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Other Questions

recurring indigestion For a few years now I have been suffering from indigestion, but over the past couple of years it has got worse. I can go for a week without much in the way of symptoms, then for a week or more I will have symptoms which include wind in centre of upper abdomen going into back, wanting to burp. Sometimes there is tenderness under my breastbone and tightness in chest. The symptoms are worse if I drink alcohol the night before, which I understand is the alcohol irritating my stomach. I had an ovarian cyst a year ago and thought the symptoms might be to do with this but the consultant said not. I subsequently had the cyst removed and it was benign. I have been taking prednisolone, formerly cortisone acetate since I was around age 17, I am 53 now, and I understand this can irritate the stomach. Due to the symptoms being almost permanent, I had an endoscopy recently but this was normal, there were no ulcers, hernias etc. I have also been tested for H Pylori virus which was negative. I do suffer from quite severe stress and am wondering if the indigestion is just down to this, although I can get the symptoms when I am not feeling particularly stressed out. I am going back to doctor but wanted a second opinion. Could you advise what the possible causes of my symptoms are, bearing in mind tests have all been normal. I have a little peace of mind now as I was worried about stomach cancer (I am a worrier) but I am still having the symptoms and it is affecting my quality of life. I also take bisoprolol for high blood pressure and thyroxine in addition to prednisolone.

perianal abscess hi i have recently been told i have a perianal abscess by my gp and he prescribed me flucxocillin 3days ago. They pain has eased but where it was like a solid lump it now feels soft and the surface has what looks like a boil with no head on it and also area is red. Should i be concerned or do you think the antibiotics are working. I have had 3 perianal abscess in the last 18 months due to my crohns thankyou

crohns i have a severe pain in my anus which i have had now for about 4 days, it gets worse when i cough and it hurts when i am sitting. i tried a warm bath last night but the pain is much worse today i have noticed a small amount of blood but i am used to this because of my crohns, i have noticed no lumps or anything around the area but it is too sore to touch. what could this be?

Thread Worms and health problems that seem to be related. Hi, This is a really embarrassing question but I have been convinced that I have persistent worms for months...my symptoms started out as itching especially at night and I was finding little white what seemed to be bits of cotton around the area in the shower. I have tried Ovex and Pripsen several times and it worked to begin with but they came back and then it got to the point where the medication was doing nothing. As well as the worm symptoms I began to get intense soreness of the vagina which I've had for a while and cystitis like symptoms...After a few months of this I began to get symptoms like tiredness and dizziness, and then not long after that I was getting breakouts of sore skin around my mouth and pins and needles almost like a burning sensation in my hands, I have no energy whatsoever and I'm also getting memory lapses (I'm only 28)....I had a blood tests which were all non conclusive...the main thing they were looking for was pernicious anaemia and my vitamin B12 level was 85...I also did the cellotape test for worms which again proved inconclusive...I'm really confused as to what is wrong with me...I'm not sure I have the worms anymore but I'm still itching (not as much as before) and my stomach feels "odd"...Would be greatful for any advice on this as I'm so confused...Could it be another kind of parasite? Do I have an auto immune disease and how do I find out?

Digestive problem 2007- Gall Bladder removed. Jan 2009- started with severe diarrhoea- up to 8 times day. Given Imodeum to control it. Mar 2009- started with pain in same place as gal bladder- u/r under rib & under r shoulderblade . Had ultra sound - nothing found. Told had 'dispepsia' & given Omniprazole then Ranitidine- taken until Dec 2010 - no improvement . June 2010 had 'flare up' in addition to normal pain (mentioned above) had 'burning' over whole of rhs under rib + under rhs sh'blade. Felt generally ill / tired + severe diarrhoea. Recovered after 8-10 days. Next 'flare up' was in Dec 2010. Worse than June. Same symptoms + cold sweats; feeling cold; too weak to get out of bed without help; itchy skin (particularly on face/head). 3 days in bed + 7days feeling poorly. Feb 2011-another 'Flare up' similar to June. Since Dec 2010 have had itchy skin-given Colestryamine powder- helps but not completely-does reduces diarrhoea! Daily pain schedule!! woken 4-5 am severe in front + ache in back; recedes to lower level on getting up;increases 5-10 min after breakfast -may recede again to lower level after an hour or so; increases after lunch as at b'fast; sometimes not so bad later in day but always have some pain. Intermittent problems:- 'burning' sensation (under whole of rh rib + under rh sholderblade) at any time lasting for few hours, quite often starts after bowel movement; diarrhoea- especially after meals. Have noticed 'position' effects strength of pain:- Sitting in upright chair V Bad - reclining 45 deg much better. Can improve during exercise although returns soon after. Diagnosis IBS. General- have under active thyroid & dry eyes. Second opinion please!

weekly heartburn and constant burping Hello for the past few weeks i have been experiencing heartburn between 1-2 times a week at different times of the day (not during the night though). It came on all of a sudden and i have been unable to locate any known triggers i.e. foods that bring it on. The periods of heartburn can last anywhere between half an hour - a couple of hours. When I dont have indigestion/heartburn i have constant burping which doesnt look very attractive. I do not suffer from IBS and have never experienced anything like this before. I have tried antacids, gaviscon and have been taking zantac every 3 days in the hope it'll go away. If i dont take 1 zantac every few days the symptoms reappear again. Any advice?

