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Confused - need some insight please......

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/10/2008 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
I don't even know how to go about asking this so I apologize if this doesn't make much sense! lol Little Uc background: I'm in remission, going only once or twice a day with solid bms (almost full caliber - yay!).  Some nerve damage background: I found out just last year that I have nerve damage on the right side of my body.  Don't know the extent of it just yet but I'm persuing the matter.  I am now having nerve damage symptoms on the left.  Tingling feet, shooting pains down my leg, muscle weakness (not sure if this is related to the nerve thingy or not).  I also have sacroiliitis, had a couple epidural injections - not sure if it is related to what I'm experiencing.

So here is the question/problem: For the past 2 months or so, I would go to the bathroom (to urinate) and I would wipe only to realize that some stool has come out.  I'm not talking alot but more of the "skidmark" variety :).  Never ever in all my years of having Uc have I ever had that happen.  Sure, I've had a couple accidents but I was flaring at the time.  I also know that the "skidmark" is not from farting because for example - I can just come out of the shower - not have any "activity", go to pee and find it there.  I don't even feel anything when it happens so I don't know when it happens.  I can usually tell after the fact because I start itching down there because it irritates the skin. 

Does this sound like a Uc thing or a nerve damage thing?  I just need opinions because I'm seeing my primary today and my pain doc on Wednesday and I'm wondering which doc to bring this up to (my primary, my pain doc or my GI).  It just disturbs me because I have no feeling down there (even when I have a bm - it's almost numb).

Posted 3/10/2008 12:02 PM (GMT 0)
hey red,
sorry to hear you are having so much trouble! no having experienced this, i am tempted to say nerve damage--but that is solely anecdotal. to be safe, i would suggest talking to both doctors about it. if nothing else, it always helps to have a second opinion. let us know how it goes and how you are feeling!
take care,
~k
Posted 3/10/2008 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds neurological to me. The bowel and bladder are served by nerves from the lowest level of the spinal cord, even below the legs. If you're having those leg symptoms, it doesn't surprise me that you're having some B/B problems. Any leakage of urine?

At any rate, if you haven't had a lumbosacral MRI, sounds like that may be in order. Sometimes your lower spinal cord can be impinged on by shifting vertebrae or bone growth as you mature, and that can cause this type of symptom.
Posted 3/10/2008 1:04 PM (GMT 0)
I would ask my Dr about Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and the anal sphincter.
Posted 3/10/2008 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
I will also have this happen at times. I'm not sure what causes it. Hasn't happened recently though. My body is slowly being put back together! I've seen my chiropractor about 12 times in the last three weeks. My lower back was/is a mess (along with the rest of my back and neck) - which I've found contributes to some of my bowel and nerve issues. I've slept so much better too! So, something in there - or a combination of it all - is making my gut behave better as well.

Have you considered checking with a chiro for your issues - for another opinion?

With the numbness you're experiencing, how you you "know" when you have to go??? Do you still feel the pressure? Sorry, curiousity killed the cat...
Posted 3/10/2008 2:18 PM (GMT 0)
No, no urine leakage however I have to consciously make an effort to get it all out. It's like it stops after going for so long-I can still feel like I have some in there so I have to push to get the rest out and I'm surprised that I still have quite a bit in there. This doesn't happen all the time but it's getting more frequent.

Dawn, lol I'm glad cats have 9 lives :) Yes, I still know when I have to go. It's almost as if only the last 3" (maybe less) of my rectum is numb.

