Desperate to figure out what is wrong. Please help!
Posted , 6 users are following.
Back in Oct around ovulatio I was woken up
at 3 am with extreme nausea followed by severe stomach burning. Thought it was stomach flu. Nausea left within minutes but burning stayed. Over 3 days it was on and off w/wave of nausea followed by burning. Yogurt or food would calm the burn. I was severely bloated and passing gas like never before in my life. Suddenly I started getting stabbing pains over right ovary and that evolved into radiating pain to thigh, back, under rib. This also includes constipation with weird soft bms (when I strain to get it out). Then pain started in left ovary. I was certain it was ovarian cysts but I had pelvic ultrasound (internal and external) and the report says everything is normal. No fibroids and no cysts. Yet my gyno said she felt something during pelvic exam. As my menstrual cycle was coming to an end I had less bloat but intermittent pain still present. 2 days after that the pain is less (mainly in hip) but now the bloat is back. Doc says we can do colonoscopy as a next step. He gave me a med to clear out colon to see if it helps.
Does this sound at all like IBS to anyone or should I be looking at something else? I have no idea what to do. It all hit so suddenly.
0 likes, 21 replies
pippa58442 sarah45050
Posted
It could be IBS, but I would go back to your doctor and clarify what exactly your gyno felt when she examined you.
sarah45050 pippa58442
Posted
Went to see another doctor who did a very thorough pelvic exam and they felt nothing on ovaries or cervix. A relief!
pippa58442 sarah45050
Posted
Ask your doctor about IBS; your symptoms sound like it since gnae problems have been ruled out.
marsh23433 sarah45050
Posted
Hi Sarah,this sounds very much like ibs ,however from what your gyno has said about feeling a lump ,i would go back and see her and ask her about this lump and i would also suggest you see your doctor about if you do have ibs and ask him/her to have tests done to confirm /deny whether you ibs or something else
sam18386 sarah45050
Posted
Hi Sarah, oh no poor you, that sounds really grim. IBS is worse in women at some points during the month, then stress, anxiety etc can trigger ibs flare up or being female! I would take the camera there not pleasant but will rule things wrong with your bowel either in or out. Good luck, i have one coming up to, we'll compare notes?!
jello11529 sarah45050
Posted
Hey sarah, burning sensation which relieved by eating food, Nausea and excesssive gas with bloating quite sounds like gastritis, stomach issue, pain can be due to excessive gas. I am sure at that time ur stomach would hv felt full with little amount of food, It is better u should get checked with your family physician, Upper GI endoscopy might help....But by that time u can try over the counter ranitidine (75mg) on empty stomach every morning and can see if it helps, If that doesn't help then u can exclude gastritis.
mary27278 sarah45050
Posted
Hi Sarah did you ever find out if your issue is IBS? Your symptoms sounds like mine. I just had US done this morning.
sarah45050 mary27278
Posted
Hi Mary,
No definitive diagnosis yet. Both docs that have seen me (from same practice) feel it could be IBS but it looks like I will be getting a CT scan. My digestive system has been all over the place. I am now being treated for an ulcer and the doc thought that may get the other issues in my colon to go away. It has helped and today all abdominal pain was gone for first time but then I started menstruating and I am back to suffering. The pain started in back and then wrapped like a band around my lower abdomen and now I am getting on and off pain in upper right. Every day is something different. I can't even be positive since the days I feel little pain and think this is over the next day or that night it returns.
pippa58442 sarah45050
Posted
If you have IBS, your pain will come and go and some days will be worse than others as you are experiencing and will move rapidly around your abdomen. Periods cause that band like pain and often make IBS pain worse. Simply take your medication, keep as calm as possible and try distraction techniques like exercise and a hobby to help you forget about your pain. This will help. Ask your doctor for an antispasmodic. The less you worry, the less pain you will feel.
mary27278 sarah45050
Posted
Hi Sarah..do you mind me asking you your age?
sarah45050 mary27278
Posted
Hi Mary
I just turned 47 this week.
sarah45050 pippa58442
Posted
Pippa
I really need a new doc. Neither have taken this very seriously until the other day I said it was impacting my quality of life because I stay home with a heating pad 24/7 and cry while having panic attacks. I made an appt with a Psychiatrist in hopes he will give me some anti anxiety meds until I can get this figured out. I was so grateful the 2nd doc I saw actually gave me some meds to calm the burn in my stomach. What do these medical professionals not understand about chronic pain? When I feel it in my stomach I think stomach cancer, my lower back I think kidney cancer, my pelvic area I think ovary cancer, my middle back I think pancreatic cancer. This has turned me into a full blown mess and docs take their sweet time with "try this med, try that med." I keep wondering which test to request now, the Ct, endo, or colonoscopy? The second doc said she will order whatever I want. Just her saying that makes me feel they don't care. Am I too old for an IBS diagnosis? I am 47.
