Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Do My Lab Test Reports Indicate?
Question: Hi,
my boyfriend has been having terrible issues with pain in his abdomen foe 2-3 years now. We have tried everything from diets, food elimination, allergy tests, stool tests, colonoscopy, breath tests, blood tests, ultrasound. We still don't have any answers and as you can imagine I am worried sick finding myself researching online. Various doctors say it is IBS but it is so painful that it regularly brings him to tears and I genuinely don't think it is IBS. I came across something called Retroperitoneal Inflammation and reading about it I feel his symptoms match but not sure if he could be having this condition for this long. His blood test did show signs of inflammation but not sure how high this needs to be for someone to suspect the condition. Please let me know what you would advise as I would hate to find myself guessing. Thank you in advance.
my boyfriend has been having terrible issues with pain in his abdomen foe 2-3 years now. We have tried everything from diets, food elimination, allergy tests, stool tests, colonoscopy, breath tests, blood tests, ultrasound. We still don't have any answers and as you can imagine I am worried sick finding myself researching online. Various doctors say it is IBS but it is so painful that it regularly brings him to tears and I genuinely don't think it is IBS. I came across something called Retroperitoneal Inflammation and reading about it I feel his symptoms match but not sure if he could be having this condition for this long. His blood test did show signs of inflammation but not sure how high this needs to be for someone to suspect the condition. Please let me know what you would advise as I would hate to find myself guessing. Thank you in advance.
Brief Answer:
Please attach the list of antispasmodics or IBS medicines used by him.
Detailed Answer:
Hi Dear,
Thanks for asking your query on HealthcareMagic.
Have gone through your details and i appreciate your concern.
IBS is a functional disorder.In easy language it means that there is something wrong with functions of gastrointestinal tract but there is no anatomic problem.So all the reports will turn up to be normal as in case of your boyfriend.
When all investigations are normal then a gastro labels patient as suffering from IBS(so basically its a diagnosis of exclusion) that means that when all other causes are excluded then a patient is considered as having functional problem termed medically as IBS.
Severe spasmodic pain is one of the most common presenting symptom of IBS. Your boyfriend has been investigated thorough but you have not mentioned the drugs he had tried to relieve the spasm.A number of antispasmodics are available these days which are used in patients to effectively treat spasm.Once spasm is controlled pain can easily be controlled.
If there was retroperitoneal inflammation it would have caused increased in neutrophils(mild elevation can even be due to IBS) secondly it would have been reflected in ultrasound.He has already been investigated thoroughly so chances of it being inflammation are very less.
Please mention the treatment tried by him.
Please enlist the name of anti inflammatory and antispasmodics used on him.
However to rule out infection and associated inflammation few tests that should be done are-
Faecal calprotectin-is a biochemical measurement of the protein calprotectin in the stool. Elevated faecal calprotectin indicates the migration of neutrophils to the intestinal mucosa, which occurs during intestinal inflammation, including inflammation caused by inflammatory bowel disease.
MRI abdomen-Any inflammation or swelling would be reflected in it.Ecxcellent test to rule out possibility of retroperitoneal inflammation.
But initially please tell me the treatment that has been given to him.So that i can suggest you what to do further.
Waiting.
Regards.
Please attach the list of antispasmodics or IBS medicines used by him.
Detailed Answer:
Hi Dear,
Thanks for asking your query on HealthcareMagic.
Have gone through your details and i appreciate your concern.
IBS is a functional disorder.In easy language it means that there is something wrong with functions of gastrointestinal tract but there is no anatomic problem.So all the reports will turn up to be normal as in case of your boyfriend.
When all investigations are normal then a gastro labels patient as suffering from IBS(so basically its a diagnosis of exclusion) that means that when all other causes are excluded then a patient is considered as having functional problem termed medically as IBS.
Severe spasmodic pain is one of the most common presenting symptom of IBS. Your boyfriend has been investigated thorough but you have not mentioned the drugs he had tried to relieve the spasm.A number of antispasmodics are available these days which are used in patients to effectively treat spasm.Once spasm is controlled pain can easily be controlled.
If there was retroperitoneal inflammation it would have caused increased in neutrophils(mild elevation can even be due to IBS) secondly it would have been reflected in ultrasound.He has already been investigated thoroughly so chances of it being inflammation are very less.
Please mention the treatment tried by him.
Please enlist the name of anti inflammatory and antispasmodics used on him.
However to rule out infection and associated inflammation few tests that should be done are-
Faecal calprotectin-is a biochemical measurement of the protein calprotectin in the stool. Elevated faecal calprotectin indicates the migration of neutrophils to the intestinal mucosa, which occurs during intestinal inflammation, including inflammation caused by inflammatory bowel disease.
MRI abdomen-Any inflammation or swelling would be reflected in it.Ecxcellent test to rule out possibility of retroperitoneal inflammation.
But initially please tell me the treatment that has been given to him.So that i can suggest you what to do further.
Waiting.
Regards.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
