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Hi! I’ve had abdominal pain specifically on my lower left side for about a year now. This came out of no where and one day I woke up with his pain. I thought I was constipsted so I started taking all these laxatives and they weren’t really working. I tried drinking miralax and that didn’t really work either. I would drink it every morning and night everyday for weeks. It occasionally is on my right side and it’s really bad to the point where I get episodes and it’s this really sharp cramping pain and I can’t walk and it radiates to my back down my left leg. The pain is always there and never goes away no matter what I do. I think it’s gas pains and constipation but even if I pass gas or go to the bathroom the pain doesn’t fully go away. It’s like period cramps X10. I’ve gotten a colonoscopy, endoscopy (they told me I have a little gastritis), I’ve gotten SIBO testing, 2 stool tests and a bunch of other blood work and everything is negative. I’ve tried all the pain killers, my doctor even proscribed me these pills for muscle relaxation and it didn’t work. Nothing I take really works and I just want an answer or something that will help with this pain. I’ve been taking laxatives, miralax, Metamucil, and now I’m on linzess and it’s been 2 weeks and it’s sort of helping but the pain is still there. I’m wondering if I should stop everything and see if it gets any better. I’m also trying all the natural remedies to “heal my gut” but even eating right isn’t doing it for me.
Replies to "Hi! I’ve had abdominal pain specifically on my lower left side for about a year now...."
@melina21
I was also reading about abdominal adhesions and that could possibly be an area to look into further.
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/intestinal-obstruction/symptoms-causes/syc-20351460
2. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15254-abdominal-adhesions
3. https://www.medicinenet.com/abdominal_adhesions_symptoms_and_treatment/views.htm
Linzess takes longer than two weeks to be fully effective, so I would encourage you to hang in there on it for a month or two before making a choice to stop it for constipation. But it seems really unlikely that this is the root cause of the pain, doesn't it? Given all you have done?
I would second both of the prior recommendations concerning an ob/gyn and the possibility of adhesions, which I'm guessing would require consulting a surgeon who has experience with these. Unfortunately, medicine is pretty siloed at the moment, which means sometimes possibilities don't occur to one physician even if they might be entirely obvious to another. Especially if your symptoms are not typical for whatever the problem turns out to be. I recently had exactly that experience -- the process of hunting it down was not fun, but it was a great relief to finally have a diagnosis.
Hi @melina21. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Glad you're connecting with others who have some thoughts for you from their experiences.
I've had abdominal pain that was like menstrual cramps x 10, but it was my appendix and my gallbladder, which are on the other side. I get that you are in terrible pain.
Also tagging a few more members who may have insights on abdominal pain and constipation @susanh824 @delicht @adlttl123 @cconnors @cherriann @epvb @bakingchick @hopeful33250. Hoping they can provide some support and guidance from their experiences.
I've had IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) for years. I experienced many of the symptoms mentioned and tried many different things seeking relief. IBS isn't always easy to diagnose as it's symptoms can be part of quite a few other illnesses/disorders. Through trial and experience, I eventually found some things that helped me. I eat 4 oz. of yogurt with live and active probiotics every day, and mix in a serving of psyllium. I also take one probiotic cap daily, eat a serving of oatmeal, and seldom drink coffee. Highly spiced foods and those that tend to cause gas (including drinks and foods with high concentrations of artificial sweeteners), I've mostly eliminated from my diet. Abdominal pain decreased over time and I now only occasionally have diarrhea/constipation issues. When I do have abdominal discomfort now it happens only periodically (a flare-up), and most intense pain is at night when laying down. I've followed this regimen for a number of years and it's worked very well for me. As mentioned by others, adhesions are also something to be considered as a cause for some of these symptoms, and may be worth talking to your doctor about. Good luck and hope you find relief soon.
I am going through exact same thing at the moment! Endoscopy, abdomen CT, esophagus test, miralax. Following your post and wishing you well ❤️🩹.
I had the same problem and tried Linzess and Amtiza.. taking Trulance and Miralax now and it helps.. praying for you to get relief!!
I still vacillate between constipation and diarrhea. I also have fatty liver from previous use of methotrexate for Polymyalgia Rheumatica. I had Covid last September despite six vaccines and boosters and am beginning to think I have long Covid.
Not diagnosing but wondering have you had gynecology checkup. Recotocele can cause similar pain and often overlooked. It took 5 years before I was properly diagnosed.
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@melina21
Have you seen a gynecologist for pelvic exam and transvaginal ultrasound? Have you had an ultrasound of your abdomen or MRI of pelvis/hips?
You may want to investigate issues with ovaries/uterus, endometriosis, pelvic floor, etc. If you do not find anything after this investigation, you may want to pursue an orthopedic doctor to do MRI of your lumbar spine/sacrum/pelvis to see if you have compression impacting your spinal cord/nerve roots/nerves. This may be a source of your pain.