I dont know what this is...stomach pain problems :(

[chl_hobbs]

Hi all,

I have severe Health anxiety after a minor op went very wrong (the surgeon cut my spleen and I almost died..) and so if you can reassure me Id be so grateful.

Im 29, and as part of a CT scan to check how my tummy was healing about 10 months ago, the report found that I had 'minor diverticulosis of the sigmoid colon'. The consultant said not to worry and that many of the western world have it without even knowing until they get older.

My consultant also thinks I have IBS as I have bouts of pain and diarrohea every few months, but it's been fine for the past 6 months or so.

Anyway, I have just finished a course of co-amoxiclav for a skin infection, and suddenly yesterday I started getting pain in my lower/mid left abdomen. It hurt quite a bit and then started cramping. My partner brought me some lunch, and literally as soon as I swallowed the first piece, started getting intense cramps in the lower left abdo and ran to the toilet. It was yellow diarrhea. It felt a bit better after but made me very sore down below. It continued all night, with bouts of pain and diarrhea, then tenderness in lower left abdo and a bit of nausea. I managed to eat (i dont know why I did) and it was ok at that point. I went to bed (pain didnt wake me) but as soon as I woke up it felt like there was a pencil stuck in my left abdomen. It was so sore. I had a little bit of yellow diarrhea and now feel very sore - in that exact place. Ive not got a fever and am ok, just sore in the lower left abdomen area.

Is this a flare up of the diverticulitis?? Or does it sound like IBS? How am I supposed to know the difference? Many of the symptoms are the same for both, and I have know Idea how to handle it!!! If it's IBS I can deal with it but I havent had a flare up of diverticulitis before and I know it can be risky... I know it was only minor on the CT, Im just scared that it's somehow got blocked or infected... it's a Sunday so cant see GP but I know even if I did, he wouldnt know, how can he see through me?!

If anyone can shed some light on this, or if anyone has Diverticular disease and can help me, Id be so grateful. I have no idea if it's that or IBS....

Charlotte x

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/images/nmp/misc/progress.gif

[Frankie123]

I was on a course of antibiotics recently and they upset my stomach and I got nausea and yellowish diarrhoea. In fact my stomach is still trying to get back to normal as I am constantly burbing and have a rumbling tum. I am told antibiotics kill the good bacteria as well as the bad and that is why they upset your stomach.

[Janine]

Hi Charlotte, I suffer with both of these and the symptons are very similar, Antibiotics especially pencillin based ones can cause what you are saying, penicllin caused me a big flare up of diverticulius in August, usually it is just what you are describing and it will go away, they told me to take Buscopan which you can buy at a chemist but even Tescos sell it and immodium which also helps with the cramps and stops the diarraoh.

I have had a flare up of IBS in the last 24 hours and i know it will last until I have another sleep tonight as it follows a pattern which I am used to, yours does sound like it is caused but the antibiotics.

Hope this helps

Janine

---------- Post added at 09:09 ---------- Previous post was at 09:04 ----------

Charlotte I forgot to say if it was an infection you would feel very unwell, I have had one and the pain and how you feel is really bad and at the moment you do not sound like you have an infection.

[lo89]

My dad has divertriculitus and sometimes has agonising stomach pain. He finds it flares up if he takes co-codomol for some reason. I would imagine it is the antibiotics causing a flare up of either the IBS or the divertriculitus.
Hope you feel better soon x

[miggymoggy]

Hiya. Could be the tablets as they do upset your stomach, equally could be diverticulitis (osis?).
I have horrendous agonising stomach pain about once a year and get rushed to hospital (has happened 5 times now). They always have to give me morphine for the pain. Had all sorts of tests - numerous blood tests, ultrasounds, X rays, laparoscopies, CT scan, intra vaginal ultrasound, camera down throat, camera up bum (colonoscopy). Only thing they could find was minor diverticulities (osis?). I have had a lot of surgery in the past so they said could also be due to scar tissue.
Hope it gets better x

[chl_hobbs]

Thankyou everyone, so much. Ive not eaten much today - feel very 'full' in the left lower side of my abdomen. Im feeling really exhausted. The pain / cramps have subsided but Ive taken a mebeverine (from GP ages ago for IBS), and maybe that's helped. I cant take Buscopan for some reason, they gave it to me in Intensive Care and then all of a sudden I was surrounded by people sticking heart pads on me and alarms going off - they told me never to have it again!

Hoping it is just an IBS episode. Just worry as I dont usually get them. I also have bad adhesions / adhesion related pain due to my massive laparotomy, so always worry I have a blockage too :(

Thankyou all xxx

[nomorepanic]

I replied to your other post about this as well