I have had IBS most of my life; and have always had the opposite effect. (using the bathroom tooooo much) Now, it is affecting me the other way. I am so backed up that my stomach is not digesting during the day. My stomach is filling up and it's making the stomach acids way more easily overflow...and with my LPR (the dysfunction of both esophageal sphincters) it in turn is burning my vocal cords, throat, ears, and nose...

Every morning...I feel ok. It is the only time I can use the bathroom though now a days if at all...By the end of the day my middle gets so bloated I have measured myself recently, and have anywhere from a 2-10 in difference in my waist. (YES 10 one day!!! and Yes I always measure same spot) I also have weird "gas/air" noises coming from up higher than normal toward the end of the day...like not my intestines but all above my belly button in my rib area. When I sleep..it's as if my system finally digests some food and when I wake up I look and feel mostly normal.

I eat plenty of food! In fact, last week to try and help things move along I upped my calories to like 2500 lol....didn't work. (and btw for those of you scared of high calories- I STILL lost weight)

Do any of you have any remedies that you have used for regularity?? I have no clue where to start because like I said, I've spent my whole life in the opposite situation....where I used the bathroom way too much. I would like to try natural things before I try any prescription medications.... Like- certain foods? drinks? meditation? stretches? vitamins? pro biotics? Over the counter remedies (that aren't harsh)?

Please, please help! (And remember...I do not have regular heart burn/acid reflux like most...so avoiding "spicy foods" etc is not something that will help..I'm looking for things to treat my CAUSE - the consipation, not the effects- the LPR reflux. The dr. put me on nexium to help with that.)

yarwell

One suggestion I found for LPR was:
• Limit problem foods:

o Caffeine

o Carbonated drinks

o Chocolate

o Peppermint

o Tomato

o Citrus fruits

o Fatty and fried foods

I'm reluctant to suggest anything for constipation, fiber is a popular suggestion but that will mean more stuff to process - it may be appropriate if constipation is caused by low quantity / long residence time and hard stools, but may not be with your situation - may just add to the amount of undigested stuff.

Have a read at http://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/heroin-and-ibs.html - describes a not dissimilar problem and how reducing fiber and grains plus reducing carbs helped. Hence my concern above about suggesting fiber.

Awkward30

I had the constipation problem a couple weeks ago, not with the other problems. I just had to take a couple laxatives on different days until I found one that worked. I couldn't go to work or the gym for a few days because I was in so much pain and crop dusting/loud and uncontrollable noises. It was awful, and only a fraction of what you're dealing with, so I hope you figure it out.