Severe pain - worried

I woke up about an hour ago (it's 3am where I am) in so much pain. This pain in very different to what I've experienced before. It feels like my insides are going to explode and I can't put any pressure on my stomach, it hurts to even breathe. The pain is constant with waves of more intense pain which is making me feel really sick and it's getting unbearable. It's hard to explain the pain but it's quite sharp and I keep getting shooting pains all down my back.

No position is comfortable and there's no way I can lay back down (I'm currently sat up in bed). I've tried standing up but I can't stand up straight because of the pain.

Sorry to go on it's just freaking me out and I don't know what to do. If it carries on I think I'll have to go to A&E but I don't want to look like a drama queen if it ends up being nothing. Could it just be severe gas pain? It just seems very random to suddenly be in this much pain.

I know nobody can tell me what it is but just wondering if anyone else has experienced sudden pain like this that won't go away. I have terminal ileum Crohn's disease.

Hi there, I know the pain can be awful with Crohn's and understand too the desire not to go to A&E and have it be nothing but if you feel really bad you should go. They will not make you feel bad about it, or they definitely shouldn't and never have in my experience...I even went once, spent a couple of hours there and had x-rays, then the pain suddenly went and they still wanted to admit me! So yes sometimes the pain disappears but that doesn't mean it was wrong to go.

So definitely don't feel bad about going!

Here are some things that you should definitely go to A&E for:
*if your abdomen is rigid
*if you can't pass any gas
*if you have a very raised temp, also heart rate

It's okay to go just because the pain is really bad. It may be that you have a partial obstruction in which case you probably won't have the things I listed above which happen with a full obstruction but they can still give you an NG tube to decompress things, and help with the nausea and pain.

And if you decide not to go do still tell your IBD nurse/gastroenterologist that you were feeling this bad

Thank you for your reply. The pain has suddenly died down,what was that all about?! My body is so confusing. I can still feel it lingering a little but no where near as bad as it were 10 minutes ago. I just hope it doesn't return because that was awful. I haven't passed any gas though so have no idea why I had such intense pain that woke me up.

Guts are so complicated! They have so much going on with all the things Crohn's can do to upset them and so they find ways to tell us how grumpy they are...and then something changes, maybe some gas is no longer trapped (even if you haven't passed any it can just move) or food moves through an area of inflammation or narrowing and it stops hurting. I agree it is so hard to know why you have pain...and why the pain stops!

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better though and I hope that continues!

Kind of sounds like the pain I'm familiar with, due to a partial obstruction...

Thanks so much for your help!

Justanothercp that's what I was thinking as I haven't experienced pain like this before. I get cramps everyday but they're never severe like this. I'm going to give my nurse a ring tomorrow and see what she says. I haven't started treatment for my crohns yet.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Hi Rose93 - so sorry to hear that you have been having such a bad time. I agree with the other posts - you must go to A&E. I usually ring for an ambulance and the paramedics come and sort me out before taking me in. I have had four emergency admissions in six months, so don't feel bad about going in. I never want to go, but as soon as I make the decision to go I always feel better and much safer once I am being looked after. They'll give you some drugs to stop the pain (usually some morphine) which works wonders and I am always just so grateful for the pain to stop. I am currently on week 8 of drinking Modulen to calm down a flare and cope with a narrowing of my intestines and am much better - we all go through these bad times, but the good news is, you will come through it and learn how to manage things. Good luck and make sure you contact your IBD nurse. xx

Hey Rose. I know how scary that kind of pain is. I wish I could answer for you. I know for me it's linked to ovulation and runs a four day course.

I was in pretty bad pain awhile ago, passing only blood and clots, felt like my bowels were never empty and had a fever of 102. I didn't go to the er but I should have. Turns out I had c-diff which caused a flare. I told everyone to not let me get bull headed again lol.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I spoke to my nurse today and they said if it happens again go to A&E because it could be a partial blockage but they think its to do with what I had for tea (jacket potato). I've never had problems with this before though but they think its to do with the potato skin. Just really hoping it was a one off and doesn't come back!