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I Am A 44 Year Old Female For The Past
Question: I am a 44 year old female for the past few months I have been experiencing a strange off and on sensation in my abdomen. It can be either on my right or left side and feels like a muscle spasm or cramp like pain which usually lasts a few seconds and goes away. I have been experiencing episodes of gas and bloating. I had a stool test which came out negative. Dr. feels like it's IBS. I am scheduled for colonoscopy in four months. What could cause this type of pain is waiting a few months for a colonoscopy safe.
Brief Answer:
Please go through detailed answer dear.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for choosing "Ask a Doctor" service for your query,
Have seen your details.
Firstly IBS means that we don't know what's wrong with a person and as we don't know what's wrong how can we cure it.
Yes IBS is a name used by Doctors from Decades when they don't know why symptoms are happening/Root cause.
IBS means that nothing Anatomically or Pathologically is wrong with your gut but symptoms are there..So clinically when despite of all possible tests nothing wrong could be ruled out in intestines and symptoms are there modern science labels the person as having IBS.
IBS is never a primary diagnosis and is a diagnosis of exclusion therefore.
Now role of colonoscopy in your case is to see if there is any thing wrong in your intestines like inflammatory disease etc.
Now lets move to your symptoms and what probably could be causing them and what could be done before putting a label of IBS on you.
You have three primary symptoms-
1)Gas
2)Bloating
3)Pain
Our intestine consists of millions of colonies of good bacteria's which help in digestion.If somehow these good bacteria's are replaced by bad bacteria then food in intestine would start fermenting releasing toxic gases.
These gases and bacterial colonies would cause inflammation in intestine causing pain.
What should be done-
A good probiotic like VSL#3 should be taken twice daily for two weeks to replete good bacterial colonies.
An antibiotic like Rifaxamin 550mg should be taken for 5-7 days to kill any toxic bacteria living in gut.
Activated charcoal tablets should be taken to absorb gas.
Along with it simple home cooked light vegetarian food should be taken.
If symptoms respond to it treatment could be extended.
Colonoscopy is not very significant in your case.
Follow up after a week.
Try to treat the root cause.
Regards!
Please go through detailed answer dear.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for choosing "Ask a Doctor" service for your query,
Have seen your details.
Firstly IBS means that we don't know what's wrong with a person and as we don't know what's wrong how can we cure it.
Yes IBS is a name used by Doctors from Decades when they don't know why symptoms are happening/Root cause.
IBS means that nothing Anatomically or Pathologically is wrong with your gut but symptoms are there..So clinically when despite of all possible tests nothing wrong could be ruled out in intestines and symptoms are there modern science labels the person as having IBS.
IBS is never a primary diagnosis and is a diagnosis of exclusion therefore.
Now role of colonoscopy in your case is to see if there is any thing wrong in your intestines like inflammatory disease etc.
Now lets move to your symptoms and what probably could be causing them and what could be done before putting a label of IBS on you.
You have three primary symptoms-
1)Gas
2)Bloating
3)Pain
Our intestine consists of millions of colonies of good bacteria's which help in digestion.If somehow these good bacteria's are replaced by bad bacteria then food in intestine would start fermenting releasing toxic gases.
These gases and bacterial colonies would cause inflammation in intestine causing pain.
What should be done-
A good probiotic like VSL#3 should be taken twice daily for two weeks to replete good bacterial colonies.
An antibiotic like Rifaxamin 550mg should be taken for 5-7 days to kill any toxic bacteria living in gut.
Activated charcoal tablets should be taken to absorb gas.
Along with it simple home cooked light vegetarian food should be taken.
If symptoms respond to it treatment could be extended.
Colonoscopy is not very significant in your case.
Follow up after a week.
Try to treat the root cause.
Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thanks for the help!
Brief Answer:
Thanks.
Detailed Answer:
Regards and hope you would respond to treatment.
Follow up after a week.
Thanks!
Thanks.
Detailed Answer:
Regards and hope you would respond to treatment.
Follow up after a week.
Thanks!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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