Bowel problems - Bowel Disorders Message Board

ering1983 · 03-13-2008, 11:08 AM

Hi Im new to the forums,

Since my teenage years I have had terrible trouble with bowel movements and stomach pains. I found this quite embarressing and kept it to myself for many years untill I finally found the courage to go and see my doctor about it when I was 21 years old.
My doctor was fantastic and took blood tests,stool samples and refered me to our local gastroentrology department to check for ceoliac disease as he though many of my symptoms and height (in comparison with my families) put me at possible risk. I had an endoscopy done 12 weeks later which came back fine and showed nothing. The gastroenterologist said that he suspected it was IBS.
That was 3 years ago now,during that time I read up on IBS,kept food diaries to see if certain food irritated my symptoms and just generally plodded on.
The last 12 months though my symptoms had gotten progresively worse. Ive had terrible trouble going to the toilet,to the point where I have only had 2 bowel movements a week but when i have gone it hasnt been hard like you would expect from somebody suffering constipation,it has been very soft,not watery just soft,my abdomen has been very tender and swollen to the point where I have been asked how many weeks pregnant I am and my stomach pains have been getting more and more painful.
I eventually returned to my doctor 3 weeks ago now after 3 days of loosing alot of blood during bowel movement,sometimes there wasnt actually any bowel movement just alot of mucous and blood. He checked for external hemoroids and ruled these out and did an internal examination but round nothing there either. He took blood tests to check for any sign of inflammation in the bowel and a stool sample. I returned to my doctors for the results last monday but again nothing showed up in them. He advised me to take 1 fibergel sachet a day for a while to see if it regulates my bowel movements and to go back and see him if thongs get no better.
Well this weekend just gone has been awful. On friday evening I started getting VERY sharp pains on the left side of abdomen,they were that painful that it actually took my breath away for a second. The pains only lasted for approx 15/20 seconds then eased off just leaving my stomach feeling very tender for a few minutes. This went on like this on and off untill Monday. Then on Tuesday evening I felt this sudden urge to go to the toilet,i went and did have bowel movement but as soon as I had got off the toilet I had to jump back on again,this happened 3 times in the space of 10/15 mins each time there wasa bowel movement,again it was not diarreah but quite soft. After this I had this immense pressure in my rectal area which I still have now,I also got sharp stabbing pains in my rectum which woke me up from a sound sleep 3 times on tuesday night.
I called my Doctor yesterday who has now rerefured me to gastroentrology for futher investigation.
My abdomen is very very tender today with the occassional sharp stabbing pain and the rectal pressure has not eased off at all.
My grandmother suffered very badly with IBD ulcerative colitis which eventually resulted in her having to have a colostomy,my GP is aware of this.

I was just wandering anybody has any idea of what this could be?

Thanks in advance for your replies

Wallis86 · 03-13-2008, 11:20 AM

It sounds like you most likely have UC. THe left sided pain, the bleeding, the mucus, the stabbing rectal pain... these all happen to me. I'm not sure why you are having so much trouble passing bowel movements, all I can think of is that you have narrowing of the colon from inflammation. As far as blood work goes, I've had UC for about 6 years, 10 with symptoms, and my SED rate has never been abnormal (SED rate shows inflammation). I suggest seeing a new GI and getting a complete colonoscopy done with biopsies. This is the only way to rule out ulcerative colitis or Crohn's. I hope you figure this out soon!

ering1983 · 03-13-2008, 01:24 PM

Thanks for your reply,i guess im just going to have to wait and see what happens when I see the specialist,I just hate not knowing and know that its going to be a while before I find out.
Does anybody know if there is anything I can do to try and relieve this pressure im feeling in the rectum?

maddieg1947 · 03-14-2008, 02:59 AM

I have the problem with pressure in the back passage, always feeling that I need to go to the loo even after I have just been, but I do not have any abdominal pain, so its not going to be the same as your problem. I have had 2 hemorrhoidectomies and now I have this problem. After numerious investigations I have been told that I have Rectocele. I have been advised not to have surgery as it is not severe enough, but it is really a big problem to me, I have never had a colonoscopy and have been concerned about that because I feel it could be something else. I am currently doing the UKs bowel screening programme for the over 60s, which I was chosen for quite randomly it involves putting a small sample on a card for 3 days and sending it off in the post. I did my 1st one today so I will see what they say. This does not help your problem I know but hopefully it will put my mind at rest that there is nothing more serious lurking there

Wallis86 · 03-14-2008, 07:33 PM

Well, I'm fairly certain that the pressure is actually due to the fact that you have an inflamed rectum, so really the only sure fire way to make it stop is to get on medication. Ask the GI for a cortisone enema or suppository because those work directly at the inflammation. For the time being, it might help to sit in a lukewarm bath for a little while. If you have been taking anything for the pain, do NOT take Ibuprofen, it will make the bleeding worse. Sorry I can't be of more help, I usually use the enemas, but I never knew what to do when I didn't have any cortisone left. Feel better.