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anom
10-03-18, 13:54
Hi All

After Several weeks of googling away and driving myself up the wall I thought I'd actually sign up somewhere, see if anyone can relate..possibly stop myself going mad! (this may be long)

I'm male, 32 now (nearly) and was "diagnosed" with IBS when I was about 14/15 I use the term loosely as it was one of those head scratchers where I don't think the doctor really knew or cared and just shuffled me out the way without anything more than a few blood tests. I don't even remember what caused me to go there in the first place, possibly constipation as I've always been more on that side of things than the other.

For the last 15-16 years I never really struggled with it, I remember one time drinking a coffee from a shop with frothy milk and being doubled up in agony for several minutes afterwards. I also can recall various times of having griping..waves of pain going over my entire stomach/abdomen which again would pass after a short amount of time and that was that. If I ever had problems it was 90% of the time constipation but I found fybogel tended to sort it out one of them for a couple of days and things returned to "normal" I chalked it all down to IBS and just carried on as normal.

Now to my current issue. About 7 weeks ago I had one of my "small flare ups". They would tend to be a bout of constipation, a bit of a dull ache lower left abdomen and the worse ones would sometimes irritate my bladder, nothing new or out of the ordinary, pop some fybogel and all would be good. Only this time it wasnt. I had fairly bad constipation and could only pass the odd pellet. I don't know if any straining caused..any damage but for the next week or 2 it was quite hard work to have a movement (it tended to build up for several days then I'd have a fairly positive day of having 3-4 decent BM's) and that would carry on. It also seemed quite uncomfortable to pass urine

The dull ache never left, 24/7 - I say 24/7 but it doesnt really bother me when sleeping and in terms of "pain it's really not bad - perhaps a 3/10 (its more an irritation than a pain) that would then drop to a 1 or so after a BM but shortly go back up to a 3. I still have it now. I've spent the last 6 weeks + trying to up my fibre/drink more water/eat better (I've burnt through 60 fyobgel in 4 weeks) I'm on multvitamins and tumeric now too. In terms of BM's I think I'm getting on top of it I'm generally going twice a day and theres nothing really to report about them - fairly consistent..brown..sausages, what I'd regard as normal! Urinating seems generally fine now too. Yet this ache won't go and its stressing me out, I've had it in my head its some sort of tumour as constant pain "can't be harmless" I took a week off work and spent most of it in bed googling bowel cancer and alsorts (I've never taken time off work) I sit at work googling symptoms, I come home from work and google symptoms. It's literally taking over my life.

I did book a doctors appointment at the start of all this but it took me 3 weeks to get in presumably because I had nothing falling off. I was poked for about 5 seconds, asked if I wanted some mebeverine, had some blood tests and a urine sample and sent on my way. Everything came back normal (last week), the mebeverine doesn't actually seem to be doing anything which stresses me out more - how can it be IBS if IBS medication doesnt work. I've developed other symptoms but I honestly don't know now whats actual symptoms or what I've probably given myself due to spending 6 weeks+ googling if I have cancer. My pelvic area feels inflamed, it goes down my legs and feet and sometimes into my arms but mostly my lower half - it also seems worse on the side I have my ache. It's there all the time and the more I'm aware of it...the worse it is. Can my stress be making my IBS do all this? am I just going mad? what else could it be thats causing all this. I did have a fall about a week before this all started and landed quite hard on my tailbone, I had some pain for a couple of weeks but that disappeared, perhaps its nerve damage from that?

I toyed with perhaps its celiac disease (I had a blood test for it years ago, nothing) I don't think its any of the inflammatory diseases as I've never had the runs. I've been on stool watch for the last 6 weeks paranoid I'm going to find blood - I never have. Diverticulitis? I don't know - I'd imagine thats more painful. Nothing seems to fit - I keep going back to cancer though really I'm not entirely sure that fits either (I never saw blood and apparently I'm not anemic to warrant any further investigation) I've lost a few pounds in weight but thats because I'm trying to (oddly the same week I changed my diet to try and eat better is also the same week this all started) I just don't know what to do. I need to get another doctors appointment next week despite having a massive phobia of them ..purely for my sanity but I'll have to wait weeks again, then perhaps more weeks for a referral. My life has been a complete misery for nearly 2 months.

Don't suppose anyone has any rational thoughts? (as I sit here panicking about my burning feet..which actually are not burning whatsoever), infact I've just walked the dog and now the ache seems lower into my bloody groin! :mad:

Bigboyuk
10-03-18, 14:49
Hi anom and welcome aboard :) A huge tip dr Google is a no no it only keeps the cycle going and is not healthy for you you need to try and kerb this less and less sure it's not easy but really there is no benefit from it it only winds you up more mate. Can I ask what you are doing to get better have you spoke to your dr about your HA? I am pretty sure they can help, you can get better but only you can make it happen :) Pm/Email me if you want to chat more about it. ATB

anom
12-03-18, 10:35
Hello!

Thanks for responding

I can fully see where your coming from and every new little symptom I get these days on top of my persistent ache are not only incredibly worrying.. But can also be a symptom of anxiety. I must say part of me question whether it's anxiety at times because I never have fast breathing or raised heart beat or anything. Every time I come up with a new way to google a concern I drop everything and try it, frankly I'm out of ideas as it doesn't sound like anything (or anything singular)

When it started originally I cut out caffeine for a couple of weeks and felt no difference. I started to take some multi vitamins and turmeric tablets which I'm still on and went through about 60 fybogel in 3 weeks which I doubt did anything positive. I've tried to reduce this now, im currently on 0 but starting to struggle again.