I was sort of afraid that it might be neurological in nature. I've been in denial about that to tell the truth. I've been having some other neurological issues for the past few years but nothing major and not for extended periods of time. More of a sporadic thing. But the leg muscle weakness is starting to get to me. It's gotten to a point that as soon as I wake up, go up the stairs to the kitchen (my bedroom is in the basement), my legs feel as if I ran a marathon. But I was hoping that I could blame the fecal leakage on my Uc! lol
Posted 3/10/2008 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
Just an update from the docs office. She took 6 vials of blood and is testing me for all these weird things such as scleroderma (sp?), lupus and some other things (can't remember) as well as B12 and B6 deficiencies. Plus, I'm going in on Saturday for an MRI to check for MS. Has anyone had an MRI before? I haven't so I don't know what to expect. I am having one of my brain (with contrast) and one of my lower spine.
Posted 3/10/2008 5:43 PM (GMT 0)

I had an MRI a few months ago and it wasn't too bad. Just be prepared that the shot for the contrast is a big needle and it makes your whole body warm when it goes in. I don't know if they will need for you to clean your bowels out, but as I am sure you know, that is never fun...

Good luck! Lb

Posted 3/10/2008 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
I had an MRI (brain) in May of '07, I think. Wasn't bad at all. I just laid very still and tried to count the clicking noises. (the engineering part of my brain never shuts off...)
Posted 3/10/2008 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
i'm glad they are taking this seriously for you sherry! at least they're not blowing it off like it just must be related to UC.
hope you have a skid-mark-free day!! :p
Posted 3/10/2008 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad you followed up, Sherry. There's a good chance this is something that can be stopped or reversed since you followed up early. Based on your symptoms, my first thought was pressure on the lumbosacral spinal cord from something.

I've had several MRI's to check the Pred damage in my shoulders. There's no discomfort, quite a bit of noise, but it's muffled by the earphones they give you. My difficulty is that I get severely claustrophobic. Last time (even after a healthy dose of Xanax) I almost went into a panic attack, and they had to pull me out to give me a break. But if you don't have issues with claustrophobia it should be a breeze for you.

One thing - the first time, I forgot to take my watch off when I changed, so laid it off on a table in the MRI room. After the MRI, the battery was completely dead. Don't wear metal jewelry, etc. because you'll have to take it off for the test.
Posted 3/10/2008 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
Sherry...it could be a combo of nerve-related/sphincter and stool consistency related. Even though yours are of the formed calibre variety (lol), there could easily be some stool that is hurried more quickly through or depending on what you ate, some that the consistency is much more soft and easily not felt by the rectum and is expelled during pushing while urinating.

I've had that happen to me on occasion, more when I'm flaring.

When the stool is more soft, for me..I've been eating more fruit and using digestive enzymes which could be part of why the stool might be softer). I think taking a fibre supplement could be helpful as well (which I'm going to consider what's one more thing.lol)...just enough to bulk things up a bit more.

Scary for all the things you're going through at this time...it's good the doc is getting you tested for a host of things.

The MRI is very noisy, and you'll be in a small area for a lwhile. Hope you're not claustrophobic...if you are, a xanax can help as well as keeping your eyes closed.

I've had both head and abdomen done. The head one was loudest. The abdomen one...my head was closer to the end of the "tunnel" and it wasn't bad at all. As well, I had to do breathing successions on command, so didn't have time to feel anxious.

You'll be fine with it.

Keep us posted as to how you're doing.
quincyxx
Posted 3/10/2008 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reassurance about the MRI. I'm slightly claustrophobic but nothing that I'm sure I can't handle. I had to change my appt for the MRI to Monday because I forgot that I had a bday party to go to at the same time as the appt. Wasn't exactly sure how I was going to react to the contrast so I thought better not take the chance. I seen my gma go thru MRI's - well not actually SEEN it but I was with her after the contrast and it gave her D. Did the contrast do that to anyone else?

Yes, I LOVE my primary. She's very thorough with everything and leaves nothing to chance. I also love that she seems to know alot about Uc and is intuitive when it comes to doing what needs to be done.

Thanks everyone :)
Posted 3/10/2008 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sherry. The MRI is a great tool to see if there are disc issues in your spine, and it can help zero in on what is really going on. I am a bit claustrophobic and didn't have any Xanax when I had my spinal MRI done. It wasn't bad, but wouldve been more fun with drugs..haha. Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
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