Friday, May 07, 2010 kay asks

Q: Could I have a gastro condition like IBS or IBD?

HI, I'm Kay & a 22 years old female college student from Wisconsin.
I have constipation mainly with mucus. I've had the constipation problem with urges to go but can't since December of 2009-Feb 2010 (along with nausea and vomiting plus abdomen pain -not pregnant!!). Some history: If it helps I was a premature baby born at 5 months; a miracle baby. I noticed pain around my navel, but mainly pains in my chest (the pains in my chest are worst while laying down) for years before 2009 since I was around 18 or 19 years old. I will also add that I've been Anemic since I was 19. Once I was so dehydrated and low red blood cells that I was having fainting spells. One time I fainted after getting out thr shower and had to go to the ER and be treated with IVs in my arm to gain back some strength. I had stomach issues since my junior year of high school too where I would get diarrhea and a low-grade fever from time to time (like the stomach flu a lot).. It stopped after I was like 20. I have mild scoliosis of my lumber spine as well. I never took things seriously until NOW..

I don't think the probs these days are from no exercise because I walk at least 4 days a week 8 blocks or more on average, and I was very active in high school (played 3 sports). Even played college softball for a year until I got sick.
I was okay with constipation after February of 2010, but now I have Constipation AGAIN, & this week it got worst to where I went a whole week without a BM and even strained , seeing more mucus over three weeks!! At a point within 3 wks I even had soft pale stool with mucus. I can't even see my doctor till another week. Pain around my navel travels to the right area of my abdomen and my left, but mainly near my navel on the right these past couple weeks. I have a hard time sleeping on my back for long periods of time b/c of my scoliosis sometimes, & when I get pain in my abdomen, even in my stomach I toss and turn in the bed. I even have to sit up for a while. They're very sharp pains sometimes like today... Today I got an attack of pains near my right navel area and had to lay on the couch where I was for 30 mins or so. I didn't want to move much...

It was bad. this sense of something being wrong came over me, and I think it could be a gastro-matter.

Mainly because I can't keep a lot of food on my stomach. I'm losing weight because of that. When I went to the doctor's last month I was around 106 lbs. Now I weight 99 lbs. I never weight that low unless I'm sick with the stomach flu or something. My height is 5' 2, so I'm looking thin! I'm still bloated since Dec. though (especially after meals). I get pains in my chest more now, even when I eat certain things like saucy/spicy (like tomatoe pastas/pizzas/hot sauce) and greasy foods (I break out). I def can't do breakfast sausage, even the smell! Those foods are harder on my digestive system. I get nausea daily, especially when I wake up (remind y'all I'm not prego). The nausea and pain is the most frustrating. I have to eat bland stuff now until stuff is under control. I eat the right foods because I can't eat certain stuff and I drink a lot of fluids like water and juice. I used to drink alcohol for a year (liquor and mixed drinks), but I noticed in November pain in my abdomen while sipping a drink

...couldn't even finish one mixed drink! I had stop b/c of the pain. I haven't picked up a drink since Nov. I don't drink sodas or a lot of coffees. And I use soy milk for my fiber cereals and oatmeal. I don't drink whole milk.

For the past year my Anemia has been regulated but slightly up and down. I keep getting inflammation in my cartilage though, and sinus probs. I developed migraines in a year too -mainly from light sensitvity and found out I have far-sighted astigmatism. I have to wear special poly-lened medicated eye glasses & take migraine medication with caffiene in it.

I went to a GYN for irregular periods and my primary doctor that thinks I could have Acid Reflux, but I ultimately don't think Acid Reflux causes all the mucus in stool or bowel probs like this which I have been going through for yrs. They haven't done complete tests so far. I was put on an anti-acid (prevacid) which worked for a while, but Now it don't after months. I stopped taking my iron pills after last month. I regurgitate...almost like the meds are an irritant.

I have overall concluded that my main symptoms are Constipation, Nausea & Vomiting, and Pain (chest, navel and side area) stomach too thought.

These symptoms seem to intensify at the same time on and off.

I'm starting to wonder if it's an IBD or IBS problem, and which one does it seem like if any?

Could it even be Diverticulitis? Should I get a referral to see a GI doctor?

- A
- A
- A

Answers (3)

Elizabeth Roberts, Health Guide

5/10/10 4:41pm

Hi Kay,

Welcome to the site. After reading your 2nd sentence I can tell you with some certainty that you most likely do not have Inflammatory Bowel Disease, IBD, because constipation is not one of its symptoms.

If you are concerned about your symptoms then, yes, you should see a doctor. You can start with your general practioner - even print out what you wrote here to take in with you and give it to him or her so they have a detailed account of your complaints. They will then decide if seeing a GI is necessary.

You could have IBS as many of your symptoms could be indicative of that. But, IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome - should only be diagnosed after all other possible causes for your symptoms are ruled out.

Best of luck to you. Hope you get some answers that are helpful.

Cheers,

Elizabeth

kay

5/10/10 10:39pm

I heard it actually can Elizabeth, but only further testing can tell.. I could have anything! Who know till i see the doctor.

-kayla

Elizabeth Roberts, Health Guide

5/11/10 2:49pm

Like I said, constipation is not a typical symptom of IBD. It is more typical of IBS, or a poor diet, or a number of other possibilities. There is no way that we, or anyone else on the internet, can tell you if you have IBS or IBD or something else. As I mentioned, seeing a doctor is your best plan of action at this point.

Good luck to you,

Elizabeth

kay

5/12/10 12:20am

I'm going to a gasto doctor this week; don't worry lady!

