Please help all the experienced people here, I’m scared...

Please help all the experienced people here, I’m scared...

Please help all the experienced people here, I’m scared...

Since February I have been living in hell. I have so much pain on my left side right where my natural waist is and along with the worst nausea I’ve ever experiences. My bowel movements change and I have noticed blood a few times; most recently last week. I’ve had flare-ups of this pain for as long as I can remember. It lasts between a few days to a few months. When ever I went to the doctor they just told me to take laxatives, so I thought I was crazy and stopped complaining.

After suffering for a month I went to the doctor during this particular pain-filled episode. This time I am being taken seriously. It was determined by a HIDA scan that my gallbladder functions at 29%, but since it doesn’t hurt on my right side the surgeon I saw doesn’t want to operate until I see a specialist. I really like him saying that. The worst thing would be going through surgery and still being in pain. My CRP levels are 6, I don’t know what this means.... The conclusion my family doctor has is that it might be ibd or my gallbladder and I radiate pain in ways he has never seen.

Is there any tips out there? I can’t eat anything without being sick. I take so many t3’s and gravol. Is it possible it could be just my gallbladder?

Thanks.

Hi and welcome,
I have a bad gull bladder. Lots of stones. I still have mine but they want to take it out soon. For years I thought it was an ulcer and was told that by a doctor. I have pain in my stomach ( it's really the gull bladder, which is behind my stomach), the pain radiates to my front. Their is sever pain under my right shoulder blade. I have NOTHING in the way of pain around my waist. I don't know if that helps.
My little girl might have crohn's and a lot of her pain is one inch below the belly button.
I hope you get it figured out soon.

Farmwife

Hi there and welcome!

Based upon the location of the pain and that it continues to recur, I would request a colonoscopy.

We're here to help in any way we can

Hello and welcome to the forum!
Your C-Reactive protein is produced by your liver in reaction to inflammation/infection. Normal range is 0-6mg/L so you are in the upper normal. It does not mean you don't have inflammation or what not if your level aren't high. I know that for some the CRP is not necessarily high but they have active IBD or else. But on the overall, CRP is generally accurate.

I don't know if it could be your gallbladder only, what I am wondering is about the blood you saw on occasion. Was it like small amount or decent amount of blood. It could be only a simple thing like hemorroids but if it is in greater quantity, I would try to get some testing done (colonoscopy as previously mentionned). Also, do you have mucus (jelly substance) in your stool?

Thankfully you seem to be into a good process to determine what is wrong with you. No matter what happens, you will find some help through that forum!

Hope you feel better soon!
~J~

P.S: Yes, Geology Rocks! =]

Hello Geo
Sorry to hear of all your pain and discomfort.
Hopefully you are being referred to a gastroenterologist who will be experienced with the diagnosis of IBD and gallbladder problems.
As David has said the first thing you need to have is a colonoscopy and as soon as possible since you are losing blood.
A CRP is C Reactive Protein and is a measure of inflammation in the body. It is a non specififc test but can be quite valuable in the differential diagnosis of inflammation causes.
Your CRP at 6 could be indicative of inflammation, did you have an ESR result as well?
T3s that you take --is this tylenol3, which contains codeine.
Codeine can contribute to some of the nausea you experience, it does for some people.
It is also not a good drug for IBD patients.
Its guesswork to try and fit your symptoms to any particular disease process, you do need appropriate investigations for this.
When your symptoms are so bad it might be a good idea to check into the ER and get investigations sooner than later especially when losing blood..why continue to suffer--
Feel better soon
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha

Thank-you for all your support, sometimes it’s nice to vent. I didn’t include that because of this I was not able to graduate from university this year..but that’s another venting session.

I’m glad that the CRP isn’t that bad. There has been mucus in my stool a few times. I’m sure I’ll have to have a colonoscopy eventually.

I am being referred to a gastroenterologist. She’s suppose to be very good; all the ones in my hometown are apparently bad, that’s what the surgeon said. I looked though my all my test results and there was no mention of an ESR. What is that? I can ask my doctor to get it done. He wanted to do a stool test which tests for inflammation in the bowel, but it’s not offered in British Columbia which seems silly. I’ve also stopped taking the t3’s (they didn’t really work unless I took 2 at a time and sometimes that didn’t do anything). I don’t think they contributed to my nausea, but they did give me really bad headaches. I have been to the hospital twice. That was when I thought it was just my gallbladder and I was told they had to test my liver function. It was normal both times.

Thanks again.

Hello again!
ESR is Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It is another marker of inflammation and it's used to detect conditions such as infections, cancer, immune disorders. It's not as significant as the CRP for IBD but it usually raises when the disease is active.

I have to say I am surprised that they don't do the fecal calprotectin test in BC...

Here's a link stating different tests that may be used for IBD:
http://www.arupconsult.com/Topics/IBD.html

Here is a link to a pdf that resumes the uses of the tests and it's significance for Ulcerative Colitis vs Crohn disease if that may interest you:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1856093/pdf/426.pdf

Oh and feel free to vent... we all get there at some point. I too struggle with finishing my studies. These diseases are a bit unpredictable and well, they come with their loads of inconvenient. I guess expressing these frustrations to others that can understand helps so feel free to share if you'd like!

