'undiagnosable' abdominal pain.

Digestive health
1

Hi there,

I've had right severe abdominal pain, just below my rib line, It's a constant pain and i've experienced it for about 4 months now. At first I didn't really pay attention to it, it then became too painful to ignore at all. I would find myself waking up at night, or having to sit/lay down at work clutching my side. One day at work it became so painful I collapsed, and began having heart palpitations, after calling an ambulance I was sat inside it for 30 minutes or so hooked up to an ecg, my heart beat averaged about 125. I've seen about 10 doctors, 4 of my local GP's, and had 3 trips to AnE. The palpitations proceeded the severe pain a total of 3 times so far, It'd feel as if something in my right side had almost burst and spread across my body becoming numb and having severe chest pain - and I honestly thought I was having a heart attack because of the pain and the feeling of my heart pumping through my chest.

I guess the best thing will be to answer every question they've asked me..

I'm a healthy 19 year old male, I've eaten healthy, exercised often, i'm 10 stone 8, and i'm 5ft 8. I am not a drug user, although I am partial to the occasional binge drink (Like most teenagers).

I do not lift heavy objects, I work in a bar and don't lift any barrels/trays of glasses. I have been a smoker for a year now, and have been cutting down since the pain started, although giving it up entirely is quite hard as i'm finding it the only thing that has relaxed me. I've had no blood in my urine/feces/vomit. I have only vomited once during the 4 months. I do not have a temperature, I do not have a fever, the pain is not increased when pressure is applied. It is not relieved by warm/cold packs etc. The doctors are adamant I do not have appendicitis, i've had 3 ultrasounds which show no stones in my kidneys or galbladder and everything is as of normal size.

When I was admitted into AnE and asked to spend 2 more nights in the hospital I became so bad I had to have someone to hold me up while I walk, I couldn't sit up due to the pain and I would be so tired that I couldn't get out of bed. They had asked me to stay because of one blood test that showed my liver functions spiking high (I think it was billirubin? - and no I had not had a heavy night of drinking or anything the night before It was taken) They released me because they said being an outpatient would be faster (Which, it isn't, as the specialist i've been referred to will not be able to see me until december, when it's september now.)

Through all the doctors i've seen, i've stuck with one who has been incredibley helpful throughout this all, although completely clueless to what is going on with me.

Whilst in the hospital I've had a doctor tell nurses to stop giving me any pain killers because Im probably just a drug addict, and other doctors tell me it's complete anxiety, and others take one look at me and say it's a mucle inflammation under my rib.

It's got to the point where I can't work, my relationships are suffering incredibly because I can hardly do anything. I Can't drink without having incredibly bad hang overs which last for days or throwing up after the first couple of pints, some days I will wake up and sit on the floor because it's too painful to lie down or stand up. My relationship with my partner is suffering, as it is most of the time too painful to be intimate. This is ruining my life, and all the doctors are telling me 'come back if it gets worse, but there's nothing wrong with you'.

But as I said, 3 ultra sounds, 2 x-rays, 15 blood tests (Including one for hepatitus).

And nothing except one liver function spike, the once. My blood sugars are normal, there's nothing abnormal in my urine.

What i've told every doctor i've seen;

I've had severe right abdominal pain. Just below my rib. So severe I can not walk etc. I've had constipation for 4 months a long with the pain, which every now and then seems to just disappear. It seems to become more severe every other week, and on 3 occasions so painful I have collapsed and either thought I was having a heart attack or my appendix had burst due to the pain.

Please, any help is incredibly appreciated, I just want my life back!

Thank you, Alex.

2

Despite the ultrasounds saying otherwise (no surprises there, it's common) it still does sound awfully Gallbladder / Biliary related neutral

3

Obviously you need pain relief, ideally Tramadol and Paracetamol but Antispasmodics can help as well, Dicycloverine and or Hyoscine,, and dietary changes smile

4

That's what i've been thinking throughout this, but the hospital refused to do anymore testing due to 'harmful radiation from more tests' which sounds incredibly stupid to me. Is there anyway to get my doctor to push for more testing in this? As the referal will take months, and at this point i'm not sure i'm going to be able to deal with waiting this long, and every doctor i've seen is still adamant it's nothing to do with my galbladder.

thank you for the fast reply, it's reassuring to know i'm not the only one to think it is actually related to this!

