FRONT LEFT SIDE SPASMS BY HIP

[dinosaur]

CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT MY PROBLEM IS?  IN JUNE OF 2002 I HAD NUMEROUS TESTS RUN FOR MY STOMACH PROBLEM OF DIAHRREAH WITH CONSTIPATION.   ALL TESTS, STOOL SAMPLES ETC. CAME UP NEGATIVE.  THE DOCTOR PERFORMED A COLONOSCOPY WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS.  HE SAID I PROBABLY HAD IBS.  GAVE ME DIFFERENT MEDS ALL MADE THE CONDITION WORSE CAUSING DIAHRREAH.  THEN SAID IT COULD BE MY GALLBLADDER.  I HAD A HIDA SCAN WHICH SHOWED IT FUNTIONING AT 28%.  NO STONES NO SLUDGE.  THE DOCTORS SAID IT SHOULD FUNCTION AT 35 AND ABOVE.  THAT WAS REMOVED IN JULY OF 2002.  DID HELP SOME BUT NOT MUCH.  IN DECEMBER OF 2002 I STARTED EXPERIENCING DAILY LEFT SIDE BY MY FRONT HIP SPAMS.   IT WOULD REALLY GET WORSE WHEN I WOULD GET UPSET.  THE DOCTOR TOLD ME IT WAS NOTHING AND MAYBE JUST MUSCLE RELATED.  STILL HAD PROBLEMS WITH DIAHRREAH.  THEN IN MAY OF 2003 I WAS  DIAGNOSED WITH UNDIFFERENTIATED SPONDYLARTHROPATHY WITH MICROSCOPIC COLITIS.  THE DOCTOR PUT ME ON AZULFADINE 500 MG. X 4 DAILY AND ULTRACET.  THIS REALLY HELPED THE DIAHRREAH BUT  I STILL HAVE THE BACK ACHES ALONG WITH THE LEFT SCIATIC JOINT PAIN.  THE SPASMS ARE GETTING BETTER BUT WHEN I BEND  I CAN REALLY FEEL IT SOMETIMES.  I DONT KNOW IF THIS IS RELATED TO THE COLON OR WHAT?  WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND I DO? ALSO, WHEN I TAKE CERTAIN TYPE OF ANTIBITICS FOR SINUS INFECTIONS AND SUCH MY LEFT SIDE REALLY SPASMS MORE.  I ALWAYS HAVE TO SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT ONE. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS ON DIFFERENT TESTS.  ALL NEGATIVE.  WHAT DOES THIS SOUND LIKE TO YOU?  PLEASE HELP.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

If the majority of the GI tests are negative, you may want to consider irritable bowel syndrome.  Typically, this can cause crampy abdominal pain with alternating diarrhea and constipation such as you describe.  

You mentioned that you had a negative colonoscopy.  Possible treatment options for IBS to reduce the spasms would be medications such as dicyclomine and hyoscyamine.  Their selective inhibition of gastrointestinal smooth muscle reduces stimulated colonic motor activity and may be beneficial in patients with postprandial abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and fecal urgency.

There is also the possibility that the left sided hip pain may not be GI related.  You may want to consider more extensive imaging (i.e. an MRI) to see if any abnormalities of the joint are contributing to your symptoms.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.