I know, I'm fully of TMI. Actually I'm full of a lot of stuff :P Yesterday I had another appointment with my gastroenterologist and got a couple of answers. Finally something makes sense!
First of all I have Splenic-Flexure Syndrome. It's similar to, and sometimes considered part of, IBS. The bowel below the bend (flexor) near the spleen (splenic) empties out okay, but above that it gets bored and stops moving along.
The other issue I have is Generalized Dysmotility Disorder. Or maybe it's Global? Oh whatever. Basically the muscles that move food through my digestive system don't always get along.
A few years ago I had tests done on my esophagus because everything was getting stuck when I swallowed. After dilating the esophagus I still had trouble. They did an esophageal manometry study (not fun) and discovered a motility disorder. It's not really anything that can be "fixed", just dealt with. So I chew carefully, swallow in small amounts, and drink plenty of water with food and pills.
I have also suffered for quite a while with severe constipation and have now had several tests done and several treatments attempted which didn't do much. Last week I had a Stiz Marker Study done -- took a pill with a bunch of little rings in it then had an xray taken every couple of days until they were all gone. Everything cleared out perfectly. Except that it usually isn't that well behaved >scratch head<
The conclusion, which suddenly has light-bulbs popping on above my head ever since, is that I have generalized dysmotility disorder. My esophagus isn't the only one that doesn't move things along properly. Food doesn't always empty at the right time from my stomach, and then it sometimes gets "lost" on its way through the rest of the digestive process. The doc said that if he did a lower digest manometry where they insert a balloon and watch its progress, the results would most likely show the bubble go along fine, then go backwards, then forward again, then wander off.... kinda like the way my writing / speaking is, LOL.
There is no permanent solution to either of these issues, but the symptoms can be treated. Since the foreign matter of the rings had such a stimulating effect on the muscles, it is assumed that good old fashioned fiber in mega-doses should do the trick. I brought home a box (big box -- takes two hands to carry it!) of fiber supplement samples to try out before I bother buying anything. We should know within a few days at the most whether this will work. So far it seems promising.
Previously the docs have tried several "move-it-along" drugs / supplements, but not the classic cause if I had something wrong in my gut (actually a proper medically used term for intestines and stuff!) that could make things worse. And besides, the newer stuff is less offensive, lol. The stuff I'm on now is a tablespoon or so of straight psyllium that you shake up with water then chug down. Tastes like drinking an open cup of water that's been sitting next to an active table-saw, lol.
Anyway, so there's the story -- I think this is promising. It makes a lot of sense to me, so I think we're on the right track.
I have another appt coming up with the urologist. We're gonna see if there's anythign they can do to get rid of these kidney stones once and for all. I'm on yet another course of cipro which makes me really sick and miserable for at least the 7 day course. I assume the culture they did last week came back positive, cause they never called to say I should stop taking it. One body system at a time, though ;)
