Very worried I have crohns or worse (bowel cancer)

Posted , 7 users are following.

Basically I've had abdominal discomfort in my right side for well over a year now, with absolutely no signs of improvement. I have had lots of blood tests, an X-ray and ultrasound which all came back normal. I have in the past had episodes of constipation and diarrhoea, but has not been consistent recently (although I have seen improvements since improving my diet). My doctor has put it down to IBS due to my age but I feel like that's a cop out of a diagnosis, and is just a death sentence if it did happen to be more serious. Other symptoms I've experienced is often feeling tired, and I've also on a couple of occasions experienced a sore anus. But as I said, this abdominal discomfort in my right side has been present for what seems like forever. I have to sleep on my front otherwise it feels like it's being crushed. The only way I can describe it is a twisting feeling in my intestines or like a wadded sock under my right rib cage. It feels as though my organs are being crushed together. Please can anyone offer any advice as I've been fobbed off by my doctors too many times. I just feel like I shouldn't have to live with this burden. Any advice is massively appreciated.

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6 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi, for the first time I've found someone suffering the same symptoms as me; and although I cannot offer you any reassurance or a diagnosis I feel I can empathise fully with how you feel. I'm a 42yr old female in otherwise good health. In May this year I started experiencing upper mid and right abdominal discomfort with bloating. Given lansoprazole and 2 lot's of antibiotics. Upper discomfort resolved but mid right remained (really tender to right of my tummy button) thus given another course of antibiotics and lansoprazole followed by a couple of ultrasoundscans and a stool sample - all of which were clear. So, gall bladder, spleen, liver, pancreas, aorta, hpylori all clear. Sent to gastroensterologist who ordered another gall bladder scan which again was clear and a gastroscopy. Haven't been for gastroscopy as the thought of it makes me ridiculously anxious thus waiting for an MRI scan. I take co-codamol for arthritis which tends to bung me up a little and have had no significant bowel changes until thiis past month which has seen me experiencing very occasional bouts of diarrhoea. I am so worried about the potential for crohns or ulcerative colitis that this is ruining my life. I couldn't identify anything that made it better or worse as it is there all the time in varying degrees of severity, however the one thing I'd never cut out was my coffe intake. I drink a couple of expresso's per day and stopped just over a week ago; this has improved my symptoms but not eradicated. I'm a mental health nurse and my job is stressful which seems to increase symtoms however they never go away. I'm scared of intrusive procedures however do not feel an upper gastroscopy is necessary as the pain is located nearer my bowel area than my stomach and have had no symptoms of acid reflux, burping, feeling full quickly or weight loss thus I'm adamant not to put myself through the stressof it in case I'm told I need a camera at the other end. I don't smoke, weigh just under 8st, drink occasionally and eat reasonable sensibly. I excercies and work full time. I do, however feel fobbed off by my GP but this is impacting so badly on my life. I will keep you updated however have been told my MRI scan will not be until the new year

    • Posted

      Ulcerative colitis would be a 'lower end' colonoscopy as it only sits there. I agree I don't see the point for gastroscopy, but colonoscopy would make sense, wouldn't it. ? Crohn is, well, mostly colon and last bit of ileum, but can be anywhere in small intestine, too, so a clear colonoscopy does not 100% rule it out.

      But for ulcerative colitis....colonoscopy THE thingy.

      Having said so:

      have you had a stool CALPROTECTIN test, doesn't hurt, not that expensive and a good inflammation IN the guts marker. (not 100% again though)

      With profound sededation you shouldn't notice a thing for colonoscopy, my 14yr old did both ends and was not as bad as feared at all due to lovely sedetion (propofol, not the 'forget-zepam' meds).

      All the best!

      Horrid to have symptoms and not be heard.

       

  • Posted

    Sounds like IBS.  Does the pain move about your stomach or always stay on your right side?  Was your gallbladder checked in the ultrasound since you have right sided pain?
    • Posted

      Hi. No it's always on the right side. I had a liver function test which was normal and my doctor said gallstones would have showed up on the ultrasound. I'd like to hope it's only ibs, but the itchy anus has worried me that it could be more. Would I constantly be aware of this discomfort for well over a year, which sometimes gets worse for a day or so, if it was only ibs?

    • Posted

      IBS can be constant or can come and go.  Everyone is different.

      My stomach has been more or less constantly sore since March last year although I think the symptoms started the month before. It took three and a half months to diagnose IBS.  Sometimes I barely notice it, but other times it can be agony or just an annoying ache.  I have had periods of no pain at all and then stress flares it up again.

      Pain may only last for a day or it can continue for a week or more depending on what has triggered it.

      As to the itchy anus, I would ask your doctor about that because I don't know what that could be.

    • Posted

      An itchy anus could be a sign of worms ? And they can cause severe pains in some people ?

      I don't think this is anything serious

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