# Splenic flexure syndrome



## TMM388 (Nov 17, 2010)

Wondering if anyone knows the best supplements to take for trapped gas resulting from splenic flexure syndrome? I get a huge gas bubble there and it's painful pressure. Are there good OTC products like beano or gas-x and do they work for this? I always thought gas-x was for people who have too much flatulence and wanted to quell it, but wondering if anything out there helps gas to not get trapped?


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## descending distress (Mar 31, 2017)

Wow,

I never heard of "splenic flexure syndrome" and have been seen by a lot of internists, gastroenterologists, and colorectal surgeons (looking at surgery),

my symptoms are localized to the LUQ, too,

one wonders whether or not Beano and Gas-X would be digested by the time that they reach the splenic flexure,

tonight, I tried ginger root, peeling it like a potato, cutting it up into slices like a carrot, and boiling it in water (low simmer) for 30 minutes, checking it about every 5 or 10 minutes to make sure that all of the water does not boil off,

one or two mugs drinking it hot provides much relief,

do you know of any good references for "splenic flexure syndrome,"

I joined this support group forum for support and as a way of obtaining information that might not be widely known among the medical community,

Thank you!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

back when i had a colon, i had splenic flexure syndrome and discussed it with both my gastro docs. it's a very real thing. here are a couple references to it.. there are others:

http://www.medhelp.org/gov/www24.htm

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/180389-clinical

and we've had discussions here on the board about it as well.

back then, gas x, etc never helped me much for this problem, but that's me. to deal with the pain, i would lie down with a warm heating pad and massage the area through the heating pad. usually that would break up the gas and help release it.

my colorectal surgeon told me that gas x becomes effective before it goes through the colon. it helps break up gas bubbles in the stomach and the intestines--the whole digestive tract.


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## descending distress (Mar 31, 2017)

Thank you for the good information Annie7,

it was bad last night, so I am going to try the heating pad and massage next time,


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

so sorry your pain was so bad last night.

yes, do try the heating pad and massage. another important thing is to try to relax and breathe deeply while your doing this--which can be hard, i know, when you're in pain. just try to relax and let everything go. hope it helps. good luck.


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## descending distress (Mar 31, 2017)

Thanks for that, a long time ago my entire left side was crushed in a car wreck when I was an adolescent (crushed thorax, bleeding, ruptured spleen, bleeding, broken back, & pelvic fractures in 5 places), then I went to Colombia SA and acquired parasites and worms, and now have diagnoses like generalized colon dyssynergia, PFD, and anorectal dyssynergia. I have seen 2 colorectal surgeons who will do a colostomy as soon as I ask one of them to do so. I have been seeing some pelvic floor PT therapists for about one year now. You mentioned, "back when i had a colon," which gives me the impression that you do not have one now. How are you doing without your colon? How do you know when it is the right time to go forward with surgery? So far, I have heard, "let us know if you, when you want to have the surgery" without a lot of clear steps between where I am now and a major surgical procedure and a life changing event. Thank you for sharing your story and experiences!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh dear--so very sorry for all that you have been through--what a nightmare! so much pain!

i was dx'd with colonic inertia, pelvic floor dysfunction, rectal hyposensitivity, megarectum and an overly long twisted colon. i suffered from chronic C since childhood. i now have an ileostomy.

over the years, things just kept getting worse and worse until my gastro doc had me taking not only daily laxatives but also half a colonoscopy prep every week just to keep things moving--which was miserable. finally i decided i'd had enough and wanted a better quality of life so i chose to have my ostomy. there is a bit of a learning curve with these things, to be sure, but now i feel so much better. no more taking all those laxatives which made me feel so ill and which stopped working well for me and no more days spent in pain and misery. i feel like i finally got my life back.

one very good thing to do prior to deciding about surgery is to make an appointment to discuss this with a wound and ostomy care nurse--WOCN. there is no charge for these appointments. your colorectal surgeon's office can recommend a good ostomy nurse. my gastro doc referred me to mine. these nurses are terrific! there is nothing about ostomies that they do not know and they are very knowledgeable and reassuring. you can ask them absolutely anything. my WOCN even gave me a little kit with bags and a fake stoma (lol) to practice with . a very informative book also came with it. after talking to my wocn, i was convinced i'd made the right decision.

here is a very upbeat, informative and helpful support board for people with ostomies:

https://www.inspire.com/groups/ostomy/

this post is especially encouraging--over 400 posts from people who are so happy that they made the decision to have an ostomy.

https://www.inspire.com/groups/ostomy/discussion/all-happy-ostomates-please-check-in-here/

wishing you all the best with everything. take care.


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## descending distress (Mar 31, 2017)

Thank you, Annie7, for the information. I have been to five pelvic floor physical therapists so far and still averaging 2 ½ to 5 hours in the bathroom daily, sometimes up to 8 hours. Were you ever that long in the bathroom?

