Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So I've been having really bad stomach problems lately, it's really been an issue for the last several years, but it's flaring up. I've gone to a gastro for the first time in ages and she admitted that I was her first Trans patient...yet she likes to act like she knows ->-bleeped-<- about binders and how bad they are for you. Granted they aren't great, but she has tried to pin both my chronic acid reflex and my stomach problems on my full length binder.
...Today after a colonoscopy I had turned up nothing she even tried to convince me that Ace binding is a "better alternative", for which I schooled her on the harms of ace bandaging your chest.
Though I mostly think she is full of crap since I can eat only a 4 oz. piece of steak (and nothing else) and feel like I'm dying...as apposed to eating so much my binder holds back my stomach from expanding. Plus I HAVE taken it off to try and get comfortable on several occasions to no avail (I told her all of this before). It still makes me wonder, has anyone ever developed stomach problems after they started binding? Specifically with a full length one.

I developed a slight case of acid re-flux that I can treat with over the counter meds but nothing like what you are describing. It also runs in my family so its likely that I would have developed it anyway. Sounds to me like you should see another doctor, especially if she is suggesting that you bind with an ace bandage. As a thought, have you had your gallbladder looked at? Recently someone in my family developed some serious stomach problems and that was the reason.

Developed, no. I have fibromyalgia and a symptom of that for me is stomach issues, which any style of binder seems to exacerbate. But I had that diagnosis long before I ever started binding consistently.

The only binder I used after ace bandages was a full length binder and even though I got the baggage off my chest, I still have this pain which could be a gastro related problem according to my doctor.  I never had a colonoscopy because I was scared and the fact that the GI doctor ordered it when I initially saw them made me uncomfortable.  I also had stomach problems right after I ate a regular portioned meal because I always felt it right away so I had to eat lesser than I would have liked. I also had bloating problems  not related to eating which would happen at random times. 

I've had acid reflex ever since I was 15, I didn't start binding for another 4 years. My acid reflex was chonic from the get go. I haven't had my gallbladder looked at lately, but it was checked the first time I went through this when the symptoms first developed. All the stomach issues started a year after I started binding.

I actually also have a constant nasal drainage issue that I think contributes to this and I'm hoping my nose Dr will be the one to figure it out. I found out recently I am a little allergic to half of everything (minus food allergies, which haven't been tested yet) and apparently certain foods can cause allergy symptoms such as stomach pains to flair up and well with all that I'm allergic to most foods can cause problems. He is the only one of of the two that has listened to the fact that these two issues seem to go hand in hand (they started pretty much at the same time).

I since these issues began I have greatly decreased the amount of food I eat as a meal and even went from 3 to 2 meals a day with snacking. This has helped a bit and so did cutting out beef...for a while and now it seems may stomach is really hating me again.

I should ask for a new Gastro since when she says those things she also has this ->-bleeped-<- eating grin on her face that even shows she has no idea what she's talking about. Wearing the binder does exaserbate things, but since it still happens without my binder on I doubt it's the cause.

Quote from: assorted_human on March 12, 2015, 02:59:31 PM
I've had acid reflex ever since I was 15, I didn't start binding for another 4 years. My acid reflex was chonic from the get go. I haven't had my gallbladder looked at lately, but it was checked the first time I went through this when the symptoms first developed. All the stomach issues started a year after I started binding.

I actually also have a constant nasal drainage issue that I think contributes to this and I'm hoping my nose Dr will be the one to figure it out. I found out recently I am a little allergic to half of everything (minus food allergies, which haven't been tested yet) and apparently certain foods can cause allergy symptoms such as stomach pains to flair up and well with all that I'm allergic to most foods can cause problems. He is the only one of of the two that has listened to the fact that these two issues seem to go hand in hand (they started pretty much at the same time).

I since these issues began I have greatly decreased the amount of food I eat as a meal and even went from 3 to 2 meals a day with snacking. This has helped a bit and so did cutting out beef...for a while and now it seems may stomach is really hating me again.

I should ask for a new Gastro since when she says those things she also has this ->-bleeped-<- eating grin on her face that even shows she has no idea what she's talking about. Wearing the binder does exaserbate things, but since it still happens without my binder on I doubt it's the cause.

You have me curious now to the cause of my constant need to carry around a tissue or risk snotting on myself. I have a small sensitivity to bermuda grass and gluten but not enough to kill me.

Quote from: Alexthecat on March 12, 2015, 04:08:25 PM
You have me curious now to the cause of my constant need to carry around a tissue or risk snotting on myself. I have a small sensitivity to bermuda grass and gluten but not enough to kill me.

I say "days I run out of Kleenex are bad days", I feel your pain. I'm allergic to that grass, dust mites, most molds, most pollens, cats (I have two), feathers. On there own none of them are bad enough to kill me (though eating can cause so much snot to get produced the I can't help but cough so much I vomit ): ). By a little allergic I mean that according to their scale: Borderline, Slight, Moderate, Very, I fall into the Borderline category but for 16 of 30 allergens.
If the runny nose is the biggest of your worries then congrats. Still sucks to be glued to tissues.