Hi,

For coming up to two years, i've had this really bad swelling..
The doctors all say i have IBS.. they sent me for an abdominal CT scan; it showed nothing.
They've done general blood tests - all came back ok/no action.

But it's driving me mad, as the swelling is not confined to my abdomen.
It's my whole body at times.

It causes me a lot of pain in the areas the swelling gets worst..
and i've noticed my skin is getting stretched and damaged in these areas.

I have Body Dysmorphic Disorder.. and i believe that due to this diagnosis doctors won't take me seriously on the physical side of things.
And at times i question if it is indeed all in my head… but the physical pain and scarring stops me from even thinking about it like that.
No-one seems to want to talk to me about it. The most i get is - i see what your talking about (relating to the marks on my skin) but it's well within the normal range.. - and the swelling in my abdomen is on the severe side of IBS but still, also within the relatively normal range for IBS.
But nothing further.
They can't notice the swelling elsewhere on my body.. just my abdomen.
So i'm always on my own with this one.
I'm being sent to a gastroenterologist soon.
But i don't expect that to tell me much apart from i have: IBS.
Which i do, but i believe i have something else going on.

For instance; sometimes my face gets so swollen, i can't see, as my eyes are so puffy….. - i can't turn my neck as it's too swollen..
and at it's worst i can't even lift my arm above my head as it's too constricted around my chest / neck / armpit.

--

I spend hours a day, examining the areas that are swollen,,, and doing lymphatic massages to try and reduce the swelling.
Sometimes entire days are lost to this.

I really don't know what to do. I think i need to book an appointment with someone who specialises in oedema or lymphedema.

I hate being in this situation.
No-one believes me, everyone thinks it's in my head.
Yet it's completely destroying me.
I can't get any therapy for 5+ months… but i think it's something that needs to be addressed as a physical problem.

Circles