Getting scared...blood and cramping

[AgB621]

Last Saturday, I'd had a really bad night so I expected some stomach discomfort. Then I had D for the first time in months (things had been pretty status quo) but when I looked, half of it was blood. I called my psychiatrist (he's sort of my go-to guy for any emergency) and he said to be safe I should go to the ER. Everything there checked out fine (white count was 13, a little high, but that's where it always is for me), so I figured things were fine. The next day there was some bloody mucus type discharge, but nothing like the day before, so I wasn't worried. Then on Wednesday night, as soon as I started to eat my stomach cramped up and I had to run to the bathroom. Then I would be okay for maybe half an hour, and then the cramping would start up again and I'd have to run to the bathroom. It wasn't D and there was no blood, so I still wasn't worried. But then Thursday morning I woke up with the same cramping, and this time there was blood. Every time I would try and eat, within a few bites I would feel my stomach twist into a knot and I'd have to run to the bathroom before I'd even finished my food. There was a lot more blood last night, most of it bright, but once it was dark and clotted. I woke up this morning with yet the same cramping, and have had more bloody stool twice already. I don't know how there's so much in me, I haven't been able to eat very much the past couple of days! And at times, the cramping was absolutely excruciating, I was sitting in the bathroom moaning and shaking.

The only thing I can think of that could have caused this is the fact that I took Advil, but Advil has never given me a problem before and I definitely don't abuse it. We've just been getting some bad weather, which gives me migraines, and taking Tylenol might as well be taking air...it does absolutely nothing for me. Could the Advil have caused all of this? And if so, is it significant at all that it's suddenly making me really ill when I've been taking it (again, not abusively) for many years?

I'm seeing the nurse practitioner at my GI's office in a half hour, but my GI is out of town. I'll be seeing him Tuesday.

Thanks for any advice anyone can offer, it's scary seeing so much blood.

 

[katiesue1506]

Advil can start a flare. Since its processed through the stomach instead of the liver it can cause bleeding ulcers and lots of bad stuff. I also heard it can take away your lining of mucous in the stomach.

Advil is bad... in fact I think taking an Excedrin is what started my last flare. And I haven't been able to throw it for 8 months.

 

[danman]

Sorry to hear that AgB.

Get yourself to the doc's quick.

 

[AgB621]

The CRNP thinks either flare or recurrence of C. Diff. She did not think that Advil was the culprit, but I'm not sure if I agree with that. Seeing my GI doc on Tuesday, got some more blood work, and I'll have to do a stool sample, so hopefully that will give us some answers.

I keep getting things that point towards Crohn's and yet I can't seem to get a definitive diagnosis. It's really frustrating.

 

[Guest]

i just looked up the ingredients of Advil - ibruprofen. i take this drug quite often for pain, particularly recently as i can no longer take codeine while i'm on LDN, and am more or less ok on it. it's never caused bleeding for me, but if i have a lot, i do get acidic/ulcer type feelings in my upper stomach.

however, i do know some people are sensitive to ibruprofen... this link gives possible side effects, and this in particular "Ibuprofen may cause ulceration of the stomach or intestine, and the ulcers may bleed. Sometimes, ulceration can occur without abdominal pain, and black, tarry stools, weakness, and dizziness upon standing (orthostatic hypotension) due to bleeding may be the only signs of an ulcer."

http://www.medicinenet.com/ibuprofen/article.htm

i'd recommend you stay off it from now on, and i hope you get back to normal very soon.

 

[AgB621]

Thanks dingbat. Yeah, better safe than sorry when it comes to the Advil.

Question: IBS alone probably wouldn't cause this, would it? Though if it is the Advil, the question is, did the Advil act alone or do I really have Crohn's even though we haven't found it yet?

 

[JillianB82]

Sorry to hear about everything that you are going through. When something happens to our bodies that is not "normal" you can not help but to naturally worry.

The symptoms that you are having is what I went through for months until they finally did the colonoscopy & found the Crohns. Have you taken that route yet?

Good luck hon!

 

[Guest]

i don't know, AgB, from the side effects info, it looks like anyone can be affected.

but i know what you mean.. you need to know for your own peace of mind whether you have IBS or Crohns. i hope you get the answers soon!

 

[AgB621]

I've had two colonoscopies, an upper endoscopy, a CT enterography, and capsule endoscopy. Hence my frustration at the lack of a diagnosis. My doctor suspects Crohn's because whatever blood test that's indicative of Crohn's was elevated and when the second colonoscopy was clear and he took me off the Asacol, I got really sick a few weeks later, and got better when I was put back on. The first colonoscopy was mostly inconclusive because I had C. Diff so it was hard to tell what was the infection and what was Crohn's.

 

[AgB621]

I have a fever now. It's low, but it's there. I wouldn't think that would be the result of an ulcer from the Advil, would it?

 

[katiesue1506]

I get low grade fevers when flaring... just a sign that inflammation is up. Could be some sort of infection though. may want to talk to your doc about it.

 

[AgB621]

I'm seeing him Tuesday and I'm off to drop off a stool sample which should hopefully clarify infection vs. flare.

 

[AgB621]

Thank you all for your support. I know that my bad days are good days for a lot of you, and I appreciate you taking the time to reassure me. It's just frightening to see all that blood for the first time. I will post an update after my appointment Tuesday.

 

[Guest]

good luck on Tuesday, AgB.. i'm sure you'll be fine. blood does tend to freak us out, well i guess it's supposed to really, but unfortunately in Crohn's, it's something we do see sometimes and have to try and keep calm about.

 

[AgB621]

It's official, I have Crohn's. My doc did a flex and took some more biopsies but he says what he saw is definitive. It only took a year!

 

[Guest]

hey a year's not bad lol

sorry you have Crohn's AgB, but in a way it'll be a relief, knowing what it is and how to go on from here. we're right here for you so don't ever feel you're alone with it all. ((hugs))