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51 Year Old Male. Caucasian. 160 Lbs. Former Smoker. Right
Question: 51 year old male. Caucasian. 160 lbs. Former smoker.
Right side abdomen/flank pain for two years. Has steadily gotten worse from month to month. Pain comes and goes until recently. Pain is in both, upper and lower quadrant. Pain moves up and down the right side sometimes. Also seems to radiate to lower back at times. Recently, pain has started in left side as well in the descending colon area. Still mild but similar to pain in the right side.
Went to E.R. in August last year for severe pain in right side upper and lower quadrant both. CBC normal. CT of abdomen normal, radiologist said
Right side abdomen/flank pain for two years. Has steadily gotten worse from month to month. Pain comes and goes until recently. Pain is in both, upper and lower quadrant. Pain moves up and down the right side sometimes. Also seems to radiate to lower back at times. Recently, pain has started in left side as well in the descending colon area. Still mild but similar to pain in the right side.
Went to E.R. in August last year for severe pain in right side upper and lower quadrant both. CBC normal. CT of abdomen normal, radiologist said
"unremarkable study." Pain has continued since. Intermittently. Went back to the E.R. on 12/6/2022 for severe horrible pain, constipation, and rectal bleeding. Bright red blood and mucous in stool. Pain in was debilitating. CBC normal. Urinalysis normal. CT normal. I am scared that this is cancer of the bowel. She said she didn't think so and to follow up with a specialist. Can you give an opinion?
Brief Answer:
Need few more details.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for query,
Before providing a professional answer I just need few more details,
Was proctoscopic examination or Rectal examination by finger done by doctor or your GP to rule out Hemorrhoids?
Any medicines you were given?
If yes name and dose?
History of colon cancer in parents?
Food habits- Eat a lots of junk?
Drinking?
Medicines tried till date and relief from any one of them?
Any sort of acid peptic disorder with burping etc?
Medicines for constipation?
You could write the details along the question sir.
Thank you
Need few more details.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for query,
Before providing a professional answer I just need few more details,
Was proctoscopic examination or Rectal examination by finger done by doctor or your GP to rule out Hemorrhoids?
Any medicines you were given?
If yes name and dose?
History of colon cancer in parents?
Food habits- Eat a lots of junk?
Drinking?
Medicines tried till date and relief from any one of them?
Any sort of acid peptic disorder with burping etc?
Medicines for constipation?
You could write the details along the question sir.
Thank you
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Was proctoscopic examination or Rectal examination by finger done by doctor or your GP to rule out Hemorrhoids? --E.R. Doctor looked at my rectum. She mentioned a possible hemorrhoid or fissure. I have had bleeding hemorrhoids in the past. This time was MUCH more blood and the blood was thick. In the past it was watery.
Any medicines you were given? Dicyclomine 20mg. A little bit of relief after taking this.
History of colon cancer in parents? None
Food habits- Eat a lots of junk? Ate lots of junk and red meat until two years ago. Fish and vegetables only now.
Drinking? Former heavy beer drinker. 12 pack/day Last couple years only social drinking. 3-5 drinks/week
Any sort of acid peptic disorder with burping etc? None. History of hemorrhoids is the only condition.
Medicines for constipation? Pysllium Husk fiber only.
Additionally, I have had one bowel movement since asking this question this morning. No blood this time. Dark brown colored stool. Pain in right quadrant was better for a little while after. It came back quickly and stayed constant all day. I describe it as a dull, burning ache. It is located in the ascending colon area. Pain in both right quadrants.
Also, I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy procedure 6 years ago. Doctor removed hyperplastic polyps.
I have my bloodwork from December 6 if you would like to see it also.
New colonoscopy scheduled for January 3. My question is, if cancer was causing pain this bad, wouldn't it show up on that CT scan? Wouldn't I have enlarged lymph nodes? Or bowel wall thickening? I am very scared about this.
Thank you Dr. XXXXXXX I appreciate this very much.
Any medicines you were given? Dicyclomine 20mg. A little bit of relief after taking this.
History of colon cancer in parents? None
Food habits- Eat a lots of junk? Ate lots of junk and red meat until two years ago. Fish and vegetables only now.
Drinking? Former heavy beer drinker. 12 pack/day Last couple years only social drinking. 3-5 drinks/week
Any sort of acid peptic disorder with burping etc? None. History of hemorrhoids is the only condition.
Medicines for constipation? Pysllium Husk fiber only.
Additionally, I have had one bowel movement since asking this question this morning. No blood this time. Dark brown colored stool. Pain in right quadrant was better for a little while after. It came back quickly and stayed constant all day. I describe it as a dull, burning ache. It is located in the ascending colon area. Pain in both right quadrants.
Also, I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy procedure 6 years ago. Doctor removed hyperplastic polyps.
I have my bloodwork from December 6 if you would like to see it also.
New colonoscopy scheduled for January 3. My question is, if cancer was causing pain this bad, wouldn't it show up on that CT scan? Wouldn't I have enlarged lymph nodes? Or bowel wall thickening? I am very scared about this.
Thank you Dr. XXXXXXX I appreciate this very much.
