Constipation and ulcers questions

[Caeryn23]

Another update

I was hospitalized for lower left side pain. I came home yesterday.

My SED Rate is 21 (0-20mm/hr range). My X-Ray says I have a dilated right colon and splenic flexure. It's suggestive of a colonic obstruction.

My CT scan mentions "thickening of the distal tranverse colon...descending colon and rectum... consistent with colitis." I also have stool burden.

They did a colonoscopy. It says the descending colon mucosa is "erythematous, hemorrhagic, ulcerated, and to show loss of vascular markings suggestive of stercoral ulcers due to constipation." Four biopsies were taken.

The inpatient doctors said I had "end stage constipation." Has anyone heard of this? They said to take Miralax as a bowel regimen. They never mentoned IBD to me.

Thank you.

 

[allieinwonder]

Honestly, you need to go to your GP and get a refferal to a GI to thoroughly look at your case. Then that GI should look at all your records from the hospital for themselves. I have never heard of constipation causing ulcers! Colitis is a way they describe IBD, so it is in your records that it is a possibility. The biopsies should be tested for IBD as well, so that might help too. Good luck!

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Caeryn, if I'm reading your post right, the ER said you probably have a bowel obstruction - and then they sent you home and told you to take Miralax?? That doesn't sound good to me. Did they say if they thought it was a partial obstruction or a full obstruction? Are you vomiting, are you able to pass stool or gas at all? If you get symptoms like vomiting, not able to pass stool or gas, or if the pain gets worse, please go back to the ER (or maybe a different ER!). An obstruction is serious and I can't believe they'd just send you on your way without helping you. And like Allie said, I've also never heard of constipation causing ulcers. I agree with her suggestion to see a GI (if you already have a GI, please call him or her - if you don't have a GI, try to get one right away, your GP can refer you and if they know it's serious they might be able to rush an appointment). Colitis just means inflammation of the colon - hopefully the biopsies will show if the inflammation is due to something like IBD (Crohn's/UC) or possibly something like a virus or bacterial infection in your colon. Good luck with the biopsy results and feel better soon!

 

[Caeryn23]

Thank you for answering.

I was in the hospital for about a week. They didn't say what type of obstruction. However, they did say I had a "stool ball." maybe that's what the obstruction was.

They gave me GoLytely. I was able to pass stool and gas. However, they said my prep was poor. They were able to examine up to the Hepatic Flexure. The colonoscopy didn't mention an obstruction.

I'm supposed to follow up with my PCP. I'll ask her. I can also see a surgeon who knows about IBD issues.

 

[Rebecca85]

Basically, they are saying you got so constipated that you had a ball of stool blocking your colon. The constipation and hard stool has also given you stercoral ulcers, due to the hardness and pressure of the stool passing through (they are different kind of ulcers to IBD ulcers).

Hopefully a regime of laxatives will keep things moving and allow the ulcers to heal. If not then I guess the constipation must be secondary to another condition.

 

[Caeryn23]

Thank you.

The scope mentioned "ulcerations" and "loss of vascular markings suggestive of stercoral ulcers due to constipation." So, I have 2 different types of ulcers? The doctor didn't really explain that. I'm just confused.

 

[Rebecca85]

I don't see where it says you have 2 types of ulcers. I read it as being "erythematous, hemorrhagic, ulcerated, and to show loss of vascular markings (and all of those things are) suggestive of stercoral ulcers due to constipation."

But the biopsies should give more information as to the cause of the ulcers too.

 

[Caeryn23]

I guess I read it differently. The way it is worded, it looks like the doctor found 4 separate things. Like, only the vascular part was suggestive of constipation. I thought if the other stuff was suggestive of constipation, the doctor would have worded it differently.

I hope the biopsies clarify things for me.