pain and flare ups

[oliviagodfreyxx]

hi guys, hope everyone is as well as they can be and are staying safe.

over the past few weeks i’ve had stomach pain and stomach ‘pressure’ where it doesn’t hurt but just feels uncomfortable and as if something is pressing into my lower stomach, it’s not unbearable but it’s an annoying feeling that seems to go off when i’m distracting myself or not thinking about it. i think it may be to do with my anxiety due to the circumstances of coronavirus or i think it may be due to IBS. my diet isn’t very good and i eat too many carbs, it feels better after going to the toilet etc.

also i’ve been having bad back pain over the past couple of days, mainly in the lower back and around the sides near my hips. i’m not sure if this is arthritis related or stress related or even IBS related as i read it is also a common symptom. the pain feels like a dull ache similar to my arthritis pain however i’ve never had back pain that comes and goes consistently like this has over the past 2/3 days. it doesn’t hurt to walk, and it’s not moving down into my legs, it just hurts to bend forwards and backwards etc. i don’t do much exercise so maybe it’s time to start some!!! i also don’t want to go to the doctors as i don’t feel like it’s serious, however not knowing what is triggering the pain makes me even more anxious which contributes to the pain!! i’ve also been waking up super early between 4am-6am and just not being able to sleep.

my fatigue has also increased, however i feel like most people’s will have too, im finding it hard to keep myself busy and end up just laying in bed and napping which is not ideal.

i know there’s bigger problems than mine going off right now but if anyone has any tips on keeping themselves busy or managing pain without going out the house it would be really helpful

happy easter to those who celebrate it and i hope everyone’s feeling as well as they can be x

[Lanzarote2019]

Olivia, lower back pain may need investigating if it continues to get worse

Unfortunately, with the various rheumy conditions, a secondary may come along. I started with UC and then AS. The colitis was bad enough but the AS became an issue for which I needed the Humira. If it persists, seek professional help. Its well worth it in the long run

[oliviagodfreyxx in reply to Lanzarote2019]

thankyou it seems to ease after heat or ice compression and pain killers, it’s worse at night so don’t know if it’s because i’m sleeping funny or doing too much in the day walking wise

[Boxerlady]

I've had IBS (C) for years and it can cause lots of unpleasant symptoms. Anxiety doesn't cause IBS (a theory debunked several years ago) but it can be a trigger and the onset of an IBS attack can trigger anxiety so it's a vicious circle. I've also found that it causes fatigue....

It's so difficult when symptoms overlap but I'd suggest trying to get some control over your IBS as a start. Just starting to feel in control of it can really help and then you might realise which symptoms are due to that and be able to start working out how to deal with any that remain.

Like RA, there sadly isn't a "one size fits all solution" so it can be a case of trial and error. A book that really helped me was Irritable Bowel Solutions by Dr John Hunter. It's easy to read but written by a respected medical expert. The other expert I would suggest reading up on is Professor Peter Whorwell and I've just seen a book by him (which I haven't read) on Amazon along with the one by John Hunter. The Hunter book helps you to work out which form you actually have and has lots of useful tips for dealing with it's effects (like anxiety) as well as the condition itself.

IBS can be a horrible condition but thankfully is taken more seriously than it was when I developed it nearly 40 years ago - then it came into "it's all in your head dear, you're just a naturally anxious person" category 🙄😤

[oliviagodfreyxx in reply to Boxerlady]

thankyou for your help i’ve started taking some IBS relief tablets that have helped, i think it’s mainly my diet that’s affecting it however i’m a very fussy eater so it’s hard to alter it!! i will definitely look into those books, thankyou x

[Boxerlady in reply to oliviagodfreyxx]

Diet can be one of the keys but again, different for everyone. One thing I poo-pooed (sorry!) for years was porridge but once I started having it for breakfast every day, I did find that it helped. I have it topped with banana and blueberries and a handful of homemade granola for a bit of crunch. I have milk with it but sometimes add a dollop of Greek yoghurt - lush! 😋 Just pointing out that you can customise it to suit yourself....

For some women there can also be connection with hormones. My previously well-controlled IBS went into overdrive with peri-menopause and I found that HRT helped. I'm now suspicious that years of the pill actually helped control it without me realising it but conversely, some women find that it exacerbates the problem.

Drinking lots really helps too - preferably water or at least, not too much tea and coffee.

[oliviagodfreyxx in reply to Boxerlady]

thankyou i’ve been on the pill for quite a while so i’m not sure whether that could be triggering it, i need to sort my diet out mainly, fast food and carbs aren’t really ideal 😅 i haven’t tried porridge but will give it a go x

[allanah]

I think you do need to call your GP, they are in my area doing telephone consultations .

Have you got strong smelling urine or need to go to loo quickly, as when I get urine infections I get lower tummy pain and back pain.

However these can be serious and you may need treatment and as you know if you get an infection you have to stop your RA drugs as initially instructed by your rheumy.

So I think just in case it us that or indeed any other problem with your IBS etc it's worth a call to your gp. Feel better very soon x

[oliviagodfreyxx in reply to allanah]

thankyou and i feel fine when peeing and don’t need to go anymore than usual, i thought it could be that but it doesn’t sting or hurt to pee etc, if it continues i’ll definitely ring up, it has eased a lot since last night x

[allanah in reply to oliviagodfreyxx]

Thank goodness but yes keep an eye and ring up

[Boxerlady]

Yes, definitely do ring your GP for advice - I certainly wasn't suggesting that you try to deal with it all without medical advice. I had GP input before reading up on IBS and it was suggested that I research various options - I just found that having more information helps me personally but everyone is different.

It was actually a GP who convinced me to try porridge....

[Boxerlady]

Also relief from painkillers points to it NOT being IBS. I was able to differentiate between period cramps and IBS cramps by seeing if painkillers had any effect.

[oliviagodfreyxx in reply to Boxerlady]

i’m not sure whether the ice or heat helped or the painkillers but i take them for the arthritis in my knees aswell, the IBS doesn’t really feel painful it’s more like a dull uncomfortable pressure in my stomach that gets worse when i eat fatty, unhealthy foods, i also have to go to the toilet lots (tmi) sorry 😫

[Boxerlady]

That certainly isn't tmi for a fellow IBS sufferer! 🙄😂 That part of it certainly sounds like IBS. As I said, I have the constipation type but I get cramps after fatty (and spicy) food. Gently massaging the area in a clockwise direction (that's the way that food moves through the bowel) can help. It definitely sounds as if you need to look at your diet and that will help with lots of things 😊

[oliviagodfreyxx in reply to Boxerlady]

thankyou for your help i appreciate it 😅😊