Looking for some input?

[kicker]

I'm a 35 year old female and I've been reading this forum for about 2 months now but never really thought that I should make a comment or tell my problems until I knew a little more about what was going on with myself. About 9 months ago I started to have strange stomach sounds every time that I ate anything. Even if I just took a bite or two my stomach would make strange loud noises. Around March I started having upper back pain and it's been pretty much continuous since then. Sometimes it's not as bad as other times but I noticed recently that now it's in the side of my ribs also. The stomach noises went from just noises to D then back to C. I basically live having one or the other and never a normal BM. I've lost about 10 pounds in a matter of just weeks and I've always been one that could gain that in a day! I have some stomach pain, sometimes it's at the top left right under the ribs, sometimes it's close to my belly button and sometimes it's in the lower left of my stomach. One night I had severe stomach cramps and noticed that the lower part of my back on the right side was throbbing and only eased up after a BM but was completely gone by the next day. I've had numerous times of eating and running straight to the bathroom. I've also had lots of undigested food immediately after eating. I made an appointment with a Gastroenterologist and was scheduled to have a stool sample taking, lots of blood work, a small bowel series and a colonoscopy. I had all of those done within the last month and a half and so far they've said that I have diverticulosis. Right after the colonoscopy (the doctor also took biopsies that I won't find out the results until Oct 1) the doctor scheduled me to have a EGD but I won't have it until Oct 13. I don't have any swallowing issues and if I have heartburn it's very rarely. Last September 2009 I took Accutane. When the commercials started flowing across the television screen I thought well maybe that's what's going on with me. I've recently noticed that I have (or what seems to be) Plantar fasciitis and it looks like there's this little hard thing in the bottom of my left heel and it hurts if I step on it too hard. I've read online where Ankylosing Spondylitis can cause the plantar fasciitis and AS is usually linked to bowel diseases. Can any or you relate to anything that's going on with me? And also, why would he want to do the EGD? What could he be looking for? After reading this site daily I know that you all can give me more information than any other site and maybe perhaps more informative information than most doctors! Thanks in advance and I so look forward to hearing all of your thoughts and input!


Sorry but I left out a few things like extreme bloating, hip pain that runs all the way down to my foot, joint pain in my hands and knees. Oh and I had a pilonidal cyst a few years back that was removed. I also read on here that a few people have had those too. I was also told about 2 months ago that I have sever carpel tunnel.

 

[DustyKat]

Hi kicker and :welcome:

I'm glad you found your way here. I would imagine the GI scheduled the EGD to be thorough which isn't a bad thing! I guess he would be looking for nothing in particular but more starting from the position of seeing what is normal. I'm sure there are others here that will be able to relate to at least one, if not more, of the things you are dealing with.

This is a fab place for support and info with loads of friendly and knowledgable people hanging out here. Stick around and browse through the forums and if you have any questions just ask away. Keep us posted on how you are going and welcome aboard!

All the best,
Dusty

 

[Dexky]

Welcome Kicker!! I think yours is the first time I've seen plantar fasciitis mentioned on here but all the rest seem to be common symptoms. I have seen the Accutane class action ads. too. My best hope for you now is that you can get some firm answers from the tests you have had and can be saved from the often long struggle to get a diagnosis. Good luck!!

 

[Crohn's 35]

:welcome: to the forum Kicker. Glad you decided to come on here, great bunch of info and caring individuals who can share their insight and experiences. I know a few people with diverticulosis and they dont have those problems. It could very well be as any IBD can cause other symptoms. I would say you have the classic signs of Crohns but until you get a positive dx, which btw is very difficult for some. I have had plantar's warts, other warts when I was young. My first onset was pain in the belly button area and it radiated in other areas. Reason being I was heavily infected and back then....no computers or any knowledge of this disease. Keep getting checked out. Avoid seeds and dairy for the most part, if you do have div, it will ease the pain, or even if it is Crohns dairy is best avoided, along with sugar, bacteria creator. Glad you are here, hope you stick around and keep us updated on how you are doing you are most welcomed here!

 

[Astra]

Hi Kicker
and welcome

sounds like your gastro is on the ball with the tests, so just gotta wait for the outcome now and a firm dx.
glad you found us, lots of support here and friends. Have a read thro the sections on diet and in the search button above type in accutane, and AS, lots of threads concerning these issues. There are also lots of threads where we talk about joint pains etc. Seems like a common theme running thro!
see you around the forum, any questions, fire away!
lotsa luv
Joan xxx

 

[kicker]

Well first of all I want to thank you all for responding back to me! I don't know if I have Crohn's disease or what I possibly may have. I've read so much online about all my symptoms and they all seem to be related to Crohn's or UC. I also noticed that diverticulosis doesn't cause any pain unless it's progressed to diverticulitis and it's usually found in older people so I don't know why I would be hurting. I'm constantly tired and to be honest with you I'm sick of being tired. I feel like if the fatigue wasn't so bad then I could probably live with the rest of my problems. I've read just about everything there is out there about Accutane and I'm not sure if Accutane caused my problems or what but I do know that the bowel problems didn't start until after Accutane. I didn't tell my doctor anything about Accutane because I wanted him to diagnose me all on his own findings without anything being put into his head if that makes any sense to you all? I think when I go back for the biopsy results I will tell him about the Accutane. All of this is so frustrating because it's so hard to get an appointment or get results back quickly due to the fact that the Gastroenterologist is the only one in our immediate area. I'm going to try and see a Rheumatologist while I'm waiting on my other test results. My upper back, neck and shoulders is constantly irritating me. It's not the pain of death but more of a nagging pain that seems to never go away. I mopped my floors the other day and my thumb has been so sore that it's hard to even twist the lid off a bottle of tylenol! The weight loss has kind of evened out so I'm not losing or gaining at the moment. I started taking probiotics and they seem like they're helping me with the bloating and gas problems. I have been eating a lot better but still make sure not to eat too much at one time. Well again thank you all so much for your input and taking time out to answer some of my questions! God Bless!