Hi....starting about 4 mos ago, I began having pain on the right and left side of my stomach but mostly my left. It starts about waist height and goes down to about my hip bone. I thought it was my kidneys, so I had blood, urine and ultrasounds done...kidneys and all internal organs were fine. Then I had a pelvic ultrasound, that was fine too.

After doing some reasearch, it really sounded like Diverticulitis.....the Gastro ordered a colonoscopy and EGD....that was all fine too.

I am totally baffled....I wonder if it could be IBS, but just not the typical kind. When the pain is there, it's just there, it's not crampy or gassy feeling at all....and it does not seem related to using the bathroom.

It is not a typical stomach ache type pain, and it's farther over from the tummy and feels like it's the colon. My abdominal area is very loud and gurgly at times. Also, the pain is not horrible, but it's just there.

Does anyone have IBS and it is not the typical kind you hear about?

Any ideas? Thanks

You are not as "atypical" as you think. They have recently changed the Rome criteria (the criteria they use to diagnose IBS) to also fit more what they call "pain predominant IBS".

I have this too, mostly pain, bloating and general discomfort, and also a pain and tenderness in my lower left side. I can also feel my colon at times if I am laying down pushing on my left side (acoompanied by tenderness there).

I too thought diverticulitis, but 3 doctors ruled that out and have all said, "IBS."

My point is, I have no diarrhea or constipation, just pain. I think part of what may help you may be to increase your fiber and add a fiber supplement (metamucil, citrucel) to get things moving a little better. Even though you may not be "constipated" per se, you may have a bit of a sluggish colon (motility). Also a probiotic may help you too.

You are not alone, I know what you are going through. I have had this for ever it seems. Please keep me posted and if I can help in any way, let me know.

A.

Thanks!

You know what is weird? The morning of my colonoscopy, I was empty inside...LOL..and it still hurt...so it couldn't have been anything stuck in there, etc...

I just worry that it still might be something else, like Endometriosis or something.

Endometriosis with adhesions specifically.
That's what I had.
See a Reproductive Endocrinologist and don't mess around.
My situation got so bad that it's a year and THREE surgeries later and I'm just now clearing.
I have to take a mess of medicine and it changed my whole life.
However, I still have a colon in one piece and I survived the Emergency Surgery and that's a very good thing.
There are good answers if you take the matter seriously and become committed to finding good answers.
As for that Rome Criteria.....it's about time!
kat

Kat....since I am done having kids and not in bad pain...isn't it wise to NOT have a dr go in and look around?

The decision on what is wise or not wise with respect to ones internal pelvic condition is such a personal matter. It's really hard to say.
The whole problem of the mystery pelvic pain is a really tough area of diagnostics mainly because there aren't good ways of knowing what exactly is or isn't there. Stuff rarely shows up on imaging tests and blood work always seemed to miss the mark for me.
Pain is relative to what you experience and what you think you can live with.
I look back to my own situation and I have wondered at what point in the process when my pain was not too bad, that I might have had the situation tended to avoid the chronic pelvic mess I currently battle.
Certainly no one needs to wait until the situation becomes so terrible that you wind up incapacitated and have your whole life turned inside out.
That's what happened to me and other women who suffer with chronic problems left over from Endo and Adhesions gone wild in the pelvis.
So it's really difficult to know.
My only regret with my problem was not having the laproscope done sooner.
But even then, realistically, they might have even still missed things.
I had my hysterectomy back in April of 2002.
At the time the surgeon decided to leave my appendix and right ovary in tact.
She took everything else out.
The Surgeon later told me that she thought my right ovary looked so healthy that she could not take it out in all good consciousness.
Just about 8 months later I had to have that Ovary taken out with another surgery.
The Endocrinologist who did the surgery said that the Ovary really did not look too bad, but pathology report came back showing Ovarian Endometriosis.
Everyone was really surprised and I was totally grateful that the Ovary was gone because Ovarian Tumors and Breast Cancer are a big deal in my family.
It was sickness just waiting to fester.
So who really knows.
I think sometimes that we are just flying by the seat of our pants.
I know this may sound terribly unscientific but I would suggest to let your own internal intuitive body wisdom be your guide and do what your gut tells you with no regrets.
Sometimes we KNOW what our body needs.
Best of Luck to you,
kat

P.S. Reproductive Endocrinologists may or may not be immediate in the going inside and looking around department.
They have a few different ways they deal with problems.
The thing is to at least find the specialty that knows the territory the best and from my personal experience with gynecologists, gastroenterologists and reproductive endocrinologists the RE was the most accurate choice.

[This message has been edited by kat721 (edited 04-22-2003).]

Kat...the thing is, is that it is not really Pelvic pain, the pain is up higher, starting at my waist. Also, it is related to certain foods I eat....so even though it might be Endo, I don't think it is that likely, but who knows.

I go in to see my OB/GYN soon and I will talk to him...thanks.

