[Guest]

Hi! I am so glad to have found this group. I am a 25 year old female from upstate New York who has had IBS symtoms for about 4 years. These include terrible cramping in my left lower quadrant almost every time I eat, gas that gets caught in my left side that I can't get rid of, constipation, tummy gurgling, and sometimes runny stools. I was diagnosed with IBS this summer by a GI specialist at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY. He made the diagnosis based on symptoms alone and did no tests except lactose intolerance (which was positive). I am following the diet he suggested but in terrible GI distress every night in my left side. The only thing that helps is having my fiance rub my lower left side in a hard circular motion--we can actually feel and hear the gas bubbles and stuck "stuff" moving. Sorry! Luckily he is a doctor himself (oral surgeon) so he does not get grossed out by all this and is sooo supportive. I am beginning to question whether I have IBS or something else though. Could I have an ulcer? Celiac disease? other? The fact that the pain is always so centralized to my lower left side of the tummy (the same level as my belly button but to the left) worries me. I see my doctor tommorow and want to ask him to do some tests to make sure I really have IBS and not something else. Does anyone know what tests I should ask for? I know he will do tests if I push it, but he said this summer he does not like to do any invasive tests unless the diet he prescribes does not work and until he knows the patient's mental status better? That seemed a little odd to me because-as you all know-this is not something I am making up! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Guest]

Hi, I'm a new member too! Yes, I would definitely go to a Gastroenterologist. I have exactly the same symptoms. I have more problems with constipation, although I have changed my diet drastically, and it has helped. Reading the BB has helped me tremendously. I have tried lots of suggestions that people offer here. I'm taking magnesium citrate which really helps with the C. Was taking lots of Citracel but I don't even need to as much anymore. There are many tests the GI doc can do to rule out Colitis, etc. Sigmoidoscopy, barium enema, or like me, a colonoscopy. I'm going in a week from Thursday. It's a good idea to have some tests done especially if your symptoms continue. I had a barium enema years ago and it didn't show anything, but I have had so many symptoms the last 6 months, I have to go back and check it out. You know what I do for the lower left pain? This is really weird, but my husband has lots of antiques, and he has an old iron that is really, really heavy. I put it on my stomach and kind of roll it around, kind of like a massage, since he got tired of rubbing my back for me all the time. I get lots of pain in my lower back on my left side as well. I eat the Ezekial bread which helps a lot with the C. There is also a cinnamin raisin Ezekial if your tummy can tolerate raisins.Good luck!Jane

 

[Guest]

CauCau,Welcome to THE board! You have probably noticed in your perousal of the board the symptoms of IBS are as many and varied as the people that have them. That said, the symptoms you decribe, including your left side pain, sound very consistent with IBS, but for your peace of mind and because the pain seems to be so constant you should probably ask for all the tests for the other things it might be.The only chronic pain I have had like that was gallstones, but there are quite a few others here who do suffer from these pains.Just hang around awhile and I'm sure someone will add to you store of knowlege.Good Luck!

 

[Delta]

My doctor and gastroenterologist (spelling?) did the basic blood work and stool tests but I haven't had a colonoscopy either. Apparently it's becoming more and more common for IBS to be diagnosed without invasive tests. See link below:

quote:"I think that doctors in the clinical practice might apply symptoms-based criteria to diagnose IBS," Dr. Neri told Reuters Health. If patients presented with symptoms specific to IBS, patients would not need to undergo endoscopy, he pointed out. http://www.gastro.org/reuters/2000/October...929clin021.html

[This message has been edited by Delta (edited 11-29-2000).][This message has been edited by Delta (edited 11-29-2000).]

 

[maggiew]

It sounds to me that you are having a problem with gas getting trapped at the splenic flexure (I think that is the right term) where the colon turns down. Many of us have that problem, the gas seems to just hang there. What works best for me is to lay with my shoulders on the floor, a pillow or two under my tummy, and a hot water bottle to relax things. That allows the gas to "rise" and get moved out. Pretty silly looking, but it works!