Hi,
long story short, I had a C section 3 year’s ago and my troubles do seem to have stemmed from them. Symptoms include a stabbing pain in lower right pelvis, it comes and goes when it feels like and it changes in severity, sometimes mild, sometimes intense. There’s no pattern, but it’s really bothering me now. It’s becoming more and more frequent and it’s worrying me.
I also get a dull ache in the lower abdominal area in the right side, and like a pulling/uncomfortable feeling. It radiates around to my lower back. Sometimes it makes me feel like I need to use the toilet, but I never feel real relief when I go. I always feel a bit constipated, uncomfortable and often not satisfied when I go to the toilet.
After multiple trips to the GP, they performed 2 Calprotectin tests to check for inflammation in the stool and 1 FIT test to check for blood in the stool, as well as full blood count.
First Calprotectin test - 74 (Slightly high I believe, but not high enough to panic)
Second Calprotectin test - 48 (I was told 50 and under is normal)
FIT test - Normal/Negative. No blood detected. Result was less than 4, and anything under 10 is apparently normal/negative.
It states on the form for FIT test that iron status needs reviewing, as if iron deficiency is present then it requires a referral for a Colonoscopy.
According to my GP, my full blood count (Done in December) apparently shows all is normal and unlikely to be anaemic but i’m not convinced. Red blood count is 4.16, which is on the lowest end of normal I think. Hematocrit is 0.391 which again seems to be lowest end of normal. Haemoglobin estimation seems fine at 135 g/L.
I don’t know what to do. The longer this goes on, the more i’m convinced it’s my bowel rather than a gynae issue.
My GP has agreed to another Calprotectin test, but not a FIT test, nor another full blood count.
I’ve ordered a private full blood count test, plus a private FIT test because i’m just not happy. I will see what these show as my last tests were December.
My question is for those more knowledgeable than me on these stool sample tests and blood tests - Should I pay out for a Colonoscopy when my stool sample tests were all ok or is it a total waste of money? I will struggle to afford the Colonoscopy and will have to likely borrow the money, so i’m torn and don’t want to be dramatic and catastrophise when it could be a gynae issue impacting my bowel?
In a nutshell, would one of the stool sample tests have come back with a clear indication if it was something sinister in the bowel?
My GP is just putting everything down to IBS and doesn’t appear to want to discuss anything further. If i’m being honest, he doesn’t appear to be very clued up on the stool sample and blood count front and can’t really answer my questions.