LRQ Pain

[EnviroChick]

Hey guys,

I've been dealing with a weird pain for 6 months, the GI I saw and my GP both ignored it.
I have almost a contant "ache" as I call it between my belly button and my right hip, close to the appendix but thats not the point of pain. I can only really describe it has an ache for 80% of the time, then on average once a week a get this stabbing shooting pain there, lasts about 1 minute then disipates but leaves that area pretty sore and the feeling of a bruise. If I press down, I can feel its sort of hard, not like the same area on the left side. And then I get a shooting pain that goes to my belly button and up to my ribs. Then after letting it go, it aches pretty bad for about an hour.
I'm really fed up about this pain, no doctor I've seen thinks it's anything and I really don't think going to the ER will do anything but waste mine and their time.
Does ANYONE have a similar pain and can give an idea of what it is maybe? It's so annoying, and I've recently just learned to ignore it, so my pain tolerance is getting higher so it really doesn't bother me much unless I press it.
FYI- I rarely have left sided pain, only when I have a bout of D does my stomach complete cramp up. I'm also seeing a doctor about galbladder pain, they haven't found anything yet but I get terrible heartburn and bilary colic anytime I eat something fatty.

Thanks in advance.

 

[EnviroChick]

I should've added that I have anemia with no known cause. I'm going soon to test my folate and b12, and check my iron again, but it's never low, just my hemoglobin is low. WEIRD to me.
I am not diagnosed with anything, so far my doctors think I'm making up the 4 past years of GI issues (mainly D, terrible cramps, fissures due to the occasional C, extreme fatigue). The all believe is IBS but I have yet to find something with IBS that relates to my symptoms.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Hi EnviroChick, glad to hear from you again but sorry you're still not doing so well. I get LRQ pain too, and mine is usually more like a dull ache but can get sharp and stabby in a flare-up. My understanding is that with Crohn's in particular, LRQ pain is extremely common and usually comes from inflammation in the terminal ileum (which is near the appendix). You've had a colonoscopy, right? Did they look at and biopsy the TI? Palpable hardness sure sounds like it could be inflammation - have you had your doctors feel that spot? With a spot like that they might be able to see it on a scan such as CT or small-bowel follow-thru. Have you had either of those? What about a pill cam?

As for the anemia, you could have blood in your stool and not even know it. Have you been tested for fecal occult blood? It should just be a simple stool sample to confirm or rule out.

If your doctors just say IBS and ignore certain symptoms, it sounds to me like it's time to find some new doctors. Look at reviews - there's a Doctor Review section right here on the forum, and there's also a listing of IBD and Crohn's knowledgeable doctors on www.ccfa.org (that's the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America - your location isn't listed but I know there's similar organizations in the UK and Canada, among other places). Start searching for a doc that's actually going to listen to you and not ignore symptoms or write everything off as IBS. Not all doctors are created equal, some are clueless about IBD and some seem to just be in it for the paycheck. Start looking for a good one, they're out there! Good luck, and hang in there. We're all here for you.

 

[EnviroChick]

Thanks Cat!

I had a sigmoidoscopy to rule out ulcerative colitis in July. It was completely pointless, and very upsetting. The GI knew all my issues were on the right side, rarely left side and one thing I remember during it was he said "well I'm not going to continue through the rest of your colon since I see nothing right now, you have IBS". I said are you sure and then I don't remember what he said but I called back and the nurse said I'm fine. I had biopsies taken but haven't heard anything back even though I've called. Things here in Canada are a lot different as for getting your results back. You can physically have them, they just tell you at a doctors appointment. I am hoping to go in the next week to get more blood tests.
I have have both doctors touch that area and sadly they don't think it is anything. i tell them there's pain too.
I did a fecal occult test twice and both negative. From my research, if people are deficient in b12 and folate, the red blood cells cannot regenerate fast enough, therefore causing anemia.
I haven't had any other tests other than a blood celiac test twice, both negative as well and I know those aren't very reliable either.
I've been able to control my D pretty well lately. Have only had a few flare ups in the last month, usually after I eat something i really shouldn't have.
The funny thing is that what I understand is that IBS is more of a triggered problem, like everytime you eat a tomato, you get sick. But with me I've been noticing I'm more cyclical, like if I'm sick, its everything I eat that makes me sick, not one thing. And it always start out of no where.
I'm seeing a new GI in January, and hopefully she has some better insight as to what to do. Even if this is a bad case of IBS, no one should have to rely on 5 Immodiums to make it through a day. It's been over 1 full year of every single day taking at least 5 Immodium. SO exhausting and that can't be good for you.
Thanks for all the support!

