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What Causes Head Heaviness Along With Bowel Problems?
Question: Hello Dr.
My mother has head heaviness for past few months, she has period stomach upset followed by vomiting or diarrhea. She was treated for food poisoning few times. But all the issues are frequent and periodic. Some days she seems to be brisk and energetic. Few days she's unable to wake and complaints on heavy head and bowl issues. These symptoms are for past 6 to seven months. In 2012 september she was diagnosed with seizures and hallucinations. Few months she was prescribed to take dopamine based drugs and there was gradual improvement and by 2013 mid she was advised to stop the pills. Now no complains on seizures. She is taking pills for thyroid and diabetics. Basically she is very energetic person and wishes to be engaged in any activities. She is really suffering for past three years because for these series of medical issues. Kindly help to diagnose the issue and your direction will really help her to recover.
Thanks XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
My mother has head heaviness for past few months, she has period stomach upset followed by vomiting or diarrhea. She was treated for food poisoning few times. But all the issues are frequent and periodic. Some days she seems to be brisk and energetic. Few days she's unable to wake and complaints on heavy head and bowl issues. These symptoms are for past 6 to seven months. In 2012 september she was diagnosed with seizures and hallucinations. Few months she was prescribed to take dopamine based drugs and there was gradual improvement and by 2013 mid she was advised to stop the pills. Now no complains on seizures. She is taking pills for thyroid and diabetics. Basically she is very energetic person and wishes to be engaged in any activities. She is really suffering for past three years because for these series of medical issues. Kindly help to diagnose the issue and your direction will really help her to recover.
Thanks XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
It could be irritable bowl syndrome .
Detailed Answer:
Thankyou for your Question.
I appreciate your concern.
First of all I would like to know that what medicines she has been taking for diabetes and hashimoto thyroiditis..As some medicines can also cause these symptoms as side effects.It is important to know the names of medicines for conclusion of diagnosis.
Going through the history it seems that it can be irritable bowl syndrome.Because it is not clear what causes IBS ,the treatment focuses on the relief of symptoms so that you can live as normaly as possible.
In most cases , it needs learning to manage stress and making changes in your diet and lifestyle .
I would suggest some tips below , they will surely help reduce the recurrent symptoms.
1.elimination of high gas foods for example carbonated beverages, cabbage,broccoli,and cauliflower ,chickpeas and chickpeas flour.
2.Elimination of gluten for some weeks. I would suggest eliminate wheat,barley and rye for some weeks and follow accordingly.
3.Avoid stress..It can be the main cause of your mom's symptoms.exercising daily and light yoga can help destress , also antideppressant medicine can help at this age.
4.Counselling. She may benefit from counselling if she has depression or stress.
I would also suggest endoscopy and colonoscopy to be done to rule out any auto immune disease of intestine. For example Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. As she has been suffering from diabetes and hashimoto , both can be related to actualy autoimmune diseases.So she might be having chances of Auto immune disease of colon too according to research studies.
Once endoscopy and colonoscopy should be done to rule out autoimmune disease of colon.As these symptoms can also occur because of theses diseases
I hope I answered your Question.Pls feed back and you may ask further questions if you have any.
Regards,Dr.Maheshwari
It could be irritable bowl syndrome .
Detailed Answer:
Thankyou for your Question.
I appreciate your concern.
First of all I would like to know that what medicines she has been taking for diabetes and hashimoto thyroiditis..As some medicines can also cause these symptoms as side effects.It is important to know the names of medicines for conclusion of diagnosis.
Going through the history it seems that it can be irritable bowl syndrome.Because it is not clear what causes IBS ,the treatment focuses on the relief of symptoms so that you can live as normaly as possible.
In most cases , it needs learning to manage stress and making changes in your diet and lifestyle .
I would suggest some tips below , they will surely help reduce the recurrent symptoms.
1.elimination of high gas foods for example carbonated beverages, cabbage,broccoli,and cauliflower ,chickpeas and chickpeas flour.
2.Elimination of gluten for some weeks. I would suggest eliminate wheat,barley and rye for some weeks and follow accordingly.
3.Avoid stress..It can be the main cause of your mom's symptoms.exercising daily and light yoga can help destress , also antideppressant medicine can help at this age.
4.Counselling. She may benefit from counselling if she has depression or stress.
I would also suggest endoscopy and colonoscopy to be done to rule out any auto immune disease of intestine. For example Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. As she has been suffering from diabetes and hashimoto , both can be related to actualy autoimmune diseases.So she might be having chances of Auto immune disease of colon too according to research studies.
Once endoscopy and colonoscopy should be done to rule out autoimmune disease of colon.As these symptoms can also occur because of theses diseases
I hope I answered your Question.Pls feed back and you may ask further questions if you have any.
Regards,Dr.Maheshwari
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Dear Dr.Maheshwari,
Thanks for your detailed reply. I have listed the medicines what my mother takes Cetapin 500mg (diabetics), Amlong 2.5 (High Blood pressure) both are taken after food and Thyronorm 50mcg (thyroid) which is taken in empty stomach.
I think all three has side effects related to stomach disorders. She was advised by Dr that the stomach related issues will be only temporary and it would subside once she takes the medicines regularly.
Its been already an year now since she started the medicines. She often complaints about the head heaviness , says shes unable to left the head and suffers to accomplish even her regular routine. what would be the reason for head heaviness.
