Newbie here with lots of questions *Update
**I cross posted this here after suggestions from other members so forgive me for having it in two places
Hi everyone. I'm so glad I found these forums. I've searched through quite a few threads already and everyone seems so very supportive
Anyway...the reason I'm here is this: I'm 37 years old. I've had tummy issues as long as I can remember. When I was 18, I started getting really bad pain on my lower right side sometimes accompanied by diarrhea (sometimes not). Dairy complicates everything but isn't always the cause of the D.
After months of getting misdiagnosed with everything under the son, a wise Dr. told me it was most likely IBS.
I managed it for years (d off and on with pain in my right side...pain got worse during pregnancies) and through 3 pregnancies. Fast forward to a few years ago. I had my GB removed a few years back. A year later, I was back at the Dr. for what I thought was another gallstone (even though I knew I didn't have a GB). My liver enzymes were extremely high. I was having bile D for several days. The GI I saw said it was mot likely a common bile duct stone that passed BUT she said I needed an endoscopy/colonoscopy because she suspected Crohns (which I never got due to my own issues and anxiety).
Ok (sorry this is so long). Fast forward again....The last 6 mos to a year my "IBS" has gotten much much worse. There is no rhyme or reason for the D. A lot of time it's first thing in the morning before and/or after my first meal. I also had a few (maybe 3) bouts of constipation (which I NEVER had ..since I was a little girl). Also, I began having terrible indigestion (pain right under my sternum).
Last week, I started having bile D again...followed by terrible indigestion with tenderness in the upper right quadrant that wrapped around to my back just behind my ribs. It radiates down to my lower back too
I went to my gp who ran blood work (all normal). She referred me back to the GI (who I see tomorrow). Last night I wound up in the ER with pretty bad pain in my upper right quadrant and back. Any time I eat or drink ANYTHING (including water) this last week, I hurt.
They did an U/S and liver, spleen, kidneys, bile duct, pancreas all looked normal. Blood work fine. The ER dr. said it sounded like Crohns too.
My other symptoms are this: Night sweats, constant fatigue, "bone pain" in my pelvic region (almost feels like there's a bowling ball sitting there sometimes), hypothyroidism, low Vit D levels, anxiety, depression (treated), headaches (just started getting those), hip pain when I walk any distance (I also have fun clicking noises when I walk first thing in the morning). I also am frequently nauseas (sp?) but I have a HUGE fear of throwing up (can't stress this enough) so I fight it tooth and nail.
My gp had been wanting me to see a rheumatologist for years but I've put it off. I have seen many many dr's over the years (I have undiagnosed autoimmune issues that go back to when I was a child and would get swollen joints, hands, feet and hives that they couldn't explain ) Oh one last thing, I have ridiculously horrid periods. An ob/gyn a few years ago said I could have adenomyosis but it was a clinical diagnosis.
I guess my question for all of you is does this sound like it could be Crohn's? I never had blood in my stool that I could see (although lots of mucous (sorry tmi!). Did your pain change locations over time? It feels like it "skipped" up pretty high. (although I've always had a tender right side from my ribs to my ovaries)
Also, I know I'm looking down the barrel of a colonoscopy and I'm terrified. Any suggestions? Thanks so much for listening. I'm so sick of hurting and not being able to go anywhere due to never knowing if I'll need to run to the bathroom...and since I'm a total germ-phobe, I won't use public bathrooms...
Thanks for listening and I hope this makes some sense
*********************UPDATE*****************
I'm feeling a little discouraged, insulted and confused?
I went to see the GI specialist the other day. I saw her associate (a man) who was VERY nice and took an hour to talk to me. I told him right away about my FEAR of colonoscopies (due to my emetephobia (fear of throwing up) ). He said not to worry that he could work with me on that. He took an extensive history from me and in the end said he couldn't be sure it was Crohns until he did the colonoscopy but that he thought it sounded more like IBS :yrolleyes: Maybe it is IBS (as I've always thought since I never had blood in my stool) but he seemed to blame an awful lot of my pain and symptoms on my stressful life (4 children and two are special needs) and on my childhood.
He said we can wait a few weeks to do the scopes and I could try a few things first: Levsin, a GI cocktail, and a proton pump inhibitor (the name escapes me ..he gave me samples for that one). He also suggested deep breathing (which I told him was difficult when I was in PAIN..lol). He asked me if I felt better after I have D and I said yes (it relieves the cramping) but it will often come back a little while later and I'll be back in the bathroom. He says that sounds more like IBS?
He said my labs and U/S were normal (except for a slightly enlarged spleen 14 cm and a fatty liver with a slightly enlarged right hepatic lobe). I noticed my WBC was 10.3 (from the ER last week) and a few days prior it was 7.3 (at the beginning of this particular episode).
The thing is, I can go a few days to a week with minimal cramping and no D but those "breaks" are less and less frequent now. I used to occasionally have D with lower right pain. Now I have it nearly every day with cramping (the morning is the worst). I also have even more unexplained pain. (He is almost positive I have Fibromyalgia)
He didn't give me a reason for my upper right quadrant pain. He said he won't know until he scopes. He did order a stool culture for WBC and H. Pylori. He said if the stool comes back + for WBC's then I have to go in right away for the colonoscopy.
I tried a Levsin this morning and it "almost" worked...but my D would not be silenced :lol2: (sorry for the lame attempt at humor). I wound up having D a few times and am left with a crampy stomach and pain in my lower right side again
Sorry this is so long...I'm just frustrated. I feel like he's already going in with a "it's IBS" attitude. If I go through with the colonoscopy and it's "normal" then I'll have no answers.
