Intense abdominal pain

[Louiss!]

Hey everyone, so recently my GI has put me on Purinethol 50mg, which I understand to basically be the same as Aza/6MP/etc.

I've been taking it for 12 days now and starting this past Thursday [which would have been exactly a week since starting it] I've been getting these intense abdominal pains. I know it's not the same as the regular pains I get from Crohn's disease. I know what those feel like and this is NOT that. It's a very sharp stabbing pain that comes fast and lasts for about 10-15 seconds and just goes away. At first I was getting them every 10-15 minutes, but then for the next couple days I would only get them every so often. But starting today I've began to get them very frequently again. I'm also taking Oxycontin and Vicodin for pain and neither of those is even touching this! Another reason I know it's not my Crohn's pains, because I don't experience them at all while on these meds.

I have no clue what it could be other than a side effect of this drug. I read that acute pancreatitis could possibly develop. Does it sound like this is what these pains could be coming from? Does it sound like a side effect from this med at all? I don't have any of the other side effects of pancreatitis, and also when I get these pains sometimes my tummy makes really loud gurgling noises - which leads me to believe it must be from the intestines? But I just don't know! Should I call my GI doc and let him know? Should I just go to the ER? At first I thought maybe I had just eaten something bad but now that it's been 4+ days of this occurring I'm beginning to get worried..

Any help would be greatly appreciated! :sign0085:

 

[Jennifer]

I'd contact your doctor for sure tomorrow and maybe even talk to your local pharmacist and ask if maybe it could be the combination of meds you're taking or the 6MP itself (they know a lot more about medication interactions than most doctors). If its not going away then you cannot ignore it. Pain in the upper right part of the stomach is listed under serious side effects but I'm uncertain as to how serious this is. The rule of thumb here is that if you're wondering if you should go to the ER, then you probably should. The gurgling means that there's at least movement so maybe there's a narrow passage that's formed for all we know. Do what you think is right. I've never had any side effects from 6MP but some people do. Its up to you. Keep us posted.

 

[J_Matrix]

Could be the start of an obstruction, leading to perforation, which intern will lead to peritonitis. I should get yourself off to the ER

 

[kllyeve]

Yup sounds like Acute Pancreatitis to me !! I have had it so I would say Get thee to the ER ASAP!!

The only way to stop the pain is to stop the medication and have it flushed out by lots of IV fluid and copious amounts of morphine!!!

 

[nevilletanner]

is your temp up ?
possible ascess .. goto hospital and get it checked urgently ( better safe than sorry).

 

[Louiss!]

Well my mom was against taking me to the hospital because she felt I should be seen by my doctor first. So Monday I called his office and had to leave a message. I didn't hear back and had to go to class at 5:00 and stay after to work on a project, so I ended up not getting home until 10:00. So Tuesday morning I called first thing and spoke to my doctor and told him everything that was going on and he ordered abdominal x-rays, so I went and got those done. He called me back around 9:00 PM with the results saying that they were normal aside from some signs of gastroenteritis in my small intestine. Basically all he did was up my dosage of Oxycontin for the pain which I'll be picking up tomorrow.

I really don't feel like an increased dose of painkillers is going to solve this.. I really feel like something else is going on. I asked if the pain doesn't go away then what were we going to do, and he said there was nothing we could really do at the moment as he wants me to get through my first three doses of Remicade to see if that helps. I have my second dose on Friday.

I just don't know what to do. My mom is still hellbent on not taking me to the hospital. She's convinced that I've just built a tolerance to the pain meds and it's just my pains coming back, but I know it's not that. These are entirely different types of pain. I'm thinking of waiting and seeing if these increased pain meds and Remicade dose on Friday improve anything, and if nothing improves over the weekend then I'll just take myself to the ER on Sunday.

Does this sound good? Or do you all think it's more urgent? I feel like nobody around me is listening to me or taking me seriously, just because I always get pains with Crohn's. But I know my body and I know this is different. I just don't know what to do :/

Oh and as a side note, when I was getting the x-rays done, I told the lab technician that I had Crohn's, to which she responded "Crohn's? Oh that stinks. I would NOT want to have that." I just wanted to turn to her and say "Oh really? Well neither would I! But too late for that!"

 

[Jennifer]

Sorry for the late reply, I haven't been on in a couple days.

Has your pain gotten any worse or has it stayed the same since you posted this? An increase in pain meds is a slap in the face really. If your pain cannot be managed by the doctor refusing to locate the actual cause (x-rays aren't the only test out there), then taking yourself to the ER is VERY acceptable along with needing another GI doctor. If you aren't being taken seriously and they just throw pain meds at you then they're a bad doctor. End of story. There should be no discussion about it with your parents. If you say you aren't comfortable with your doctor, they should listen and help you find a new one. If not then try seeing your GP to get a referral to another GI doctor. Are you still taking the 6MP? Where is your Crohn's located exactly, do you know?

 

[Miss Underestimated]

I agree with Crabby. And, if you think you're reacting to that medication, I would cut back on it or stop. I was taking a similar drug (Asacol) and had a very bad reaction to it - pain, cramping and nausea. I stopped it to see if I felt better without it, and I did. My doctors agreed I had reacted to it, but said that most people do not have that reaction.

 

[Louiss!]

The pains have gotten worse since I originally made the thread and also my BMs have started to slow down a lot [only once per day] and it seems to be difficult to go when I do have to. This is making me think that it might not be a side effect of the medication after all and could possibly be the start to a blockage or something else. That's why I'm beginning to get worried. The increased pain meds have helped.. but it only lasts for a certain amount of time and the same pain comes back. I'm still taking the medication as my doctor still wants me to.. I actually like this GI doc a lot and I just really like the way he does things. So much better than my last one who was a nightmare. I'm not sure why he's acting like this.. or why my mom is acting like this. I go in for my next Remicade infusion tomorrow and if this hasn't stopped by Sunday then I will take myself to the ER.

Also, my Crohn's is mostly located in my large intestine [cecum] and terminal ileum.

 

[secrets]

imuran and purinathol

my dr. put me on imuran and what you're experienced happened with me.
intense pain lasting almost until the pill wore off. i finally figured out it was the pill. i would delay taking it by a couple of hours, and sure enuf, the pain would subside. i would take it and within an hour the intense pain would start all over, lasting about 22 hours after taking the imuran.

before i went back to dr. i experimented with continual delays........and finally stopped taking the imuran completely, pain went away. then went to dr....

who put me on purinathol........which does not give me that immense pain. he told me it just must have been a reaction to the imuran.

he also told me both drugs work the same. if you're having this reaction to purinathol, maybe you won't on imuran.

i found that the immense pain would begin about 1 hr after taking pill. i had taken it same time every day, hence my deliberate delay day after day to see if it was the pill.

 

[mickey]

I would suggest going on liquid diet of clear broths...until you begin moving your bowels. Try some hot teas (nothing cold, as that can constipate you more). A heating pad or hot water bottle on the belly may help reduce the pain.

Google "Bikram Wind Removing Pose" and try that twice a day, as well as rubbing your belly as often as possible. If you need to move, those things will help.

Other items that may trigger constipation would be sugars, carbonated beverages, dairy products. Eliminate those and see if that helps. This is in addition to the other comments below; so not to negate the recommendations of seeing a doc or e.r., but some of these things may be causing your pain/inflammation as well or adding to them. Feel better!