[ArtLady1]

Greetings,I have a question I hope I can get some answers to: I have been getting lower right side pain and spasms. It is always accompanied with bowel gas and lumpy stool. I seem to pass a lot of gas rectally when I have this pain. I also have a lot of mucus in my stool and no blood. ( It is not appendicittis, I've had that checked already.) What would the lower right side have to do with passing gas? Can gas get trapped in that area? Can anyone explain this too me?Thank you

 

[Kathleen M.]

Pain doesn't have to be gas, it can be just from colon activity.That being said a lot of people have some disorder to the usually orderly movement of stool through the colon (starts on the lower right and then goes up and over and down the left side and the problem can be in any location). This means some people don't move gas around as effectively as usual and sometimes that "trapped gas" can distend a part of the colon too much. But I also think some aspect of one area trying to move stuff and the next area not letting it in can cause pain whether you are trying to move solids, liquids or gases.

 

[ArtLady1]

Hi Kathleen,Thanks for your reply. I didn't understand this part of your reply: ' But I also think some aspect of one area trying to move stuff and the next area not letting it in can cause pain whether you are trying to move solids, liquids or gases. " Would you clarify? Also, does this pain sound like the illeum, or any other related disorder? My doc always says it is IBS....but frankly, it is ruining my life. Help!Art Lady

 

[Kathleen M.]

You can't really tell ileum from first part of the colon. The pain nerves don't tell location that specifically in the torso.Are you having bloody diarrhea?Is your blood work abnormal and showing signs of inflammation in the body?Are you losing weight even though you eat more than enough calories every single day to maintain or gain weight?Do you have joint pain or skin rashes?Are you running fevers a lot of the time?Those are symptoms of the one thing that is in the ileum, crohns.Some people think the only thing that can cause pain must be gas and only gas. However if you are having problems moving solids or liquids that will cause pain, too. You should not feel pain from normal levels of distension in the colon, either. IBSers often feel pain when part of the colon is full (and some times when too much of it is empty rather than "just right"), or when there is problems moving stuff from place to place.They have measured motility along the gut and for some IBSers that isn't working smoothly. So think of taking a long skinny balloon and tie a piece of string half way down really tight. Doesn't matter if you try to fill the balloon with air, water, or sand, where the tight part is nothing goes past. It isn't just gas that can't get through, but nothing gets through. The colon moves stuff along by alternating pattern of relaxing and contracting and if some part isn't doing that in coordination stuff won't move right. It isn't that it just messes up on gas and everything else move perfect. Is that any clearer?IBS pain can be severe. Often IBS is more painful than the inflammatory bowel diseases. It isn't true that IBS must be mild pain only. It ranges from mild cramping to severe curl up in a ball and cry for your Mommy pain.

 

[ArtLady1]

Dear Kathleen,Many thanks! It is good to hear that this pain can be typical of IBS. Thank God, I do not have bloody diarrhea, no rashes and no fevers. Just lumpy stool , mucus, bloating, passing gas, bowel spasms and belching. All my blood work ( a big panel just done) is perfect! I just feel crappy! When I feel like I have to have a BM, it doesn't always happen and sometimes feels incomplete. Then I take a tap water enema...that works of course. But then bowel spasms happen! All this has gotten worse after several deaths in my family last year.When I add metamucil , or Benefiber, I get gassier. Is there a secret to taking fiber? Bentyl helps as does Xanax. Again, I can't thank you enough! My doctor didn't expain that much.Warm Regards,Art Lady

 

[Kathleen M.]

Some fibers do make people gassier. You might do better with an osmotic to help keep the stool wet.Some people get enough relief from magnesium supplements at the usual amount people take for dietary reasons (200-750 mgs). Some people use something like miralax.