Sorry I haven't been able to reply in a while. Here's what happened since the last time you've heard from me: after almost a week of nausea and vomiting every morning, and after taking the medicines (ranitidine etc) despite me not being sure whether it is helping or not, the nausea and vomiting has disappeared, and it's been about 2 weeks now that I woke up normal. I've also found out that I poop almost everyday and it was loose stools. However today I woke up having that shortness of breath again but no nausea/feeling to vomit, and after drinking warm water and my mum massaged me, I went to the bathroom. This time it's not loose stools, it's more to solid, so I guess it's back to normal? After that I feel much better. I had breakfast but couldn't eat a lot because I had that uncomfortable fullness feeling.
Since last I posted here, my condition has improved, though this morning showed to me that it may come back. I don't know what's causing the shortness of breath every time I wake up, and it gives me a headache. My stomach doesn't feel anything but I think it's the one that's affecting the shortness of breath.
Yes, I think I am lactose intolerant, because I can't take milk/cream with tea or Milo or any cocoa drinks, because it upsets my stomach in a way that can only be resolved by pooping. However if I eat cereals with milk / drink fresh milk, 99% of the time I turn out okay.
If there is a health center/ facility and/or a registered dietitian in our university, I don't know about it. Frankly, I think educational institutions in Brunei don't realise the importance of having those in the institutions. We have to rely on ourselves, so we usually deal with our health problems privately, by going to the public hospital/ private hospital. The public hospital is free for locals and permanent residents (just $1 fee), but there are often a lot of people (not overcrowded though) and all these years of me going there to see the doctor, the doctor only sees me for not more than 10-15 minutes. I think that they don't see my problem as something serious, all they do is just check my heart rate, blood pressure, ask me questions, and then prescribe my medications. They always say it's gastric but last time I went there and told them that the symptoms were different they said it was epigastric pain.
So I don't know if I should go there again and asked to be referred to a specialist, so that I can request for an endoscopy (should I get one?). Or should I go to the private hospital? I don't know how much it's going to cost me, I can't afford much. How much does it usually costs for a consultation over there in the U.S.?
Also, in the link you gave me, it says that I should see a doctor right away if I have these symptoms:
frequent vomiting
blood in vomit
weight loss or loss of appetite
black tarry stools
difficult or painful swallowing
abdominal pain in a nonepigastric area
indigestion accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, or pain that radiates to the jaw, neck, or arm
symptoms that persist for more than 2 weeks
I had frequent vomiting, weight loss/loss of appetite, and indigestion accompanied by shortness of breath (no sweating/pain etc). It also says that if the symptoms improve, it means that the condition is improving too. So should I still see a doctor or just let myself recover naturally first and then if I'm still showing problems, see a doctor?
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Hi,
Sorry I haven't been able to reply in a while. Here's what happened since the last time you've heard from me: after almost a week of nausea and vomiting every morning, and after taking the medicines (ranitidine etc) despite me not being sure whether it is helping or not, the nausea and vomiting has disappeared, and it's been about 2 weeks now that I woke up normal. I've also found out that I poop almost everyday and it was loose stools. However today I woke up having that shortness of breath again but no nausea/feeling to vomit, and after drinking warm water and my mum massaged me, I went to the bathroom. This time it's not loose stools, it's more to solid, so I guess it's back to normal? After that I feel much better. I had breakfast but couldn't eat a lot because I had that uncomfortable fullness feeling.
Since last I posted here, my condition has improved, though this morning showed to me that it may come back. I don't know what's causing the shortness of breath every time I wake up, and it gives me a headache. My stomach doesn't feel anything but I think it's the one that's affecting the shortness of breath.
Yes, I think I am lactose intolerant, because I can't take milk/cream with tea or Milo or any cocoa drinks, because it upsets my stomach in a way that can only be resolved by pooping. However if I eat cereals with milk / drink fresh milk, 99% of the time I turn out okay.
If there is a health center/ facility and/or a registered dietitian in our university, I don't know about it. Frankly, I think educational institutions in Brunei don't realise the importance of having those in the institutions. We have to rely on ourselves, so we usually deal with our health problems privately, by going to the public hospital/ private hospital. The public hospital is free for locals and permanent residents (just $1 fee), but there are often a lot of people (not overcrowded though) and all these years of me going there to see the doctor, the doctor only sees me for not more than 10-15 minutes. I think that they don't see my problem as something serious, all they do is just check my heart rate, blood pressure, ask me questions, and then prescribe my medications. They always say it's gastric but last time I went there and told them that the symptoms were different they said it was epigastric pain.
So I don't know if I should go there again and asked to be referred to a specialist, so that I can request for an endoscopy (should I get one?). Or should I go to the private hospital? I don't know how much it's going to cost me, I can't afford much. How much does it usually costs for a consultation over there in the U.S.?
Also, in the link you gave me, it says that I should see a doctor right away if I have these symptoms:
frequent vomiting
blood in vomit
weight loss or loss of appetite
black tarry stools
difficult or painful swallowing
abdominal pain in a nonepigastric area
indigestion accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, or pain that radiates to the jaw, neck, or arm
symptoms that persist for more than 2 weeks
I had frequent vomiting, weight loss/loss of appetite, and indigestion accompanied by shortness of breath (no sweating/pain etc). It also says that if the symptoms improve, it means that the condition is improving too. So should I still see a doctor or just let myself recover naturally first and then if I'm still showing problems, see a doctor?
Thank you for your help Alison! It's a step.
February 5, 2009 - 7:25pmThis Comment
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