Maybe if I DO THIS ONE MORE TIME.............

[Coop]

I might get an answer........................


I am a 38 year old male and have been having moderate to severe pain in lower left abdomen (belt line mostly) for 2 weeks straight now. It is anywhere from a cramping to a stabbing type pain to a burning sensation. The pain is worse when I sit or bend over and is better when I stand and then is even better than that (sometimes not even noticeable) when I lay on my back. I have nausea on occasion as well. No fever, no vomiting. Sometimes pain runs to left testicle. I do not have diarea but am experiencing more frequent stools than normal. Some looser and bigger some smaller and harder. I have been drinking Metamucil every day for about 4 years due to constipation.
I had a CT scan (with dye and barium enema) a little less than a year ago that was normal. I have had bouts that compare to this in the past but never lasted this long. My GP did a FOBT the other night and she said she found blood on one of them. (Actually she had me put a glove on and stick a lubricated finger up my rectum and then wipe it on the card twice) and thats how she tested me. I do have what appears to be hemmohroids though and that could be the cause she said) I have no history of colon cancer in my family but my mother had colitis and an incarcerated bowel, and we do have other forms of cancer in my family. My dad just had a small mole with cancer removed from his nose, my mother had ovarion cancer and my aunt had bone cancer.
Anyway,
PLEASE REPLY TO THIS and let me know what you think. I know you cant diagnose me like this I am just asking for your honest opinion. Not what the internet says or what statistics say, but what you THINK this is.
1) Colon Cancer
2) Ulcerative Colitis
3) Diverticulitis
4) Diverticulosis
OR something else.

Please help me. I have an appointment with a specialist but the wait is killing me.

[leo]

Hello

As you mentioned, impossible for me to tell you what it is, but it could be diverticulitis or even kidney stones. Other possibilities include IBS.

regards,
Leo

[Coop]

Kidney stones in my lower left abdomen? Really? Would this continue like this for 14 straight days if it were kidney stones?
Also my GP has me on Metronidazole and she said 'if' this was an infection this would fix it. I take 2 a day for 10 days and I am 6 days into it with zero relief. Shouldnt it have helped by now?

So do you think I really should quit worrying about colon cancer?

[yzforce]

It could be a lot of things. I had my bleeding brushed off as internal hemmeroids w/ IBS for three years before they found out I had colon cancer at 28. Of course if you have only been having symptoms for a few weeks I wouldn't think anything could have developed far even if it is cancer. Request a colonoscopy and find out for sure. I had a family history of it....

[philipjoel]