I forgot to mention again, this right side pain has been with me for over 2 years. Sometimes it hurts from under the bottom of my ribcage in the liver area all the way to my lower abdomen flank. Other times it's lower abdomen and lower back as well. And finally, it's sometimes just lower abdomen. It has never completely gone away. It's just that I can live with it on most days. It has been constant and almost unbearable for the last week.
Brief Answer:
Follow up.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Don't worry it's not cancer.
Cancer does not take months to spread,It spreads very fast.
Rectal examination has proved that you have Hemorrhoids.
Patients with severe constipation and poor eating habits with drinking and smoking have Hemorrhoids and it's very common.
Cancer would have reflected in CT scans.
You need to use a laxative to keep your stools very soft.
Along with it use preperation H once daily at night.
Continue taking fiber supplements.
It's not cancer,However as polyps were there earlier colonoscopy should be done.
What did the biopsy report of polyp showed previously.
Was it a adenoid polyp or which type of polyp was it.
Thank you!
Follow up.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Don't worry it's not cancer.
Cancer does not take months to spread,It spreads very fast.
Rectal examination has proved that you have Hemorrhoids.
Patients with severe constipation and poor eating habits with drinking and smoking have Hemorrhoids and it's very common.
Cancer would have reflected in CT scans.
You need to use a laxative to keep your stools very soft.
Along with it use preperation H once daily at night.
Continue taking fiber supplements.
It's not cancer,However as polyps were there earlier colonoscopy should be done.
What did the biopsy report of polyp showed previously.
Was it a adenoid polyp or which type of polyp was it.
Thank you!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
The doctor called them "hyperplastic". He also said I needed another colonoscopy within 7-10 years. It has been 6 since I had the procedure.
I've had hemorrhoids and used the cream before. But I'm pretty sure that the hemorrhoids wouldn't cause the right side/flank abdominal pain.
The pain is constant. As I write this to you, it's a dull burning ache in my flank and lower abdomen, in the area of the ascending colon and appendix. It has been constant in this location for days. Since you don't believe it is cancer, can you comment on what may be happening here? What could cause intermittent pain for 2 years in the same place in my abdomen and everything look ok on CT?
Thank you so much.
I've had hemorrhoids and used the cream before. But I'm pretty sure that the hemorrhoids wouldn't cause the right side/flank abdominal pain.
The pain is constant. As I write this to you, it's a dull burning ache in my flank and lower abdomen, in the area of the ascending colon and appendix. It has been constant in this location for days. Since you don't believe it is cancer, can you comment on what may be happening here? What could cause intermittent pain for 2 years in the same place in my abdomen and everything look ok on CT?
Thank you so much.
Brief Answer:
Follow up.
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for follow up,
Now let's understand the chronology of problems.
Firstly think that digestive system starts as a pipe at mouth and ends at a pipe at anus.
Now see if a person is constipated that means that the food which should pass as fecal matter is not passing.
This food stagnates into smaller and larger pipes called intestines.
Stagnation causes bad bacteria and bad fungal culture in intestine
Now they cause fermentation of that food.
This fermentation leads to release of gases(toxic)
Now these gases exerts pressure on intestines hence cause muscle inflammation and pain.
At Right side and left side intestines are present.
So in lay man's language drainage system of your house is stagnant and hence things are fermenting with growth of bacterias nd other toxic flora.
Slowly and slowly over years it also starts causing Acid peptic disorder called gastritis causing pain in right upper quadrant.
Actually you are not suffering from disease rather you are have symptoms related to complete gastrointestinal tract termed as dysbiosis(umbrella term).
So unless and until the chief cause constipation is treated plus probiotic medicines like VSL#3 should be taken twice daily along wit digestive enzyme supplement and a over the counter antacid called Pantoprazole with activated charcoal tablets...and a proper diet with fruits vegetable(if possible avoid non vegetarian food it's acidic) things won't get better.
You need to completely reset your digestive system.
Hope this helps you understand your problem.
Thanks!
Follow up.
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for follow up,
Now let's understand the chronology of problems.
Firstly think that digestive system starts as a pipe at mouth and ends at a pipe at anus.
Now see if a person is constipated that means that the food which should pass as fecal matter is not passing.
This food stagnates into smaller and larger pipes called intestines.
Stagnation causes bad bacteria and bad fungal culture in intestine
Now they cause fermentation of that food.
This fermentation leads to release of gases(toxic)
Now these gases exerts pressure on intestines hence cause muscle inflammation and pain.
At Right side and left side intestines are present.
So in lay man's language drainage system of your house is stagnant and hence things are fermenting with growth of bacterias nd other toxic flora.
Slowly and slowly over years it also starts causing Acid peptic disorder called gastritis causing pain in right upper quadrant.
Actually you are not suffering from disease rather you are have symptoms related to complete gastrointestinal tract termed as dysbiosis(umbrella term).
So unless and until the chief cause constipation is treated plus probiotic medicines like VSL#3 should be taken twice daily along wit digestive enzyme supplement and a over the counter antacid called Pantoprazole with activated charcoal tablets...and a proper diet with fruits vegetable(if possible avoid non vegetarian food it's acidic) things won't get better.
You need to completely reset your digestive system.
Hope this helps you understand your problem.
Thanks!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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