Anyway...thanks for reading and any input, advice is welcome
**I cross posted this here after suggestions from other members so forgive me for having it in two places
Hi everyone. I'm so glad I found these forums. I've searched through quite a few threads already and everyone seems so very supportive
Anyway...the reason I'm here is this: I'm 37 years old. I've had tummy issues as long as I can remember. When I was 18, I started getting really bad pain on my lower right side sometimes accompanied by diarrhea (sometimes not). Dairy complicates everything but isn't always the cause of the D.
After months of getting misdiagnosed with everything under the son, a wise Dr. told me it was most likely IBS.
I managed it for years (d off and on with pain in my right side...pain got worse during pregnancies) and through 3 pregnancies. Fast forward to a few years ago. I had my GB removed a few years back. A year later, I was back at the Dr. for what I thought was another gallstone (even though I knew I didn't have a GB). My liver enzymes were extremely high. I was having bile D for several days. The GI I saw said it was mot likely a common bile duct stone that passed BUT she said I needed an endoscopy/colonoscopy because she suspected Crohns (which I never got due to my own issues and anxiety).
Ok (sorry this is so long). Fast forward again....The last 6 mos to a year my "IBS" has gotten much much worse. There is no rhyme or reason for the D. A lot of time it's first thing in the morning before and/or after my first meal. I also had a few (maybe 3) bouts of constipation (which I NEVER had ..since I was a little girl). Also, I began having terrible indigestion (pain right under my sternum).
Last week, I started having bile D again...followed by terrible indigestion with tenderness in the upper right quadrant that wrapped around to my back just behind my ribs. It radiates down to my lower back too
I went to my gp who ran blood work (all normal). She referred me back to the GI (who I see tomorrow). Last night I wound up in the ER with pretty bad pain in my upper right quadrant and back. Any time I eat or drink ANYTHING (including water) this last week, I hurt.
They did an U/S and liver, spleen, kidneys, bile duct, pancreas all looked normal. Blood work fine. The ER dr. said it sounded like Crohns too.
My other symptoms are this: Night sweats, constant fatigue, "bone pain" in my pelvic region (almost feels like there's a bowling ball sitting there sometimes), hypothyroidism, low Vit D levels, anxiety, depression (treated), headaches (just started getting those), hip pain when I walk any distance (I also have fun clicking noises when I walk first thing in the morning). I also am frequently nauseas (sp?) but I have a HUGE fear of throwing up (can't stress this enough) so I fight it tooth and nail.
My gp had been wanting me to see a rheumatologist for years but I've put it off. I have seen many many dr's over the years (I have undiagnosed autoimmune issues that go back to when I was a child and would get swollen joints, hands, feet and hives that they couldn't explain ) Oh one last thing, I have ridiculously horrid periods. An ob/gyn a few years ago said I could have adenomyosis but it was a clinical diagnosis.
I guess my question for all of you is does this sound like it could be Crohn's? I never had blood in my stool that I could see (although lots of mucous (sorry tmi!). Did your pain change locations over time? It feels like it "skipped" up pretty high. (although I've always had a tender right side from my ribs to my ovaries)
Also, I know I'm looking down the barrel of a colonoscopy and I'm terrified. Any suggestions? Thanks so much for listening. I'm so sick of hurting and not being able to go anywhere due to never knowing if I'll need to run to the bathroom...and since I'm a total germ-phobe, I won't use public bathrooms...
Thanks for listening and I hope this makes some sense
*********************UPDATE*****************
I'm feeling a little discouraged, insulted and confused?
I went to see the GI specialist the other day. I saw her associate (a man) who was VERY nice and took an hour to talk to me. I told him right away about my FEAR of colonoscopies (due to my emetephobia (fear of throwing up) ). He said not to worry that he could work with me on that. He took an extensive history from me and in the end said he couldn't be sure it was Crohns until he did the colonoscopy but that he thought it sounded more like IBS :yrolleyes: Maybe it is IBS (as I've always thought since I never had blood in my stool) but he seemed to blame an awful lot of my pain and symptoms on my stressful life (4 children and two are special needs) and on my childhood.
He said we can wait a few weeks to do the scopes and I could try a few things first: Levsin, a GI cocktail, and a proton pump inhibitor (the name escapes me ..he gave me samples for that one). He also suggested deep breathing (which I told him was difficult when I was in PAIN..lol). He asked me if I felt better after I have D and I said yes (it relieves the cramping) but it will often come back a little while later and I'll be back in the bathroom. He says that sounds more like IBS?
He said my labs and U/S were normal (except for a slightly enlarged spleen 14 cm and a fatty liver with a slightly enlarged right hepatic lobe). I noticed my WBC was 10.3 (from the ER last week) and a few days prior it was 7.3 (at the beginning of this particular episode).
The thing is, I can go a few days to a week with minimal cramping and no D but those "breaks" are less and less frequent now. I used to occasionally have D with lower right pain. Now I have it nearly every day with cramping (the morning is the worst). I also have even more unexplained pain. (He is almost positive I have Fibromyalgia)
He didn't give me a reason for my upper right quadrant pain. He said he won't know until he scopes. He did order a stool culture for WBC and H. Pylori. He said if the stool comes back + for WBC's then I have to go in right away for the colonoscopy.
I tried a Levsin this morning and it "almost" worked...but my D would not be silenced :lol2: (sorry for the lame attempt at humor). I wound up having D a few times and am left with a crampy stomach and pain in my lower right side again
Sorry this is so long...I'm just frustrated. I feel like he's already going in with a "it's IBS" attitude. If I go through with the colonoscopy and it's "normal" then I'll have no answers.
Anyway...thanks for reading and any input, advice is welcome
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