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Lower Left Abdominal Pain For 6 Months

Posted , 3 users are following.

rnb17
rnb17

Hi everyone,

I've been reading these forums for help on my current situation and I've read some good tips, but I wanted to make my own post to see if you guys could hopefully help.

I'm a 23 year old Male and have been experiencing lower left abdominal pain for the past 6 months. It seems to be the most noticeable in the morning. I wake up and press down to the right of my left hip bone and the best way to describe what I feel is a muscle or something that is distended inside my abdomen. When I do press on this area, I feel immediate pain. I do not get this same type of feeling on the right side of my abdomen, nor do I feel a distended type of muscle. The best way I can describe the pain is a more of a dull-achey feeling rather than sharp stabbing pain, but it's definitely noticeable. Even if I don't press in the area, I can still feel that something isn't right. It does however feel temporarily better with a bowel movement, but gradually gets worse as the day goes on. Lastly, I do notice when I press on the affected I hear like a sound liquid moving around in there, or it may be trapped gas?

I've had a sigmoidoscopy (not full colonoscopy, since my GI doctor didn't thing it was necessary since my pain is only on the left side) and a CT scan several months ago, both came back clear. The doctors said they saw no signs of Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's or Diverticulitis and are diagnosing this as IBS.

While I feel I do suffer from IBS, I can't help but feel that they missed something. This isn't the normal "IBS" type of pain to me. I've also tried being on different meds such as Nortriptyline for the pain, but that didn't help.

Also, recently I've been having trouble with my left ear. I have to constantly keep popping it for it to remain "open" and it feels sore inside. Does this have anything to do with the abdominal pain that I've been having or is this a separate issue?

Has anyone else had similar experiences? If so, please share and if you have any advice I would love to hear it.

I really appreciate everyone's time to help. I would just love to be out of pain. Thank you so much!

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 rnb17

    Posted

    Your symptoms do sound like IBS as all your tests were negative.  Everyone experiences IBS differently and not all medications work for all Irritable bowel patients.  It is very much trial and error to find a medication that works for you.  I had two medications and only one of them worked.  My brother had IBS but his symptoms varied a little from mine.  I mistakenly thought that everyone had to have the exact same symptoms.

    Your doctors have ruled out other causes and have given you a diagnosis.  It is common to doubt your doctor.  Even when I got diagnosed with IBS, I began to doubt when I had time to think about it.  I began to worry that I had forgotten to ask about everything on my list.  I had to fight hard to keep myself from going back for reassurance.  I think I felt this way because I had to wait three and a half months to get answers and I was fully expecting to hear the worst or nothing at all and a simple diagnosis seemed too good to hope for.  I would accept your diagnosis unless your symptoms get significantly worse or red flag signs appear.

    • rnb17
      rnb17 pippa58442

      Posted

      Pippa, thanks for your response. Would you mind telling me what medication worked for you?

      I recently just got a full colonoscopy and a upper GI and both came back negative.

      Also, I forgot to mention this in my original post. I have been taking 20mg prilosec (omeprazole) for about a year. It has helped immensely with my acid reflux that I have developed over the past few years, but I have been reading not so good things about the long-term use of taking prilosec. I asked my doctor about it, and he said I'm fine taking it long-term, but I'm not so sure that he is correct, based on what I've been reading, and since every person responds to medication differently. 

      Do you think that my abdominal pain could be due to my prolonged use of prilosec?

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 rnb17

      Posted

      I take Buscopan.  If the pain is bad, I take Nurofen on top.  I took omeprazole in the past for acid reflux and the only side effects I got were mild nausea and itching which is apoarently a rare reaction.  Some people can get stomach pain with omeprazole but you will need to ask your doctor whether your pain is connected to the medication or IBS.
  • pania12345
    pania12345 rnb17

    Posted

    Go see a naturopath, ive been having stomach pain for a year doctors couldnt find anything. Its been 2 weeks since I seen a naturopath and its improved so much almost gone. He gave me a mix of herbal drops and minerals smile

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