that sounds miserable & I'm sorry you've had to travel such a long road. So many things should be so much easier. I have no really sound advice or knowledge here, just wanted to tell you I hope you get relief or find some answers in the not-too-distant future. My first inclination was that there may be some sort of low-grade lurking allergy or intolerance, like Noodlecat mentioned. That may be a reasonable course of action, along with a dietician visit - possible to combine those into one person??

Thanks for your concern and for sharing, Aware. :) I'm trying to investigate all possibilities, whether it's emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, environmental or a combination of all of them. As far as an allergy, I learned that a fresh water lake I swam in last summer in the Pacific NW was contaminated with fecal coliform bacteria, so the city closed it to swimmers for about a month last September. I swam in it two or three times a month since June in preparation for Branson 70.3 in September. I was having gut issues before, but, not as bad as today. However, when I went to AR and MO to see my family, I didn't have severe problems. Thinking it was the lake, I thought I found the solution. However, my symptoms are worse today, and I haven't been in that lake since the last week of August. The city reopened it sometime in September, deeming it safe.

I've picked up about 5lbs from somewhere & am having a time trying to get them to go away. That said, I'm running a very high stress quotient with a lot of disruption in my life causing less than stellar eating habits & lacking discipline in that arena, so I'm partially aware of why they're not going away!

I hope you get some relief soon.