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Advice needed - Lower abdo pain for two years

Posted , 8 users are following.

julie18961
julie18961

My doctor has finally told me that he suspects I have diverticular disease. 

I have had lower abdo pain for over two years which I thought was menopause related as it felt like labour pain.  My first two episodes were really bad and I actually wanted to just lie down on the grass when I was at the park with my grandchildren.

I went to my doctors and he just said he would keep an eye on it, sent me for blood/urine tests, a scan and then did nothing.

?Further more regular episodes of bad pain occurred for which I would take buscopan, ibuprofen, use a hot water bottle, and paracetamol and would have to go to bed.

?I also get lower back pain which makes me feel nauseous and even my knees seem to ache.  Sometimes I have watery diarrhoea (sorry if TMI).

?I returned and again had more tests which came back normal.  Last Christmas I was ill again and went to see another doctor who gave me antibiotics for the holiday period which I was only to take if desperate. I did not take them. She did not refer me and seemed reluctant to do so.

?It has continued every few weeks with another GP visit when the same tests were taken again (very fed up now).

?Lately it has been nearly every week.  I cannot cope with it because I am a grandparent carer and it is knocking me out for days per fortnight.  

?I have tried probiotics, liquid diet etc but last time the pain returned on the third day.

?My doctor has now referred me to the colo-rectal clinic and I am worried about what will happen because I understand a colonoscopy is very painful and distressing.

?Although I would describe may pain as about half way through first stage of labour it does not sound as bad as some on here have suffered at all.

?I would welcome any advice and assistance.  Many thanks.

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • alison_64461
    alison_64461 julie18961

    Posted

    Sorry to hear you are experiencing this. The only way to really diagnose DD is by a colonoscopy or CT with contrast scan. A colonoscopy is not that bad at all. The prep isn’t fun but, in the larger scheme of things, really is not a problem. I had a sigmoidoscopy which was quite uncomfortable but for a colonoscopy, you will be given sedation so you might not even be aware of anything! Even having had the sigmoidoscopy, I would have it done again if I had to. I hope you get answers soon. Have you noticed any particular foods triggering the episodes? 
    • julie18961
      julie18961 alison_64461

      Posted

      Thanks for responding.  I really don't know where to start but today I am on liquids only.  Sometimes I can eat what I like, other times I cannot eat anything I am afraid.  How are you doing at the moment?  What has been the outcome for you?

  • susan95516
    susan95516 julie18961

    Posted

    I suffered for years it took a colonoscopy to diagnose DD the prep isn't nice but I had sedation and gas and air so it wasn't too bad at all   Good luck 

  • christine63572
    christine63572 julie18961

    Posted

    Hi Julie sorry to hear you are suffering, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis last May after having very bad left sided pain it came and went for nearly a year until it was so bad I was went to the gp who said he thought it was muscular I knew it wasn't as I go to the gym regularly so know what muscular pain feels like. I was sent for a colonoscopy which showed up DD and diverticulitis. I have fortunately managed mine quite well with diet and taking cosmocol prescribed by my gp to soften my stools I do get pain from time to time and when it feels like it could be getting nasty I stick to a liquid diet. I think once you have a proper diagnosis and know what you are dealing with you will be able to manage. I keep a diary of my food intake on a daily basis and if I have a bad pain day it helps by eliminating certain foods  This site is amazing and has helped me so much in dealing with my DD.  A colonoscopy is fine and I didn't feel a thing the prep before hand isn't nice insofar as it gives you diarrhoea as you have to have an empty colon.  A colonoscopy is also a good idea to have as it can show up any polyps which can only be detected during a colonoscopy.  Good luck 

    • susan95516
      susan95516 christine63572

      Posted

      I was grateful for my colonoscopy has they found DD plus 2 polyps which they took out and came back clear   I too keep a food diary to help me eliminate any food that upsets me. I was diagnosed in 2016 but I think I had for years before then   I don't know what I would have done without this forum and the help I get from it 

  • sharon88167
    sharon88167 julie18961

    Posted

    Hi Julie I would suggest seeing a gastroenterologist and have a colonoscopy to see if you have diverticulosis first and foremost. Diverticulosis is the condition that shows if you have small pockets in your lower bowel. If it shows positive ask your gastroenterologist for suggests on next steps and refer to this forum for dietary advice. In the US I was prescribed a drug called Bentyl which eliviated some of the pain. If you had DD you would have a fever as well. But you could be experiencing a pre- episode. A colonoscopy doesn’t hurt. The prep for it is unpleasant but the procedure is ok because they knock you out. I hope this helps and that you find some relief. 
  • jacqueline01135
    jacqueline01135 julie18961

    Posted

    The colonoscopy is necessary for you to be checked out to see if you have any pockets in your colon The procedure is not painful  or distressing, it's just a bit uncomfortable, and there  is always gas and air for you to take, 

    I have had TWO colonoscopy's and drove the operative mad ,, with all the questions I was asking, as you can watch on screen what is happening .Obviously the choice is yours, but don't listen to other peoples experience of it  Don't you want to know ?????  

    • susan95516
      susan95516 jacqueline01135

      Posted

      I watched it on the screen and found it fascinating I watched him take out the 2 polyps I had . I also asked lots of questions and they were really good at answering. The DR who did told me straight away everything was fine and he discharged me back to my GP 
  • julie18961
    julie18961

    Posted

    Many thanks for all your replies.

    ​Yes, I really do want to find out one way or the other but I made the mistake of googling colonoscopy and the comments were really awful totally different from the responses on here.  I guess that is one of the reasons I posted.

    ​I am due at the hospital next week so I hope to move closer to a proper diagnosis.

     

    • susan95516
      susan95516 julie18961

      Posted

      That's what I did and frightened myself to death but when it came down to it I had sedation and then half way through gasvand air. This made it not bad at all. Good luck 

    • susan95516
      susan95516

      Posted

      Should be gas and air 
    • annis1961
      annis1961 julie18961

      Posted

      I had sedation for all of mine (I've had 4!) and was quite comfortable, and watched it on the screen.  Just remember that if you start to feel discomfort, tell them, and if you feel pain tell them to stop.  Guidelines say that they have to stop of you tell them to.

  • kerry58794
    kerry58794 julie18961

    Posted

    Julie, yes, I likened my pain to labor in the ER when asked how bad was the pain. As far as colonoscopy pain, I judge the "prep" the day before to be bad. At least now days, they sedate you for the colonoscopy. Believe it or not, I had one in 1981 W/O ANY type of pain med. Hopefully you'll receive some answers and relief.

    Stick with it, don't let the medical staff pass it off.

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