I agree with the previous post suggesting a colonoscopy. Today is my 42nd birthday. On my 41st, I wasn't so sure it wouldn't be my last, as I was in the midst of a struggle with stage IV colon cancer (with liver mets). On my 40th, I was playing golf and had no idea various surgical teams, doctors, and a critically, most thankfully competent oncologist would soon after be hurriedly removing a chunk of my colon, dose me up with a bunch of chemo, yank out over 1/2 my liver, infuse another wave of chemo for good measure, all within the next 18 months. I, too was feeling weird, inconsistent pain in my lower abdomen for a seemingly short time. It got to the point where I nearly passed out on a Friday afternoon just last January '04. So I went to 'Urgent Care' since I knew I couldn't get a Dr appt over the weekend. They took x-rays and said I was constipated. "Just drink fluids over the weekend. You'll be fine. Call us Monday if you don't feel better." Naturally, I felt better. I hadn't eaten, so there was zippo happening in that part of my 'Temple'. So I didn't call. I began drinking metamucil, at the Dr's suggestion to remain regular. "You're over 40 ya-know! Ha Ha". (Yeah.... good one. And the lady cutting my hair doesn't need to remind me of my case of MPB by doing that double mirror thing either.) I slowly start eating again, and slowly the discomfort, which with no warning becomes sharp pain comes creeping back. So I make an apointment to go back a couple weeks later. Got a different Dr who said "Yep. Constipated. Eat more green vegetables. Take a laxative to get out whatever it is that's still blocking your chute. Get more exercise." For the record, I'm about 5'11" and weigh around 150lb. My diet isn't ideal by any stretch, but I certainly mix it up without overdoing anything like fast food (not interested), liquor, soda, etc. But whatever. I do like chocolate cake more than green beans. I figured that must be the problem right there! I finally went back again in May '04 when everyone I knew had a look of concern on their face as soon as they saw me. Only because they'd seen me have a sudden episode of abdominal grief, which I'm sure I over-dramatized when convenient, and I was losing a few lbs off an already relatively thin frame... At this point, I was quite sure constipation wasn't the dilemma. Like you, Diverticulitis made sense. It sure hurt when I ate peanuts or popcorn. Besides the 2 visits in January, I'd been to see the Doctor perhaps 3-4 times total within the last 10-15 years. But I remembered the gentleman's name who'd prescribed Midrin for migraines some years back that have always done the trick. So I made an appointment with him on a Tuesday. He suggested a colonoscopy, and scheduled it for Thursday. "Will that determine of it's Diverticulitis?". He assured me it would, so I went for the deal. The ball was now rolling. After the colonoscopy revealed that what the laxative failed to dislodge was a big ugly malignant tumor, I had it, along with a decent portion of my colon removed at the next possible moment; the following Monday at 6am... Stayed in the hospital for 5 days. Went home to recoup for a couple weeks. Started chemo to reduce the size of an even bigger, uglier beast (along with a few smaller buddies) attached to my liver. Cut that gunk out at the end of September. Went for another couple months of chemo just in time for the Holidays. Had CT in January, then March, and a few weeks ago. All good. My CEA level (marker for colon cancer) is groovy. Bottom line... even if you've only been experiencing the trouble for a short time, insist on the colonoscopy now. Or at least a sigmoidoscopy (not sure if that's what it's called or how it's spelled, sorry). When I went for mine, Cancer hadn't crossed my mind as a possibility, believe it or not. Only after being diagnosed, and told the alien had been slowly growing for an estimated 3-5 years did I stop to think "hey.... it has been gradually becoming a bigger ordeal to go poop than it used to be when I was 20 or 25 or 30". The point is that unless outside forces cause you to delay, just get the procedure done, then take the next step. Maybe it won't tell anything. So then what other test can you take? Maybe it will be diverticulitis. You'll be prescribed an antibiotic for 10 days, and advised to avoid fruit with little seeds, like strawberries. But don't wait around guessing. We're all gonna die, man. Don't let stress be your dagger!
Good luck to you. Let us know what happens.
P.S. Tee Time at noon on Friday. Whatever's ailing you, keep your face forward. Time flies even when you need it to....

[Coop]

I am sorry to hear that. How are you now? Did they get it all?
Today had been a little better day. Knock on wood. I hope it continues to get better.
I am going to request a colonoscopy regardless though. I have had a few similar bouts in the past but not this severe and not this long.
I am scared silly but I guess being scared does no good.
No family history of colon cancer by the way.
We do have a family history of other types of cancer though.

[philipjoel]

I'm feeling good, thanks for asking. I don't think it's necessary to concern yourself with your level of fear. That'll just add more stress. If you're a bit afraid, go ahead and admit it to yourself. I sure was. Still am, at times. My advice is to try to avoid 'what-if' scenarios. It can be tough, but if you let your logical senses to take over, you'll realize there's no point. You're not at the point where you do yourself any fasvors by looking too far into the future. Are you concerned about being able to cross the street when you're 92 years old, moving quite a bit slower, while cars with young whipper-snappers zooming past don't know what you went through some 50 years prior? Like I mentioned in first post.. we're all gonna die, man. Just get the test.

[Coop]

I am sorry to hear of your situation as well but VERY glad to hear that you are on your way to kickin it's a*s!!

To follow up on a few things:
I had a CT Scan w/barium enema and dye less than a year ago that they said was normal. I would like to think that if I had a very big tumor they would have seen it...(but you never know).
Also I am going to request a colonoscopy if for no other reason to satisfy myself.

The reason I had the CT Scan last year is because of a similar bout like this one. It was not nearly as severe nor did it last as long, but never the less I was scared and requested some tests and that is what my GP suggested. She said if they noticed anything abnormal then the next step would be colonoscopy. According to them, nothing was abdormal so the colonoscopy never happened.
About 4 or 5 months ago a similar incident in which The pain was so stabbing I went to the ER. The doctor reminded me that my CT Scan had came back normal, and suggested that it could be divertulitis/losis. (although he wasnt qualified to diagnose that) he thought it "could" be.

Other than a little minor discomfort, nothing since then until 2 weeks ago today. It has came and went a few times but never stayed and never this long.
This time my GP gave me antibiotics (metronidazole) for 10 days (I am on my 7th day now and finally a little relief) and referrred me to a GI specialist. Like I stated I WILL request a 'scopy' of some kind at least to ease my own mind.

Did yours come and go like this?

Thanks for your input guys!

[Coop]

bump