Question about health

Just as an aside, is your garden-variety MD up-to-date on this?

Some will have the basics....most will not. They're usually pretty far out of their depth with this stuff, but honestly, so is my endocrinologist. He's a bit of a dummy and I have to help him along rather a lot; poor guy.

It's not the best situation when you're dealing with this crap and want a professional to tell you how to fix it, but the best way forward is to read as much as you can from RELIABLE sources (pubmed.gov for example...or google scholar if that's too intimidating) and go in ready to ask a million questions. You have to be your own advocate. It's harder to do here because of the snail's pace that everything moves, but it is doable.

In terms of doing your research, look for literature reviews that summarise the latest research and find them by searching key terms...i.e. IBS, Crohn's disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, thyroid dysfunction...you can set google scholar to give you only reviews and only things written in the last 5 years...which will overwhelm you, but again, its about formulating questions not understanding to 100%.

Thanks Rdoherty15 - Really interesting reading. Thanks for taking the time to respond - much appreciated.

Gastroenterology and autoimmune research scientist here....

I generally tell folks to stay off the interwebs for health advice because people are hideously ill-informed and will feed you ALL KINDS of BS, but as you're sensible and already have a GP appointment....it could be several things- what it is almost 100% NOT is an 'adjustment to UK food'....have your GP test for the following:

1. Hypothyroidism- basic blood test for TSH, T3 and T4 (they usually just do the TSH, which is enough to get you started)-if TSH is high (above 3) they'll give you replacement hormone, but also push for Hashimoto's antibody test...all hashi's is hypothyroid, but not all hypothyroid is hashi's.

2. Celiac disease(basic blood test-if positive, you win an intestinal biopsy, yay!)

If #1 is positive, you have your answer (it will be a lifelong endeavour to sort your hormone level but that's another post)...if #2 is positive, you'll be referred to a gastroenterologist. If you're in or near Oxford, that specialist will be at the John Radcliffe and do come round and say hello

If neither of those things, ask for a referral to a gastroenterologist anyway...who will then investigate lots of more complicated things and determine if you have 'run of the mill' IBS- for which diet is key (FODMAPs...ginormous pain in the ars*, but it works)- or what could be a mild form of Crohn's or colitis.

Would highly recommend not introducing anything new (i.e. supplements or probiotics) until you chat with your GP. Changing things with over the counter drugs, well, changes things...and makes it much much harder to figure out where your symptoms are coming from.

An aside regarding the posts re: fibre...a low fibre diet is strongly correlated with obesity and subsequent colorectal cancer. Eat your leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables people.

Good luck! This stuff is no fun...I both research it and live it (I've got hashi's and my husband has crohn's)...but solutions do exist!

My grandma, my aunt and my mother all have/had hypothyroidism. Called my mom last night. I don't have all the symptoms or the same ones she had but I guess anything is possible.

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My grandma, my aunt and my mother all have/had hypothyroidism. Called my mom last night. I don't have all the symptoms or the same ones she had but I guess anything is possible.

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Hypothyroidism presents differently in different people. Some folks put on lots of weight; others find they have massive mood swings. The list is LONG because the thyroid is a key regulator of numerous downstream hormonal activities...and it is very, very, very genetic...and up to 10x more likely in women than men.

Hypothyroidism presents differently in different people. Some folks put on lots of weight; others find they have massive mood swings. The list is LONG because the thyroid is a key regulator of numerous downstream hormonal activities...and it is very, very, very genetic...and up to 10x more likely in women than men.

Do you maybe think my birth control is messing with? Long shot. I was already on this birth control for 6 months before these stomach issues arose.

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I wouldn't say I've put on lots of weight. Maybe 8 pounds. But I'm bloated a lot so I often feel huge.

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Do you maybe think my birth control is messing with? Long shot. I was already on this birth control for 6 months before these stomach issues arose.

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Certainly possible. We modify hormones at our peril is my general view on that. I gave up on hormone based birth control over a decade ago and have never looked back. Menstruation is actually a really good indicator of how things are going thyroid-wise (and often things like PCOS are secondary diagnoses in folks with hypothyroid), so like with other supplements and 'extras' that change the underlying physiology, my recommendation is just to....not.

Keep in mind, too, very few people have just one autoimmune disease. This is likely due to the genetic modifiers involved in autoimmunity in general, but often, as with PCOS and hypothyroid, people will have IBS or Crohn's/colitis along with thyroid dysfunction and, say, a skin disorder like vitiligo. This of course makes it tricky to determine what's actually going on, but usually one of the diseases will be more problematic than the others and if you control that one, everything else kind of sorts itself out.

We modify hormones at our peril is my general view on that. I gave up on hormone based birth control over a decade ago and have never looked back. Menstruation is actually a really good indicator of how things are going thyroid-wise (and often things like PCOS are secondary diagnoses in folks with hypothyroid), so like with other supplements and 'extras' that change the underlying physiology, my recommendation is just to....not.

When I was a very young person my older sister started Depo-Provera and it was not a happy reaction.  After watching her, and seeing how long it took for her to get even close to balanced again (I'm not convinced she ever get back to "normal", or healthy), I rejected anything that would alter my body chemistry.  I liked me the way I was, and I didn't want to jeopardize that.  Besides, as far as BC is concerned, I have always been far more concerned about STDs than unplanned pregnancy, and if I was already using protection for that I didn't see the need to mess with my hormones.

Lots of great advice here. I would say my only thing to add is, be prepared to be persistent.  Your GP will probably say take some buscopan, take some omeprazole.  If these things don't work ,go back. Be a thorn in their side. Good luck. 

Lots of great advice here. I would say my only thing to add is, be prepared to be persistent.  Your GP will probably say take some buscopan, take some omeprazole.  If these things don't work ,go back. Be a thorn in their side. Good luck. 

This.  A million times this.  The NHS is great - but you definitely have to advocate for yourself.

This was exactly me when I lived in London. I had put on 10 pounds for no apparent reason and my stomach illnesses became a living nightmare. I've never had an iron stomach but it got unbearable in london but I've improved greatly and here's the things I've learned for what's it's worth:

1) When I was in London, I didn't have much luck with GPs. And I was never referred to a specialist. I was prescribed immodium :/ which helps but obviously not a great solution. But a lot of my coworkers were having the same issues and they referred me to a nutritionist. I ended up going some tests and found out i tested negative for SIBO but positive for yeast overgrowth. i went on a candida cleanse and took supplements, it helped but not enough to the point where keeping up a very very limited diet was worth it. i still take candida cleanse supplements though and i do think it helps. point being, if you can get tests, that obviously helps a lot. if you strike out from GPs, try a nutritionist.

2) Stress was a huge factor. When I moved back to the states, it was really tangible how stressed my body was from living in london. im not sure where you are but the pace of life in london is very taxing. im still trying to navigate this too but CDB oil has helped a lot if you can get it.

3) Gelatin capsules. Sounds really random but I've probably had the most success with these out of everything. I've found the GNC women's gelatin capsules work the best.

I'm still dont have an iron stomach by any means but I'm waaaay better than I was. I hope these help! I know how awful it can be and wishing you luck