[agony83]

hi... i am suffering frm nearly constant left upper quadrant pain at the splenic flexure region of colon.... i was diagnosed of ibs in 2007 october ..as i had a constant pain n alternating d and c..was admitted to emergency suspecting it to be something serious like obstruction or appendicitis...after that attack i was ok fr about 1 yr..n the story starts again ..i again started haiving left lower abdomen pain...severe in grade n burning n stabbing type...i never had d then..frm then i m constipated...pain somehow gradually get shifted from left lower abdomen to upper abdomen at the slenic flexure region n havent healed till nw...gone through every test..colonoscopy, ct, n everything possible..nothing organic... my pain is nearly constant n gives a felling like a heavy ball is kept below my ribs on left side...vry uncomfortable...out of 10 its always 3..n after taking food it goes to 6..n occassionaly 9 ,vry severe one....nt experiencing constipation after taking psyllium husk bt get constipated as soon as i stop taking it...its vry frustrating...tried buscopan,colospa retard,librax(only drug that seems to help somewhat),amitryptyline,drotaverine etc....right now taking librax and amitryptyline 25 mg...bt pain doesn go..its still enough to worry..its something like splenic flexure syndrome issue..does neone experience similar syptoms..????????.neone cured such thing..???????.plzzzz help...i m vry desperate to know

 

[Bonzi]

Just when I think mine is a pain in the butt, I get these stories to remind me that my pain is nothing in comparison.It sounds like they have tried alot of rx drugs. Have you tried natural stuff? Peppermint tea and altoids? Kathleen recommended this and it has worked quite well for me. On top of that I use a probiotic which as worked wonders. I would try some natural stuff now that rx hasnt worked all that well.

 

[WonkyColon]

Your symptoms are exactly like mine. Upper left side pain with IBS-A. I think that's classic splenic flexure syndrome, which is a type of IBS.Hurts like Hell, don't it? Pain never goes away for me. I wish I could tell you of how to cure the condition, but I really don't know of a way. Enteric-coated peppermint/ginger/fennel oil seems to help a little.

 

[Nancy from Safety Harbor]

WonkyColon, you are I must be related. It seems I follow you all over this website. Just like you and Agony83, the ache on the left side is always there. I have developed a habit of putting my left hand under my waistband just because the warmth of my hand seems to help. I sometimes forget and do it sitting at my desk at work.However, when I feel that ache turn nasty, I know an "explosion" is not far behind. The gripping pain is horrible. All this exacerbated right after I had my gall bladder removed. Always had it, but not to the severity after the gall bladder removal. At night I tend to lay on the left side against a pillow, again the warmth factor. In 1985 I had a hysterctomy as I always felt an ache/pain on my left side. They thought it was an ovary but they were wrong. The hysterectory took longer as my bowell had somehow wrapped around the bowell and they had to unwind it. I think now maybe it is scar tissue too that causes the ache. Does wearing things that have a tighter waistband drive you crazy? I have had this over 30 years and still amazed no one has found a cure or a reason for IBS. Can get a man to the moon but can't help us IBSers. Take care all of you.

 

[WonkyColon]

Right-o. We can communicate instantly with people on the other side of the world, demolish entire cities with the drop of a bomb, cure diseases that once killed entire villages... But no help for us IBS freaks. I've never noticed the tight pants thing. I'll sometimes put on loose-fitting clothes when I'm having trouble, but I've never noticed if it helps. I just do it to feel like I'm doing something.Have either of you guys tried simethicone (Gas-X) for your gas pain and splenic flexure pain? What about psyllium? Does Bentyl help either of you?I think the three of us are in the same painful boat. Our symptoms are nearly identical. Does it ever go away for any of you?

 

[Bonzi]

I had 3.5 days of absolutely no symptoms about a week and a half ago. It was amazing. I almost forgot what it was like to have no symptoms. I have 0 symptoms from the time I goto sleep til the time I wake up. In the morning, between 5-7am, I pass an incredible amount of gas, and after a morning BM, feel pretty darn good for a few hours.Mainly, the night time Im symptom free. I also find when Im doing Judo at my Judo club, that I have no symptoms, alot of that is because I am competing against people and my mind is focused on the fight, and the constant moving and wrestling keeps the gas moving through my body which is a high % of my pain.The pain in the splenic flexure region I get bad when I have gas. The ultrasound ruled out anything major in that area, so Im now 100% certain its gas in there when I get pain.

