Colon Cancer Concern

[rsnyder]

I am a 50 year old female and am approximately 70 pounds overweight. My gallbladder has been removed.  In the last two months, I go three to four days without a bowel movement.  I then have an uncomfortable morning of loose stools.  This lasts about three hours, and then I am fine.  I begin to feel abdominal cramps again after one good day (especially upon eating), then--lather, rinse, repeat.  I do have tenderness on my right side--exactly across from where my gallbladder used to be.  There is no blood, no gas, or belching--just a dull cramping each time I eat.  I stopped taking Protonix two weeks ago to see if that was the cause, but I am still experiencing the same symptoms.  Any advice would be much appreciated.  

[rsnyder]

Very interesting!  Thank you.  I am heading to the doctor next week.  This should be fun.

[B_Shel20]

The pain could just be tied to the constipation that your having. If its directly across from your gallbladder on the left side, that is a common trouble spot with IBS known as the Splenic Fixture Syndrome. The twists in the colon cause trapped gas,etc that causes pain there.
But yea, talk to your doc about a colonoscopy. Get it done and that way you will know all is well, and another wont need to be done for 10 years! :)

[rsnyder]

I haven't had one yet.  I'd been putting it off, but I guess it is time.

I also meant to write that the pain is on my LEFT side.  

I will call the doctor.  Yuck.

[B_Shel20]

Have you had a colonoscopy yet? At 50 they recommend them, so if not, you can actually kill two birds with one stone by doing so.
I would recommend talking to your regular doctor and see about going to a GI for a colonoscopy. Not necessarily because of colon cancer concerns, but because your at the age at which you should have a colonoscopy anyway.