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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 10/3/2009 5:47 AM (GMT 0)
about 4 years ago i went to the dr with stomach symptoms such as the runs, pains and gas and some blood on the toilet paper. i was scheduled for a colonoscopy which i had. it came back good and the dr diagnosed me with ibs. been having the symptoms ever since.

about a month and a half ago things got a little worse. sharp and dull pains on the lower left and right of my stomach,the runs, then i would be constipated and have odd shapped poo.i also get the spasms and sometimes blood on the tissue, very small amount and bright red, i think from staining and getting fissures. i get these pains just about everyday...

went to the same dr and he wanted to do another colonoscopy and i agreed. after a week thinking about it i canceled the colonoscopy and asked to see him again and discus this further as he already had done one and diagnosed me with ibs. why not treat the ibs ? why go through another colonoscopy if i dont need to. im not afraid of the colonoscopy just dont want to do it if i dont need it.

now the reason behind my thinking...i also have ocd and panic disorder and tend to worry about everything.early spring i thought i had a brain tumor and went through all the mris and such...i tend to worry alot and i dont like this cycle i get into.

i have yet to go back to the docs, appointments on the 7th. i wanted,needed to share this with somoone and you guys here have helped me before. i would love to hear your thoughts.
Posted 10/5/2009 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
Anytime you mix the two terms "blood" and "bowel movement", it's common for the doc to order a colonoscopy or at least a sigmoidoscopy to find out what's causing it. Even if you've already had one, if it's more than 3yrs old and you're talking to them about rectal bleeding then a scope is sort of standard procedure. More than likely it's internal hemorrhoids/ibs but they probably want to make sure something more serious like ibd or diverticulitis hasn't developed.
Posted 10/6/2009 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
i never heard of a sigmoidoscopy. im not even sure what i am seeing is blood or something i ate. i know its disgusting but i can not find any pics on the internet to give me an idea.
Posted 10/6/2009 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,I know how you feel I have the same mental problems brought on by my IBS I have major depression,anxiety,and paranoia but I know I will not have to suffer from them anymore.I have the Lord watching over me he's slowly but surely repairing my stomach and digestive health he's able to even heal me or you from this or every hurting thing.He allowed me to find the right doctors to help me and get me the right meds I needed that my GI doctor could not provide for me.Actually tomorrow I have a GI appointment know I'm going to make with the Lord's help no matter how I feel!!!!! I'm soooo thankful to God for answering all my hard prayed prayers he knows what were going through he loves us and wants the best for us no matter how bad it is.You just need to have faith and pray and he'll give you the answers you need to have peace in your stomach and digestive system.I will start praying for you he'll come throgh trust me I'm not lieing ask him to come into your heart and help you this disorder is not of him it's of the devil.The Lord wants us well and happy not sick and sad that is not why Jesus died on the cross for us he died so that we may be free of sicknees and darkness.So my new friend have faith and keep fighting your stronger then you think he'll give you strength beyond what you can have,and he does not give you to much that you can not handle.I will pray for you and everyone this message also goes to everyone always pray for you all have faith!!!! The devil comes to steal and lie but the Lord is so that you will have life abundently and good blessings,God bless and take care. :-)
Posted 10/6/2009 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
twisted - you do not want to see pictures. LOL!

A sigmoidoscopy is modified version of a colonoscopy. It's a scope of the lower colon. You do one or two enemas prior to the procedure, you are not sedated so you can drive yourself to the appt. (unlike a colonoscopy) You are dilated and the GI doc examines the lower colon with a scope. They sometimes add air to see areas of the colon walls better or more effectively. It's a short procedure, over quickly. Not painful but not exactly comfortable either. Just in case you're female, it's like the rectal version of a pap smear/vaginal scope that lasts a little longer. If that's anything to compare to.
Posted 10/6/2009 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
thanks jt80 for the good thoughts and prayers.

Marskey, i do want to see pics of blood in the stool.i need something to compare what i see to what the real deal is. with everything on the internet you would think it would be easy to see.
Posted 10/6/2009 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
twisted - I was only joking. They probably don't want to show people what a rectal/colonoscopy scope looks like. It's not so bad, picture a long garden hose type, with a device at the end to insert, with controls for the Gastro doc to either add water or air as he inserts the scope. The air again dries an area out instantly and he can view the colon wall for concerns. Looking for polyps and evidence of past or current bleeding. I only mention the water because I recall having a 1 hour and 15 min. rectal ultrasound, it was very similar to a sigmoidoscopy. They added air and water at various time to view my colon walls (this was prior to my cancer surgery).

