General I wonder if there is something wrong with his stomach or if it is ptsd?

[Never_falter2]

@Friday I should have explained this better: They couldn’t find anything wrong with him and that’s why our gp said his lousy diet was the reason for him feeling unwell. Gap let vet write down what he ate for a number of days and was shocked. But then my guy changed his diet - still feeling unwell.
When I write nothing wrong I mean to say nothing that contributes to gut issues. Gp gave him a general check-up and found out he has something in his blood that can lead to diabetes if he continues to eat junk food or indicates that he might get diabetes? I am not sure however how I understand it you can see from his blood now that he might get diabetes later... and that his cholesterol was not okay, nothing really bad but he had to much of one kind of cholesterol and not enough of the other which can also be caused by lousy diet... and he wasn’t happy with his weight and told vet (who isn’t happy with his weight too) that he was borderline obese which pissed him off. Otherwise he is very healthy and our go said it was like a small wonder considering his diet.

However back to topic. He changed his diet and still has gut issues. So it wasn’t the diet. So it was something else, right? so I think he should go back to go or go see another gp.

 

[LuckiLee]

Exactly what kind of tests has your husband had done? Blood work? Colonoscopy? Ultrasound? X-ray? Did they send a stool sample to the lab? ...

And do you know for a fact that he actually went to see the doctor?

 

[Never_falter2]

Colonoscopy, I think they tested his blood if there is everything okay with his hormones and his electrolytes (that words always made me think of idiocracy). He went for an ultrasound of his thyroid and an ultrasound of his stomach.

In addition but that has nothing to do with this they tested his cholestetol (that wasn’t as it should be), his blood sugar (and there was something wrong, but not diabetes), tested his pee for whatever (he did not have anything then but as I said had bladder infection later), did an cardiogram (everything okay), looked at, err, I am not sure how the English word is. It has to do with the liver. Everything okay with his liver.

 

[Mee]

Pre diabetes or syndrome X can be detected; it’s a great opportunity to address things.

Re other stuff, ‘the body keeps the score’ is not a new book but a good one.

Worth noting: things like fibromyalgia can impact the digestive system.

 

[Rollercoaster4]

I have done loads of research and even contacted research studies. My SO and father struggle with GI issues, after tons of tests, diet, meds...they both still struggle. In a nut shell it came down to "they were exposed to something overseas", "its anxiety driven exacerbating IBS" all leading to the conclusion of managing symptoms and diet. Idiopathic IBS (urgh). They both still have episodes and I feel for them because it can be a huge barrier at times. But they both say it's the least priority on their list. I'm sorry he is dealing with that and as a supporter it can be hard especially when you are trying to support by ensuring a healthy diet because that is a component to being able to cope and maintain health. I'm sure it is difficult for him and frustrating.

 

[Never_falter2]

@Mee Sorry for the stupid question, but isn’t fibromyalgia something you notice (because you had a lot of other symptoms too).

@Rollercoaster4 Did they mention exposure to what exactly overseas they thaught caused this?

 

[Sweetpea76]

@Never_falter2 did he end up with dysentery while he was deployed? Or parasites?

 

[Rollercoaster4]

@Never_falter2 did he end up with dysentery while he was deployed? Or parasites?

No question is a dumb question.


Father actually had parasites then was put on a medication regimen but still has episodes of GI issues. SO no parasites but what it came down they are dubbing part of the gulf war syndrome which OEF OIF vets fall under. The theory is when they were overseas they ate food or in the water they may have been drinking they were exposed to "something" that here stateside they had never been exposed to disrupting the stomach lining. Add on chronic anxiety and when his flares up past his baseline anxiety his GI issues act up. They both were told to manage stress/anxiety, fiber, and diet. Diagnostic testing is really the only way to rule out but in both cases here the GI problems didnt go away. SO is more open about it now because I use to get frustrated when he would say "I'm sick" or we would be waiting for an extra hour to go eat or he would flat out not eat, well what good communication does...because when he said what he felt like and what was going on I knew he was sick and not avoiding situations but rather stuck in the restroom. Search gulf war syndrome IBS or even Combat PTSD IBS. Could be good starting points if you havent read any research/info on it.

Just throwing this out...the trauma reminder/memory could also cause an individual to become sick to their stomach. When SO has nightmares or has a flashback he becomes sick to his stomach- memory reaction.

 

[Never_falter2]

I googled it and was mega shocked to learn that there was strong evidence for a connection between ibs-c and combat ptsd.
I was shocked to learn that this link was so strong that the American VA has determinated that ibs-c can be classified a combat related disability.
Vet was shocked, too, when I told him. He knew that there was a link between ptsd and ibs-but not that it was that strong.

Vet did not use to be that honest about this first too but I noticed. It’s not easy not to notice in his case, but in the past I did not know how bad it was sometimes... and now he is quite honest about it... and even tells me when his stomach hurts which is something he would be ashamed to say in the past but now he tells me and I am happy he does.