Testing, Testing, again!

bpchick

Regular Member

Joined : Nov 2006

Posts : 29

Posted 6/24/2008 9:18 PM (GMT 0)

I am beyond frustrated.... Since December I have been experiencing chronic persistent abdominal pain. I was also severely constipated. After months of complaining to my GP, he finally sent me for a barium enema, but not a colonoscopy. Because of the severity of the constipation, regardless of the prep, the barium enema came inconclusive because of significant residual stool. I began to miss lectures at university because I was in too much pain to attend class. I also made frequent visits to the ER with a severly distended tummy, bloating, constipation and nausea. They would only ever do X Rays, tell me I am constipated and send me home with a fleet enema.

One day while visiting another doctor, they suggested I present to an ER with acute abdominal pain. I had a CT Scan, bloodwork, and X Rays all which came up normal (I saw a surgeon). I was referred to a GI doctor where I had a clear colonoscopy and endoscopy. After the testing because I was 'clean' I felt better, but after eating whole wheat products, fruits, vegetables, dairy (basically everything I normally eat) I would experience diarhea immediately after meals. I recently had a followup with that doctor who told me everything was normal. He doesn't know what it could be, it could be IBS, it could be a dairy allergy, maybe even gallstones. The med student did an abdominal exam and when I told her I was in pain, she tried changing the subject asking me about university and basically dismissing my pain.

The pain is persistent and I am becoming more frustrated. It is spasm like, worse after meals, and feels as though a pair of forceps are squeezing my insides. That GI doctor is sending me for an ultrasound September 26th to check for gallstones.

I was born premature, had a burst bowel, colostomy, and ruptured appendix. I have also had abdominal reconstructive surgery and one of our thoughts was scar adhesions....

This is interfering with my life. I have missed school and work. I am on the Deans Honours List and I love my program and what I do. I work for the school board while I am becoming certified to teach elementary.

I have ANOTHER colonoscopy and endoscopy tomorrow with another GI doctor (I had two referrals). So I am doing the prep now and its not fun :(

I just want some treatment for the pain.........

Keriamon

Veteran Member

Joined : Jun 2005

Posts : 2976

Posted 6/25/2008 4:30 PM (GMT 0)

Here in the US we have pain management doctors. That's all the do: treat the pain. Do you have them and can you get a referral?

But first, has anyone followed up to see if you really do have a gall bladder problem? You need a HIDA scan for that. And it's great you might have an allergy; did anyone bother to send you to an allergist for testing?

At the very least, you can try an elimination diet on your own--which, oddly enough, is more accurate than allergy tests most times anyways. Celiac's Disease is an allergy to all things with gluten in them, which is wheat and some other grass-seeds. Try dropping that out of your diet and see what happens. Also try dropping the dairy in case you are lactose intolerant. Also, I'd give up raw fruit and fruit juices if you are having diarrhea because the acid in most of them makes the D worse. Apples especially are a known laxative. Bananas, however, are constipating, so they're good when you have D, but not when you have C. Use as needed. Cooked fruit, however, seems okay for most people. Also cook vegetables well--not raw or al dente--and avoid veggies that cause gas, like beans and soy.

Oddly enough, you may be getting too much fiber in your diet. If I get too much, I get D. With your major intestinal problems, insoluable fiber may be too rough on your guts. Something to try in your elimination diet, at any rate. Other things to eliminate are all artifical sugars (nothing will cause D and cramping faster than sugal alcohols, found in "sugar-free" products), real sugars, including honey, caffeine, carbonation and alcohol.

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