shakyshawn
09-26-2014, 09:44 AM
Hi,
Thank you for reading my question. I'm just in need of some additional perspective.
I began having abdominal pain on my right side about 4 months ago. The pain is mostly above my hip, and is dull and just very uncomfortable. There is also some pain, which is sharper, that occasionally appears below my right ribs. During this, I was also having some chest pains.
My GP did a rectal exam about 4 months ago and checked for blood. There was none. He then sent me for blood work (normal) and an abdominal CT with oral contrast which showed the following:
"Findings: No hydronephrosis or urinary calculi. Soild organs are normal in contour. No bowel obstruction. No evidence of acute diverticulitis. Slight prominence of the very distal terminal ileal wall without surrounding fat stranding. Duplication of the inferior vena cava. Appendix is absent.
Slight wall irregularity of the terminal ileum. Possibilities include artifact from peristalsis. Please correlate with any clinical signs of inflammatory bowel disease, which is felt to be less likely."
So, my GP sent me to a surgeon for a colonoscopy citing inflammation. However, the surgeon said my abdominal CT wasn't significant enough to merit a colonoscopy, and he felt it was my gallbladder that was to blame. So he sent me for an ultrasound and a hida scan, all of which came back normal. He also ordered a cardio work-up with stress test, which was also fine. After my surgeon did an endoscopy, he said I had signs of acid reflux and prescribed meds. He said this was likely the cause of my chest discomfort. So far so good with the meds helping my chest pains. However, when I asked about the chronic pain in my side, he said he had no idea what was causing it. He said that he would do a colonoscopy if I insisted, but he strongly felt that, based on my CT results and my age (39 male), that the odds of it yielding anything would be 1 in 1000. “I really don't thing you need it,” he said.
I'm still suffering from dull pain and discomfort and I am not sure what to do. Request the colonoscopy? Or just accept that there is nothing fatal going on and deal with it. I'm not losing weight, I'm not having bloody stools and I have a somewhat soft, but normal bowel movement once a day. No noticeable constipation or loss of appetite. There is occasionally a pain in my tailbone before a bowel movement, and sometimes a bit of bloating and burning in my lower abdomen.
I am concerned about colon cancer. I asked the surgeon if it could be that, he said, “not very likely.” I have a history of various cancers in my family, but no colon cancer.
I know that it is impossible to diagnose over the internet. I don't expect that, I would just like another perspective. Based on the CT results and my situation, does it sound like I need this procedure? Does it bear the earmarks of colon cancer? I just don't know what else to do. I have no medical insurance at this time, so if I don't need the procedure, I'd rather not get it. But if I do, I'll deal with it.
My main concern is the pain.
Thanks!
Thank you for reading my question. I'm just in need of some additional perspective.
I began having abdominal pain on my right side about 4 months ago. The pain is mostly above my hip, and is dull and just very uncomfortable. There is also some pain, which is sharper, that occasionally appears below my right ribs. During this, I was also having some chest pains.
My GP did a rectal exam about 4 months ago and checked for blood. There was none. He then sent me for blood work (normal) and an abdominal CT with oral contrast which showed the following:
"Findings: No hydronephrosis or urinary calculi. Soild organs are normal in contour. No bowel obstruction. No evidence of acute diverticulitis. Slight prominence of the very distal terminal ileal wall without surrounding fat stranding. Duplication of the inferior vena cava. Appendix is absent.
Slight wall irregularity of the terminal ileum. Possibilities include artifact from peristalsis. Please correlate with any clinical signs of inflammatory bowel disease, which is felt to be less likely."
So, my GP sent me to a surgeon for a colonoscopy citing inflammation. However, the surgeon said my abdominal CT wasn't significant enough to merit a colonoscopy, and he felt it was my gallbladder that was to blame. So he sent me for an ultrasound and a hida scan, all of which came back normal. He also ordered a cardio work-up with stress test, which was also fine. After my surgeon did an endoscopy, he said I had signs of acid reflux and prescribed meds. He said this was likely the cause of my chest discomfort. So far so good with the meds helping my chest pains. However, when I asked about the chronic pain in my side, he said he had no idea what was causing it. He said that he would do a colonoscopy if I insisted, but he strongly felt that, based on my CT results and my age (39 male), that the odds of it yielding anything would be 1 in 1000. “I really don't thing you need it,” he said.
I'm still suffering from dull pain and discomfort and I am not sure what to do. Request the colonoscopy? Or just accept that there is nothing fatal going on and deal with it. I'm not losing weight, I'm not having bloody stools and I have a somewhat soft, but normal bowel movement once a day. No noticeable constipation or loss of appetite. There is occasionally a pain in my tailbone before a bowel movement, and sometimes a bit of bloating and burning in my lower abdomen.
I am concerned about colon cancer. I asked the surgeon if it could be that, he said, “not very likely.” I have a history of various cancers in my family, but no colon cancer.
I know that it is impossible to diagnose over the internet. I don't expect that, I would just like another perspective. Based on the CT results and my situation, does it sound like I need this procedure? Does it bear the earmarks of colon cancer? I just don't know what else to do. I have no medical insurance at this time, so if I don't need the procedure, I'd rather not get it. But if I do, I'll deal with it.
My main concern is the pain.
Thanks!