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Newly diagnosed - does anyone suffer same type of pain?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/22/2010 1:34 AM (GMT 0)

Hello all UC sufferers,

I'm new here and have been struggling with UC pain for months now though just recently diagnosed. I am looking for some insight and similar stories as I find it hard to explain/talk about UC to people that don't actually live it. My question is about the kind of pain I have been having. I am heading towards remission, finally, but I still find that at least 5-10 times a day I get this sharp, intense, doubling-over pain very low in my abdomen. It comes on very sudden, shortly after eating and it lasts about 5 minutes sometimes longer. Then it completely goes away and I feel fine. But for those few minutes I cannot talk, move or focus on anything but this horrible pain. I saw my GI yesterday and explained the pain. He seems stumped as well. I have already been on two anti-spasm meds, hyoscyamine and dicyclomine, and they have not helped at all. So, now I just started taking hydrocortisone suppositories and so far, I have not noticed any difference. I know this pain is related to my UC because I had the same pain, but all day and all night when my UC was flaring up badly. Now it is just a few times a day for a few minutes. Since my bleeding and diarrhea have cleared up for now, shouldn't the pain be gone as well? I'm new to this whole UC thing so I don't really know what to expect, but I can say that this pain is not something I want to just "live with." Does anyone else have this kind of terrible pain that comes and goes throughout the day like me? If so, how did you treat it and what do you suggest? All answers appreciated as I know no one else that has UC and my GI doesn't know what to do for me. Thanks:)

Posted 8/22/2010 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like spasms of some kind since it comes on so suddenly and with eating. Or trapped gas, that is very painful until you pass it. I used to get pains that felt like I had a broom handle shoved up my backside or a knife twisting in my gut. Doc said it sounded like colon spasms which are not unusual, even in the healing or remission stage. I eventually developed a stricture in my lower bowel and now I have to had a pediatric scope for colonoscopy because it is excruciating otherwise, even with drugs. I hope they find some cause for this and can help you! Hang in there.
Posted 8/22/2010 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
I agree, sounds like what I've always assumed was a gas pain. I get those every now and then and they're so bad I have to just stop moving - even if I was in the middle of walking! Even after the acute pain has subsided, it still feels a little sore for awhile. I hope that the incidence of this happening continues to decrease as you head toward remission!
Posted 8/22/2010 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi..welcome to the forum!

You have a few other issues such as c.diff infection...you should defintiely get on high quality probiotics.

How much dicyclomine were you on and how often daily?

The pains could be related to peristalsis which starts once one takes a bit of food. It's possible that your colon goes into spasming once it starts, especially if you have rectal inflammation.

The other thing...Apriso has aspartame...maybe you have a sensitivity to it?

How is your period....are you having other problems related to that?

Could you possibly have a bladder infection?

I would suggest you ask for a different rectal med...Rowasa would be a good start...

Welcome to the forum.

Oh...what is your diet like, out of curiosity?

q
Posted 8/22/2010 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
I actually don't have the c. diff infection anymore. This pain is not related to that. I was taking 4 pills of dicyclomine a day and it had no results. My period is fine, nothing different or weird with that. I don't have any kind of infection ie. bladder infection. As far as my diet, I am just trying to eat as normal as I can and keep track of any foods that clearly bother me. So far, there really has not been any one thing that I can point out that causes me pain. I don't eat much fiber right now per my GI's orders and it seems that no matter what I eat the pain is present. It is probably spasm-related, I just wish my GI had another alternative for me besides anti-spasm meds and the suppositories. At my appt. the other day he pretty much told me to try the suppositories but that was all he could really do about it. I really like my GI but it does bother me that if these suppositories don't end up working I am left with nothing else....
Posted 8/22/2010 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ruthie! I'm so sorry your are having trouble, I know what you are going through. I had very similar sharp pains for the first time with my last flare. Mine would come on before, during and after each BM and would last for only a little while. I'm not sure what caused it, but these were not colon spasms from what I could tell... because I had those too and this was a totally different kind of pain. No amount of dicyclomine ever helped out for me either. My theory is that it was physical pain from the movement against multiple leisions in my colon. My doc said this is rare, but possible... I have not confirmed this. My doctor perscribed 20mg Hydrocodone/APAP (Norpro) which helped a lot!!! It is a narcotic so you get a little sleepy/loopy as a side effect... but it was totally worth it for this type of debilitating pain for me anyway.
Posted 8/23/2010 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
I have been getting the worse cramping pain with bowel movements with this flare. I have been in somewhat of a remission but only on prednisone. I have been taking vicodin for the pain...and i am going for surgery in 9 days to get rid of it!
Posted 8/23/2010 2:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ruthie, and welcome to the forum!
I'm sorry about your pain. This disease affects us all a bit differently, which is one of the frustrating things about it! I hope you find something to help. I've been helped immensely by all the good thinking here.
I didn't have pain (except when pooping during a flare) for the first 20 years or so... but my son has had pain even in supposed remission, on and off.

A question - if your name is really Ruthie Sch, could you please change your screen name...? We don't want spammers or crazies to latch onto you. You can mention your name within your posts, if you feel the need to, but we ask members not to use their actual names as screen names, for their own security.

Thanks, and again, welcome!
Posted 8/24/2010 1:13 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your advice. I really appreciate it. I will just have to talk to my GI about it more and discuss my options.

Songlady - this is not my real name.....I'm not that stupid..this is my internet alias derived from a book I once read...but thanks for the reminder!

Posted 8/24/2010 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
OK, Ruthie - lol! I didn't mean to imply you were stupid!
But this forum is such that sometimes folks join who have never been on a forum before, or hadn't even done much internet stuff, and they don't know. So.... just doin' my job.

We're glad to have you here!
Posted 8/27/2010 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
haha..songlady, i know you were just looking out for me and I appreciate it. I know you weren't calling me stupid, I just meant that I KNOW there are a lot of creepies out there and I do not intend on being their victim:)
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