I've been quite sick for the last 5 days or so.
 

I've been quite sick for the last 5 days or so. But today I was much more concerned. I've been getting dizzy spells alot lately and my hands and feet swell up really bad while they are happening. Not only that, I get like all clammy and cold and start sweating. I've had a really sharp pain in my lower back on the left side...it feels like it's inside hurting something...and now for the TMI...every time I've gone to the bathroom today, there's been blood in my stool. Not in my urine though. Anyone know what might be going on? Should I be freaked out now...I made a dr's appointment, but have to work tomorrow now, so I can't go. I'm a little worried.

uh, I'd call in sick to work. Because this sounds like a serious problem that only your doctor will be able to solve. GO!

blood in your stool is nothing to fool around with... Call in sick to work and get to the doctor. don't freak out until you know what is going on... but be proactive... don't wait for this to get worse.

if you feel miserable and you are worred about your health, how effective are you going to be at work...

Ah.. sounds like a kidney stone to me. I get the same symptoms during every attack.

You're going to have to live with these recurrent kidney stones for the rest of your life but your doctor can give you some special suppository medicine :)

If it's not a kidney stone, it could be a kidney infection. When I had a kidney stone, it didn't have sharp pain, just kind of an achy lower back. It definitely sounds like something to do with your kidneys though, and that means a trip to a doctor ASAP.

Well, I saw a doctor as soon as I got off of work today. They think I may have developed an ulcer because of all the stress I put my self under....Looks like I'll be having some tests done and an ultrasound and such.

Ulcer? I've got an ulcer too but haven't got any of those symptoms. If it was an ulcer then you should be having an unbeliable stomach ache and not any pain in your lower back. Also I've never heard of blood being a sympton of ulcer either but what do I know.

I kinda hope that it is ulcer because that's treatable and will dissapear within months or a year. But kidney stones are a recurrent problem :|

Also current medical research says ulcers ARE NOT caused by stress like originally thought, but by bacteria.

I would really second guess that doctor.

I beg to differ. I know mine was caused solely by stress.

I still don't believe that. It was a certain unpleasant experience that, a few days later, started my ulcer. I wasn't given any medicine to cure an infection but solely to increase the high level of acid in my stomach.

MOD POST:

Originally posted by Daniel_ before he realized he was in the ladies' lounge... reposted for all your benefit due to specific knowledge and insight...

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The tendency to get ulcers is caused by Helicobacter Pylori infection. Not everyone with H pylori infection will get an ulcer.

It is true that stress can increase acid secretions, and that in turn can give you an ulcer if you were already infected, but curing the infection will cure the ulcer even if the stress and acid stay.

Saying that stress causes ulcers is like saying that anger causes shootings. Stress makes them worse, but unless you have the infection no amount of stress will give you an ulcer.

Treat the infection and the ulcer gets better.

The discovery of this bacteria and the near miraculous effects of curing it with a simple drug that costs pennies (rather tan a lifetime on an expensive one) was the reason that this years Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded.

Daniel_ has it alright. My Dad was diagnosed with a H_ Pylori infection, treated and his symptoms improved. He'd left the infection go so long though that he had a stomach ulcer and heartburn. The infection had caused acid reflux that ended up scarring his esophagus and leaving him with chronic acid reflux.

I myself ended up with thrush because of the H_ Pylori causing acid reflux. My Dr told me that it's so very common to have the infection without many symptoms that most people just pop antacids when they should really be getting treated for infection.