abdominal pain-seeking suggestions/help

August 25, 2002

I've been diagnosed as 'perimenopausal' since May. I also started

having panic attacks. Since then, I've been having abdominal pain-

alternating diarrhea/constipation. I also have 2 small 1.57 inch

uterine fibroids on the right side of my uterus (not sure if those

could affect the abdomen). Sometimes my abdomen feels like it is

raining acid. (On zantac 1/2 tab of 75 mg (total 150 mg qd) ac & hs).

Hyperactivity. No blood seen. Dr. says " no blood on one stool occult

blood test. " She seems to think I have colitis. I lost 15 pounds and

cannot tolerate my diet. I have nausea/vomiting nearly every day and

am on a very restricted diet. I am also very reactive hypoglycemic

which is the key issue. My drs. want me to have a colonsocopy and

also a GED. I need HELP trying to figure out a diet that I can eat

which will suffice so that my blood sugar does not severely drop. Has

anyone else gone through this? My dr. says I will continue to lose

weight through the peri phase and this is the worst time in my life.

(No kidding but it's so disabling). Thanks in advance. I really need

help trying to get through these tests. They want the panic attacks

under control first. I am doing the best I can but can't tolerate a

lot of meds. The drs. are tring an antiseizure med on me now. I want

to add a touch of Prozac which I was able to take but not sure if it

will mix w/ this med.

August 25, 2002

You sound like a patient I had a few weeks ago.

Acupuncture and herbs was able to fix her up in 4

treatments and she was unwilling to alter her diet. My

guess would be an herbal formula known as chai hu shu

gan wan or Shu gan wan if that doesn't work. From a

chinese veiw what you have is liver qi stagnation and

liver over acting on heart and stomach. I usually

don't like to try and diagnosis or suggest on email

like this but it is pretty classic signs. Find a TCM

doctor in your area.

bob

--- aquakat_01 <aquakat_01 wrote:

> I've been diagnosed as 'perimenopausal' since May. I

> also started

> having panic attacks. Since then, I've been having

> abdominal pain-

> alternating diarrhea/constipation. I also have 2

> small 1.57 inch

> uterine fibroids on the right side of my uterus (not

> sure if those

> could affect the abdomen). Sometimes my abdomen

> feels like it is

> raining acid. (On zantac 1/2 tab of 75 mg (total 150

> mg qd) ac & hs).

> Hyperactivity. No blood seen. Dr. says " no blood on

> one stool occult

> blood test. " She seems to think I have colitis. I

> lost 15 pounds and

> cannot tolerate my diet. I have nausea/vomiting

> nearly every day and

> am on a very restricted diet. I am also very

> reactive hypoglycemic

> which is the key issue. My drs. want me to have a

> colonsocopy and

> also a GED. I need HELP trying to figure out a diet

> that I can eat

> which will suffice so that my blood sugar does not

> severely drop. Has

> anyone else gone through this? My dr. says I will

> continue to lose

> weight through the peri phase and this is the worst

> time in my life.

> (No kidding but it's so disabling). Thanks in

> advance. I really need

> help trying to get through these tests. They want

> the panic attacks

> under control first. I am doing the best I can but

> can't tolerate a

> lot of meds. The drs. are tring an antiseizure med

> on me now. I want

> to add a touch of Prozac which I was able to take

> but not sure if it

> will mix w/ this med.

>

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August 25, 2002

I'm post menopausal - I can identify with most of what you express except the

stomach problems. That could be related to food allergies or the blood sugar

problems - you may be prediabetic and I'm surprised your doctors have not done a

glucose tolerance test. The Atkins diet and some common supplements should

solve your hypoglycemia problems as well as your panic attacks. The stomach

problems may possibly fall into place in the process. Go to the following and

read symptoms http://atkinscenter.com/Archive/2001/12/14-753571.html Use the

search on his site to read more on what you are experiencing.

Atkins diet and supplements solved my anxiety attacks and got me off

antidepressants including Zanax. Such medications are short term solutions for

symptoms but you will be dependent on them until the underlying causes are

resolved. When I went on them, I felt better but I never felt good. Over the

long term, I felt worse and worse. Now I feel great. Our bodies go through

some major restructuring of hormones at three periods in our life - puberty,

pregnancy/childbirth, and andreo/menopause. During these periods, the hormonal

rhythms are unstable and not synchronized with other body rhythms. Add to this

deficiencies from diet, particularly B vitamins and amino acids (necessary for

healthy neurological functioning) which result from low fat diets, and problems

created from the consumption of too much sugars, these periods can be real

psychological roller coasters. Andrea Yates is a good example of how bad such a

period can be, especially when the doctor is too focused on using

neurotransmitter medications without understanding endocrinology.

In addition to Atkins diet, I take his multi vitamin and antioxidant. I'm also

taking 5-HTP, Estroven and DHEA (available at your drug store) to help

hormone/menopause issues. Atkins has a menopausal supplement but I haven't tried

it yet - similar ingredients. I still had trouble with body temperature

regulation and added additional magnesium to help my body's production of

hormones. That worked. I take flex seed oil, avoiding Omega 3 because some

research has raised question that supplementation of this may be carcinogenic -

I prefer to stay on the safe side and include fish routinely in my diet instead.

Just as prescription meds have some negative sides, so do some dietary

supplements. Don't assume they are safe because they are sold over the counter -

some can create worse problems than they solve. I check things out in medical

publications before I take them, get my doctor's opinion and a friend's opinion

who is a scientist. Of those I am taking, everything indicates they are safe.

I'm not a doctor and I wouldn't suggest you break from them or do anything

without their consult. Atkins will not either and recommends a physical exam

first. The nausea and weight loss could be a sign of something else serious.

But if you tell your doctor you want to try a low carb diet and supplements,

they should work with you. You nausea alone would suggest you prime candidate

for malnourishment and if nothing else, vitamins ASAP. Whether you take

prescription meds or dietary supplements beyond vitamins, bear in mind they all

are chemical compounds and subject to inter-reactions so your doctor needs to

know all you are putting in your mouth when he writes a prescription. You want

to be careful mixing 5-HTP with Prozac for example. If they are not willing to

work with you or blow Atkins as a quack, get a different doctor. Diabetes II is

considered epidemic in this country (US) right now. There are researchers in

various fields from cancer to neurology to diabetes to arthritis to heart

disease etc.etc. throwing focus on carbohydrates, the overproduction of insulin

and their involvement in a lot of pathological problems. While not necessarily

all figured out and established for fact which takes many many years, there is

enough research going on that an MD should be aware of it. If they are not,

then they either are not reading and staying current as they should, or they

have other agendas which merit distrust. My doctor is not an advocate of Atkins

and nutritional supplements but he is well aware of this research and he was

willing to work with me since I wanted to try it. His only critisism was that

many people found it too restrictive in what you could eat and had trouble

staying with it - Sugar Busters being easier to follow. He definitely agreed

with cutting sugar out of the diet and as he said, there is respectable argument

for it and if it works, great. (And it has worked for me).

I got thrown into panic being told I had fibroid tumors. I changed OB because

she had a bad habit of saying things or doing things in such a way that I

frequently got thrown into panic. To make a long story short, I still have them

(6 years since being told). I don't think they necessarily are any big deal as

we age but quite common. If your Pap smear came out negative, I wouldn't worry

about them right now. Address your more pertinent issues.

-

aquakat_01

Gettingwell

Saturday, August 24, 2002 6:04 PM