falcongrrl: (Default)
falcongrrl ([personal profile] falcongrrl) wrote2008-02-18 09:31 pm
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Today I was single parenting; the kids were off for Presidents' Day and Dave's on a business retreat in a hotel/conference center about an hour away. I was trying to keep the kids entertained. We walked down to the lake to feed ducks, had a picnic, worked on the house, had some skateboard/bike play...and it was still just, maybe 1pm. I had woken up exhausted and had already been dealing with an upset stomach for part of the day. (Lower digestive tract. Sorry if that's tmi.)

So Daniel wanted to play Heroscape. We compromised on Scrabble, which he'd never played before. I was trying to teach the rudiments of the game, to help Ellie, who insisted upon playing even though her spelling skills are more dubious than Daniel's, and--

got hit with some of the worst stomach pain I've ever had.

It felt a bit like IBS cramping, which is what I suspect it was. It felt like a leg cramp, only in the area of my colon instead of any recognizably muscular area. It felt like a contraction, only it wasn't located near my uterus, that I can tell. It was mostly on my right side, but not localized. There were pockets of pain in different areas. It felt like several concurrent spasms.

I couldn't walk, though I managed to stumble to my bed. I could barely talk. The kids were fighting, and I didn't know how to get them to stop. I kept telling myself it would pass, even as my kids were yelling and running around and I was unable really to get up and go see what was going on. I lay in bed, unable to move, clutching my cell phone, calling and texting Dave, and texting [livejournal.com profile] shaterri just for the moral support.

I don't know how long I lay there in agony. It felt like a long time, but I don't think it was that long, maybe thirty minutes or so. By the time Dave called me back (which really didn't take all that long) it had eased somewhat, and 'you must come home' had switched to 'call me back in 30 minutes.'

Then, I took a xanax, the last of the ones Dave's cousin gave me at Thanksgiving. I figured it would help with the panic if not with the spasms. It seemed to help with both, actually - when Dave called back 30 minutes later, Daniel answered the phone, as Ellie and I had both fallen asleep on the couch. When he called back a bit later than that, i was awake, if a bit fuzzily so, and we talked for a while. I managed to eat a light dinner.

My guess is that it's IBS or anxiety-related, but oh that was some intense pain. I'm a bit concerned - I don't want yet another doctor visit in addition to the psychiatrist coming up and the gynecological appointment I need to make. (The pain definitely seemed more from my colon - and related to earlier stomach issues - than from the reproductive area. But who knows.) I really don't want to go through invasive procedures just to find out that I'm stressed out ('cause, duh). Mostly I think I'll mention it to the psychiatrist and see if it's possible it's related to the anxiety.

But it scared me. And that area of my abdomen still aches dully, though it's nothing like it was.

[identity profile] pyat.livejournal.com 2008-02-19 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
Perhaps a stone of some kind? Gall stone?

[identity profile] dadi.livejournal.com 2008-02-19 07:14 am (UTC)(link)
I second that. Gall or kidney. The pain and feelings you describe are quite typical for that, and also the fact that the xanax calmed it down. I definitely WOULD go and see a doctor, because these colics have a tendency to repeat themselves.
jenny_evergreen: (Magic Anxious)

[personal profile] jenny_evergreen 2008-02-19 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Thirded. Reminds me of the time my mother had a kidney stone; scared the crap out of me!

[identity profile] beautyofgrey.livejournal.com 2008-02-19 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
It was low pain? Nothing that could be appendix-related?

That kind of pain requires a check up, m'dear. Please take care of yourself. I know the trouble of money, but I think a full physical (and not just a gyn visit) is in order. *takes serious mommy tone*

[identity profile] sarcastic-one.livejournal.com 2008-02-19 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
i hate the IBS stuff
lived with it for too damn long

for the record...my stomach started getting uncomfy too...and it ended up being the flu :(

i agree tho...its something to be seen for...

(as much as i hate going in...this is the time that you do...)

..kar

[identity profile] glashund.livejournal.com 2008-02-19 06:20 am (UTC)(link)
Ergh. Best wishes as always, and hopes that whatever's behind the pain is swiftly and easily cared for.

[identity profile] sythyry.livejournal.com 2008-02-20 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, heavens... that sounds so awful.
rowyn: (worried)

[personal profile] rowyn 2008-02-20 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
Yeeek! I hope today went better. *hug*