Symptoms

[girlinterrupted]

symptoms

hey again everyone .... Really curious to know what peoples symptoms were when UC or CD first started and even now? Does anyone else have upper abdominal pain?
Thanks x

 

[mickey]

it may radiate to upper abdominal;different for many. It is so easy to write off something that by the time you realize you are really sick, you add up all the issues and realized a few years have gone by! Begin rubbing that area and then around your belly button (looking down, your right up and then over to left and down and over). That is the direction of intestines. That will help bring circulation to the area and help relieve some discomfort. Do it as often as possible. Breather through it and relax as much as possible. good luck!

 

[Trysha]

I had both right upper side and left side pain, colonoscopy showed crohns left colon, and upper endoscopy showed gastritis and three duodenal ulcers.
Still get same pains.
Feel better soon
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha

 

[JDTM]

I definitely started with stomach pain -- gastritis and a couple of duodenal ulcers. Proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole at the time) kept my stomach acid in check most of the time, but it got bad a couple of times even while I was on them and I had to go to the hospital when things suddenly flared up. The last time I went was my third time, and only then did I start having lower GI problems as well. At first we didn't put it all together -- I figured I had just caught some sort of intestinal bug or something, and the ER docs assumed the same thing -- but after going back to the gastroenterologist and going through more tests, she finally determined that I had Crohn's (which was probably triggering the stomach problems in the first place).

Anyways, as you're probably figuring out, this condition affects different people in many different ways. Some people don't have any stomach pain, but others do. Like you, I'm new here, so I'm just figuring all this stuff out. My stomach is pretty shaky at the moment, and I'm trying to figure out if the drugs I've been prescribed are even working yet!

For right now, I'm sticking with a really bland diet (bananas, white rice, chicken soup, etc.), partially because I don't want to upset my lower digestive system, but also because I don't want to trigger any unwanted stomach pain. You might already be doing the same, but if not, I'd say stick to really bland foods until the pain subsides! Gastritis and peptic ulcers are no fun, and I hope that you and Trysha feel better soon!

 

[akpatti]

I had lower abdominal pain at about 13, they assumed it was female related, wasn't. I started having upper abdominal pain at about where the rib cage starts to V when I was 18 1/2...that is when I started feeling nausea all the time and ended up upchucking about everything I ate. Not lying I was younger and the only way I could keep anything down was with herbal remedy. I still dropped down to 89 pounds before they figured out what was wrong with me. With steroids and a host of other drugs over the years the majority of my symptoms went away, but I would instead of constipation I started and continue to have issue with diarrhea. On and off over the past 13 years the nausea and vomiting have come and gone, being treated with pred. The last bout did not respond because I had to much scar tissue on the upper portion and it had to be removed surgically (no regrets because now I can eat without pain). That being said because the worst of my disease was located at the start of my jejunum (my upper stricture) my body absorbed the blood loss...so unlike folks I know that see it in their stool mine never showed...I could just tell I was getting low by fatigue and easy bruising. Make sure to keep a close eye on those blood counts. As far as foods my doctor said if it bothers me don't eat it...that is all because every person is different...thankfully I don't like spicy food as I keep hearing folks having issues with it. Hope this helps.
Patti

 

[girlinterrupted]

Thanks for all your replys, I feel for everyone as even gastritis is extremely painful so I can't imagine what your all going through, for years I have been told its gastritis and duodenal ulcers (without it being looked into) I had cameras done when I was 15 I am now 25 and they said then it was clear. I'm getting the same symtoms and ppain 10 years on. I have just been referred back to GI. If I'm honest england as a whole seems to have a roblem in diagnosing stomach conditions and always get missed or diagnosed as something else, so those who are in canada, america etc seem to have more luck maybe I need to go abroad! ") ... The pain I get is behind belly button and above and is always tender and uncomfortable and sometimes I can bloat out and look pregnant! As I tye this I feel as through I have been punched in my upper tummy. The reason I ask if anyone has symptoms in middle of abdominal and top is doctors here say if the pain is where mine is it has to be gastritis. Which I think is wrong. Gastritis is inflammation, but why do eople get it? U can get other conditions which affect the upper part of the GI tract but they say if its pain lower down its usually more cause for concern. Also I feel like when I get a flare up I can't take tablets, it feels as though things get 'stuck'? Like insides are swollen, has anyone had this before? Thanks for all your comments and hope you all feel better x x
Omeprazole 20 mg twice daily
Ranatadine 150mg twice daily
Co codamol when needed
Symptoms sickness diarhea constipation severe abdo pain for over 10 years
Undiagnosed .. Or diagnosed as 'nervous tummy'