Laura

5/11/10 4:16pm

Hi Kay!

I'm Laura, a 21 year old college student from MA/RI. Anyway I really think you should go see the doctor becuase your situation seems very similar to my own. I was recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease after months of pain and no answers and finally surgery to remove 7 inches of my ileum and secum including my appendix. Currently I am feeling great, but it wasn't always that way.

For years (just about as long as I have been in college) I would get on and off lower right abdominal pain, and everytime I went to see a doctor and even a gastroenterologist I was told "Oh, you're just constipated, eat more fiber," becuase I was having constipation problems. I was healthy other than that other than beign lactose intolerant. It wasn't until this past December when I was having the pain and ignoring it, and may I add that I was eating a high fiber diet, that one morning I woke up feeling like someone was stabbing me in my right lower abdomen and had to go the the ER. That started the ball moving of CT scans, blood work, colonoscopies, and finally surgery in March to find out that I have Crohn's disease. Not every person with IBD has the same symptoms. My sister has Ulcerative Colitis and gets diarrhea as her main symptom of her disease. My surgeon told me that my constipation was most likely the result of a worsening stricture in my small intestine. So lesson learned, speak up if you feel like something is wrong. You know your body the best, so listen to it and speak up for it.

I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions.

kay

5/12/10 12:44am

Oh my gosh Laura; thank you for understanding! I can't say at this point what it actually is till I go to the doctor, but I know something is wrong...

I have basically had this inflaming constipation feeling for half a year. Just when it seems to stop, it comes back. This might be personal, but did you see mucus in your stool? or blood? I don't see any blood unless I strain real bad; I see mucus so much that I just think it's a part of my BM... I literally don't have normal BMs. Where you also experiencing nausea & vomiting weekly? I have had heartburn for yrs so it could even be Acid Reflux w/ IBS or just IBD that traveled to my stomach. Who knows..?. I get so frustrated and try to hid my illness b/c ppl say I'm always sick... Even when they literally see my sick & throwing up, it's like some feel it's all in my head b/c I've been sick so long and haven't gotten a diagnosis... Right, ...LOL I tell myself not to poop, or I tell myself to get heartburn, or abdomen pains... It's appalling. Everyone experiences things differently, and unless they live in my body daily -they can't tell me a damn thang about how sick I'm not... I'm sickly, and at least I'm trying to get help/find answers to it. It's a puzzle right now that just need to be put together like your situation. Thank you for sharing this with me Laura; it's touching in a way. I agree -"listen to it and speak up for it." I will see a specialist in a week. That other lady telling stuff I already know instead of sharing her journey to diagnosis lol.. I don't expect for ppl to diagnose me online; I'm just looking for support on whether I should go to a specialist such as a gasto doc. Once again thanks! k.i.t :)

Laura

5/12/10 2:16am

No problem getting personal, lol.

I did experience blood when I went to the bathroom sometimes, but that was because I have had hemmorhoids from a young age, so they would bleed when I would strain and they would get aggrivated. As far as I can remember I only noticed mucus after my really bad incident in December, and at that point I was on ciprofloxacin to help fight an infection that had developed and was actually going the opposite way of having diarrhea. For the most part though, a sign of having mucus in your BM is a sign that your body is trying to protect itself when there is aggrivation in a certain area.

As far as nausea and vomiting goes I have experienced those as well. A little over 2 years ago, right after finals week at school (I have now correlated my problems with times of high stress) I had had a bad bought of pain and constipation that was just ignored by my doctor at the time, and it did cause me to feel pretty sick to my stomach and I had lost some of my appitite. Then with this past time from December to March, I was sick and throwing up a lot, and at one point had to go back to the ER to get IV fluids becuase I was dehydrated from not being able to keep anything down for days.

Your symptoms could have been caused by many things, and I don't want to scare you into thinking you have Crohn's disease, but I can definately say that even though it's hard being labeled with a chronic illness, it is definately nice to know that I have an answer and a name for all the discomfort. Im glad I was able to help and touch you in some way, and hope you get some answers.

kay

6/ 1/10 2:52am

I went to the ER again the day before yesterday from some pasta I ate, and the doctors finally figured out what was wrong with me for a long time. I have the autoimmune disease: GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and it went untreated for years! I have been having chest pains that felt like heart-attacks, especially while lying down for years (particularly noticed the pains since my teens). When I went to da ER my whole throat and parts of my GI tract was severely inflammed. It felt like I was having a heart-attack the night I ate the pasta too. They did tests and said I have GERD. The pasta I ate had vinegar in it that is high in acidity; I was having a flare-up from GERD. I had been also having reacurring sore throats, inflammation, and nausea & vomitted for months which led them to the diagnosis.

So yeah, I have GERD, Anemia, and Scoliolis (a mild abnormal curvature in my spine). They said the Constipation could be from my iron and birth control pills. I had to get off the bc pills cause they were giving me an inbalance too much!
The docs said I have to get a GI endoscopy soon to make sure I don't have any ulcers (hole forming in my espohagus or GI tract); they noticed things in particular to stress that I need the test! But I'm glad I finally have a name to everything that has been wrong with me. It is good they caught the GERD; if it would have been left untreated longer & longer cancer could have started to form in my esophagus areas. So glad my GERD was unmasked!

Thanks for sharing ur story gurl, &hearts; ya. Stay blessed!

Laura

6/ 1/10 10:43am

I'm so glad they figured out what was wrong with you and that they will be able to treat it and make you feel better!

kay

6/ 3/10 1:27am

Thanks a lot gurl :)

kay

5/12/10 12:51am

I will keep u updated on my condition :)