For the last 2 weeks, I've been bleeding dark clots of blood when I go to the loo for a poo - and in between too, so I now wear an ST full-time. For the last week, I've woken from deep sleep a few times every night in lots of pain, urgently needing the loo and with awful diarrhoea by dawn and am virtually incontinent.
I've got a pain like an infection at the base of my spine and lumbar region, as if I've been kicked by a herd of cows.
I'm currently almost unable to eat and have been in so much pain at times - with upper gastric pain like someone has poured acid into my stomach. I've also got localised pain like someone is twisting a knife into my sides - currently on the right side but was on the left too.
I'm 53 and up until a year ago was really healthy with no prior stomach problems my whole life. Last year, I got really bad influenza and then developed exactly the same symptoms I've described above. However, I was so so ill back then that I thought I was going to die and was fast-tracked in the NHS for a gastroscopy and colonoscopy and lots of blood tests. A faecal calprotectin stool sample was 5 times the normal level - indicating gut inflammation. However, all blood tests and other stool tests were normal as was the gastroscopy and colonoscopy. So they called it 'post viral IBS' and sent me away.
For 9 months, I've taken great care of myself. I got much better but nothing like back to normal and accepted I had post viral IBCS-C as the diarrhoea went away. I ate mostly Low Fodmap foods, stopped my lifelong vegetarian diet and ate chicken and fish, cut out most gluten, all lactose, all caffeine (never drunk alcohol). I exercised a lot more, rested and relaxed and have managed. I've never been out of pain - especially during the night when I'm wakened by abdominal cramping. But I've coped and felt a new lease of life, having feared I might be diagnosed with cancer - so I felt reprieved.
Out of the blue, it's all happening again. I've recently enjoyed a holiday, have exercised even more, have felt happy and relaxed - and in the midst of this particularly good time, once again I'm in agony and with all those scary symptoms.
Two days ago, I paid to see the gastro consultant privately, rather than wait in the NHS. He said no way can I have anything badly wrong as all the tests came back clear last year (he wasn't bothered last year about the raised faecal calprotectin). He says it must just be a normal stomach infection plus piles plus IBS. So he sent me away and told me to 'eat a bland diet' and that's it.
Last year, the symptoms took 5 months to get any better at all. Have I really got to go through all this again? I've never been given any pain killers for the stomach acid feeling and didn't want any for IBS cramping as I can cope with simple cramps. But this current 'infection' feels way beyond any 'normal' tummy bug. It feels as if I have some kind of inflammatory flare up - but that's impossible, as the consultant denies I have anything like that.
Are there any over-the-counter drugs I can buy to deal with the searing pain in my guts but that won't be the 'wrong' kind of thing for my kind of illness? I'm worried that anti-spasmodics will give me worse constipation or won't actually be the right thing anyway if I've got an infection.
Have other people had this kind of thing with IBS when you get an additional stomach infection too? Should I eat? Should I not eat? I'm currently picking at bits of chicken and prawns but trying to avoid all carbs. However, I think eating is making it the pain worse. The diarrhoea is easing off however.
Does this illness match anyone else's? Could it somehow be related to perimenopausal hormonal changes - as my periods are now more erratic? If it gets better in another week, then I can cope for a bit longer - but if it's going to take 5 months again, how the heck am i going to manage work and DCs (as a solo parent)? Why oh why would exactly the same symptoms recur about one year after last time when I've done nothing to provoke this and am otherwise v healthy?
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General health
Symptoms of bowel cancer but 'just IBS/infection' (long!)
28 replies
Infinitygirl · 16/04/2016 12:09
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