As for what to expect when you get there, I can also answer these questions. You change into a gown, removing your underwear, obviously. They check your vitals, you are taken to the procedure room. You lie on one side, the nurses apply an oxygen sensor and a blood pressure cup. If a colonoscopy, you have already had an IV started. For a sigmoidoscopy you don't need an IV. Since you are not having sedation. You are told to breathe thru the sigmoid (I'm just going to shorten it, this is how we vets refer to this procedure). It lasts oh about 10 to 15 minutes. If that. Again, inserting the scope isn't painful. It just feels oh invasive. I had about 10 biopsies of my malignant tumor and none hurt. I just felt mild pressure each time they'd take another biopsy. This of course was the day before my whole life changed (cancer dix made the following afternoon).

If you keep searching, there's probably links for what a sigmoid scope looks like and also a colonoscopy scope looks like. We use the word scope around here. There's probably another medical term for it.
Posted 10/6/2009 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
Marsky, im sorry to hear about your diagnosis. i had a colocnoscopy 3-4 years ago so i know what the procedure is like.

i was referring to pics of what blood in the stool looks like.
Posted 10/6/2009 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
Oh okay, sometimes you have to hit me over the head. LOL

Sorry, can't help you there.

I'm 10 years cancer free now. So woohoo! But thank you just the same.....I hope you find relief too.
Posted 10/6/2009 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
Have you had any small bowel tests done? A colonoscopy is great but doesn't go through the small intestines where crohn's typically is...there's no bleeding with IBS unless you have a bleeding hemheroid, a sigmoid doens't even go as far as a colonoscopy so that's pretty un-necessary if you've had a colonoscopy already....you need to have your small bowels checked.

:)
Posted 10/7/2009 3:56 AM (GMT 0)
i had a test where i swallowed two small shot like drinks then they put me in front of a xray machine and watched. thats the only other test.

see the thing with the blood, im not sire its blood or i should say was blood. i was drinking alot of Hawaiian punch and it stopped when i stopped drinking that. i do once in awile get little specs of blood on the tissue thats bright red and looks like someone took a pen and dabbed the ink on it.

ive got to go in the morning to se the doc.
Posted 10/9/2009 4:11 AM (GMT 0)
well i went to the docs yesterday.i talked in depth with the nurse practitioner about my concerns and problems. i told her the reason i canceled my previous colonoscopy was due to my anxiety. she understood and proceeded to go over my blood work with me.

my b 12 is low and iam slightly anemic. she said that could be due to internal bleeding or my body isnt producing enough blood cells.she then called the doc in. he went over the charts and asked the same questions. i told him about my anxiety problems and he seemed more irritated i canceled my last colonoscopy thne anyhting. i told him its a vicious circle i go through...i think i have something wrong with me and then have the test and put myself through more then i need to.i told him i wanted to get out of this habit and since my last colonoscopy i had was 4 years ago was good and i was diagnosed with ibs that i wanted to try alternative methods to treat it.

he told me if i had a poloyp grow the day after my colonscopy it would take 5-10 years to grow into cancer, ok.... then i asked him what he thinks i have and should do...he then got more irritated with me and said "i dont have a crystal ball..""its like me saying you have high cholesterol but it would be just a guess and i wouldnt really know with out a test" duh i know this...but man he has to have some idea..

long story short, he told me it would be good to have the test and there would be no more guessing. (i thought that was the whole idea of my 1st colonoscopy 4 years ago).

so i agreed and im going in for one Tuesday.

sorry for the long rant. i really didnt mean to go into that much.
Posted 10/9/2009 10:47 AM (GMT 0)
I knew he'd strongly suggest the colonoscopy and not speculate much further. Doctors are not willing to say too much without evidence to support their diagnoses. It would have been comforting had he sat down and taken your hand or listened very patiently to you. Some doctors do this and some are rushed. I don't know why this is. I've had very patient doctors caring for me and one Gastro walked in as I awaiting my colonoscopy to ask - now why are you here? My reg GI doc was out of town so I took his partner. His partner hadn't even read my chart. I said I was a cancer survivor! I was due for my next colonoscopy. Yes doc people are addicted to getting colonoscopies (he was shocked I had had so many!) - I wasn't nervous at all, I immediately was upset with him (as I went into sedation). I hoped I ripped him a good one while under. Anyway, like you I wish docs were more understanding. Some are, and some are well very clinical.

Rant all you want twisted. You need answers but I have to agree with your doctor here, this colonoscopy is a must. Let us know what the results are.

I wish you my best.
Posted 10/10/2009 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
oh i will let ya know. i have just the iv drip for sedation. i think thst what i had the 1st time.hope its enough.
Posted 10/21/2009 6:26 AM (GMT 0)
i had my colonoscopy and there is no cancer...few ! he did find that the area around where my appendix was was all inflamed. he didnt understand why so he took a biopsy. he also took two biopsy from the small intestines.

he was also worried about two other things. all day my heart rate was high but he thought that was due to me just being nervous but when he seen that my heart rate didnt drop even under sedation(which it should) it made him wonder. so he took more blood samples. i was also sweating alot and that got his attention.

i go back in Friday to find out more.
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