Seeking Advice for Unexplained Severe Pain and Cramps

I am weeping right now.  I basically have been up for hours trying to deal with this pain!!!  All last night it went on.  It started shortly after supper.  I had an emotionally draining day yesterday as I was dearly missing my daughter who recently moved to Boston. I was also missing my mother who passed away in 98 and also was thinking about my Veteran friend who recently died in a fire at an apartment house.  On top of all of this,  I ate a very small supper of baked chicken,  cooked carrots, baked potato with no skin and some cottage cheese.   I was careful to chew completely and had plenty of liquid to drink.  Within 10 minutes of finishing the meal,  I started getting the cramps that have torrmented me for over 4 weeks now!!  Last week I went to the ER thinking I had a blockage. They took a CAT scan and blood work and everything was fine.  They cannot tell me why I am having these cramps.  They literally cause me to curl up on the floor.  I continue to suffer with these but nothing shows up. The keep telling me not to worry but they are not the ones who are having these.  So, all last night I suffered with them and all morning, going into the afternoon.  I am being worn out!!! I am so "gun shy" now, thinking my small intestines are dying like my large ones did.  I am so frustrated with all of this and the hospital keeps telling me I am fine.  I have taken  Gasex, ibuprofen,  Alieve, Hydrocortisone,  used heating pads, walked,  followed all the instructions for self help of blockages and gone to the ER.  You cannot tell me that I should still be having this much pain at 9 and 10 weeks out!!  Something is wrong but nobody will listen or take me seriously.   Do any of you have ANY suggestions for me???

Hello freedancer.

I'm sorry to hear that you are still suffering in this way and I'm not sure not sure what else to suggest to relieve these symptoms. 

Because my own expertise tends to focus on the psychological, emotional and social side of things, it may sometimes come across as if I'm not taking the physical side seriously enough. This is not the case, as I am convinced that people should check out the physical aspects thoroughly before they look for other reasons. 

Your first paragraph on this post indicates quite clearly that you are under severe emotional pressure. It has been known for centuries that these sorts of psychological pressures can adversely affect the gut and bring about the symptoms you describe. Imagining that your small intestines are dying, will probably have the same effect by adding to your worries.

Sometimes the medications can aggravate the problems rather than cure them, so this needs to be carefully monitored.

9-10 weeks is still very early days in terms of convalescing from this type of surgery but that doesn't mean that there isn't something wrong so, if you are convinced that your present medics are wrong, then perhaps you should seek a second or third opinion,  if only to put your mind at rest.

I hope things settle down for you soon.

Best wishes

Bill 

When you are cramping, do you have any output? Does it seem as if your intestine may be spasming? It might not be a blockage as in something is wedged in the intestine, but the intestine is one huge muscle, and muscles can cramp and spasm, even to the point where it is temporarily shutting off the flow through it. If you had blood work done, ask for a copy of the lab results, and question anything abnormal (out of range). How is your Potassium and Magnesium levels? If these are out of whack, it can cause muscle spasms.

Bill is also correct. Severe stress (and it certainly sounds like you hsve that!) can cause gasto-intestinal distress - including severe cramps and nausea.

Make an appointment with your doctor to go over the blood work results and figure out just which tests were done, and which might still be needed.

Thank you!! I will be seeing my doc again in a few weeks for a second test.  Your information was helpful and I will ask her to do magnesium and potassium levels.