I tried mebeverine for 3 weeks and ran out of prescription but it's made zero difference so I picked up some buscopan which I'm taking along with a peppermint tablet to try and reduce things. It feels quite full down there but I have no problems with eating like a horse!

I'm going to ring doctors tomorrow because my local one Mondays are a no no and try and get in as an "emergency" which I suspect won't go down well! But I do want to bring up my anxiety issues as I'm feeling utterly dreadful these days. The stomach discomfort is one thing but all this burning feeling I'm getting in most of my lower half is sending me into absolute meltdown. I wish I could find something / anything that resembled what I'm going through that would potentially calm me down but I only have silly things in my head like I've got a huge tumour which is pushing on my spinal cord causing the various sensations going on!

This is bloody awful I've lost most of 2018!

Bigboyuk
12-03-18, 11:15
Hey that sounds a good idea to make a appointment to see your dr. Ha ha I am a big eater too so know what you mean ;) Once you can tackle your HA then you are on the road to recovery it's hard but do able though. Let us know how you get on!! ATB

anom
12-03-18, 18:41
I have to ring up every morning now to try and get a cancellation

The whole thing is hilarious in a way. I'm getting progressively worse during the day and I know (or I think) its all due to the worry about what will happen/will I get referred/will they ever find out something thats wrong.

I'm currently eyeing up a carton of apple juice, wondering if it will make my BM's go the other way! I know in this entire 6-7 week periods I've never been anything remotely soft, I'm curious if it would remove some of the bloating/aching!

anom
14-03-18, 10:48
Just as an uodate

A doctor called. Me back instead of a nurse. Said because I've got a family history of bowel cancer he will have me referred but wants to discuss it tomorrow morning

By family history.. Thats one grand parent who got it at nearly 70.

Why would he jump straight to cancer..

Like i wasnt terrified in the first place.

Bigboyuk
14-03-18, 11:36
Hi It's nothing to worry about if there is family history with anything like this they like to be sure by talking to you and if needed getting you referred it doesn't mean automatically you have or will get cancer :) As for the apple juice well it is acidic in nature so probably wise not to drink it, drink some water :) Let us know how you get on ATB

anom
14-03-18, 13:00
Hello

It's just.. Crazy. I was expecting a nurse but I got a doctor who started talking about bowel cancer and how he wants to refer me.. Even though my blood tests "didn't really show anything"

I'm know he's not exactly.. Implying I have it.. I don't think it's just.. Really not what I expected!

Now im shaking like a bloody leaf. He asked if I had blood in my stool and seemed bewildered when I said no and just left it at that... I'm going out my damn mind.

Oh the apple juice did exactly what I thought it would!

anom
15-03-18, 12:01
I know I'm just blabbering on to myself a lot of the time

But I saw the doctor this morning who shrugged his shoulders.. Asked me if I'd. Like a camera up my back side and then before I could finish saying not really he decided to book me in.

But. That's going to take 6 weeks.. He said cancer was unlikely as I don't have any red flag symptoms but he didn't actually have an idea what it could be.

I don't know if it's worth riding. It out or potentially trying to see someone privately for my own anxieties.. He really wasn't helpful just said I could try some paracetamol :huh:

The most.. Invasive. Procedure I've ever had in my life is a god damn xray.. The thought having this is.. Incredibly alarming

nomorepanic
15-03-18, 12:23
Colonscopies aren't that bad really and will give you peace of mind.

anom
15-03-18, 18:17
I appreciate that

But when the worst you've had in your life is an x-ray :roflmao:

:scared15:

anom
18-03-18, 16:06
For a bit of TMI. I don't suppose some white chunks in stool mean anything?

Kinda look like..I don't know..sweetcorn type..things or maybe like a nut. Only I've not ate anything like that

Noticed 2 earlier and I noticed a couple a few weeks back. I'm trying to keep a food diary but it aint half confusing trying to piece things together!

I'm also looking to buy a home testing Celiac disease..thing. None of them seem particularly highly rated, don't suppose anyone in the UK could suggest which is the least..crap? I'm not convinced but for £15-£20 It might be worth a pop, doctors seem to think because it was negative 8 years ago theres no real point testing again!

I still think I've got cancer or diverticular disease, although for some reason my anxiety seems to be reducing as I don't have this awful burning/tingling feeling down my legs and into my feet anymore. That worried me just as much as the bowel discomfort but I could actually recognise a pattern with that and mentally I feel..calmer - no more tingling. Shame the bowel discomfort won't shift..at all!

anom
25-04-18, 19:14
For anyone curious/people with potentially similar symptoms

I had my colonoscopy today at 2pm..that was quite a scary experience walking into the operating theatre with them all chatting..but it seems they knocked me out, one minute I'm being injected with something to stop potential nausea next minute I've awoke, half the staff have left, the consultant giving me a thumbs up saying nothing abnormal but hes taken a biopsy for anything microscopic then I'm back in my room basically ordering everything off the menu (its cool going private)

Got some bloating and I'm a bit terrified to go to the bathroom ever again at the moment! but my drunk/tipsy feeling has just about gone now...I've still got my ache but I'm hoping I can calm down now..I'm not actually riddled with cancer..

Emc
27-04-18, 07:29
I know googling is bad but I think in this case it might be helpful. Have a look for pelvic floor dysfunction - a lot of the symptoms you describe sounds like it. Totally benign & usually fixed with some physio.

I would imagine that, given you’re currently posting on an anxiety forum, that you probably came across as anxious on the phone to the doctor this morning & that’s probably why he’s referring you on for tests.