Right sided abdominal pain when sitting

[SoccerMom83]

I have always had intestinal problems. I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome as a teenager. I am 28 now with four children. Lately I seem to be having more problems. I had a month straight of diarrhea, several times a day. I would sometimes feel like I have to go to the bathroom and all that would come out is mucus and blood. The past two weeks I have had right sided abdominal pain, especially when I sit. The pain is in my lower right abdomen and radiates to my hip bone. At times I am pain free and when I go to sit it causes like a dull gnawing pain. I thought it was an ovarian cyst but my family doctor says its my colon. He prescribed donnatal (which doesnt help) and just said to let him know if the pain continues. He never said why I'm having this pain. This is not the same kind of irritable bowel pain that I used to have. I am really worried that it hurts like this when i sit. Anyone have any ideas?

[Christopher R Watters, MD]

You are doing the right thing.

[SoccerMom83]

Oh, and no my doctor didn't check for hemorrhoids. He just pushed on my stomach and said that its not my ovaries, it's my colon. He said he just thinks its spastic and told me to try donnatal. He didn't suggest the specialist. I did that on my own when I found out my insurance didn't require a refferal.

[SoccerMom83]

I have scheduled an appointment with a gastroenterologist. I have family members that have Crohn's and my grandmother has celiac. I am also in the process of finding a new family doctor. The thing that also bothers me is that for the past year my hemoglobin has been low. I have added extra iron on top of my multi vitamin and its finally at 12.6 but my red blood cell count is still low. I don't completely understand how that all factors in but my doc said that my blood work is nothing to be concerned about. I have also taken my seven year old daughter to the same doctor because she cries at night that her stomach hurts so bad. She gets constipated and has mucous in her stools. He said its just IBS but hasn't mentioned ruling out any other possibilities. He just says she'll be fine and that she has the same stomachs as me. It very well might be IBS but why wouldn't you look into it further to be sure? I think it's time for a new Doc! If anyone understands the blood count, let me know. I'll keep you posted. Thank you for the suggestions!

[Christopher R Watters, MD]

What is a primary care doc thinking treating a patient with a month long history of bloody diarrhea without any diagnostic tests? Given a life long history of GI problems I would be far more concerned about Crohn's disease or possibly an infectious colitis. You should be evaluated by a gastroenterologist given your history.

[CalGal]

SoccerMom, did the doc examine you and determine the blood was due to hemorrhoids? If not and he believes the problem lies with your colon, make an appointment to return to see him and request some testing. The fact that you're experiencing blood, jucus and pain in the lower right portion of the abdomen may suggest that something other than IBS is causing the problem. Blood is never a symptom of IBS as I'm sure you know.

If you have to be a bit pushy with the doc, do it. Make sure your find the cause of the blood and determine that your pain is caused only by smooth muscle spasms at the juncture of the small and large intestines, or thereabouts, before you settle for 'just' taking the donnatal.