Endoscopy Scheduled - Problem with Splenda

I finally am getting somewhere with this pain that I have been suffering with for over a year. My left lower side constantly hurts. My surgeon chalked it up to my body telling me I have to poop. I've had an ultrasound and a CAT Scan and no one sees anything. Today, I saw a GI Doc, and now I have an Endoscopy scheduled on the 18th. I'm not really looking forward to it, it sounds painful, but I have to know what the heck is wrong. My GI Doc suspects that I have an ulcer or the start of an ulcer. Some of the congestion and sore throat issues I have been having that I thought were just allergies could be signs of an ulcer. Also, she said that Splenda is known to cause GAS. I have been having horrible gas for over a year now. I use Splenda in just about everything. She has suggested I switch to Equal 100% for the next 2 weeks and my gas problem should greatly reduce. Its sad because I really like Splenda, but if it is causing my problem, I will let it go! I'm a total chicken, so the thought of an Edoscopy is really scaring me to death. But I guess I will just be an adult and try to just get through it. Leland

Hi Leland I had an endoscopy done at UVa before my surgery - one of my preop tests and I was really scared about it, but it went really smooth. They give you Versed and something else and pretty much you will be awake one min and the next you will be in the recovery room waking up. I don't remember any of it. Just tell then you want good drugs through that IV and you will be okay! I really hope they find the reason for your pain. Hugs Andrea

Leland- If you've not had an endoscopy before check out my 6/28/06 profile entry. I detailed mine there. Best of luck in finding out what is causing the pain. Christina S

I am having that same problem since my surgery in march. I have had every test known to man including the endoscopy and colonosopy from the gi doctor. The only thing that has been found for me is ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, and IBS. I ended up in the hospital last week with this pain. It just all of a sudden got unbearable. I am scheduled for exploratory surgery next week. Hope all goes well for you. The endoscopy really is no big deal. The only thing I hated was swallowing the throat spray, but not all offices do that.

Let me know how it goes. I am having the same issues. Cant even work from the pain. It is now sporadic. I have had everything tested too. Wish I knew what the problem was too. Maybe I will try w/o the Splenda too to see how it goes. SHannon

Hey there! Did you ever find out anything? Let me know. SHannon

Well it sounds like from everyone else that it should be fairly easy. I am still a big chicken. Any little thing scares the crap out of me. Thank goodness they will sedate me! Until I had my GB, I had only had one other medical prodcedure which was my wisdom teeth being removed, that was it. Maybe a few ultrasounds here and there, some exrays and an EKG, but nothing major. I have so much Splenda, I haven't stopped using it. But I will load up on Equal on Monday when I do my regular grocery shopping. I will switch and see if that helps the gas. Right now, the gas is so bad, it is really interuppting my life. Today is my two year mark Post Op. I had my RNY GB at Marview exactly two years ago today! At my heaviest, I weighed 295. By some miracle I was down to 283 right before the surgery. I may not have gotten down to a size two, but I am SO MUCH HAPPIER!!!

Hope they find your problem. I never knew a thing about the endo. They found nothging of course. Have had all the tests and no answers. Hope they find yours. Shannon

Yes they did fix my problem. My doctor also thought I had an ulcer, but when he went in everything looked fine. My problem was my colon. He said I had 8 feet of waste, which was causing my pain. So now I'm on a couple of different medicines to help with that. I'm also on a medicine to stop stomach spasms and to treat my diverticulitis and colitis. I'm guessing you had your endoscopy. How did it go?

I had my endoscopy in August and it went ok I guess, I wish they could have completely knocked me out before shoving that thing down my throat. I have a barium test scheduled this Friday. 7am at Leigh Memorial. I had planned to go to work afterwards, but I've decided to take the day off and go to the Busch Race in Richmond! They didn't see anything on the endoscopy, said I look like a normal GB paitent. My stomach looks normal. So they still dont know why I've gained weight or why I have this horrible gas and I smell like a sewer 24/7 So we will see what happens. At least my GI Doc is interested in my problem and wanting to do some testing. What makes me the maddest is that the response from my surgical process has simply been "not our problem". They never ordered any tests or even suggested I go to a GI Doc. They basically said none of my problems were realted to surgery. Yeah right.