Quadratus lumborum, back and hip pain

[rjse]

Hi everyone,

Bit of background:

Referred to general gynae and colorectal at same time for pelvic pain and bowel symptoms. Colonoscopy clear. Diagnostic laparoscopy by general gynae found severe bilateral bowel adhesions including on sigmoid colon, adhesions on uterus (this scar tissue was actually bad enough to be seen on ultrasound), active endo and scarring on pouch of Douglas, and some adhesions affecting both ureters. She was an excellent surgeon, didn't try to do anything there and then as she was not comfortable with anyone except the specialist doing it and knew it would be a "big job" - I was only in day surgery so would have been inappropriate to do anything.

Now seen endo specialist who has listed me for excision (he doesn't believe in ablation for endo which from what I've read here is a good thing!). He wants to take out absolutely anything he can find. Having contrast MRI first and been put on Cerazette in the mean time.

My question is about a specific symptom which is the only one all the consultants seem slightly dismissive of. I have been in and out of physiotherapy for years for problems with my right quadratus lumborum muscle (attaches bottom of ribs to top of hip). The only time it has completely stopped hurting in 5-6 years was after bowel prep for my colonoscopy when I was completely "empty". I think instinctively this pain is caused by the bowel adhesions. Has anyone had anything similar and was there any improvement after excision?

My hopes are pinned on the excision helping as it is my worst symptom day to day and the physios have found no reason for this muscle to keep spasming. There is definitely a correlation between my bowel habits and the back pain so I think the adhesions are putting pressure on it. The centre of the pain is pretty much where the corner of the sigmoid colon is and it is 10 times worse when I'm badly constipated.

Also, I just want to say to people not to lose heart with their experiences with doctors. I think I have been really lucky to have had positive experiences with everyone so far (GP, 2 colorectal consultants, 2 general gynae and 1 endo specialist) and it's sad that so many of you have struggled but there are decent ones out there!

Hope everyone is having a good day!

[Moon_maiden]

I’d imagine your instincts are right, no surgeon will commit until they have looked. I think I have the right team now and on list for surgery. I get pain around the area but will have to wait and see if it’s adhesions or nerve damage. I can’t take less than four Laxido each day and can’t eat much/ no appetite. The bowel prep I had for CT colonoscopy was heaven for pain relief. There is an Endo gynae who may know for sure if it’s there but says there isn’t. I don’t believe him as still in pain and he told me there would be a bowel surgeon but not, and failed to tell me before op.

[rjse in reply to Moon_maiden]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I think my endo specialist is just trying not to get my hopes up but it's frustrating because all I have to go on is how it feels to me. I'll be interested to see if anything shows on the MRI to explain it. I never imagined there would be an upside to that vile bowel prep but my back feeling normal was bliss!

[Moon_maiden in reply to rjse]

This condition is crazy in how it makes you feel. Don’t rely on MRI, guidelines say they shouldn’t either. Crappy consultant wrote two letters earlier in the year, same month, one saying you can’t rely on scans, the other saying he did the op on his own as not much showed on MRI 🤷‍♀️ It was so refreshing when I spoke to an Endo experienced colorectal surgeon few months back, he said they don’t rely on scans.

I’ve been tempted to ask GP for some more bowel prep. 🤣