Please help? Does this sound like IBD?

[Amywoodx]

In august I woke up with watery diarrhea for about 4 days with stomach cramps and stomach gurgling. Days before this I was experiencing bad constipation. Initially the doctors thought the diarrhea was an infection and kept sending me on my way. After the diarrhea my stomach and bowel movements have not been normal ever since. I experience constipation regularly and have pelvic pain too. I had a sigmoidoscopy and felt serious pain during the procedure and they thought this could be endometriosis of the bowel, which I was 100% convinced it was too. But the only way to diagnose that is through surgery.

I was sort of fine for the past month but that all changed last night.

So it’s now 3 months since my sigmoidoscopy and yesterday night I was experiencing a lot of flatulence and nausea all night. Woke up and had a bowel movement that wasn’t normal but wasn’t watery diarrhea. Had severe leg ache in both legs for 3 hours and couldn’t move. After my breakfast I’ve had urgency to go ever since. I’ve now been toilet 23 times in one day and it is watery every single time. I can’t keep food or even water in me. Any idea if this sounds like IBD? So sick of this and just need answers. My specialists are moving so slow with everything.

[FRreedman]

The important thing to discover is what is wrong with you, whether it is IBD or not. Unfortunately, it is neither easy not quick to diagnose IBD or I BS, however, if you feel your GI team are not progressing fast enough you should ask your GP to transfer you to another specialist team.

[Rettz90]

You need to ask your doctor for a faecal calprotectin test. The normal range is up to 50. Mine has just come back at 450 so now have to go for a colonoscopy to determine what's is the cause. They think possible ibd.

Sorry to hear you are having a bad time with it and hopefully you get your answers soon.

[Amywoodx in reply to Rettz90]

Thank you, I did have a fecal calprotectin test when this started out and mine was 49 so it was just under. I’ve done so many calprotectin tests and had a sigmoidoscopy and nothing was found but thinking maybe I need a full colonoscopy, my worst nightmare!

[Rettz90 in reply to Amywoodx]

Mines on Tuesday and I'm not prepared at all lol. Good luck with everything and I hope you get the answer you need x

[Rettz90 in reply to Amywoodx]

P.s sorry to hear to a&e didnt help last night.

[Ceres777 in reply to Rettz90]

What are your symptoms? If there is pain, where’s the location of the pain?

[lessan]

Hi Amy I have IBD. & diverticulitis this sounds like it could be diverticulitis, have you had any blood tests or CT scan if you are in pain it may be a good idea to go A&E xx

[Amywoodx in reply to lessan]

Hi I’ve only had blood tests which have shown nothing and a sigmoidoscopy but not a full colonoscopy, had ultrasounds but no CT or MRI scans. Went to A&E last night, passed out twice, they just put me on a drip and then sent me home saying its probably a stomach bug 🙄 xx

[lessan]

Oh you poor thing, do you have another A & E nearby that you could go to, this us really not right & requires further investigation

Good luck xx

[Viklou]

It maybe a bug that needs treating with perhaps a good does of antibiotics. It's good that so far nothing sinister is showing up. Hope you feel better soon

[MrZee]

Hi Amywoodx,

I have IBS-D. At times my digestive tract flares up out of the blue. As for the colonoscopy, the prep wasn’t fun. The procedure was easy as they put me to sleep.

I have flareups several times a year that causes loose stool and bloating which hurts. And when I have flareups it sucks the energy out of me and I feel fluish.

My gastro doc put me on Xifaxan which helps clean out the bacterial overgrowth in my small intestine and then I feel better. One catch... Xifaxan is an expensive drug. It takes the doctor having to go rounds with my insurance to get an authorization.

Plus I vigilantly have to watch my diet. I can only eat easy to digest foods... lots of chicken soup, cooked green veggies, and fermented foods like kimchi and pickles. If I eat “crap foods” anything sweet or fast foods I suffer terribly.

Plus my gastro doc has me do a teaspoon of psyllium husk in the morning and at night. That helps my bowels move more regularly.

So please run this share by your gastro team and see if a lightbulb goes off with them.

Best to you... I certainly can empathize

-MZ