Should I be worried ? Or is it nothing

[progestermoan]

Had stomach/bowel issues for nearly a year now

Severe pains, wind, constant changes in bowel movements, mucous etc and occasionally small amounts of blood (v small gp said probably piles but can’t see or feel any)

Was referred to gynae not gastro as they said at my age unlikely to be bowel issues even though a family history of it.

I’ve put up with this and it’s getting bad again cannot pinpoint any food issues or trigger and I’m actually fed up.
I get pain on left side constantly and it’s extreme just before needing to go and after. Usually I go once every 1-2 days (and when I need to it’s urgent) but this week out of nowhere I haven’t been in 5 days ?? I feel uncomfortable but higher up if that makes sense but def no need to go which is odd.

If I go back to the gp they’ll fob me off again I think but this is affecting my whole life I get backache from it too and so many times I’ve gone to a and e when the pain has been severe. I’m drained and always anaemic but bloods show nothing else.
It is affecting my quality of life.
I’m considering if it’s worth it to go private to bypass being fobbed off but it’s so expensive or do I just get an emergency appt tomorrow.

Take something to relieve your immediate discomfort. A pharmacist can advise something that you can take that should purge you! Stay indoors so that you’re near the toilet!

I would go back to your surgery but perhaps ask for another doctor and say that it’s been going on for a year and you need further investigation as to what is causing it all.

Yes I’ve been wondering about taking extra laxatives (I have movicol here and senna liquid) and I’ve taken buscopsn before but it didn’t help the pain.
I’ve booked an appt online for the morning as I can’t cope anymore it’s making things difficult daily as I’m having to plan around my stomach

I would go back to the GP and push for a colonoscopy, a friend of mine had bowel issues for over a year and almost lost her whole rectum when they finally found the cancer.

I just feel that my age plus the fact they keep saying it’s gynae related (it’s not-I’ve has scans to check for cysts etc and nothing only thing ever showing is enlarged lymph nodes). Every dr says they can feel a lump the left side but nobody has wanted to investigate further.
I had put it down to possibly ibs but I’m in pain and discomfort so I’m going to insist for some more tests

I would up my fibre intake first,it could be as simple as that.

If that doesn't work then I would push for further investigation.

Definitely the gp should take this more seriously.

I could’ve written your post any time in the last year.
I’ve gone strictly gluten (free (that’s no wheat, barley, oats and rye , malt, maltodextrin) and milk products for a month today.

I am feeling a lot better.
I’m also seeing a medical Dowser.

Too much Mucous is related to intolerance with dairy and I know exactly what you mean about the windy back pain...it’s excr

I’m not out of the mire yet but I’m on my way to better health

We also were advised to take the herb goldenseal , 6 drops twice a day in water before a meal and increase by two drops a day to 12 drops . That’s from nature’s answer. Good health shops should carry it. We take that for a month.

I know homeopathy isn’t popular on mnet, but we have been given other remedies too which are helping.
It’s estimated that it will be 6 months to a year to overcome this but just a few days relief is great.
We are eating like coeliacs , my dh as well as gluten affects sinuses, with the lactose free thrown in as well.

Excruciating

I keep wondering about food issues but I think the pain would be more generalised ? This is always the left side it doesn’t tend to move around I can literally pinpoint where it starts and then it radiates I think but the left side only
I’m going to beg the gp if I have to as I’m worried

I wouldn’t up insoluble fibre , that could just cause a blockage.
I have an ovarian cyst..it doesn’t really cause me any problems
Although I’d rather not have one
When you’ve got severe problems of this nature and inflammation you’ve got to calm the system down

By cutting out gluten and lactose, you also cut out a lot of unnecessary sugar too. All of these cause inflammation in an already inflamed area which is also the ideal place for bugs to thrive.

I don’t replace bread with gf bread..a lot of that stuff can be just as inflammatory

I’m keeping it really simple
Spinach omelette on a morning
I have a mashed banana on three rice cakes covered with dark Belgian chocolate ( home bargains 79 p for a pack of 6) my daily treat for lunch
Evening meal is protein, veg and something starchy, sweet potato , rice, buckwheat, quinoa
Two little oranges as a snack

I don’t think I’m feeling as hungry as I used to.im in a much better bowel routine
I take castor oil capsules that I make myself and two Senna..I’m hoping to do away with these when I’m well again

I’ve got a long way to go but I’m grateful for the better health I’m experiencing so far

I’m going to beg the gp if I have to as I’m worried..

of course

Especially with a family history of bowel related issues

Your left side is where your 'descending colon' is (just googled as didn't know the correct term!)

Seriously, what is your fibre intake like? Plenty of fruit and vegetables? You can have all sorts of really painful issues if that's not all in working order.

I'm not saying ignore it, but concentrate on the obvious basics first.

www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/basics/fibre.html

Get yourself referred ASAP! If you are bleeding from your bowel how is that gynaecological? I know the system is overloaded but with your symptoms if I wasn’t getting an immediate referral I’d go private.

Push for a colonoscopy, OH had similar symptoms and was finally diagnosed the ulcerative colitis
He’s on treatment and doing much better. He’s mostly gluten free, was -ve for coeliac, but when god s gut was v inflamed, he was extremely sensitive to gluten. Now he fab tolerate small amounts, but not bread/cakes/

I'm not surprised you're bleeding if you only go every 2 days tbh.

Go back and ask for bowel investigations. GP can't say it's gynae if you had this ruled out. If he refuses ask for a second opinion, change GP or complain.

I only go every two days and I don’t bleed.
For many people that’s quite normal

My diet is actually quite good. Always have eaten plenty of veg salad fruit and I have brown bread not white, porridge etc. I rarely eat red meat I have chicken or fish.
Probably drink a bit too much coffee but other than that it’s good.

The one thing that is niggling me is the constant anaemia with no real cause and often despite iron supplements
The gp just keep saying gynae yet the hospital discharged me when scans didn’t show any gynae issues 🤷‍♀️ Said go back to gp if no improvement I feel like I’m just being passed round

Demand a referral OP. I hope you're ok.

Oh OP, this isn't right at all. Go back to to GP. Take someone with you. Insist that your daily life is compromised and you need to have this long-time and debilitating condition investigated. Wish you luck, insist on it.

No it’s not right...

But if you have gluten problems Brown is just as bad as white
Gluten oats in porridge are harmful
My husband reacted worse to gluten oats than wheat
Stopped the porridge and lost half a stone.

Have you had any blood tests apart from blood count. Thing like celiac tests? This sounds a possibility. What's your diet and fluid intake like. Have you addressed this? Also how active are you?

Sorry re the diet post. Phone not displaying properly so mised it. Can you give up all bread, oats and gluten grains plus coffee? You can develop coeliac as an adult.
It causes unexplained anaemia.
Go back to the doctor ask to be tested for it. Iron supplements can also mess up your digestive system in their own right. Ask for referral. Have you had stool samples done?

I had a full blood count and have my thyroid levels done regularly

I had to have a few ultrasound scans two were done in gynae dept one in main us dept that one showed the lymph nodes
I had a scan too to check for kidney stones but that was fine.

Whether I’m on iron or not my stomach is the same. I do feel I could cut down on coffee or even cut it out
I will see gp tomorrow and then see if I can change my diet and try gf maybe ?

I just feel really strange this week as I know I’ve been eating but I have no urge whatsoever to go to the toilet and it’s very strange the last time I went was v urgent and really not right and since then absolutely nothing at all and I should need to go as have been eating. So where’s it all going

I feel uncomfortable but def not the needing to go to the toilet feeling