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From: LEC on 30 May 2005 07:25 Since Feb I've had problems in my lower abdomen. It first it started in my lower left and feels like a dull to sometimes grinding, aching pain. My gastro suspected IBS which we already knew I have, but maybe IBD or diverticulosis. He ran test like blood/sed rate, stool/hemo, flexible sigmoid, and a ct scan. Everything was normal and he said it was ibs but told me to "keep an eye on it". However, it recently moved to my lower right and now I worry about crohn's. So far I have not experienced diarrhea, bloody bms, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, joint aches or the other symptoms. I have dull to grinding pain that fluctuates throughout the day and mild constipation. This pain seems different than the pain I've had with my ibs in the past, which alarms me. The fact that now it moved from lower left to lower right is concerning. I'm the only person in the family who's ever had bowel troubles. My parents think I'm being ridiculous and a hypochondriac about this, they believe it's all in my head, etc. Anyone have advice? Does this sound like IBS, crohn's or something else? Or are my parents right and I'm acting ridiculous about it.
From: Vanny on 30 May 2005 17:38 Ignore your parents and do not let yourself be talked into it all being in your head because that road can lead to depression and you do not want to have depression on top of everything else. Your symptoms are very real, you just have to find the right doc. that is interested enough to diagnose you. I went from doc to doc for 8 years before I was diagnosed and most of us here have been subjected to the old "it's in your head routine" - it is the normal refuge of a disinterested, ignorant doc. Most people find it extremely difficult to cope with chronic conditions and the reaction of your parents is very normal for healthy non-chronically ill people. Don't let their attitude get you down. You have to get yourself a support infrastructure together and a good start is here and a good gastroenterologist. Get yourself a second opinion and make sure that they check for inflammatory markers - C-Reactive Protein and white blood cell levels, ESR, etc. Your GI will probably also carry out a small bowel follow through (SBFT) and gastroendoscopy. It might not even be your colon, but could be referred pain from another organ, e.g. stomach, pancreas, spleen. I had broad stomach pains from a grumbling appendix. I have also had stomach pains from adhesions (caused by trauma, inflammation, operations, and old age) www.adhesions.org and reflux disease (GERD). I would also consider checking your diet. You might have a food allergy and in consultation with your doc. you could try an elimination diet. There are several approaches - leave out wheat products, start out on lamb and pears or pork and apples for a day and then slowly add other food items, keeping a careful record and drink at least two litres of water/fruit tea each day. Have a lactose intolerance test - eliminate dairy products and see if that makes a difference. There is a lot of soya in many products nowadays and allergies/intolerance to soya is on the increase. I am assuming that you are male. If not, I would consider going to the gynaecologist just to make sure that all is right there. A cyst can cause a lot of pain, with variability due to the daily fluctuation in food intake (movement and fullness of intestine) and the monthly cycle. When you get a second opinion have everything listed in chronological order with approximate dates. List all the niggles that you have had, down to a single spot on your nose. I have put together a health CV and all docs take me seriously when they see me/my paperwork, but I have been operated on 8 times and have a thick wadge of medical records, which are currently overflowing out of an A4 file. They have no choice now. Make sure that you can interpret your bloodwork and ask for copies of all the results so that you can check that your doc does not overlook anything. www.bloodbook.com Collect everything you can and take notes when you go to the docs and list down all the questions you want to ask in advance of the appointment (during the two hours in the waiting room for example). A good indicator of Crohns are the extra intestinal symptoms, which may start years before the intestinal problems really show up, e.g. eye, skin, enteropathic arthritis, etc. However, there are some Crohn's patients do not have the classical symptoms as you listed and as above, but only experience constipation. There are a couple at this newsgroup. They have recently identified a gene (I can't remember the name, DLG or something similar), which is putatively responsible for stenosing Crohn's, which I believe is more likely to be associated with constipating Crohn's patient. Perhaps, someone here