MEDICAL MATTERS
- Medical Matters features questions asked by Members of the ME Association on health-related topics.
- Dr Charles Shepherd and the ME Association's other advisers answer these questions by sharing their expert knowledge.
- Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor’ series in ME Essential magazine.
- It is a free resource that supplements the detailed information contained in the full range of literature that can be found in the website shop.
Search all questions
Choose a letter to see our categories
- Show all
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- Y
- BMI
- Baclofen
- Bacteria
- Bad Breath
- Balance
- Beighton Score
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
- Benzodiazepines
- Beta Blockers
- Bifidobacteria
- Biobank
- Biomarker
- Biomarkers
- Biopsy
- Biopsychosocial
- Blackouts
- Bladder
- Blepharospasm
- Bloating
- Blood Brain Barrier
- Blood Flow
- Blood Glucose
- Blood Lactate
- Blood Loss
- Blood Poisoning
- Blood Pressure
- Blood Sugar
- Blood Test
- Blood Transfusion
- Blood Vessels
- Blood clots
- Body Mass Index
- Bone Marrow
- Bone Pain
- Borrelia Burgdorferi
- Botulinum Toxin
- Bowel
- Brain
- Brain Bank
- Brain Fog
- Brain Scan
- Breathing Difficulty
- Brittle Nails
- Bromelain
- Buspirone Challenge Test
Questions in the Category: Bloating
Gastric symptoms – irritable bowel or gastroparesis
I have several gastric symptoms that are baffling my GP. They include feelings of nausea, feeling full quickly whilst eating a meal and bloating after a meal. My bowel movements are generally regular with no blood in the stools. However, I have had an occasional episode of diarrhoea during the night.
My GP thought I might have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – which I know is quite common in people with ME. But none of the IBS treatments have helped. Do you have any suggestions?
Symptoms: Bloating
Like many people with ME I have what my doctor calls irritable bowel symptoms. These include having colicky stomach pain and constipation. But the worst part is the bloating – where my tummy often feels full and uncomfortable. A nutritionist suggested an elimination diet but that didn’t help.
Is there anything else worth trying?
Treatments: Drugs – Sensitivities & Side-effects
This is more of a warning than a question. Earlier this year I experienced a rapid and noticeable deterioration in the fatigue part of my ME/CFS. I was also getting muscle cramps – a new symptom to add to the list. All of this coincided with a prescription from my doctor for water losing tablets (diuretics) to treat high blood pressure. At first, she didn’t think there was any connection. But after doing some blood tests it turned out that I had a low level of potassium – something that can occur as a side-effect of using this type of drug. After a change in medication, my potassium level returned to normal and my ME/CFS symptoms also improved. So it’s worth noting that drugs can sometimes cause a significant exacerbation of symptoms for people with ME/CFS.
Dr Charles Shepherd
Dr Shepherd has been Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association for more than 40 years. He is integral to the charity's activities and provides information and support based on his professional knowledge, personal experience as a doctor with ME/CFS, and the understanding gained from helping many thousands of people with the condition. He was a member of the comittee responsible for the 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline and is a recognised expert on ME/CFS in the UK. His knowledge extends to Post-Viral Fatigue Syndromes (PVFS), Myalgic Encephalopathy/Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) or Long Covid.
If you have questions about ME/CFS or Long Covid, you can:
- Review the free information in the What is ME/CFS section of the website, and the free Covid-19 and Long Covid information in the website shop.
- Review the largest range of literature covering all aspects of living with ME/CFS. Download detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, management, co-mordidities, employment, education, related health conditions, The 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline, welfare benefits etc.
- Join the ME Association as a member and you'll receive the highly-rated ME Essential magazine, and you can ask questions of the charity’s expert advisers including Dr Shepherd.
- Contact us via the ME Connect Telephone Helpline (open 365 days a year) and speak to one of the national team of fully-trained volunteers who waiting to provide information and support.
- Contact us via email or social media:
Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor‘ series featured in the highly-regarded member’s magazine, ME Essential, and in the healthcare professional magazine, ME Medical. Both are produced by the ME Association and published as hard-copy magazines every 3 months and sent to members and healthcare professionals by post to home or business addresses.
If you are a Health Care Professional you can sign-up to receive ME Medical magazine (people with ME/CFS can also nominate their HCP by completing the sign-up form).