LRQ pain

Diseases & Conditions Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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OK here's a quick story of what's been going on lately. In August I had a large ovarian cyst rupture. The pain from it never went away. I went to the gyn and then a second gyn and had numberous tests, ranging from ultrasounds to pelvic exams to CTScans (to make sure it wasn't my appendix)and then the Monday before Thanksgiving I had Lap to check for endometriosis. Everything keeps coming up clear.  I do get small cysts each month, but nothing that would cause pain. Just your normal monthly cysts. I went to my GI (who told me I have IBS last year.) and he doesn't think it's intestinal, but is doing a colonoscopy to be sure. I thought maybe it could be Crohn's but the only symptom I really have is pain. Sure I get gassy and crampy and C and D from the IBS, but could this pain be from IBS as well? When he told me I have IBS he didn't rule anything else out which seemed odd. He only did blood work and felt my belly. But back then I didn't have any other symptoms besides crampy gassy pains and D and C.
 
So basically can this pain (which is right near my right pelvic bone/ovary/appendix- it's a constant dull crampy ache 24 hours a day and sometimes gets to be a very sharp pain, it radiates into my hip my lower back (like period back ache) and into my right thigh) be just from IBS? If so man I can't deal with this much longer! I can't take Zelnorm, vicodin doesn't help when the pain is real bad, bowel movements don't help, but don't make it worse, eatings makes my whole lower ab area bloated and crampy/gassy.
 
help.
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A lot of people seem to hurt on their right sides.  Some hurt up but I think most hurt lower down, like you.
 
The nasty thing about IBS is that it seems to get worse around a woman's cycle.  Apparently the hormone fluctuations have something to do with it.  If you are prone to ovarian cysts, then I would think your hormones are off so you may have even more IBS problems because your hormones aren't right. 
 
Are you on birth control?  I was under the impression that they used it to help treat cysts at any rate, so if you're not on it ask why not.  I'm on Depo Provera which keeps you from ovulating all together.  Maybe it would help decrease your cysts? 
 
Then again, you may have a "female problem" that is hitherto undetected and it is causing your IBS symptoms, including bowel problems.  My mother and stepmother have both had hysterectomies after a long bout of pain and illness, but unfortunately I don't know what their symptoms were beforehand.  If you have a family history of "female problems," be sure to tell all of your doctors. 
 
Did you have IBS symptoms before you had the ruptured cyst?  And for how long? 
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I've had IBS for years now, diagnosed last year. The colonoscopy came back clear last week. I'm still having pain in the LRQ and now below my bellybutton from the surgery (the Dr is giving it two more weeks before she wants to see me if the pain is still there.) No one knows what it is. My GI sent me for x-rays and they found arthritis in my back, but no one thinks it could be causing this pain. I go to yet another DR next month about my back.

 

With IBS is the pain there all the time for anyone? No difference with eating or not eating, going to the bathroom or not. Nothing changes the pain.

 

I'm worried it may be chronic pelvic pain, and never go away. Between this an my back hurting I can't do anything, I've gained 10 pounds since August and feel horrible.

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Kris,
Did you have surgery for your ovarian cyst? It's odd that you bring this up, because I went to the ER on Christmas day for LRQ pain, which ended up "just" being an ovarian cyst. It's finally cleared up for the most part, but I'm still having intermittant pain. I'm 56 and having had a period for 2 years, but I'm sure my hormones are still doing some stuff.
Is this this exact same pain you had from your ovary? If they did surgery, did they just remove the cyst, or did they take the ovary? Has the ulstrasound shown anything at all on that ovary? Is it possible that when the cyst ruptured, it may have caused some sort of adhesions in the area? Adhesions are definitely a possibility if you had some surgery.
I occasionally get LRQ pain from constipation. In fact, when I get it in a certain spot down there, I know I need to drink more water, eat more fiber, etc.
I'm also wondering if there is something like "phantom" pain in your ovary.
Do you have any other conditions like fibromyalgia?
Sorry to ask so many questions! Something definitely seems to be up with you. Have they done bloodwork, to make sure you don't have an elevated white count?
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Wow Kris, we share a similar story.  3 years ago I developed a pain in my LRQ that the ER dr. thought was Crohn's.  Had every tests there is (colonoscopy, CT scan, barium enema, sbft, pill camera, bloodwork) and everything came back normal.  The pain varies in intensity but is always at the spot over the appendix sometimes radiating across under the belly button. 