 

[akpatti]

The swelling in the intestines from either scar tissue or just swelling can cause the equivalent of a blockage where nothing can get past easily if at all... which can kill the appetite or make you vomit. Just because it is upper does not make it gastritis. I would suggest seeking a second opinion. I know when I first went to get diagnosed they treated me as I had a eating disorder and took quite awhile to refer me to a gastroenterologist even with a family history of crohns and colitis. Just like mechanics not every doctor is the best. I know my little cousin is now having symptoms of colitis but does not show it on a colonoscopy, so the recently biopsied to see if there was a silent flare...still waiting to hear.
I hope they are able to give you some answers and relief soon.
Patti

 

[girlinterrupted]

Thanks patti, maybe it was gastritis when it first started? And as it has progressed it has lead onto something deeper. I am getting a second opinion now, as I sad the uk are crap for diagnosing. My sister has the same symptoms but not as severe but as soon as she says kay I got tummy ache she has sickness and diarhhea for a week or so then it settles again, that happpens every few months, so as it stands its just me and my sister, my nans mum had diverticulitis but I'm not sure if crohns colitis etc and diverticilitis are in the same family. How are you feeling now?

 

[akpatti]

I am feeling better....5 and a half weeks after my surgery I ran two of my dogs around an agility course...okay fast walked as I am not able to sprint yet, but I feel better for having gotten out. That being said I had a iron infusion because my counts were so low, hopefully without the stricture my blood counts will be much better...I have been tapering off steroids which has left me even more fatigued, but for me the more I do the better I feel, even though it does leave me completely wiped at time. I am still on my prevacid, pentesa, multivitamin(without iron), and tapering very slowly off the steroids. When it is managed properly or in remission you can actually feel like a normal person.
You and your sister can have a different but similar disease. As I said they are working on my cousin, but I have crohns, one aunt has colitis, another diverticulitis, and my mother has IBS. (yes I got screwed on my maternal side)
just remember to keep your head up and that you are not alone. A lot of us have gone through the trying to find out what the heck was going on. When I got diagnosed I cried, the doctor thought I was upset and the diagnosis, I had to explain I was so relieved to finally have a name for it. Don't give up or settle as you know your body.

 

[girlinterrupted]

That's so true!!! You do know your body that's why I'm convinced after all this time there's something doing this to me ... I'm not sick for no reason I don't wake up praying to god to give me stomach pains that double me over an stop me being a 'normal' mum, something is doing this an I'm not stoppin until I know them saying inflammation is not good enough! I'm glad u feel better ... Was it cameras that diagnosed yours?

 

[mickey]

I was recently advised that I have an infection in my digestive track and a Chinese doc suggested I take daily garlic capsules (1/day). He actually said to chew a clove of garlic, but that last bite kills me, so he said a capsule is fine. Anyway, the bloating went down almost immediately and is improving each day. Whew! May be something to try as it also kills any parasites, I'm told.

 

[akpatti]

I was diagnosed with an endoscopy and have had several since, a colonoscopy which had to be stopped as I was too swollen and a barium enema with contrast (hated this one)

One of my friends is swearing by the chinese herbs...still haven't tried.

 

[girlinterrupted]

Haha @p mickey, yeh I can sympathise .......... I wouldn't want to sit there and chew on a clove of garlic, plus the fact nobody would go near you for a few months! Lol, its seems as though its only cameras that diagnosis IBD, I haven't yet come across anyone who has said they got diagnosed through barium, scans, bloods etc. Too swollen? Wow that must have been painful, I remember having a colonoscopy when I was around 15 an I was cryin an shoutin out the whole time, I was sedated but it bloody hurt!!

 

[MendyVarner]

I was diagnosed through pill cam with my Crohn's. I first actually tested positive for mastocytic enterocolitis. I do have upper abdominal pain..but during an upper scope they found a hiatal hernia. Although I have a lot of rib pain too and my GI doctor says its musculoskeletal pain caused by arthritis from the Crohn's.

My symptoms when it first started were joint pain and fatigue. The D didn't hit for several months.

Good luck I hope they get you figured out!!!!