 

[WonkyColon]

My GI doc had said that since it's where the "kink" is between your colon and stomach, bubbles tend to get trapped there.

 

[skoshland]

Bonzi- I have had this left upper quad pain also. It is a symptom of IBS. Some literature suggests that it is relieved by defecation but I have not found that to be the case. Usually this pain would present during the day but less so in a relaxed or resting state. Distraction also can reduce the sensation of the pain.A question for you. What do you usually do when you feel this pain? What is your mood or response to the pain. Does this arise in certain situations? If you do Judo you sound like you are pretty fit. How is your breathing? Do you take shallow breaths? How is your posture? I found that straightening up can help with that pain by stretching. I always recommend some sort of psychological treatment or hypnosis. This is a mind-body disease. Do not just treat the bowel.

 

[agony83]

hii.all ...i thought that i was the only one in this world who s going through this problem...i do feel sorry f u all as i feel fr myself...neways...nw we cn discuss it together n lets find some way out....well i tried psyliium husk fr bout three mnths it helps somewha bt nt mch to make u feel bttr....librax is d only drug which seems to help somewhat bt it stp working aftr about 15 ays..because it contains chlordiazepoxide,a benzodiazipne to which tolerance develop...buscopan n colospa is of no use they even worsen the pain....n i found that rome criteria donot fix to this splenic flexure syndrome..as sometymes instead of decreasing afer defeacation my pain increases...its vry frustrating...fr hw long u peoples r experiancing this problem....ne alternative off label medicine that did help u???

 

[Bonzi]

I only get the pain in the upper left portion towards the later parts of the day. Usually when I have eaten throughout the day and gas gets trapped there. Yes, I consider myself very fit, and I think by running a few miles every day and doing this sport 3 days a week, it helps keep the gas moving along nicely. I find if I take a few days off, the gas gets trapped easier.How do I solve this problem? Lol, well, probably not how doctors would prefer! When it gets real bad, I usually put my fingers on the point of pain and give it a little press, and massage. I hope Im not bruising any organs when I do this, but I literally feel the gas bubbles move when I do this. 2-5 minutes later I am passing gas and feel great.

 

[WonkyColon]

A little insight that might help some of you...I went to the doc today and she noted that my upper colon near the splenic flexure is hypermobile... Freaking out, full of gas, lots of spasms... And that the lower half of my digestive tract is really, really slow and unresponsive.Maybe you guys are experiencing the same issue? My doc's theory is that lower-end laxatives-- suppositories and enemas-- can help to balance things out. She says to avoid oral laxatives. I'm giving it a try but it isn't working yet. Anyone want to take the put-something-in-your-butt challenge with me?

 

[Jillywindy]

How did your doctor determine that? Did she measure it (the colon activity) or was she speculating based on your symptoms?I used to get that pain all the time but it's only after a big meal now and not that bad. I eat a low flatus diet which probably helps a lot.I also read an article on the web about a way of releasing the gas there that involves elevating your butt above the splenic flexure and giving it a massage (the area of the splenic flexure not your butt) to help move the gas. Seemed to help a bit when I was bad. I don't think that you can do too much damage to other organs. There's not much else out that far to the left.Bonzi, your Judo is like my windsurfing. When your mind is fully occupied, the nerves in the gut switch off. It's really comforting to know that you can still do such things without pain and have another life outside IBS.