My pain was similar to yours and so are the pains of other women with Endo problems. The big confusion is that it's very hard to differentiate between IBS,and External Colon adhesions.
The Endo and Adhesions often influence how we react to our food and our bowels. When my colon goes into a spasm down low I often get my discomfort up in the upper GI area as nausea. I treat the lower colon and the nausea goes away.
So it's real confusing. I had good luck with my first Gastroenterologist. He did a colonoscopy to rule out IBD which would be something like Ulcerative Colitis.
Once they rule out a few things then they can get a clearer picture of what is going on.
Good Luck with your Doctor. I'm sure you will have some good answers very soon.
kat

Kat....I don't know what is left to rule out but Endo...LOL...I have had every test done....so if it's not Endo, I guess it's IBS.

Thanks

lovemythreeguys,

Im with you! I dont know what's left to rule out either. Endo has been ruled out with me by 3 docs. I guess Im just left with this IBS diagnosis.

Man some days are ok, others are horrible. I get so dpressed b/c I cant seem to get a handle on my symptoms, let alone anything that works consistently.

Sad http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

The only way to rule out Endometriosis and Adhesions is for the surgeon to go inside the pelvis with a scope and take a look around.
That is the ONLY way for sure and only if the surgeon knows what they are looking for.
Diagnosing Endo is not that easy.
That's why there are so many of us running around with mysterious health problems.
Plain but not real simple.
It's a day surgery if you only get the scope.
They go in through the belly button.
If you have that done, and the answer still comes out IBS then there are lots of answers.
Actually, if you turn up with Endometriosis you'll have IBS anyway.
The statistic is that 95% of the women with Endometriosis turns up with IBS.
Goes with the territory. So if you just have IBS you just miss one more big stinkey complication of Endo.
And If you have endo, you will find that a lot of the answers for IBS will help you feel better and cope with the physical problems Endo causes.
So just approach the whole problem with some IBS wisdom, which is basically rooted in creating a healthy bowel environment and you're a step ahead.
kat

I have quite similar symptoms to yourself which started about 2 months ago...

The initial pains were very kidney like, left side, back and front, sharp cramping etc...

Eventually this cooled down and the original cause wasn't identified. The doc thought I'd had a water infection or something. He did send me for an x-ray to look for stones which did show 3 things on the left side and a build up on the right side. They didn't think it was stones though.

Anyway, since then I've had a constant "discomfort" in my left side, quite near to the hip area. Again, my doc thinks this is probably just IBS, brought on by anxiety which I've also been suffering from since last year.

my stool is always a bit soft and normally a bit light coloured, often with some mucus type stuff in it.

I don't really get D or C, just the pain and once in a blue moon a bit of stomach cramping. Don't pass blood as far as I know, had a scare a few weeks ago but it was either a one off or I probably mistook something else as blood.

I'm due to see a gastro at some point, waiting for the appoinment. I want to rule out the following:

1. Diverticulitis
2. Ulcerative Colitis
3. Crohns (although i think this is unlikely)
4. Ulcer or Other?

Oh to feel normal again!

I'm due to see a gastro at some point, waiting for the appoinment. I want to rule out the following:
1. Diverticulitis
2. Ulcerative Colitis
3. Crohns (although i think this is unlikely)
4. Ulcer or Other?

********

A colonoscopy would rule all of these out, I would push for it...not sure about the UK, but here, they sedate you and when you wake up, it's over http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I am sure glad I had it done...I am only 35 and they found a polyp, it scares me to think that could have grown into Cancer and I would have never known http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

A colonoscopy definately rules a lot of things out. Including precancer polyps.
My husband had one last year. He bled like a blood faucet.
It totally freaked us out.
Filled the toilet with blood.
It was a tiny precancer and internal hemmorroids.
The preventative meds for people prone to polyps is Calcium. That is the medical word. Not just supplimental therapy ideas.
Check out some Colon Cancer health sites.
kat

I can relate to almost every symtom here. I too thoght it might be diverticulitus or kidney, even the doctor thought kidney, but he could find nothing, so he gave me antibiotics AGAIN UGH...

I have had the pain, left side just above my hip, for almost 2 years, but I figured I could deal with it, until it got so bad, and the spasms would require that I lay down with a heating pad.

I started by removing junk food from my diet, didn't help, I was already taking acidophilus and viatmins again, and the only things I could eat were salads and yogurt, pretty much.

Everyone kept telling me to see a dotor but they were'nt any help.

Then one day I read on the web that ibs might be linked to candida or an overgrowth of bad bacteria due to taking to many antibiotics for other things.

I went to the health food store in dredful pain, and saw a product for IBS specifically, however right next to it was a product called CandidaGone, and I remembered what the article said. I thought well, if ibs is linked to candida it would seem to make sense to try that first. Of course I wasn't epecting anything much to happen, after all how could I be that lucky to get rid of pain I have had for 2 years.

I started the candida cleanse stuff, and I could not beleieve that in two days the pain was gone, I also started noticing that I was feeling better in other ways too, so I decided to take the cleanse for a second 15 days, and I have not had any pain since.. Period. Believe me, I can't sell a bar of soap, I don't rave about anything, unless I am blown away by it.

I had forgotten what it was like to be with out this side pain and the nausea, and the stress, thinking you have some god awful fatal disease.

I am not one to take conventional drugs, I don't like them or the side affects, that is why I take only things that are herbal based and have always done so, but I didn't think there was even an herb to get rid of this pain, but candidagone did it for me.

