Abdominal pain for Christmas

[trickha]

My understanding of IBS is that it can take a bunch of different forms and the flare ups can vary from person to person.

When I went in to my doc to talk about my abdominal pains she was pretty confident that it was bowel activity or plain old stress. The nature of it didnt seem to suggest anything sinister to her.

Thanks for the support, really appreciate it!

It disappeared for a good 36 hours, and has reappeared this evening but it various different places. It’s a relief it didn’t just fire back up in exactly the same place. I’m strongly feeling this is stress related. Flying home on Monday and will see how it plays out back there before going to see my primary care.

[trickha]

So nearly six months went by without an issue, but low and behold it’s back! The last two weeks I’ve been dealing with this pain again. It’s frustrating because it’s not that painful but enough to grab my attention.

[Midnight-mouse]

So nearly six months went by without an issue, but low and behold it’s back! The last two weeks I’ve been dealing with this pain again. It’s frustrating because it’s not that painful but enough to grab my attention.

Does this time correlate with anything you are worries about or looking forward to that you're worried it could ruin? I get the same pain that you're describing quite often and haven't ever had it go away for as long as you have. The way that it's just been gone for so long and now has decided that it's coming back would definitely indicate to me that it's something external causing the issue. Have you changed your diet in any way in the last month or so? It can take a while to have an effect.

Positive Vibes,

Mouse

[trickha]

Does this time correlate with anything you are worries about or looking forward to that you're worried it could ruin? I get the same pain that you're describing quite often and haven't ever had it go away for as long as you have. The way that it's just been gone for so long and now has decided that it's coming back would definitely indicate to me that it's something external causing the issue. Have you changed your diet in any way in the last month or so? It can take a while to have an effect.

Positive Vibes,

Mouse

Not to my knowledge. Perhaps work is a Bit more stressful than before. No step changes though, or major changes in diet. I do think there’s some correlation to my bowel habits.

Funnily enough it disappeared over the weekend again but is back this morning! I think I’ll go see the primary care, and take it from there.

[trickha]

Updating here: went to my primary care doctor who recommended a probiotic and a food log. After no luck there I was referred to a gastroenterologist, and am currently awaiting blood test results. They have prescribed an anti-spasmodic. If no improvement from here we'll be looking at colonoscopy and CT, which is not ideal. I particularly don't like the CT part with the radiation.

The pain has changed somewhat since I first posted here, although it remains in the exact same spot - just left of the belly button. It is pretty regular these days, I wake up and it starts within 20 mins. It almost always goes away after a bowel movement. The rest of the day is then variable, there may be nothing or it may come on again later in the day. Sometimes it will go away for 4 or 5 days but it always comes back. Of course I'm struggling to believe this is just IBS, but doing my best to work through the doctors steps.