Amitryptiline and anal fissure treatments Hi, hope you can help with my ongoing anal pain. I last made contact with you several months ago after having sphincterotomy as last ditch attempt to resolve problem. To summarise, After hard bowel movement I developed fissure in nov 2009.slow to heal but did so after approx 5 months, despite this visible healing the pain remained, pain was sometimes dull sometimes burning and felt around site of fissure and just inside rectum. Prev to sphincterotomy I tried diltiazam and 3 botox injections. MRI showed all clear. Have now seen 3 consultants including a referred pain consultant and all with differing views, one thinks pudendal nerve, one thinks hypersensitivity following fissure and other feels it to be chronic pelvic pain syndrome. I have been prescribed 10mg amitryptyine which has helped but not cured. I also notice spreading zinc and castor cream on area helps a little. Before I make another decision on more sgy/treatment would welcome your view as obv not easy diagnosis. Pain on ami has reduced from an unbearable 8 to a 5 and always worse when sitting. Questions I have are - 1. My gut feeling says hypersensitivity as feel it has to be related following fissure but know little about, can you tell me more what this os and more imp will lit go on it's own or is this a lifetime prob. 2. Have read a little about cpps , can this be fissure linked. 3. Is it safe to take amitryp long term. 4.sorry to ask, but what would you do as feeling at a loss.

Coeliac Disease and NHS reforms Can you please tell me of the 'Opportunities for care of patients with coeliac disease in the light of the new NHS’? I would like an indepth answer please. In order to complete the next stage I need to fill out the gender and age of the patient. However as age and gender is irrelevant for this question, I have just stated female, 30 yrs. Thanks

Can I go ahead with a third operation for rectocele? I am a 65-year-old woman. I have had 5 children, normal delivery. I am on HRT (Elleste solo 1mg) and I have been on HRT since I was 50 and I intend to stay on it. Around 2000, I had a vaginal hysterectomy with posterior and anterior repair (of course, neck of the uterus was removed). Then in 2008 I had a cystocele operation. I now need, I believe, a rectocele operation as I was told by a specialist nurse that I also had a slight rectocele. This is now giving me a lot of problems (whenever I spend a penny I need to pass a motion - all through the day I feel uncomfortable down below as I feel a rubbing within the vagina). I was told never to be constipated, so I take Fibogel, prunes, etc.(Movicol does not suit me). If the motion is too soft I feel I cannot hold, if the motion is too hard it presses even more. I also have the feeling that I can never empty my stools thoroughly every time. I am seeing my GP on Jan 6th next year. Should I insist on being referred for a further operation? Meanwhile is there anything I might do to ease my problem? Before my second cystocele operation my doctor tried to fit a pessary but it did not work. Therefore I do not believe that this is the solution. Many thanks *************

severe itch I have a very itchy anus and surrounding area that wakes me up at night it gets so itchy. I drawn blood with the vigorous scratching

pain in my right buttock that occasionally runs down my leg Hi hope you can help. I've got a pain in my right buttock that occasionally runs down my leg, my right buttock is also swollen. I have had this pain for 10 weeks. Starting at around the same time I also have an embarrising problem, when i make love to my partner there is a strong smell of poo. I am a female 45 years of age , no children

Terrible Anal Itching I have always suffered with minor anal itching but it has never interfered with my day-to day life. I have never got to the bottom of it but it was indicated that I probably had a bit too much salt in my diet or something. Last year I was referred to a specialist becase I seemed to have an anal prolapse and there was more than the usual itching. However the main problem was the prolapse. It was diagnosed as an Anterior Mucosal Prolapse and the specialist performed a "banding" exercise twice which seems to have sorted the prolapse problem out. When I went back for the final appointment I pointed out that there was still a lot of itching and he said that this would go, especially if I used wet wipes and vaseline. It was all to do with the mucus. It is now some 9 months later and the itching is worse than ever! to the degree that it is affecting my normal life, I can't go swimming because it hurts where I have scratched, Underwear and nightwear gets covered in blood, I can't sit still for long without having to get up and have a good scratch (always drawing blood), I am kept awake at night scratching to the degree that I am so tired when I have to get up (this is also keeping my husband awake), sometimes I must scratch myself through my clothes or I would go mad and this causes embarassment if someone sees. I have asked my GP and a Pharmacist but they don't have any answers although the Pharmacist suggested something called Lidocaine but this only anaethetises it when it hurts but doesn't stop the itching. I am getting to the end of my tether, surely there is an answer?? Is it diet related or is it something I just have to live with??

Heartburn and white stools HI i have had heart burn for a week and have had it before but it,so much worse this time.After eating I an belching all the time it is so uncomfortable it now keeps me awake it hurts right at the top between my breast bone and I have just been to the loo and have white stools. Please can you advise I am female and 48.