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[Sophabulous]

Hi all

On Monday the 19th of December I woke up with a very stiff and sore back which isn't exactly unusual. However by the time I got to work I was doubled over with awful waves of abdominal pain which I can only describe as like being in labour. I had been constipated over the weekend, struggled to go that morning and thereafter had very watery bm's 2 or 3 times with blood, which is new for me. Thankfully this reduced the worst of the pain. I went to the GP who told me to get in touch with my IBD nurse and wait.

The reason this freaked me out so much was other than the odd bit of cramping I have never really suffered with pain. I immediately panicked that I must have a partial obstruction or something because it was such a departure from what I'm used to experiencing and it was so much more painful than I've ever felt before.

I've had an x-ray on my back, fecal calprotectin tests taken and put back on Pred the following day. I've been really struggling to eat anything to take the steroids with, and have terrible nausea. The last 3 or 4 days have been awful, really sharp stabbing pains and an incredibly unsettled stomach. Today I have managed to eat a really small, bland meal at about 7pm, and I'm just completely bloated, gassy (but struggling to pass it if that makes sense) and miserable. It feels like the food is just 'sitting' on my stomach without going down although I haven't vomited, I feel like making myself do so for some relief. Even a cup of tea feels like I've eaten a 3 course meal.

I would have thought the pred would be calming things down by now?! This is so unlike anything I've felt before, is it just a flare or was my first suspicion right and something else is going on? Can a partial obstruction go on for so long and calm down a little only to suddenly start up being symptomatic again?

Any advice much appreciated, and yes I'm calling the hospital first thing tomorrow

 

[ronroush7]

I am sorry you are going through this. I would get in to see someone as soon as possible. I am not sure what it is but sometimes I have felt like I would feel better if I could throw up. Can't be sure but it sounds like you could have an obstruction. Let us know how you are

 

[Sophabulous]

I am sorry you are going through this. I would get in to see someone as soon as possible. I am not sure what it is but sometimes I have felt like I would feel better if I could throw up. Can't be sure but it sounds like you could have an obstruction. Let us know how you are

Thank you, I don't think I'm going to be getting much sleep tonight

Having done some reading it looks like it may be possible this could be a stricture? I had an upper GI scope in February as I have gastro-duodenal involvement, and a colonoscopy in April. Both of these showed severe inflammation. My treatment has been a bit hit and miss since then but is it possible for a stricture to form in that time? I have no idea whether this takes weeks, months or years?

All I know is that based on the last couple of weeks SOMETHING has changed for the worse. Today has just been the straw that broke the camels back because I feel like steroids would have started to reduce things by now if it was just a flare.

I know it's stupid but I need to feel like my suspicions are justified before I go to hospital or get checked out. That's part of the reason I ended up in this mess, if I had gone to my GP years ago when I first started to notice symptoms however mild, then maybe I wouldn't be in this mess now.

 

[ronroush7]

I don't know a lot about strictures. There is a section in the forum called Surgery. Under that is a subsection called Strictures and Obstructions. You might also ask there.