could help with this. I am a classical Crohn's case with the twist that I have lost my colon and rectum and am gradually (0.5 m so far - 30 cm this year) losing my illeum. You can do a literature search at PubMed or www.medscape.com to help you further. Just bear this is mind - pain is a sign that something is wrong and what advantage have you to make this up? Are you going to be mollied and cosseted, get tonnes of sympathy and be able to give up work and let someone else support you? I think not. It is unfortunate that because others cannot see any blood and guts or plastercasts that they come to the conclusion that it is all in one's head. It still happens to me - I have acquaintances/friends who come out with the most stupid things and try and contradict what I say about my condition, but I am slowly trying to educate them. All the best, Vanny Crohns, Ileostomist, GERD, Heart failure (due to mismanaged Crohn's), Abdominal abcess currently and chronic tiredness "LEC" <noaddress(a)nospam.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:VKCme.10318$uR4.8456(a)newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net... Since Feb I've had problems in my lower abdomen. It first it started in my lower left and feels like a dull to sometimes grinding, aching pain. My gastro suspected IBS which we already knew I have, but maybe IBD or diverticulosis. He ran test like blood/sed rate, stool/hemo, flexible sigmoid, and a ct scan. Everything was normal and he said it was ibs but told me to "keep an eye on it". However, it recently moved to my lower right and now I worry about crohn's. So far I have not experienced diarrhea, bloody bms, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, joint aches or the other symptoms. I have dull to grinding pain that fluctuates throughout the day and mild constipation. This pain seems different than the pain I've had with my ibs in the past, which alarms me. The fact that now it moved from lower left to lower right is concerning. I'm the only person in the family who's ever had bowel troubles. My parents think I'm being ridiculous and a hypochondriac about this, they believe it's all in my head, etc. Anyone have advice? Does this sound like IBS, crohn's or something else? Or are my parents right and I'm acting ridiculous about it.
From: REP on 31 May 2005 02:57 In article <VKCme.10318$uR4.8456(a)newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>, "LEC" <noaddress(a)nospam.net> wrote: > I'm the only person in the family who's ever had bowel troubles. My parents > think I'm being ridiculous and a hypochondriac about this, they believe it's > all in my head, etc. Anyone have advice? Does this sound like IBS, crohn's > or something else? Or are my parents right and I'm acting ridiculous about > it. It doesn't sound like the Crohn's I have, which even though is quite mild, produces symptoms which are markedly more severe than yours; additionally, my labs and CTs are abnormal. Your tests are fine. IBS/spastic colon often hurts at the cecum, which is on the right side, and often cramping is severest there. See your doctor for another work-up, but in the meantime, don't lose too much sleep over it. -- "Did Father shoot him? I will eat Grandfather for dinner." - Helen Keller, on learning of the death of her grandfather
From: LEC on 31 May 2005 03:26 Hey, thanks everyone for you words of support. I've been under enormous stress which might be setting off whatever this is--going to college 3000 miles away, being away from my family for the first time, a relationship that ended badly, and now dealing with whatever this is while I'm getting ready to move. You folks are right, I'm going to get checked out again just to be sure. Thanks again for your advice, support and kindness. I hope all of you are feeling well today.
From: REP on 1 Jun 2005 01:57 In article <ykUme.11059$M36.10184(a)newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net>, "LEC" <noaddress(a)nospam.net> wrote: > You folks are right, I'm going to get checked out again just > to be sure. And remember this - if it turns out to be "only" IBS/spastic colon, it is real and it can hurt like hell (and also remember that it doesn't lead to more serious problems). A diagnosis of IBS/spastic colon is a mixed thing: on one hand, there is the reassurance that there is no serious, life-threatening disease going on (IBS/spastic colon is a "functional disorder," not a disease) but on the other hand, it is painful, often damned inconvenient, and treating it can be difficult. Seeing a doctor is the best thing to do - all we can do on the internet is to try to get you to not worry so much! Easier said than done, but work on that, and good luck to you. -- "Did Father shoot him? I will eat Grandfather for dinner." - Helen Keller, on learning of the death of her grandfather
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