Why and over growth of bacteria could possibley cause ibs is beyond my comprehension but most people can relate to being given antibiotics that kill off bacteria you body needs to stay healthy.

Anyway I hope this helps others, it did for me, I have had no pain now for a month and only have about 4 more days to finish up the second dose of candidagone. Of course I will stay on enzymes and acidophilus for ever, as I know they are nessesary for a health intestine... The side benefit of being sick was that I lost 20 pounds in one month when the pain was so bad I was afraid to eat anything except rice vegtables and yogurt.. lol

Geeez I hope I put this post in the right place, I am new here so if it's not feel free to let me know.

Booj,

Thnaks for the great post. I can relate to what you went thru and am going to my health food store tomorrow to try the candidagone. How much is it just out of curiousity? Any other side effects?

What enzymes do you take? Is Acidoph the only probiotic you take?

Thanks again for posting and welcome to the board!

A. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Thanks for the welcome, and yes, no side affects that I can list. It cost I think 23.00 for one cleansing session. You can split that session up in half dose if you like, but I prefered to do full strength, I figured what the heck, it couldn't be worse than the pain I was in. But I felt no side affects, just easing of pain, the first day, then a couple of stabs the next then nothing on the third day. Of course I am a light weight, stuff works on me pretty fast if it is going to work at all.

I think it was a bit more expensive online, but then that was after the fact, because I saw it first at the health food store, and had never heard of it before. When you in a lot of pain, you pretty much will try anything.

Do a search and look up renewlife and see what the box looks like so you know what to look for at the store. I think they even have a link to find a store near you.


I have to say though that for the period of about a month before taking it:

I keep taking acidophlus twice a day. Just because I was taking it when I found candidagone anyway. I was under a lot of stress for quite some time, so that didn't make matters better. And since I thought maybe the stress was the base of the problem I started taking 5htp by the NOW company, also at my healthfood store. I bought the book first and after reading that, I started on it, and have been on it for 6 months. You would have to kill me to get them away from me. The did the trick for my stress and anxiety, but nothing much for the ibs type pain.

I quite all sugar and started using stevia which is 100 times sweeter than sugar and is actually good for you supposedly. Also I found that cheaper in the health food store as well. It has an eye dropper thingy, and you use like maybe 5 drops in your herbal tea or I use it to sweeting my yogurt that I buy plain and mix with fresh frozen strawberries. That keeps that awful sweet tooth I have calmed... lol

I also stopped eating meat though normally I only eat chicken if I eat meat at all. I was so afraid to eat that I read rice might help so I started making rice and eathing things like zukinni and veggies I liked, so it wasn't too much of a punishment. lol

I found that peppermint tea helped my stomach and ginger with the nausea, but again, not enough to stop that terrible gripping spasm like pain, that used to be just sort of dull and just sort of there, until it got really bad.

I also started taking Coral Calcium which did not hurt my stomach like other calciums, and that stopped my joint aches and pains. Geeeez, some days I would get up and my whole body ached, but that's gone, except for some times when it rains, but not bad.

I get the Super Enzymes from the NOW company. In fact all my vitamins are from NOW. I was happy to see that brand at my local health food store, because they are so much cheaper for those of us on a fixed income.

Thats probably more information than you wanted but I am so excited not to be in pain anymore, I wanted to share it.

I would give you me email address but I am told you can't share that here.

Anyway I hope it helps you, I can't see it hurting even if it doesn't help you... But for me, I had to try something, and the gods were smiling on me that day...ugh.


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moderator4

[This message has been edited by moderator4 (edited 04-28-2003).]

Oh and by the way Andy, I read that some times metamucil and fiber sups like you mentioned can actually make the person feel worse. I was one of those people, so I stopped it about as fast as I started it. I found that my regular zukinni, or esparagus and rice combo's didn't make me feel worse, and I used oatbran meal in my yogurt that did the same thing but didn't make me feel worse..

For others the metamucil works, not sure why...

Booj,

Wow, another great informative post! Thanks so much. You have really given me some insight. I too am willing to try anything at this point. I went online to look at that website and will visit my health food store today. I think I might actually try their Probiotic too (Floramore). I like that it has both the L. Acidophilus and B. Bifidum. In researching probiotics, I found that those are the two you really want.

I havent tried Metamucil, only b/c I have heard that it made things worse for some people. I heard Citrucil may be better and less aggravating, so maybe I will try that. To be honest, I dont know what else to try anymore. I do not eat alot of sugar, and I havent eaten red meat in many years. I just want something, Anything to get rid of my pain. Its really quite frustrating. I havent had great luck with many of the traditional meds either. (I took Bentyl which made me have panic attacks...and Levbid which helped only a small amount but gave me side effects too).

I looked into that 5HTP, but I am not a candidate since I am currently on an SSRI and they say not to take the 2 together since they are similar.

I dont know what enzymes are or do...I guess I should research them more.

I was wondering if you could go into more details about yourself (how old you are, how long you were suffering, what other bowel symptoms you had, etc.)

Thanks so much for posting here. You have been very informative.

Regards
A