DR says I'm fine, but abdominal pain continues

This is long, I'm sorry.  I'm a 38 yr old F, and I began having some twinges of pain on my left side several weeks ago. It was on and off and kind of felt like my colon was inflamed, but no diarrhea or constipation or blood in stool.

Then 2 weeks ago the pain moved and I had a few days of persistent pain lower down around my left ovary. Went to GYN, who felt nothing unusual but recommended an ultrasound which was scheduled for next week. Pain got worse over next two days, so I went to GP in case it was intestinal. She thought it could be intestinal (diverticulitis, though unlikely) or an ovarian cyst. She got me in for a CT scan and told me if I spiked a fever and/or the pain got worse to go to the ER. Well, that very night, my temp. went up to 100 and my low left abdominal pain got very bad plus it was hurting around my bladder now too. I took some ibuprofen before I headed to the ER.

By the time I got to the ER, my temp had returned to normal probably due to the ibuprofen. So I spent a horrible night in the ER where they read my CT results (I had the test earlier that day in same hospital) and also performed my ultrasound and did some blood tests. After 9 hours I was told everything came back clear. No masses or spots anywhere, ovaries fine. The DR thought he might be able to see a left ovarian cyst on the CT that didn't show up on the ultrasound, so he said it's possible it burst between the tests and that was that. Um....okay.

Later the day I was released from the ER, my temp briefly spiked again to about 99.6 but it's stayed normal since. Also, the pain in my low left and center abdomen, while not nearly as severe, is still nagging me every day. It honestly feels intestinal to me, but I have no other symptoms of intestinal disorders, no blood, diarrhea, constipation. (Well, I did have a pretty narrow BM today, but it hasn't done that previously, so I'll chalk that up to happenstance unless it occurs again.)

Should I pursue getting a colonoscopy or are clear CT and ultrasound results enough for now? My insurance co. is already griping at me, so I doubt they'll preapprove it given my lack of other symptoms. 

Anyway, I don't want to be a worry wort, but I've never had persistent pain before.

Thanks for any advice about how to proceed. 

  Hi sorry to hear what you have gone and still are going through, For what its worth my advice is this... You have one life and you have to do every thing in your power to protect that life, no matter the monetary cost. You see in 2002 I had   problems, cramping and not going to bath room and it took me ages and some work friends to convince me to go to Drs and get a coloscopy, and when I did it was cancer, and I often think if I only had gone straight away maybe things would have being so different  today. So if you are not sure,  just do it for peace of mind and then hope and pray for  the best and  if every thing is fine go and live a wonderful life, smelling the roses on the way. You really owe it to your self or it will nag away at you...

 Wishing You all the Best Life can Offer

                                                BARB

Get the colonscopy done. Pronto if possible.  Call your insurance company.  If your insurance company gripes or stalls, follow up with your local state medical regulatory agency. 

I'm a Canuck and used to "public universal healthcre" where there tends to be more doctors and nurses than accountants running the show (odd concept eh!)  But my husband is an American and has an HMO.  As a Canuck, I found out firsthand how your private health care system is so darn bureaucratic and wasteful.  Honestly, it really weird to see more accountants and office personel in a doctors office than actual nurses and doctors.  Worse than weird, was seeing cancer patients being turned away from cancer care because they could not afford the copay for a breast cancer shot.  Ouch!  Healthcare reform is seriously needed down here.  In any case, enough of my ranting.  If your insurance company refuses to pay for your colonscopy, check out your State government's website.  If you're in California, here's the one you'd access.  

http://www.dmhc.ca.gov/dmhc_consumer/pc/pc_default.aspx

I had problems with my husband's HMO.  They were dragging their heels because with a Stage IV colon cancer diagnosis, he's no longer going to be a profitable patient.  Every time his HMO stalled or balked at approving a procedure (most recently a bone scan to check for osteoporosis - which confirmed that he has osteoporosis by the way) I threatened to go through this State regulatory agency and drag this through there agency (nicely of course).  I know having worked for a Fortune 500 chemical company that all private sector companies hate government regulatory agencies with a passion, so oftentimes they just approved to get rid of the problem.  Shame that this has to happen -- again a symptom of inefficiencies caused by private-sector for-profit health care -- but that's life down here in the good old USA where you've got a seriously messed up health care system (unless you can afford a PPO).

Paula Jean

Thank you for your advice. Today, I went back to the GP who originally ordered the CT last week. Yesterday, my fever came back and it was 100.6 at the time of my appt. The doc said she was "concerned" and that my symptoms didn't really fit any category. She would be inclined to say I have IBS, except I have a fever. She would say I have colitis, but I have no diarrhea or blood or general intestinal upset. GYN issues are appearing less and less likely. I just feel like crap, have constant left lower abdominal pain and a fever.

Soooo, she got me an appt. with a GI tomorrow morning. She believes they'll want to do a colonoscopy to figure out what the heck is going on. She said cancer isn't even on her list as of yet with the lack of intestinal symptoms, the clean CT and the fact I have a fever. She said something is infected, but she doesn't know what. I guess diverticulitis is still a possibility.

Anyway, I guess the colonoscopy will tell the story. I just want this pain and fever to end. 

My best to everyone here.

 Amy

You should have a colonoscopy.  I too had almost the exact feelings you are having.  I went to my Gyno first too and all was fine with the ultra sound, then I went to my primary, all blood tests showed I was healthy, but was sent to a Gastroenterologist, she did blood work and all came back normal.  My symptoms were lower stomach cramps for about 3 weeks, then I would vomit maybe once a week.  That was concerning for the doctors and thought i had a blockage. 

I had the colonoscopy, and low and behold I had a tumor and it was colon cancer.  This happened a week before Thanksgiving of 2008.  The week before Christmas I had surgery and my tumor was removed, it was contained and did not spread, however it did affect 4 nodes, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer and just finish 6 months/8 treatments in all on July 2nd.

I can't stress enough having a colonoscopy.  At least you will know either way what it is.

I hope and pray it isn't serious, but it is far better to be safe than sorry. 

Good luck.

Luda