Right, this isn't going to be short so I'll apologise in advance but I'm really hoping someone can help shed some light on what's wrong with me!
Back in 2010, I was suffering really badly with abdominal pain (mainly on the lower left side of my abdomen but sometimes it would shift over to the right too), I would keel over on the floor in agony it was so bad, and my Mum made me go to the doctors to get it checked out as she was worried it could be IBS, Diverticulitus (runs in the family), etc. so off I went and I was in and out within 5 minutes with a diagnosis of IBS, a prescription for Colpermin and a list of dos and don'ts for my diet to avoid flare ups.
So I did as I was asked... and no improvement! Meals, family events, nights out would all be cut short, my work life was impacted because I was still in agony. After a year or so, in 2011, I decided to go back because I was sure I was wrongly diagnosed after a bit of google searching (I know it should be avoided but curiosity got the better of me!). I saw a different doctor this time, I told him I'd be diagnosed with IBS, he was shocked, asked me who diagnosed that (one of his colleagues), and told me he didn't think that was the problem. He asked me my thoughts on what it could be and when I said I wondered if it was gynaecological problems because I'd also been experiencing irregular bleeding down below, he agreed and sent me to have an ultrasound scan - this was all after some belly proding and blood tests. During my scan, they found that I have multicystic ovaries, but my doctor said that didn't explain the pain I was in so I was referred to a gynaecologist to investigate further. So a few months later, and well into 2012 now, I had an internal by my gynaecologist, and I was referred to have a laproscopy becuase they suspected it may be Endometriosis - imagine my horror! October that year I had my laproscopy, and thankfully, no Endometriosis was found, and my gynae told me he wondered if it was related to my bowels - IBS, maybe? I laughed, thinking this was some sort of sick joke.
During all of this, my Auntie wondered if it was a food intolerance, so paid for me to do a home testing kit to be sent off to a specialist. The results came back and it turned out that I was intolerant to Lactose and Milk Proteins. Bye, bye, Chocolate! Devastated, but determined to see if cutting out dairy would do the trick, I gave up all things dairy (which is a lot more than people think)... guess what? Didn't make a difference.
In 2013, still in pain, and extremely frustrated, I went back to see my doctor to get his thoughts on the "maybe its bowel related pain". I told him about the dairy intolerance, and he informed me he had checked for gluten intolerance during my blood tests before and they'd came back negative, so he referred me to see a gastroenterologist, hoping they might be able to shed some light! My gastroenterologist was lovely, but it was more poking and proding, what are your stools like (pretty regular and consistent in shape, size and solidity) and an uncertain, maybe it's IBD, let's arrange an MRI scan and a colonosopy. Late 2013, I had the MRI early morning and the colonoscopy (Flexible Sigmoidoscopy) late morning and nothing irregular was found so I was sent on my merry way. I had a follow up appointment with my gastroenterologist and at a loss to what was causing the pain, he prescribed me Amitriptyline to help ease the pain and said he'd like to see me in 6 months time to see how things are going.
During those six months, I suffered with severe migraines and went to see the doctor (a different one as mine was away), and she changed my contraceptive pill from the combined to the mini pill and upped the dosage of my Amtriptyline. I also suffered with some irregular bleeding, saw another different doctor who actually asked me what she should do and I said another scan would be nice, so was sent for another ultrasound which reported nothing different to what was found during my last scan. At the end of my tether, and with the Amitriptyline helping mask the pain the majority of the time, I just decided to give up the battle to find out what was up.
I'd actually forgotten about my follow up appointment with my gastroenterologist until I received a letter mid 2014 - how could I with the pain, you ask? I'm so used to it, it just became one of those things and I deal with it. Anyway, I went back to see my gastroenterologist in late 2014, and he told me as nothing had really changed since last time, he wondered if it was abdominal wall muscle pain, rather than something internal and referred me to see a Pain Management Specialist. I see this as a pointless referral, but I agreed anyway and I'm waiting for an appointment letter to come through the post.
Well, here's where things have started to change... In October 2014, I noticed red blood & mucus in my stool, and fresh blood when I wiped. I went to see a doctor and he said he thought it was piles and prescribed suppositories - what fun little waxy bullets they are!! It was another appointment where I was in and out in 5 minutes but it eased the bleeding, so I assumed jobs a good 'un.
At the end of December 2014, I woke at the early hours of the morning in absolute agony - worse than any pain I've had before. Normally the pain I have is a dull pain constantly but with occasional sharp stabbing, almost as if someone is twisting something, pain. But since then, it's been constant sharp stabbing, twisting pain, mainly on my lower left side of my abdomen but very recently it's shifted slightly to my right side. My stool has also changed. Normally a three times a day girl, it's changed to so inconsistent, I can hardly keep up with it. Sometimes I'm bunged up for days, sometimes it's normal, sometimes it's loose. After a week of pure agony, and no relief from paracetamol & iburofen, I went back to see my doctor. He looked at my file, exclaimed about how long it had been since I last saw him, and told me his daughter was experiencing similar problems and it was her mini pill causing bowel issues, so he sent me to get some blood tests done (the same his daughter had) and prescribed me codeine for the pain, with the advice to drink plenty of water and eat lots of fibre to keep things moving as it's known to block you up. While I was there I asked him if my emotions or stress could be contributing to the pain, as I've got A LOT going on at the moment and he said it's probably not helping but won't be causing it.
The blood tests came back clear, and I had no instructions to go back and see him. I'm still in agony and have run out of codeine, my bowel movements are still extremely inconsistent, and over the last few days have been extremely soft but not like diarrhea, it's a weird yellowy, brown colour, and I've noticed when I wipe there are black spots or specks in it. I know I need to go back to see my doctor but I'm so fed up of getting no answers.
I've been told it's all in my head, it's stress related, it's this, it's that, and as you can imagine, I'm at my wits end with it all! If anyone can help, if they've experienced similar symptoms and have an answer, I'd appreciate it!
Before any questions my diet, drinking and smoking habits, what drugs I take (legal or illegal), if I regularly exercise, height and weight, here are the answers:
- I haven't smoked since Oct 2014
- I don't really drink alcohol - occasionally a glass of wine or cider on a Friday evening.
I haven't binge drank since November 2014.
- I don't do illegal drugs. Legal drugs I take regularly are Amitriptyline for pain management (25mg, twice a day), Fexofenodine for hayfever allergy (180mg, once a day) and my mini-Pill (no regular brand, desogestrel, one a day).
- My diet is pretty normal, though I only eat white meat. Obviously I avoid anything with dairy in it so I have Pure sunflower oil spread for sarnies, soya milk for cereal and tea. I've cut down on eating crisps and sweets.
- Exercise / Weight & Height - I try to go to the gym 4-5 times a week to work on my cardio and tone up a bit. Started this in November 2014 as I'd stopped smoking. And I weigh 8 stone, 5 foot 5.