1. Community
  2. Gut, bowel and stomach
  3. Abdominal Disorders

Serious bowel problems, can anyone help?

Posted , 7 users are following.

emma72706
emma72706

Hi, I'm a 24 year old female and have been suffering from severe bowel problems for about 7 months now. If I can go back a little: June 2015 I was diagnosed with a condition that subsequently left me unable to pass water on my own. At the start they fitted me with an indwelling catheter and I had this for about 7 months until learning how to self catheterise. During this time period however, I had constant kidney infections due to this foreign body meaning I was on antibiotics quite a lot. I'd probably say that I was on them continuously for 4 months. September came and I came down with awful sickness and diarrhoea, along with blood and mucous in my stool, I'd have up to 15-20 bouts a day. I couldn't sleep or eat. I went to the doctors and they advised that I had a bug and not to worry, no tests were done and I was sent home. This lasted for 7 weeks until someone done a stool sample at the hospital and it came back positive for cdiff. My bowel was pretty badly inflamed but no surgery was advised. I was put on drips of potassium, H2O and vancomycin for 2 weeks then sent home once I was well enough. However I relapsed again in January, but they were pretty quick to act due to my history, I was put on flagyl for a further 2 weeks and my fever disappeared. This now brings us to my present symptoms, ever since the first diagnosis of cdiff, I have had 5-7 bouts of diarrhoea every day, terrible stomach ache, dizziness when moving my eyes side to side and continuous weight loss. My symptoms don't go away, I've done a food diary for 3 months, noting everything down, it doesn't matter what I eat (in my opinion). It wakes me up during the night, along with chills and sweating throughout the day. I have no idea what to do? Nothing is relieving me of these symptoms :-( after I eat, I can feel a dragging like feeling around my tummy, as if I can feel things move through my digestive system.

Do you think I could have developed some kind of bowel problem due to the cdiff? I know IBS is common after this but I didn't think blood and mucous in the stool after all this time would point to this diagnosis?

Do you think the natural flora in my gut is still unbalanced hence the ongoing symptoms? Maybe in a year's time for example things should have balanced themselves out again and symptoms should dissappear?

Has anyone else had cdiff and experienced the problems I'm having? Have you recovered completely? If so how long did that take? We're you subsequently diagnosed with a condition due to cdiff? What investigations did your Dr send you for?

Sorry for the really long post I just wanted to get as much detail out there - any advice you have will be appreciated.

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

Next
  • pat16303
    pat16303 emma72706

    Posted

    I started with dirrhea about 15yr ago and the last 3yrs my life has been a night mare, been to several doctors and i have pain after i eat or fronk know matter what it is, ihave now being seen at uab had a colonoscopy had several polyps that were removed just last week ask the dr what is my dx he says chronic dirrhea and pain wow thats my complant to me. Want to.put me on a medicine that cost 232 a month . I looked it up it treat ibs wow i know that its more than ibs im tired derpressed nothing they give is working have no leave on books at work, and im diabetic i can not eat at work cause i may flare or have an accident to to can not control my bowles so i understand.
    • emma72706
      emma72706 pat16303

      Posted

      I'm sorry Pat, it must be extra hard to control as I know diabetes can be hard to maintain food wise too.

      It's awful, I wouldn't wish it apon anyone. I meant to write in my post that codine phosphate has been the only thing to really help, ask your Dr about it.

  • glenn06752
    glenn06752 emma72706

    Posted

    Hi Emma - I don't have much to offer here but wanted to offer you a hope of encouragement that things change for you sooner than later. You have certainly been through a lot and really need a medical follow-up that insures you proper treatment that will give you your life back. 

    Recently recovering from an acute pancreatitis and gallbladder issue, I understand how you lose your life when things just aren't functioning correctly.

    I wish you the best of everything and pray this nightmare ends for you quickly.

    Glenn

    • emma72706
      emma72706 glenn06752

      Posted

      Yeah it's been a pretty big shock to the system. We all take these things for granted (as you should do!) And when things don't work like they should it can be pretty traumatic.

      Thank you for your very kind words. I'm going back to hospital tomorrow for an xray :-) I do hope your recovery goes well Glenn.