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

EnviroChick, you should definitely push for a colonoscopy. You're absolutely right, nobody should have to survive on Imodium and certainly not that much per day. If you do have IBD, it's not good to take Imodium either - I know that in rare cases, Imodum + IBD can equal toxic megacolon. I don't know much about it, but I have heard that stuff like Imodium is generally frowned upon with IBD and that's one of the reasons why.

Have you had any symptoms like weight loss, fever, nocturnal diarrhea (the urge to poo waking you in the night), blood in the stool? All of those are red flag symptoms. If you google the Rome diagnostic criteria for IBS, it states that those type of symptoms are NOT part of IBS and indicate something more serious, such as Crohn's or colitis. It's puzzling to me that your doctors are saying IBS when they've only seen a little part of your colon. Ask them about this at your next appointment. If this is Crohn's, it can manifest anywhere from mouth to anus and most frequently appears in the terminal ileum, which they haven't seen. You need colonoscopy and probably upper endoscopy and scans for them to rule things out. Upper endoscopy w/ biopsies would rule out or confirm celiac as well. Push for more tests, and please do start looking into other/better doctors - you cannot say it's IBS just from a sigmoidoscopy!!

Hang in there. I know it's incredibly exhausting and frustrating to be so ill and to get no answers or the wrong answers from doctors. I've had several different doctors tell me it's IBS, depression, all in my head, etc. Don't give up, as tempting as that may sometimes sound. I didn't give up, after all my tests came back normal I pushed to try IBD meds and I'm now in remission because the meds worked. You just have to keep fighting, as tough as that is. It's not all in your head and I seriously doubt it's "just IBS" especially with the lack of testing you've had. I hope you can get that appointment soon and at least get blood work if not other tests. Good luck, and please keep me posted on how you're doing! Thinking of you and sending a big virtual hug your way.

 

[EnviroChick]

I haven't had the night D for about a year now, but I used to get it about 1-2 times a month, and it was terrible.
The problem with the weightloss thing is that 3 years ago I was dianosed with hypothyroidism, in 3 months before the diagnosis I gained 35 lbs. It takes a lot of effort for me to lose weight now, I take a daily synthetic pill to replace the hormomes I'm missing but in 3 years I haven't found a steady dose, my dose is always upped and I have a bad feeling I need it upped again. I'm already at the same dose my mom is at and she has had hers for over 15 years now. They can't figure out why my dose keeps going up.
But yes, since that I have to hit the gym every day and literally eat no carbs to order to lose any weight. And with this thyroid issue, I crave salty/sweet things constantly. It's really a pain in the a$$.
I might add that I'm 23. Very young to have thyroid issues I'm told.
I'm trying to find a new GP in the city but Canada has a huge lack of GP's accepting new patients. My GP says theres nothing she can do over and over and over again. I'm just tired of her excuses. My fiance is tired of me being frustrated all the time, so I stopped going to doctors appts cause I was getting nothing out of them but negativity. I need some answers before my weddings comes next October!

I've heard about the not taking Imodium with IBD, my friend has Crohn's and she said she only takes it in emergencies.

Thanks for your thoughts and hugs, greatly appreciated. I am almost always on this site daily. It's encouraging and sometimes not to see what people post.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

There are a lot of GPs here who aren't accepting new patients, but I've found that if you ask them nicely (maybe write a letter?) they're usually accommodating. I dealt with that earlier this year when my hubby suddenly went from healthy to ill. Hubby is one of those guys who doesn't go to the doctor unless he feels like he may be dying, and of course no GPs in our insurance plan were taking on new patients. I nicely asked my GP if he'd make an exception and take on my hubby as a patient, and he was happy to do so. (It turned out hubby had kidney stones, one of them large and impacted, but he's fine now that the stones are all out.) Long story short, doctors may make an exception for you and take you on as a patient - especially if you explain how you're very ill, undiagnosed, and not getting appropriate care from your current GP.

23 is very young, I'm sorry you're going through so much at an age when you should be living life and having fun. My illness hit the month before I turned 30 and I'm 32 now. IBD usually hits in the 20s and 30s I believe, which is unfortunate. Why can't this illness wait until we're like 80 or so? And for you to have thyroid issues too, that just sucks. They tested me for thyroid issues when I first got sick but it all came back negative. Of course, pretty much every test I've had has come back negative or normal so that's nothing new.

I'm glad to hear you've got a friend who has Crohn's. It makes a big difference to have someone in real life who understands what you're going through. My best friend is a Crohnie too and I don't know what I'd do without her. This forum is wonderful, but there's nothing like having someone face-to-face who can understand and empathize.

I'm glad I could help somewhat, and I hope you get more answers and better doctors soon, not to mention I hope you are able to get some relief and feel better soon!