What's wrong w/ my colon?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2006
What's wrong w/ my colon?
4
Sat, 08-26-2006 - 9:00pm
Over the past 5 years several Doctor's have ruled out all known colon diseases and now at 27 years old I basically have a colon that doesn't work. I am healthy and have not other problems, just a colon that works when it wants to. It isn't painful until I have what I call an "attack" I almost pass out and vomit and arms and legs go numb. Now they want to do surgery however they don't even know why my colon is the way it is or even if it is the entire colon or only part of it. I have been on several meds and many different combinations. Now nothing seems to work anymore. (Glycolax, Zelnorm, Amitiza, Nulev, Prevacid,and a couple others) I have become immune to the Zelnorm and Amitiza does nothing but make me sick. The others don't help at all. I am lucky if I have a bowel movement 2 x's per month. I have "cleansed my colon" 2 x's in the last month per my doctor. I am very tired of everything and want to do surgery but I have no idea it will do anything. I have tried to find information or explanation which I can't. Of course this did not surpise me being that my doctors are also stumped?????????????????????????
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-23-2006
Sun, 08-27-2006 - 9:00am

Hi and


I am sorry you are having such problems at such a young age. The CL of this board, Elise, is more the expert here then I am. She will be back tommorrow and hopefully have some suggestions for you.

 PPCLSIG.jpg picture by CalyD44

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Mon, 08-28-2006 - 10:57pm

Welcome, although I am sorry you needed to find us at such an early age!


Here is one site I located, that might be helpful to you...


http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/anatomiccolon/index.htm


If your doctors cannot figure out what is wrong, how can they be suggesting surgery? What have they diagnosed and what do they plan to 'fix'? I definitely wouldn't allow any surgery at this time. What tests have been done so far, colonoscopy, upper and lower G.I., etc.?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2004
Mon, 08-28-2006 - 11:16pm
Hi there, have you been tested for Celiac Disease? They can take a biopsy via colonoscopy and test to see if the villi are affected... if so, this might be the source of your problem. Please keep us updated on your progress!

cl-beanygurl


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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2006
Mon, 10-09-2006 - 11:33pm

Hi. My colon was "inert", meaning it did not work. It was not uncommon to go 3 weeks without a bowel movement. I was born this way and it got worse over the course of my life. I got to the point where I was on Zelnorm, an herbal laxative and another prescription laxative 2-3 times a day. If I missed even one dose it would mess me up for days. Malnutrition was bad. No iron. Sick frequently. I was drinking more than a gallon of water daily, eating basically nothing, exercising...it was terrible. After having every imaginable henious test (except a colonoscopy, my surgeon felt that was just cruel)the surgeon recommended a "total abdominal colectomy" - at age 38 she removed my colon, entirely, and attached the small intestine to my rectum. I would do it again. I am struggling a bit this year with my diet - trying to figure out what is keeping me from losing weight.

What has your doctor told you? What options have you been given? What type of doctor are you seeing? I ran out of options with my family practice doc, my gastroenterologist and the gynecologist. The gastro doctor referred me to the colorectal surgeon.

I wish you well. I know what you are feeling and I empathize.