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What Causes Headache, Muscle Pain And Changes In The Consistency Of Stool?
Posted on
Thu, 4 Aug 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Thu, 4 Aug 2016
Answered on
Thu, 1 Sep 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : I have headache, muscle ache, change in bowl function ( not diarrhea) urgent with gas but formed stool, with change in color, darker than usual. The stool size has also changed from being the diameter of a quarter or larger to diameter of XXXXXXX or smaller. Colonoscopy was negative. Stools for blood, ova a parasite negative. Symptoms have been going off and on since just before Christmas of 2015. GI Dr. has not come up with a diagnosis. No fever, all lab work negative. Did have a mildly elevated CPK level that corrected within one month. Next step?
Brief Answer:
imaging, food intolerance testing
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
There are a few other imaging tests I would suggest. One is an upper endoscopy that can look at your stomach for pathology. Next is a CT scan of the abdomen with oral and IV contrast to look at the rest of your system. The CT is really the only way to get a look at the small bowel since upper endoscopy and colonoscopy cannot get into the small bowel.
If those are normal then I suggest food intolerance testing. Surprisingly sometimes people have intolerances to the strangest and unexpected things. I have a physician colleague that has a reaction similar to yours if he eats chicken. He discovered this through food intolerance testing.
The company I would suggest to do the testing is Genova. Only a doctor can order this test and many doctors are not familiar with this type of testing.
If you look on the Genova site they can locate a doctor for you in your area that does this type of testing. Here is a link to their website.
https://www.gdx.net/product/igg-food-antibodies-food-sensitivity-test-blood
I hope you get relief soon. Let me know if you have further testing.
Dr. Robinson
imaging, food intolerance testing
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
There are a few other imaging tests I would suggest. One is an upper endoscopy that can look at your stomach for pathology. Next is a CT scan of the abdomen with oral and IV contrast to look at the rest of your system. The CT is really the only way to get a look at the small bowel since upper endoscopy and colonoscopy cannot get into the small bowel.
If those are normal then I suggest food intolerance testing. Surprisingly sometimes people have intolerances to the strangest and unexpected things. I have a physician colleague that has a reaction similar to yours if he eats chicken. He discovered this through food intolerance testing.
The company I would suggest to do the testing is Genova. Only a doctor can order this test and many doctors are not familiar with this type of testing.
If you look on the Genova site they can locate a doctor for you in your area that does this type of testing. Here is a link to their website.
https://www.gdx.net/product/igg-food-antibodies-food-sensitivity-test-blood
I hope you get relief soon. Let me know if you have further testing.
Dr. Robinson
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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