Bowel changes and pain. Positive faecal calprotectin, negative CT

[Jennyjenjen01]

Hello! I've had longstanding pelvic and back pain for some years now (gynaecology have been no help at all unfortunately) but since last October, my bowels have been affected (pain before and after going to the toilet, and alternating loose stools and constipation. I'm thinking there must be swelling at times because the stools can be pencil thin too...)

I had a positive faecal calprotectin 2 months back (250) and a gastro referral. This can take 80 weeks to be seen.

My pain has had such a negative impact on my life, I work full time and have children to look after and now rely on cocodamol and Oramorph daily.

This morning i felt i couldnt take it anymore and went to A&E. They did a CT and this came up clear (apart from a 6cm ovarian cyst that has been there for some time now). They've been wonderful and have referred me on a quicker pathway to get some answers.

I know this sounds terrible but I was so hoping the CT would show something, I feel like im going crazy and like I've wasted people's time. I'm assuming colitis and crohns would have been indicated on CT?

[bantam12]

Hopefully you will be seen quickly and then have a colonoscopy which will look for inflammation and any abnormalities, biopsies would also be taken to detect anything going on.

Sadly it can take a while to get a diagnosis and you have to keep pestering if needs be, never feel you are wasting their time, you know your body.

[Jennyjenjen01 in reply to bantam12]

Thank you for your reply. It's so hard to not feel disheartened when things come back negative and you have no answers to pain and symptoms.I'm starting a food diary too, to avoid any intolerance issues

[Malachy12]

If CT doesn’t show anything, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem. As mentioned, you need a colonoscopy to find out what is going on and you need to fight for yourself it that what it takes. Good luck

[Jennyjenjen01]

It actually turns out the CT showed significant abnormalities within the bowel. But the cyst they told me was around 60mm is much smaller so I'm doubting everything now! :/

It's been 17 days since the 2 WW referral and yesterday I considered returning to A&E because I found it difficult to eat an had severe gripe pain in the abdomen. I've heard nothing from the hospital and had a fight to get painkillers from the GP again. (which are the only thing keeping me able to go into work right now).

I'm just not sure what to make of things anymore. It can't be that urgent or surely someone would have been in touch? I just don't want to go chasing referrals and being made to feel like a hypochondriac. (Literally the story of the past few years)

CT Scan