anyone else had a bleedind ulcer ??

[kayleigh]

Has anyone ever had a bleeding ulcer......the doctor said he can't rule out that I have a bleeding ulcer after all my symtoms (heartburn tender tummy and black bits in stools) so he has reffered me for an emergency endoscopy in the next two weeks !!!!! In the meantime I have been put on omeprazole....... Anyone else had this ??

[holly1986]

right ok calm, you need to stop and think about this. NOT PANIC.

think, one, if this is a bleeding ulcer whats the worse that can happen? nothing.
The doctor has simply referred you as "emergency" because youre in discomfort, this is not life threatening whatsoever and whatever it is will be fixed in no time.

If its not that then dont worry your symptoms are very minor and will be relieved very simply.
Youre okay, i promise.
Holly x

[kayleigh]

Thanks holly I'm sorry if I'm doing everybodys head in but you know what its like when you have anxiety I was doing so well until last night aswell :blush:

[countrygirl]

There is a huge difference between a bleeding ulcer and one that is haemoraging ( sorry can't spell this!). My uncle had one that haemoraged and he literally had blood running out of his back passage and was vomiting large amounts of blood and he collapsed - this is very very very rare and you would be in no doubt that it was a medical emergency and would be rushed to hospital - a bleeding ulcer is not uncommon just like an ulcer in the mouth can bleed but does not ever haemorage if that explains it better.

The emergency bit refers to getting you a camera done in the two week rule and I bet you get your appt very soon. You Dr is already giving your the treatment the camera will just confirm his diagnosis but the treatment will be same.

Having had a few endoscopies I would def have the sedation - ask for max amount and then you will nothing about it! good luck

[Elsie]

Hi,

I have just been to the doctors today for exactly the same thing!!! The doctor has given me omeprazole to take too and i'm going to have a blood test and give in a stool sample :blush:
The doctor didn't seem really concerned but said that black material in your stools should always be checked out, and if the stool was positive for blood then I would have an endoscopy too.

I know exactly how you are feeling at the moment, but we are doing the best thing by getting it checked out.

Keep us updated,

Elsie.

[kayleigh]

Thanks countrygirl I will be getting sedated I can't even brush my teeth without choking so I don't think I'd be any good at having one of them lol xx

and I know elsie its horrible isn't it I keep expecting to suddenly throw up blood or my bum to start bleeding :blush: because I'm bleeding internally :blush: xx

I don't know how I'm going to get through the days waiting for this appointment xx

[Elsie]

It's the black bits in my stool that I can't stop thinking about, but i'm trying to be rational...easier said than done huh.
You will be fine i'm sure :)

Elsie.

[kayleigh]

Snap I was fine until I noticed it last night I was used to the heartburn..... I'm sure we will both be fine just this dam anxiety clouding everything as usual x x

[Elsie]

The joys of HA huh :mad:

Keep us updated, i'll do the same x

[Whatsgoinon]

i think you have hit the nail on the head there kayleigh, when we are anxious it warps our perceptions and remember this, its seems counter to what you might think but try and tell yourself this is the anxiety that is making me think and feel this way but the reality is not real (easier said than done i know). you have done everything right and there is nothing more you can do now, your dr definitely would have called an ambulance if it was a bad as you fear, but he didn't, try and rationalise it this way to yourself. You'll get through this :) and you'll be fine

[harasgenster]

Hi
Everybody's given you the right advice on the ulcer but I just wanted to say about the endoscopy - don't worry about it.

I've had one without sedation and it's totally fine. There's loads of nurses holding your hand and stuff, they do it really quickly, you barely gag and there's no pain.

Just letting you know because I was really anxious about it but I now know there's no reason to be.

I had omeprazole as well. It's fine with most people, made me feel a bit nauseous so I went on Nizatidine instead, but I know loads of people who've had it and say they didn't get any side effects at all.

[kayleigh]

Thanks guys I know ill bne fine just can't help worrying I'm not to bothered about the endoscopy cause I know its going to help and I've had one of the tablets and I'm fine so far lol I've been told to take two a day (20mg) x x

[kayleigh]

Oh yeah I also forgot to say he took my bp and said it was fine so surley if I had a bleeding ulcer that would be affected ?????