Had a laparoscopy where the dr. found endometriosis and a few adhesions.  Removed this and the pain came back.  There is no rhyme or reason as in bowel movements don't make it better or worse, eating doesn't change it...  The GI syas it's IBS which is supposed to be releived with a bowel movement and the family dr. says chronic functional abdominal pain and I say I just want it gone whatever "it" is.  The GI who did the camera pill told me to forget about what it is and find pain relief in whatever form meaning acupuncture, pain patches...

Back to you Kris.  What tests besides the colonoscopy have you had and does your pain go away at all?  I too had back pain on the right side and was x-rayed only to find nothing.  Hope you find relief soon Kris and it all ends up in your past.

 

Take care, Softy
 

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Hi again,
If conventional medicine doesn't help you, I would try alternative medicine.......maybe accupressure or accupuncture.
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I only had the colonoscopy for the GI part, numberous ultrasounds for the gyn part as well as laparoscopy to check for endometriosis. I had blood work done, and a CTscan to make sure it wasn't my appendix. Now they're at a loss. Everything keeps coming up clear. On a couple of the ultrasounds they found very small cysts, I'm thinking maybe I'm not ovulating right and I'm producing cysts instead of releasing the egg completely. They gave me the pill to see if that helps. But if within two months nothing has changed then it's not reproductive.

 

CathyA the pain feels like it did just after the cyst ruptured. Dull ache with twinges of sharp pain, always from the exact same spot, and with a dull ache across the whole pelvic area and back (like how it felt when my body was absorbing whatever the cyst was made of.) It feels almost like a period with the back ache and cramps. They did find arthritis in my back which I'm having checked out in Feb. So that may explain the back ache. But the dull ache spreads to my right hip, and since I'm favoring it my left now aches sometimes too.

 

During the surgery they did see that my uterus was tipped very far forward (moreso then she's seen before) but she said that wouldn't cause this type of pain. She also found lots of veins in my pevlic area. But I read that pelvic congetion feels better when you lay down. This pain is constant. Nothing makes it better or worse.

8

Hi Kris,

   Well it sounds like they've done a pretty thorough work-up.  It will be interesting to see if the pill helps.  Your symptoms sound just like mine.  I had a 1.4 cm cyst on cat scan, when I finally went to the ER for intense pain.  I'd had this pain for 2 weeks, knowing it was probably from my ovary, and would soon disappear.....but it seemed to worsen instead.  A few days after the ER, it began improving, and now is almost gone.   But who knows when the next one will come.

   But....I did have what felt like uterine cramps when I had the cyst too.  The ER doc said "That small cyst really isn't big enough to cause this much pain".........but I beg to differ!  I know it WAS that cyst!  So I think you're on the right tract, maybe thinking that it's that.......maybe a new one each  month, and then it takes a few weeks to resolve....just in time for a new one!  I also think some of us are more sensitive to pain than others.  I hope you find some relief soon!  And really......if the pill doesn't help, try alternative medicine.  Or.....maybe you should look at your own hormones more closely......maybe see an endocrinologist?? (since our ovaries are closely involved with our pituitary and hypothalamus.)

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P.S. Kris,
Look up "Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome" on the internet. Does any of that also fit you?
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They said it's not PCOS. I start the pill in a couple weeks so we'll see if it'll help. i really hate being on the pill, so in a small way I hope it doesn't help because I don't want to be on it very long. I do plan on trying alternative medicine soon if they don't find anything. I'll use it for the pain management. Aromatherapy works great so far. I jump inot the tub and use my Cinnamon buns scented bubble bath and just smile!!
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Hi Kris,
It's good to hear that aromatherapy gives you some relief. May I ask how old you are?
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29
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Hi Kris,
I asked because I thought maybe your ovaries were acting up from perimenopause......but you're too young for that. Good luck in getting rid of this pain. Hopefully it will be soon!