About a year ago I started experiencing mild constipation problems, nothing too horrible. However, this past May I was walking aroung fine getting ready to go out on a date, when I was suddenly struck with SEVERE abdominal pain. I spent the next half an hour in the bathroom spastically throwing up, and uncussecfuly trying to go to the bathroom. I soon realized this was not going to go away and had to send for an ambulance. That episode had me in the hospital for a week, where I was constantly on morphine for the pain in my stomach. The end result was the Doctors telling me I had Ischemic Colitis most likley brought on by my birth control and I was sent home. Ischemic colitis for those who do not know is basically where small blood clots are not allowing your intestines enough blood to operate correctly. I have been on birth control since I was 16, and have never experienced constipation problems so I thought it unlikley. However once returning home the pain did go away as well as the ischemic colitis (I am now off of the birth control) but the severe constipation has not. I have told my Gastro Dr this repeatedly and she has just told me to drink Miralax, and more miralax! Well the Miralax is taking days and days to work and I am taking about 3 doses a day.I have also recently had a colonoscopy to see if my ischemic colitis has healed and to check for chrones disease, or other issues. My Doctor has told me that I am perfectly healthy! Since my hospital visit in May I have been to the E.R. twice for abdominal pain. I have been so bloated from not being able to go to the bathroom that my day to day life now is laying on the couch with a heating pad on my stomach and back to try and stop the cramping. Does anyone have any ideas what this could be? Because I feel like my doctor is giving up on me, and I would like to have my life back!Thank you for reading.
Emily:I had a very similar experience. I was 27 and I had been on birth control for 10 years. All of a sudden I had severe abd pain/cramping, vomiting, and an urge to go to the bathroom but unable to. Ended up in the hospital for a few days and diagnosed with ischemic colitis. It has been a year and I still have issues. At first my Dr. ignored me...so I found a new one. You can have pretty severe IBS for approx a year after the injury. Also, if you have endometrosis or cysts or something female going on....the birth control could have been suppressing that and that could be a cause of your pain. I also eliminated gluten and dairy from my diet. It made a HUGE difference. A proper diet and fluid intake is key. I just had another colonscopy looking to see if I developed a stricture, or ulcers, and to see if my colon was healed. All was well but he did remove 3 pre-cancerous polyps. I guess the silver lining is that the polyps were found and I can keep a close watch on it!! Good luck to you!
