chickentender
Active Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2019
- Messages
- 337
- Reaction score
- 158
I had bloodwork done for a few things and all that was checked was well, except that I have an ongoing vitamin D deficiency (which I know is normal and I take supplements for it), but I was also found to have a bit of a vitamin A deficiency. My doctor told me what strength supplements to take, etc.
But then, I went on Google to read about it and less than 1% of people in my country have a vitamin A deficiency. I looked at a list of foods that contain vitamin A and I eat several of them often.
Then the things I read went on to list some gastrointestinal disorders that could cause it. A few are things that I have Googled and thought I have, that doctors have suspected I have, or in some cases, things I had fleetingly.
The thing I'm worried most about is I read that people with biliary diseases shouldn't take vitamin A. Well, I once had an episode a few years ago of a completely white poop and when I went to the ER, they told me that I had stopped producing bile briefly which caused the white poop, but they couldn't figure out why that happened. Some kind of bile duct blockage they suspected, but it didn't show on imaging so they felt it had cleared. The only thing odd with my blood work that day was a slightly elevated white count, which I have never had again. I sometimes, rarely, have pain to the left of my belly button(been going on about a decade but rarely), but I don't know if that means anything because I'm afraid to Google it. Also, before my doctor told me to go gluten free a few years ago, I had some instances of passing a bunch of oil with my poop. That stopped happening in recent years since I have been gluten free.
Long story short, I am now terrified. I have avoided invasive GI procedures so far. I am afraid that something is really, seriously wrong now though due to having this deficiency. My B vitamins and iron were all fine. But, I'm really scared that I have a biliary disease or irritable bowel disease or something.
My doctor is great, but my hands feel cold even thinking about bringing up to him the question about whether I should take the vitamin A supplements since a few years ago, I randomly had a bile duct issue. How do I word a story about white poop without feeling crazy?
I'm very worried that the various GI symptoms I have written off as IBS as doctors told me when I was younger might be more. I'm just so anxious I'm actually shaking right now. Can anyone try to help me calm down about this or give any advice on how to ask my doctor questions on the phone tomorrow? Thank you.
But then, I went on Google to read about it and less than 1% of people in my country have a vitamin A deficiency. I looked at a list of foods that contain vitamin A and I eat several of them often.
Then the things I read went on to list some gastrointestinal disorders that could cause it. A few are things that I have Googled and thought I have, that doctors have suspected I have, or in some cases, things I had fleetingly.
The thing I'm worried most about is I read that people with biliary diseases shouldn't take vitamin A. Well, I once had an episode a few years ago of a completely white poop and when I went to the ER, they told me that I had stopped producing bile briefly which caused the white poop, but they couldn't figure out why that happened. Some kind of bile duct blockage they suspected, but it didn't show on imaging so they felt it had cleared. The only thing odd with my blood work that day was a slightly elevated white count, which I have never had again. I sometimes, rarely, have pain to the left of my belly button(been going on about a decade but rarely), but I don't know if that means anything because I'm afraid to Google it. Also, before my doctor told me to go gluten free a few years ago, I had some instances of passing a bunch of oil with my poop. That stopped happening in recent years since I have been gluten free.
Long story short, I am now terrified. I have avoided invasive GI procedures so far. I am afraid that something is really, seriously wrong now though due to having this deficiency. My B vitamins and iron were all fine. But, I'm really scared that I have a biliary disease or irritable bowel disease or something.
My doctor is great, but my hands feel cold even thinking about bringing up to him the question about whether I should take the vitamin A supplements since a few years ago, I randomly had a bile duct issue. How do I word a story about white poop without feeling crazy?
I'm very worried that the various GI symptoms I have written off as IBS as doctors told me when I was younger might be more. I'm just so anxious I'm actually shaking right now. Can anyone try to help me calm down about this or give any advice on how to ask my doctor questions on the phone tomorrow? Thank you.