[countrygirl]

Hi Kayleigh when I told you about my uncle I was trying to make you realise the difference between something that needs treatment but is not life threatening and what he had. I can understand you worrying that you will suddenly bleed terribly but its very very remote and believe me if you did then you would be in no doubt that an ambulance was needed!!

Reading the post about having endoscopy without sedation everyone is different and it all depends on your gag reflex so given that you gag on your toothbrush then I personally would still go for sedation but don't worry about it, with sedation you really don't know a thing and its rather a nice feeling when you come to all relaxed and happy! The jelly legs take about 20 mins to wear off and I have to say that it is the most relaxed I have ever been for a short time:D

Remember IF you have an ulcer that is bleeding a bit then the tablets will already be allowing it to start healing.

[kayleigh]

Thanks countrygirl I know I sound like I'm going on I'm just really scared I can't get it out of my head my anxiety has gone through the roof :weep: I'm just scared incase I'm bleeding inside and don't know...... But if I was would I be in pain or be vomting blood or be bleeding from my bum ??:blush:

I'm so sorry for going on but I need to get it out

[Anxious_gal]

yes if you were bleeding internally as in losing too much blood you would know it!!!
you would be in a lot pain!

it's ok we all understand you are scared and your anxiety has taken over and you imagination has run wild :winks:

if you were bleeding inside your blood pressure would be low because you would be losing too much blood.

i hope your feeling a bit better :hugs:

are you on multivitamins or iron as they can cause your stools to turn black.

[kayleigh]

Right so I've got an endoscopy booked for valentines day !!
Some day I'm going to have......

Just hope ill be fine till then I've still got all the pressure under my ribs on the left side trying to sleep is as nightmare and its spreading round to the back of my left shoulder I'm just sick of it now xx

[Elsie]

Hi Kayleigh,

Hope you are ok, just wanted to give you an update on my tests. Blood tests all came back fine and stool sample pick up no blood and sample was full of black bits!:blush:
I've been taking 20mg of omeprazole everyday and touch wood i haven't had any further heartburn etc. Are you still on tablets?
Good luck for next week but i'm sure it will all be fine x

[WorryMan]

I thought I'd let you know about my situation as I think it will make you feel better. Last year I was feeling really ill, I thought I had flu as I couldn't walk without being breathless and my pulse was rapid. I spent most of the day in bed but during the night I had to go to the toilet but on my way I collapsed.

Long story short I ended up in A&E with a blood count of 6 (normal for a guy is around 11 to 15). Turns out I had a massive internal bleed. I spent over a week in hospital and had a transfusion, had more blood test than you can imagine including endoscopy and colonoscopy to try and find the cause. They believe that ibuprofen may have caused me to get the ulcer which then burst. I am now on Iron tablets trying to build up my blood stocks again.

The one bit of advice I can give you is try not to worry, as the chances are there is a rational explanation for your symptoms. If I had the choice I would take a slow gradual bleed over a fast catastrophic bleed any day! Please try not to worry too much as there are a huge amount of treatments for this kind of thing, but the chances are you will be fine.

Oh and please keep away from NSAIDs i.e Ibuprofen, asprin etc as they are one of the main causes for ulcers.

Good luck.

[Greenman50]

How long was youu takeing the ibruprfen for ? My stomach issues started after 6 weeks of takeing them everyday ?

[kayleigh]

Hi everyone thanks for your replys.....

Yeah I'm still on omeprazole and I have my endoscopy tommorow morning I'm not looking forwsard to it one bit..... I've been really anxious today because I was sick last night and I'm really achy today all over....

Still feeling really dizzy like I'm on arollercoasrer kind of feeling so now I've convinced myself again I'm bleeding internally.... But surley if I was wouldn't there have been blood in my sick last night ??

[kayleigh]

Also I don't know whether I mentioned I went to the doctors last week and she said I had an infection from testing my wee although she couldn't tell me what one and it was to late to send my sample off because they had already been picked up....

I was put on antibiotics and told to just take them( all gone now) but now I'm scared because of this aching and sick feeling even though I was sick last night and I'm also feeling a burning sensation down below even when I'm just sat here.....

Could feeling like this have something to to do with my kidneys I'm petrified I feel so ill