  • lizzie47688
    lizzie47688 emma72706

    Posted

    I'm sorry that I cannot help much in your matter but I just wish that things settle and gets sorted for you ASAP. Your too young to be suffering something so significant!

    I suffer with IBS and at times have terrible issues that lasts days / weeks.. Unless you suffer with something similar I don't think others can understand and sympathies.

    All the best

    • lizzie47688
      lizzie47688 pat16303

      Posted

      Via the GP, something called spasmanonal but over the counter I also buy colofac which is great! I try not to relie on them unless I need really need them.

      If you do try let me know how you get on & Defo try going dairy free, I no longer do nights and that helps lots so I'm more regular with shifts and eat much better / small & often.

      Good luck x

    • pat16303
      pat16303 lizzie47688

      Posted

      Im waiting on a new medicine im looking at retireing from work and filing for my disabilty i cant funiction, i go threw fever pain chills.and dirrhrea every day and i stay weak.
    • emma72706
      emma72706 lizzie47688

      Posted

      Hi Lizzie, thank you for your kind words. I do hope we can get to the bottom of it too, I've had to give up my work and education bc of it all.

      Just out of curiosity, as you're someone whom suffers from IBS, do my symptoms add up to being the same diagnosis?

      I have blood and mucous in my stool, really bad stomach pains, I feel things move in my belly, anything I eat triggers it plus it's worst in the morning and gradually lessens as the day goes on. Does this sound similar to what you experience?

  • ivana8116242
    ivana8116242 emma72706

    Posted

    Was colonoscopy ever done?
    • emma72706
      emma72706 ivana8116242

      Posted

      No, but this week I'm having a colonic study where they insert tracers into my digestive system and calculate the transit time etc I go for my X-Ray tomorrow. I also have a sigmoidoscopy in approx 2 weeks.
    • ivana8116242
      ivana8116242 emma72706

      Posted

      Excellent! This will show something. I am asking you because I am there with you with two years of symptoms and no diagnosis and it gets worse. CTs, MRIs, ultrasound, and still nothing. I am wondering if they tested you for celiac on blood panel, as well as any IBDs.... Please keep us up to date, I hope you find an answer soon. I think there are many fellow patients on here with great insight....
  • nicola34310
    nicola34310 emma72706

    Posted

    Hi Emma

    I'm so sorry to hear you are so down and feeling that no one seems to listen eg doing more tests?

    I have had a lot of problems since I had a total hysterectomy last July pain in my tummy and problems going for a number two, I also suffer from IBS but had surgery again in December via keyhole surgery to investigate but he could not get in due to mass adhesions I had to go in again 5 weeks ago for again open abdominal surgery where he removed the adhesions I was in surgery 3 hours my bowel was attached to my tummy wall and other organs also stuck these adhesions are from having open surgery 3 times before this one, I had surgery on the Thursday let out the Saturday but re admitted on the Tuesday bleeding from behind this was scary they advised I had a blockage and what they called an overflow happened hence bleeding they gave me suppositories and movicol plus other tablets to help break it down I am now taking laxiatives and movicol as I'm scared this will happen again my tummy is still very sore and hurts like hell trying to have a wee, I hope they can so more tests for you please push them every week I ended up googling my consultant and found his secretary's email address and emailed her every week until they listened to me, worth a try hon let me know how y

    • emma72706
      emma72706 nicola34310

      Posted

      Thanks Nicola :-)

      I'm having colonic studies this week and I've to go back tomorrow for my X-Ray, then in a couple of weeks I'm having a sigmoidoscopy, so I'm sort of hoping for a solution.

      I've never had digestive problems so to get all of this after clostridium difficile seems more than a coincidence to me, I just wonder if it's done some harm to my body.

      You sound as if you have went through a lot! You of all people must know what it's like to have tummy problems. Does this stop you doing your normal day to day tasks or work? I never knew anything about IBS really, and if this is what I have I have so much respect for people that manage it, I find it really hard.

    • nicola34310
      nicola34310 emma72706

      Posted

      Hi Emma

      Ibs is a right stinker but doctors seem to say oh you have IBS to everyone sometimes this is not the case and could be worse than that? You know your body and you know if it's not right. Good luck for your tests honey take care and let us know how you get on 😘

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.