 

[Nancy from Safety Harbor]

Hello to all. When I had all kinds of tests done, the technician was pressing on my left side and making me pass gas. I was so embarrassed and asked, "why are you doing that"? He said I see alot of bubbles of gas and I am bursting them. I asked if I should do that and he said, you should massage the area and break up the bubbles. He had this flat looking type of xray over me as I was laying on my back and he could see all of the colon and bubbles. I have tried gasX, etc. but the pain usually escalates right around lunch until late afternoon. Going to the bathroom helps but not with the gas. Like those with hobbies like running, judo, etc., when I relax and read a good novel I can sometimes forget the pain for awhile. I used to drink tonic water thinking if I could burp then the gas would be gone but the doctor said anything bubbly causes air in the colon. Also I stopped drinking water from those bottles where you flip up the cap and have to pull the water in. More gas. Now I take the cap off and drink the water as opposed to sucking it in. Good luck to us all.

 

[Bonzi]

The gas pains that get trapped there are actually comforting to me, oddly enough, because I know that I am getting pains in more than one spot(I will take generalized pain over localized pain any day of the week) The gas bubbles that get trapped in the upper left is not as annoying as the burning I get on the left side near the obliques. It feels like someone is heating up my side. That is quite annoying.And yes, having something like Judo to do, that completely puts me in another world opposed to my IBS is great. Between that and sleep, its the only symptom free time I know is guaranteed!

 

[WonkyColon]

Bonzi-- my doc listened to my belly with a stethoscope and said that she heard a lot of activity near the splenic flexure but none anywhere else; my constipation symptoms are also consistent with her theory. She thinks chronic H. pyolori (spelling?) infection could be responsible. God, I hope she's right. I can't live with the pain anymore.Are any of you a bit "fatter" on your left side? My tummy bulges a bit more on the left because of the distension. I can only see it is I pooch my belly out and look straight down. Hubby says it's in my head, but I can tell the difference.

 

[Bonzi]

Have you been tested for H. Pylo yet? If not, I definately would.My pain is focused on the left side, from the hip to the spleen area, but when I am getting really bad flares on the left side, my right side will have a little pain as well. Funny enough, that is a reassuring feeling.

 

[WonkyColon]

I don't have the other symptoms of H. pylo, like black, tarry stool. I tested positive for it, but my doc said that about 1/2 of people do. I'm taking Flagyl and Protonix for the next few days (along with everything else) to see if it helps. God, I hope it does.I know what you mean about dispersed pain being reassuring. I feel so much better when I get pain somewhere besides the upper left side, because that tells me that I don't just have one huge problem in one small area. Nancy, how long have you been having your symptoms? When you put pressure on that area, do you feel lots of bubbles?

 

[Bonzi]

Wait, you tested positive for H. Pylori, have been having abdominal pains and odd stools, and they never treated you for that??? Hmm, that would be what I would be putting my focus on. Treating H. Pylori infection

 

[agony83]

hi NANCY,WONKY COLON,BONZI how long u people have been experiencing this pain....???did it affect your life in some or other way like ur carrer n personal life...i m vry much worried for me as i m still young...no doubt the pain is killing me bt at the same time future concern about my carrer n my personal life kills me more...please replyyyy

 

[Bonzi]

Mine started about 3 months ago. I kind of just woke up one morning and thought I needed a BM. Got done having a BM, felt better. Later that day it came back. After about 3 days I started getting worried. My anxiety and stress over it made it 100x worse. I remember how bad it hurt all week before the doctors appointment. I KNEW I had something wrong with me. Went to the doc, got a fecal occult blood test that came back negative, and literally seconds later, the pain went from a 4/10 to a 1/10. That quick the pain dropped.Anyway, started taking probiotics, and the symptoms went down big time. I have actually had two different occasions since then where I went like 3-4 days with no pain. Also, never any pain when I sleep. My pain radiates, so it could be under my left rib one day, then lower by my belly button the next. Then up near my spleen, and every blue moon on the right side(When Im having a bad flare up,etc) I no longer try to predict what causes it or when/where it will strike. Ive actually gotten pretty good at ignoring it. Im on day 6 of not having any pain in the middle/side location, which had become a prime spot, so thats good. Now Ive gotten a newer pain closer to the hip.

Again, I dont let it bother me anymore. I have had perfect CBC's, FOBTs(Multiple) and Ultrasound. Next step would be a barium xray, but honestly, in 3 months of having this, its never gotten any worse, and in fact, Ive had more days off lately than on, so I wont proceed unless the intensity steps up.Hope this helps.