Splenic flexure syndrome *OR* maybe this other GI problem??

Hello @summerlisa and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I see that a couple of weeks ago you were going to have a CT scan. I hope that scan gave your doctors information that was helpful.

As you are comfortable sharing, I'm wondering how are you feeling. Did the scan change your diagnosis?

Hello, yes, the scan showed Gaseous and inflammation. They mentioned pior diverticulitis. I asked for a antibiotics since after the Air releases from my Colin it keeps recurring. I have all the symptoms of SIBO and or, Splenic Flexure. At first the doctor said it won't help, yet, I am feeling so much better and eating, even though I still have some air pockets in and out. I am also meeting with a Nutritionist this Wednesday. The antibiotics is XIFAXAN. It's helping me so much!!! This been going on since February. I am also going to ask to be tested for SIBO and, or, SPLENIC FIXTURE. Blessed day and Thank you!

So glad to hear that you are making some progress with your digestive issues, @summerlisa! When you say you are meeting with a "Nutritionist," are you referring to a registered dietician at a hospital or a doctor's office?

I look forward to hearing how that appointment goes.
Will you post updates?

I've been there! F-ing spleenic flexure syndrome. There used to be a medicine called Ilopam/Choline that was the only drug ever prescribed to treat Spleenic Flexure syndrome. Why it was taken off the market only God knows. Todays Dr.s are too stupid to address something so simple. I had dozens of tests, just to make the Docs rich. I have CIC or IBS-C, either way... I was on the 290 mcgs of Linzess and was doing O.K., but about 6 months ago it stopped working. Now I'm on Motegrity, prucalipride. It stimulates peristalsis. I'm not sure how it effects the spleenic flexure, but it makes you go, good. I wish you the best. C.

be careful with "drinking more water" and "fiber" aka metamucil...start with eating less foods that cause gas, fodmaps, I also cut out garlic, onion, at first red meat, etc. add vitamin D3 and B vitamins and electrolytes. One of the best things that I did, was find a source for freeze-dried breast milk, four hundred probiotics, etc. breath work, stretching, yoga, cobra pose, walking walking walking, water aerobics, etc. and good luck!

I've also had difficulty getting help with this issue and have spent over two decades looking for it. I've had just about every test known to man including exploratory laparoscopy through the abdominal wall. This was about 17 years ago and it was at the time suspected that I may had ruptured my diaphragm 5 years prior during a traumatic accident and perhaps this was the cause of my recurring, incessant upper left GI pain and noises. At the time nothing was done and I suffered for the next decade or so avoiding Dr's because I was fed up and disgusted with them blowing me off, accusing me of drug or attention seeking behavior, and simply telling me I had IBS.

Most recently (within the past year) my condition has worsened. Now, like before, it often occurs upon deeper diaphragm breathing and has gone from being a constant nuisance and disruption but bearable pain to intermittent full on "attacks" as I call it where the noises continue and the pain increasese until the noise stops abruptly and I have trouble breathing, swallowing, seeing, become disoriented, start to panic, and feel stabbing tearing pains in that area and around it. I've had upper ED, colonoscopy, MR Enterography, CT, and fecal panels. This has led to new findings of high calprotectin levels but ruled out Crohns and UC on colonoscopy. I did come back positive for Lymphocytic Colitis and Ileitus on biopsy. No signs of high splenic flexure angles were seen but I was told I have a VERY redundant colon. This makes sense as I am sometimes able to resolve the noises by passing gas through inversions, yoga, sublingual levsin, abdominal massage. Perhaps the redundant colon is causing the issue only when feces and gases are trapped and weighing it down. I believe the scar tissue and adhesions from my accident may contribute in some way to the colon being out of place but again, nothing seen or done on the laparascopic surgery. I have started a FB group for people in our situation a few months ago, and it is steadily growing. I cannot believe the amount of people suffering from SFS that are in similar situations: with no real diagnosis or hope for a cure or even a suitable relief plan. Feel free to join us for commiseration. I can't post a link as I'm new here but feel free to search FB groups for "Splenic Flexure Syndrome/ Mystery Upper Left Quadrant GI Pain and Noises".

You are not alone.

I would welcome any Dr's who happen to read this thread to join the group as well. There is not enough attention given to this for the amount of suffering it causes.

@pwalterick wow, this is what i have. when you started talking about trouble seeing, ect. my blocking or twisting that happens in the upper left area by the spleen, what doctors love to call 'constipation', turns into severe right sided back and spine pain that feels like i'm ripping in half, close to passing out and vomiting from the pain in my back and then right hip. then my legs start to go numb i can't move my back, then the neuro stuff starts. severe head pressure, raging tinnitus, blurry vision, light and sound sensitivity. for days on end i'm flat out, totally incapacitated. i've had about a dozen of these episodes, and nothing is found on imaging. er does nothing. gi doctors do nothing by give meds that either do nothing, or end up causing severe back pain. i have all of the symptoms of a concussion, i have right sided hemiparesis, and i look like i have had a stroke. each time it gets worse, and i felt like i died last time. my brain is damaged, i cant think or remember very well any more, and my eyes don't work normally. i can't tolerate light of sound like normal. it's just been a disaster.

Hi, my husband is suffering tremendously 24/7 and is going downhill pretty quickly, he's only 61 and has dropped a lot of weight, intense pain day and night, painful to eat or drink anything and extreme constipation. Can't sleep due to the pain. Doctors can't help, when he was 20 he was in a moped accident and his chest muscles got crushed in with the handlebars of the moped and he has a tumor on his chest. I think that accident is related to his condition. Would appreciate any help or suggestions

Hi @garyann2554, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I’m so sorry to hear how much your husband has been suffering. It sounds like this has become much more than an occasional discomfort, especially with the significant weight loss, severe pain, difficulty eating and drinking, constipation, and not being able to sleep because of the pain.

I’d like to invite @musicbart back into the discussion in case they have an update since starting this conversation.

While members can share their own experiences, the symptoms you describe sound significant. If your husband is rapidly losing weight, unable to eat or drink comfortably, or his pain is worsening despite treatment, I would encourage contacting his healthcare team again as soon as possible, or seeking urgent medical evaluation if the pain is severe or he cannot keep food or fluids down.

Has he had any recent imaging, such as a CT scan, or has he been evaluated by a gastroenterologist? Knowing what testing has already been done may help members share experiences that are more relevant.

@jlharsh my husband went to the gastroenterologist specialist doctor a few times and he also had a colonoscopy and endoscopy and they said that there's nothing they can do for him anymore and did not make any more appointments for him. He's rapidly losing weight, can't sleep, is eating very little to nothing and it's even painful to drink liquids, when he was 20 years old he was in a moped accident and the handlebars crushed his chest in and he has a tumor and the center of his chest and a fatty tumor on the side of his chest. I think this was the start of splenic Flexure syndrome and for some reason and the last 8 months has gotten tremendously worse.