As soon as I know for certain that it is not "all in my mind" and is indeed pelvic floor failure, I plan on going forward with a colostomy, or maybe a new procedure - antegrade colonic enema (ACE), if my newest colorectal surgeon does and recommends those.

I have similar pathology to the pathology you experienced. You mentioned - colonic inertia, pelvic floor dysfunction, rectal hyposensitivity, megarectum, and an overly long twisted colon.

One of my first gastroenterologists diagnosed me with "generalized colonic inertia." I did a National Library of Medicine Search and Google search and could not find much information. That's one of the reasons that discussion groups such as this one are useful.

Anorectal manometry, balloon expulsion test, and nuclear scintigraphic defecography were all abnormal, but the only diagnosis made was anorectal dyssynergia. Sitz marker transit study was inconclusive. Barium enema showed distended loops of bowel with air fluid levels filled with stool and air, corresponding to my almost constant bloatedness. Previous colonoscopies have showed "a redundant sigmoid colon." I have coccydynia after a sacro-coccyx fracture and cannot sit right down on my tailbone. Consequently, I almost always sit with my legs crossed so as to tilt the pressure off of my tailbone and just recently found out that my gluteus maximi muscles are in a constant state of contraction, which transmits to the pelvic floor, keeping it contracted.

My chronic idiopathic constipation 1st became a problem when I was in my mid-30s. My laxative regimen is daily lactulose, a tincture of Epsom salt, psyllium, and fish oil, plus the use of inulin vegetable fiber about thrice weekly. I recently started castor oil, but that stuff would be better suited for weight loss, because upon ingesting one feels like gagging, has nausea, and has complete loss appetite for several hours.

I still like to go to the gym and use the water facilities 5 times weekly and wonder how a colostomy might affect those practices?

It is really encouraging to hear that you feel so much better. One or two others from whom I have heard have also had similar outcomes and feel better.

As you suggested, I am planning on talking with my newest colorectal surgeon about a referral to a wound and ostomy care nurse (WOCN). That is excellent advice, and you are the first to give that advice. Any other feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for the advice, support board, and web links!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

hi

yes, it's miserable having to struggle so long in the bathroom trying to go. i took laxatives (both stimulant and osmotic) and it would take me a couple hours every morning to get as much out as i could. i would still be left with stool in there, incomplete evacuation and misery for the rest of the day.

and no, this is not just all in your mind---sadly it's all very real. the tests you had prove that.

quite a while ago, another member here posted his success story with the MACE procedure. i was interested in that for myself but my colorectal surgeon told me that since i had trouble expelling even enema water and also because i had pfd, i would not be a good candidate for it.

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/74111-finally-reliefplease-read/

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/75032-there-is-hopemace-procedure/

oh yes, you can swim with an ostomy. many people do. there is a terrific product out there called "sure seals" which you put over your wafer--the part of the bag that sticks on. the sure seals are impervious to water and make the whole thing entirely waterproof. swimming is absolutely no problem at all.

oh yes--do talk to a WOCN. they are so helpful and supportive. you can ask them anything! and you can call back later if more questions occur.

also, once you've made your decision to go ahead with an ostomy and have your surgery date, call the bag manufacturers --the three major ones are coloplast, convatec and hollister. they all have websites. they will send you free sample kits of their products. some will send you the kit before surgery and others will send it right after your surgery. that way you can try out different bags and products to find out which work best for you. your WOCN will also help you with this.

good luck with everything. keep us posted


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## descending distress (Mar 31, 2017)

Hi Annie7, regarding keeping you posted,

my goodness I was in for a setback when I saw my colorectal surgeon earlier this week. This particular colorectal surgeon has an extremely good reputation in this area. He told me that there was nothing that he could do for me. This was after my general internist, most recent gastroenterologist, and previous colorectal surgeon each suggested that a colostomy would be the next step. The recommendation was 6 to 12 months of "biofeedback," and if that was not beneficial, then colostomy. This was also the plan that I thought had been recommended by my new colorectal surgeon. However, more recently his statement was that my problem was a generalized gastrointestinal motility disorder and that his surgical treatments consist of repairing structural abnormalities. He said that I do not have any structural abnormalities of which to repair.

so now I am trying to find help with my generalized gastrointestinal motility disorder. There are three GI specialists at a popular clinic nearby, but no openings for the next four months. All I want is to be able to pass gas and have bowel movements in a socially appropriate manner and quit being so self-focused on these things, which, similar to other posts by other people in this forum, is making me sick. Do you or anyone else in the group have any suggestions? Thank you!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

thanks for the update and so sorry you had such a set back---how disappointing. i wonder why your surgeon changed his mind..

you could always get another opinion from another colorectal surgeon. especially since you had all those tests.

and yes, do make an appointment at the clinic you mention to get another GI specialist's opinion. it's a shame that you have to wait so long to get in. you could see if they keep a cancellation list

or maybe you could go to some place like mayo or the cleveland clinic...or see a gastro doc and/or a cr surgeon who works at a university hosiptal. often docs who work at university hospitals are more proactive about treating constipation problems.

good luck with everything...


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