I agree with David, PsychoJane, and Tryshia,

General Practicioners are good for colds and flus, but when it comes to the stomach and anything related to Digestive system, you want to see a GI dr, (Gastroenterologist)

they cover the gastrointestonal system from the throat all the way down to the rectum and out.

There are many tests that they can do, I am inclined to agree with Dave on the colonoscopy. They can also do a CT scan, or an MRI but you would get better answers than simply being told to take a laxative...

You GP should have referred you to a GI DR, telling someone to just take a laxative is not only being lazy but what if the laxative exasperates your symptoms?

It certainly was horrible to be told to take laxatives. Even if that was the problem it does seem lazy to just write it off. I will certainly ask my doctor about the other tests when I see him in a few weeks. Other then a colonoscopy, which one should I ask for? I know I'll have to have one eventually but getting in in time before I see the GI seems unlikely. The referral I got was done by my cardiologist (I also have a congenital heart defect). She's the one who really seems to want to get answers. She doesn't think it was my gallbladder; her report changed the surgeons mind.

I saw my GP for 3 years with stomach pains and D before being referred to a GI. Don't get me wrong, my GP is great and has helped me with Crohn's related things when my GI was unavailable but before diagnosis, she did a bunch of tests for various things but nothing ever came back positive. When I saw the GI he sent me for a SBFT (small bowel follow through) where you drink barium and get xrays and he diagnosed me with Crohn's from that. Three years of tests and feeling awful with my GP compared to one week with the GI...what a difference!

I have never even actually had a colonoscopy before! A barium enema and lots of CT scans, xrays and ultrasounds though

Once you have the colonoscopy done, the GI Dr will know what test you should have next... what test you should have next depends on the colonoscopy results.

BumbleBee,
I had one Dr order an upper GI and a Colonoscopy, they did the Upper GI First and then 2 days later when they did the Colonoscopy, there was still quite a bit of barium so they couldnt really get a good image of the colon...

I have never had a BE, (Barium Enema) Ive heard it is not the most pleasant test either..

this last time in April, the GI DR ordered the tests and I got the colonoscopy first and then the Upper GI,

I told him that it was good that they did the Colonoscopy first because that way there wouldn't be any barium in the colon...

he just basicly aggreed as I told him about what happened in 94,
I should have refused the Upper GI untill after the colonoscopy was done.

Skippy - the BE was not pleasant, you've heard right! The worst was the prep though the day before, made me so sick! I've heard similar stories about colonoscopy prep so I'm really hoping I don't have to go through that but I'm sure I won't be so lucky forever! I just found out that I have a narrowing in my terminal ileum, see my GI tomorrow so we'll see what test(s) he thinks I should get next...keeping my fingers crossed it's nothing that involves scopes!

Bumble Bee: I have narrowing of the terminal illeum and I have read they can do a balloon stretching procedure sometimes without having to do anything surgically. Sometimes it helps - sometimes it doesn't. It's low risk from what I read. As far as the colonoscopy prep, I finally got a good one Myralex (no flavor or texture) and juice of my choice (clear, not red, purple). Not bad.....Perhaps that is an option for you? I have a pill camera stuck somewhere in me right now....it's probably there in my terminal illeum. I am scheduled for a small bowel follow through (as if one weren't enough) to find the location and after that is an unknown.

GEOLOGY ROCKS: If your surgeon recommended your GI, you are most likely in good hands. Surgeons get to see all the end product of other doctors so they generally become familiar with the good ones. I hope they find an answer to your pain soon. I am scheduled for a HIDA scan soon - was that particularly traumatic? I'm nervous about it.

Hi clsparks, my doctor wants me to go for a CT Enterography to see the narrowing. We both are inclined to think its scar tissue causing the narrowing rather than inflammation as all my bloodwork is coming back perfectly normal. Also, I don't really have any other symptoms of a flare, just the pain from what i believe is the narrowing. i've read about the balloon stretching as well but it seems not to be a long lasting fix which would mean more issues sooner rather than later. Too bad life can't just be easy

That sounds exactly like my situation as well. My new doctor said it might be too many aspirin products in my younger years and now isn't sure it's even Crohns. Do you have Crohns? If mine is Crohns, it appears to be only strictures - no ulcers or inflammation.

PS: Bumblebee....the camera pill does a good job of showing the actual strictures. I have several and the CT only picked up one issue at the terminal illeum.

clsparks - The HIDA scan wasn't a bad experience for me. The gallstone I have is stuck in the neck and they don't think it moves. The worst part for me was the IV, I'm not a fan of needles. If you do have a gallstone moving around and the first injection causes it to block the duct they won't do the second one. If they do the second one it causes the gallbladder to contract which didn't hurt, it just felt really weird. Other than that it's just lying still; the place I got mine done had a TV. On the bright side you'll be radioactive for a few days Good luck!!!

Thanks Geology - that eases my mind. I have a pill camera stuck in me and I can only stand to worry about one thing at a time! ha I'll check HIDA scan off my worry list. ))