sarah45050 mary27278
Posted
Mary,
Just found out my liver and pancreas are fine as far as labs are concerned. CT is next 😦 I really rather have colonoscopy.
pippa58442 sarah45050
Posted
If a second doctor tells you that they will order whatever test you want, this means that they do care and are listening to your concerns. If they refused you any tests this would mean that they didn't care. Your second doctor has not done this; he or she has offered you tests so this doctor is trying to help!Your second doctor also helped you by giving you meds to help the stomach burning. To me it sounds like your second doctor is being thorough. I experienced the exact same health anxiety as you are experiencing so you are not alone. I had a different health anxiety every day for three and a half months.
It is your anxiety and panic that is telling you that you have something serious and that your doctor is not helping. The solution is to tell yourself every day that your doctor is helping you by offering you whatever tests you want and has given you stomach medication. Tell yourself daily that you will be diagnosed. Do not resort to anti anxiety meds because they can be very toxic indeed and a psychiatrist will only tell you your symptoms are in your head.
I was in despair and thought I would never be diagnosed but in the end I got diagnosed with IBS, my anxiety and panic cleared up and my IBS went into remission. This will happen for you, although when investigating gut problems it can take time. Remember that doctors are not deliberately dragging their feet with you. They cannot simply rush at a diagnosis; they have to take time to make sure that they have investigated as many possibilities as necessary so that nothing is missed and you are correctly diagnosed. Ordering tests takes time and the waiting for tests also takes time as well as getting the results. Intense anxiety can really upset your gut because the gut and the brain are linked.IBS can strike at any age; I was diagnosed at 42. You are not too old for an IBS diagnosis. I will be 46 in a few days time.
While you wait for tests and diagnosis, it is important to distract yourself with the things that make you happy such as light exercise and hobbies. This is how I got through my pre diagnosis months. I found that when I was having fun with friends, my pain disappeared. Try deep breathing exercises when you are having a panic attack. When you are diagnosed, you will have to learn to accept that diagnosis even during a prolonged and bad flare up. Many IBS patients struggle with this.
I had mild IBS pain today but I did not panic. I simply took my antispasmodics and painkillers knowing that they would work and they did. Staying positive and calm is the first and most important step for you. Once you achieve that, it will really help you to manage your symptoms.
sarah45050 pippa58442
Posted
I know I repeatedly say thank you but then I fall back into a panic but I want you to know I am truly grateful for all the time you take to respond, your advice and reassurance means a great deal to me!!
My medical fears stem from a couple places. Lost my sister to a medical error yrs ago and also my grandmother died of cancer after months of seeking medical help for back pain that they could not find a cause for. When they eventually found the cause the cancer was throughout her body and she died shortly after. I try to remind myself that grandma's situation is different because she died in the 1960's but it's hard. Cancer found too late always creeps into my mind or a doctor making a mistake is a always a worry. It is a constant struggle now that I am dealing with this mysterious daily pain and inability to have a normal BM.
pippa58442 sarah45050
Posted
I worried about something being missed and it being too late to do anything too. However, most doctors do get it right and tests are very accurate these days. Everyone's situation is different and even if mistakes happen to other members of your family or friends, it doesn't mean it will happen to you. You already have normal results for your liver and pancreas so that is two of your main worries ruled out. That is good, positive news to concentrate on to start with. The more negative tests you have, the more likely it is to be IBS. I hate medical tests too, but at the same time I know that without them, I would not get answers and reassurance. Try to trust your doctor, your future test results and your diagnosis when it comes.
When doctors try you out on repeated medications, this is another method of diagnosing you. Depending on how well you respond to a drug, this will help your doctor decide what,condition you have. Tell your doctor how anxious you are and this may also help them to identify your symptoms. I told my doctor about my panic, anxiety and despair on my dad's suggestion because I had no idea what else to tell them. It was my anxiety that got me diagnosed with IBS. Anxiety can cause IBS as well as aggravating existing IBS. I had had six months of anxiety before my symptoms began. Also ask your doctor rule out all your anxieties one by one. I did this and it helped me.