Chronic pain

[hev53]

Hi there to all of you and a sincere wish for you all to be well and happy.

I wonder if you could give me some help? Since August of last year I have had left sided lower abdomen pain. I have had a colonoscopy (never again) which revealed Diverticular disease but the consultant dismissed this as not really significant enough to cause this problem. I was diagnosed with IBS twenty odd years ago and feel reading all of the symptoms that IBS is the cause.

I have had diarrhoea spasmodically, never constipation, unrelenting pain like a stitch in the left side which sometimes radiates to the groin. It is not enough to roll around the floor with but certainly can't be ignored. I also get an ache in the crotch area when it is bad. When my bladder has even the smallest amount of urine in it I need to empty it and that exacerbates the pain.

Sorry to be graphic but I am getting desperate, I have been unable to work with this now for weeks and it seems to be getting worse. I am on Co-Codamol 30/500 for pain which does not seem to really help and Mebeverine which again does not help.

I am constantly sitting with ahot water bottle on my abdomen and sleep does not come easy.

Would be really grateful for some advice regarding what to do to get treatment etc. I feel a bit abandoned by the Health Service.

Thank you for reading.

[lynne25ukuk]

I suffer with Ibs D and diverticulitis. I get lots of groin pain and stitches and like you have to resort to a hot water bottle. I am on loperamide, buscopan and alverine daily and also take a multi vitamin and probiotic every day. Unfortunately there are no hard and fast cures and its very much trial and error. I had to keep persistently bugging my doc literally going in weekly and demanding help. Co codamol can upset the stomache if taken regularly I have found. I also drink green tea

[hev53]

Many thanks for your reply, sorry to hear you have the same problems. I just wondered if anyone had found an effective pain relief.

Thanks again.

[kiwimiwi]

I find that co-codamol can really affect my system in all sorts of ways. One problem with co-codamol is that you cannot take more than a set dose because it contains paracetamol and there is a risk of accidental overdose. I have codeine phosphate tablets prescribed instead which is essentially co-codamol without the paracetamol so I can raise my dose as I see fit and take paracetamol separately if needed. The other problem with codeine and any opiate painkiller really is that while it helps diarrhoea, it can also cause immense cramps and pain when too much is taken in a period of time. I find that if I have to go uni several days in a row that on the monday I'm OK but because of the constant codeine and loperamide doses over the days, my symptoms gradually worsen as the week goes on and I could be in horrific pain from cramps and wind by the end of the week. This has actually happened to me today and I've had the pleasure of visiting the loos six times in four different places today even with codeine and loperamide in my system. In terms of other medications, have you spoken to your GP about possibly trying amitripyline? I was recommended it as it helps with other medical conditions I have and it lessens cramps at night and helps sleep as well. Another medication to possibly try which you don't need a prescription for is Buscopan. This kills my cramps within 10 mins of taking two tablets.

This is all assuming that the pain is singularly IBS related; I know a few people who suffer with bad kidney/urine problems and suffer the same pains in exactly the same areas as yourself, one of which also suffers with IBS-D!

Hope some of this has been helpful!!

[hev53]

Hi Kiwimiwi

Thank you so much for your informative answer. My GP did discuss Amytriptyline with me but because I am on Fluoxetine he did not want to take me off of that which I would have to do. Codeine Phosphate sounds like an option because as you rightly say it negates the problem of the paracetamol content, but note the porblems associated with it. I am going to discuss the Amytriptyline option again and try that after coming off the Fluoxetine.

So sorry you have had a bad day, what an awful problem this is.

Thanks again and hope you feel better soon.

[Hidden]

For me looking at my diet seems to have helped quite a bit, I used to eat broccoli, cauliflower and red grapes every day but I have cut them out completely and am better than I was. I still have the pain and constipation but not as bad as I used to.

I have been to see a dietician and she said that her colleague is being trained on the FODMAP diet which, as I understand it, cutting out certain foods and reintroducing them at a later date. Apparently the results have been really good.

I take a multivitamin every day and it made my IBS alot better when I started on them a few years ago and it's never been as bad as it was back then. The multivitamin is called 'Multibionta' and they are made by Seven Seas, they are brilliant and they have a probiotic in them.

I hope you settle down and wish you the best of luck.

[hev53]

Hi Grandmother

Thank you for your help. I will get some of the Multibionta, sounds like a good plan. Actually had a better day yesterday but tonight it's back again!

Really glad to hear you have got some relief from your symptoms. I hope it continues to get even better with time.

Thank you again, much appreciated.

[bourne62]

Hi, I have exactly the same pain as you lower left could say pelvic really. I get stabs of pain in my groin, pain in upper thigh and lower back pain. The pain in my lower left is in one spot I could almost put my finger on and it is where I get waves of gas pain. If i stand in one spot it feels like I have a weight pulling me down. Even stretching is sore at times.

As i write this I have the hot water bottle. It worried me too that the pain was chronic as ibs is not typically like that but a lot of people do get this. I am two months in now. I have been in contact with someone who's flare lasted months but did go.

I don't get d or c either but softer sometimes more frequent stools due to worrying about it. I also get pain in crotch area and the pains are not agony but day after day drag you down mentally & physically.

I just use heat as nothing else seems to help. Sorry I cannot be of more use. I am going to try the fodmap diet. If i can be of any help please let me know

[hev53]

Thank you bourne7 for you response. I hope you find some relief soon from your symptoms. I have found some relief with the changes in my diet and steering clear of what I have found upsets me. The pain is managable but still rears its head at times.

I have found I pass mostly pencil thin stools now.

I truly hope you get better soon and am grateful for the time you took answering and the lovely offer of help. That goes both ways if I can ever support you.

Good luck!

[Gemma19]

Hi I'm new to Being diagnosed IBS not that diagnosed has done anything just give all the problems a name . I'm listing my foods and anything that makes the pain worse I cut out I excersize every day also drink yokult each morning . It's said each individual is different So I just try new things each day as it comes feel like a hypacrondract. I have tummy ache every day suppose like a period pain which they are not. I also use a hot bean bag every night on my Timmy just to help me sleep better. If you find anything that helps let me no I'll try any thing. Some one had said peppermint tea must admit that does help.