Even if the problems are driven by side effects of the mentioned drugs, she faces the bowl disorders, head heaviness and physical tiredness not regularly its once in three days or once in a weak but she takes the medicines regularly. The onset of diabetics and thyroid seems to be during 2013 after the medication given for schizophrenia. She was tested for diabetics , BP and other issues before and always found to be negative.
awaiting your reply XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Thanks for your detailed reply. I have listed the medicines what my mother takes Cetapin 500mg (diabetics), Amlong 2.5 (High Blood pressure) both are taken after food and Thyronorm 50mcg (thyroid) which is taken in empty stomach.
I think all three has side effects related to stomach disorders. She was advised by Dr that the stomach related issues will be only temporary and it would subside once she takes the medicines regularly.
Its been already an year now since she started the medicines. She often complaints about the head heaviness , says shes unable to left the head and suffers to accomplish even her regular routine. what would be the reason for head heaviness.
Even if the problems are driven by side effects of the mentioned drugs, she faces the bowl disorders, head heaviness and physical tiredness not regularly its once in three days or once in a weak but she takes the medicines regularly. The onset of diabetics and thyroid seems to be during 2013 after the medication given for schizophrenia. She was tested for diabetics , BP and other issues before and always found to be negative.
awaiting your reply XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Yes these medicines cause stomach symptoms
Detailed Answer:
Yes these medicines cause stomach symptoms .
As Amlog is antihypertensive , it can cause orthostatic hypotention.It tends to be common in elderly person, and orthostatic hypotention could be the main factor causing head heaviness.
Also I would suggest you to keep checking her Blood pressure in the morning and evening for 5 days , and make a list of readings ,so we may plan which timing will be more suitable to take medicine to avoid head heaviness.
Also keep check fasting blood sugar and random blood sugar on same day 2 times a week , to rule out whether hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is causing head heaviness which also tends to be common in elderly diabetic pt.
In the last I would suggest you to get a colonoscopy done once .
To reduce the stomach upset giving aleovera juice in the empty stomach in the morning is very helpfull, even my most of patients have got it helpfull. For vomiting you may give her tab.ondesteron as per need.
Hope I answered your question.
You may close the discussion and rate the answer , if you do not have any other question to ask.
Take care.
Regards,
Dr.Maheshwari
Yes these medicines cause stomach symptoms
Detailed Answer:
Yes these medicines cause stomach symptoms .
As Amlog is antihypertensive , it can cause orthostatic hypotention.It tends to be common in elderly person, and orthostatic hypotention could be the main factor causing head heaviness.
Also I would suggest you to keep checking her Blood pressure in the morning and evening for 5 days , and make a list of readings ,so we may plan which timing will be more suitable to take medicine to avoid head heaviness.
Also keep check fasting blood sugar and random blood sugar on same day 2 times a week , to rule out whether hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is causing head heaviness which also tends to be common in elderly diabetic pt.
In the last I would suggest you to get a colonoscopy done once .
To reduce the stomach upset giving aleovera juice in the empty stomach in the morning is very helpfull, even my most of patients have got it helpfull. For vomiting you may give her tab.ondesteron as per need.
Hope I answered your question.
You may close the discussion and rate the answer , if you do not have any other question to ask.
Take care.
Regards,
Dr.Maheshwari
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Dear Dr,
Thanks for your instant response. I will do the same as suggested. On curious note i have one doubt. Will the drug prescribed for schizophrenia and hallucinations would have caused harmonal irregularities, resulting in these complications. Or this is just a ageing factor? Because her lifestyle and food habits was more disciplined, on the first note i cannot understand why she was affected by seizures. Its because of deficiency or stress or ageing.
Thanks XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Thanks for your instant response. I will do the same as suggested. On curious note i have one doubt. Will the drug prescribed for schizophrenia and hallucinations would have caused harmonal irregularities, resulting in these complications. Or this is just a ageing factor? Because her lifestyle and food habits was more disciplined, on the first note i cannot understand why she was affected by seizures. Its because of deficiency or stress or ageing.
Thanks XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Hi, dear,
Detailed Answer:
Since its been quite long ,she has stopped to take medicines for schizophrenia and seizure.So it is less likely that she is having these symptoms because of these medicines.
Now if you are asking for causes of schizophrenia and seizure...the most common cause for both diseases is genetic factor or hereditary.
Seizure can also occur because of brain tumor ,stroke,injury to the brain and Alzeimer's disease.
As you have not mentioned wether she had MRI brain at that time or not, I hope you would have done that ,if not you may still get MRI brain done and discuss further.
Take care.I appreciate your concern.
Regards,Dr.Maheshwari
Hi, dear,
Detailed Answer:
Since its been quite long ,she has stopped to take medicines for schizophrenia and seizure.So it is less likely that she is having these symptoms because of these medicines.
Now if you are asking for causes of schizophrenia and seizure...the most common cause for both diseases is genetic factor or hereditary.
Seizure can also occur because of brain tumor ,stroke,injury to the brain and Alzeimer's disease.
As you have not mentioned wether she had MRI brain at that time or not, I hope you would have done that ,if not you may still get MRI brain done and discuss further.
Take care.I appreciate your concern.
Regards,Dr.Maheshwari
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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