About a year ago, I went to see my OB/GYN for bloating, cramping, and pelvic pressure. I was sure I had ovarian cancer. I didn’t. My doctor sent me to a internist. She tested me for celiac disease. Nope, not that, either, although I did follow a gluten-free diet for a couple of months thinking maybe it would help. It did not. There were other tests I could have taken — one would track an egg moving through my body — but my tummy troubles subsided, and so did my pursuit of an answer.
Eventually, the discomfort came back, then it went away, and this has been the pattern for quite some time now. If I eat healthy, my stomach sometimes hurts. If I eat junky, my stomach sometimes hurts. Often, the pain is so great it makes me want to cry, and at night, I curl up in the fetal position and will myself to sleep. I usually feel better in the morning. To try to cure myself, I’ve played with what I eat and how I eat. I’ve found some recipes that soothe my system — my favorite is a brown rice cake with peanut better and sliced red grapes on top — and I’ve eliminated a few items I believe were twisting up my insides (lettuce). Still, although I can go weeks without symptoms, they always sneak up and cause me at least a day’s worth of sick. This is why I contacted the internist again. She referred me to a GI specialist. I saw her today.
My new doctor believes the culprit might be chemo drugs, which could have mucked up my system. Antigen was the word the doc threw around, and she has ordered a bunch of blood tests, plus a surgical procedure to take a biopsy of some of my intestines and stomach. I will also submit to another test, which will hopefully explain some issues that might be related to my big ‘ol babies (10 pounds, 9 ounces and 10 pounds, 2 ounces). They probably did a number on my pelvic health, my GI friend said, so this test will help investigate further.
I went to the doctor today hoping she wouldn’t just throw meds my way in an attempt to mask what’s going on. She didn’t. For that, I am grateful. She wants to locate the cause of my complaints — I like that. I also went to the doctor today in no way suspecting cancer treatment might come up the guilty party. I’m not surprised, though, because cancer never really goes away. It might not be threatening my life right now, but its presence is always with me.
Beating cancer is half the battle. Living with its aftermath is the other half.
Jojo on 6/16/2012 at 12:32 am said:
If I didn’t know better I would think you were writing about me! You are describing my tummy troubles exactly. Only I had mine before chemo. Recent DR visits havent yielded any answers. It’s frustrating. Right now I’m concentrating on my fiber intake but the truth is I have no idea what helps and what hurts… Frustrating. I hope you post answers if you find any!!
Jacki on 6/16/2012 at 12:43 am said:
I am right there with you — no idea what triggers the episodes. I will let you know what I find out, and maybe you can request some of the same tests. Best wishes for tummy health
Charlotte on 6/22/2012 at 6:58 pm said:
Jacki, I feel your pain because I am suffering from similar ailments after my chemo five years ago. I have tried gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian. To no avail. There seems to be no pattern for this trouble.
Have you ever considered taking probiotics on a daily basis? It didn’t solve my problem but it eased it considerably.
I did take probiotics for 4 months straight after finishing chemo. Because of my consistent tummy aches my family physician recommended the daily dose of probiotics (until the rest of my life). The underlying assumption: chemo killed so many of our natural, much needed bacteria in the lining of our intestines that they might never have gotten fully restored.
All my best, Charlotte.
Hari Thrivikramji on 8/26/2012 at 1:40 pm said:
We have launched enterade – r, a medical food for hydration during radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Hydration rejuvenates the cells of the intestine and helps you cope better with the intestinal side effects. Please visit our website at http://www.enterade.com to take a look. Since enterade – r is a medical food, please talk to your healthcare professional if you are planning to take it. These statements about enterade – r have not been evaluated by the FDA. enterade – r is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.