Back pain and bowel issues. help please

[mypinkmonkey]

Since January I have had a sore lower back and left hip- no idea how i did it but it was liveable. I have seen a physio and an osteopath. The osteopath thought i may have a bulging disc and suggested I had an MRI scan if it got worse.
Fast forward to July - pain in back and hip is much worse - wakes me up at night which is new. Then last week I started to experience bowel problems - TMI warning - basically I want to go, I get stomach cramps and either nothing happens or I have diarrhoea or very thin stools. It feels as if something is stopping me from pooing! I am peeing ok
I went to see a GP (not one of the regular GPs at my practice) last Wednesday - he told me i was probably constipated and wasn't overly helpful but did refer me for an Xray. Unfortunately I couldn't have the Xray as he didn't put enough info on the form - I am still waiting to hear back from them so no further forward really.
So, this morning - pain is constant in lower back and left buttock and down left leg - more of a very persistent ache - no sharp or shooting pains. I am desperate for a poo but nothing happens. I feel generally unwell and have had two major migraines in last week as well. Should I go to A&E? Or go back to GP tomorrow?

Go back to gp for an urgent re referral. I think you need the scan asap if only to rule potential issues out.

i have issues like this for a long time. i have had endless scans/x-rays etc. physio, injections in my hips the list goes on. nothing is found and nothing helps. i live on painkillers and stool softeners

what painkillers are you on? if it's anything codeine based it will bung you up something terrible.

Yes i think i need a scan.
I'm not on any painkillers - up until this week i have been able to live with the pain other than at night. And the thing is my stools aren't hard - i don't feel constipated. My stomach is telling me i need a poo but then nothing happens - i know that sounds like constipation but it doesn't feel like that to me IFYSWIM.

I have the back/hip thing ... on off since January ... feels like my back may go any second but hasnt. `Comes on ... rather than a sudden put back out ... would be interested if anyone else has the same.

The type of pain you are describing is sciatic pain.
If your bowel is inflammated it could be pressing on a nerve.

I would suggest, to be overly dramatic, that as you have symptoms of sciatic pain and bowel problems, you need to take yourself to A&E and get an immediate scan. It's very likely to be constipation or something like that causing the bowel problems, which can make back pain worse, especially as you can slow down when in pain, and eat less which slows the bowel movements. If you are 'backed up' it could be that you are compacted. However, if there is a possibility it's s disc issue, and you have bowel problems, you need to get Cauda Equina Syndrome ruled out.

Any symptoms that could be CES should be treated as medical emergency until proven otherwise. Like I said, it's very likely back pain for whatever reason (disc or other) which is made worse by constipation, which can increase back pain big style. But, better to be safe than sorry.

NHS website for CES, you need to scroll down for advice on CES itself.

Then come join the back pain thread, i'll link it when I find it. A bit quiet right now but lots of advice and handholding done there.

back pain thread