5

Also, i've changed my diet completely. Paracetomal has absolutely no effect on the pain, tramadol makes me incredibly ill for some reason (They gave it to me in hospital and after a day I was almost gagging constantly from feeling like I was going to vomit) Codien and morphine make the constipation so unbareable I couldn't pass anything for about a week, and yet I could still feel the pain. The only thing that's had any effect is Naproxen - Although after a day or two of taken it i've had the worst acid reflux i've ever expierenced. (Which i'm now on omeprozole 20mg twice a day for)

also, I forgot to add to my post, when ever the pain became so severe that It made me collapse, My whole chest would come up in a massive rash which would dissipate when the pain subsided.

6

As I say the Antispasmodics can really help too (and you can buy them over the counter),, Buscopan and (a good slug of) Kolanticon Gel smile You're a ticking time bomb of pain mate cheesygrin redface Dunno about this rash, very strange confused

7

Sorry I'm not laughing (I've been trough it all myself) redface

8

Ha it's okay, sometimes the only thing you can do is laugh, which is probably the most painful thing for me anyway haha. but thank you, it's just nice to know i'm not the only one (not in a mean way haha)

9

sounds like my story. Ive had mri's, scopes, ultrasounds, hida scans, u name it. All negative. yet everyday im in pain. I get sharp stabbing pains in different areas of my upper stomach that sometimes settle in one spot. Doc says IBS. Im not convinced. I am a stressed out person but its the worry that makes me that way! maybe it is just ibs and we have to live with it.

10

Alex-You sound just like my 22-year-old son, Will. I am sitting in his hospital room after his surgery this morning. After a million tests, procedures, etc, the doc finally saw what he thought was the source of Will's pain: Anintussusception right where Will could point to, and when pressure was applied, the pain became worse. Unfortunately when he went in through hi belly button to go in and presumably cut 12" out of his small intestine and sew it back together, he could not see anything wrong. He found a small Meckel's diverticulum, so cut that off, and then took a probe and inserted it there at the Meckel's diverticulum site and headed downward. He went as far as he could and saw nothing abnormal. Then he summoned a gastroenterologist and that doc retrieved a scope and went down his throat all the way to the Meckel's diverticulum site and he saw nothing abnormal too. Both docs took a good look at the gallbladder and other organs. When the doc came out to greet me after surgery he was very disappointed because he did not find the source of his pain. Will is in terrible pain now in recovery, and will be in the hospital for two more days. Do you have any updates? My son had to quit college (medical leave) and work because of the sharp pains. For a time he could not raise his right arm up very high..did you have this too? The pain is at the rib-cage-edge, right side, about two inches down from the center. Where exactly was yours? One thing noticeable that brings on the pain is fatty foods. But Will's liver, bile, gallbladder are all functioning properly. Please keep this post going if you have ANY new news. I'll update more after I speak further with the doctor tomorrow.

11

Clarification: That's an Intussusception.

12

Had severe abdominal pain and discomfort 2011/12....had tests eventually, failed colonoscopy. started pariet medication (after others no help) some help. As am gluten free was advised to go lactose free which improved condition (dr not agree to lactose free) Did not have reflux somehow going ok. As for constipation now have plenty pears which keep me regular. No reason found for pains. Must say gastrologist wanted me on anti depressant to help wasnt pleased when refused same. Did lactose free which he didnt agree with and soya milk. He hasnt sent re appointment for over year. Just hope never get symptoms again as very severe. Maybe something to do with bowels but have no idea, it was a very painfull condition day and night. Sorry no help. Pears help better than other laxatives.

13

Hi guys, I'm having the same issues...although pain can travel all over my torso. Had loads of tests, meds, different gp, specialist...you name it. I've had this for about 10years now, it's been getting progressively worse to longer I deal with it. My current specialist has today told me "there's nothing else he can do" and " your life is going to be difficult". What do I say to that?!? I'm only 24. If you find anything new out id love to no.

I hope things get better for you guys.

Thanks

Miss bobbie

14

Bobbie, has any docs suggested anti-depressants? My son had a followup meeting with his doc yesterday (his surgery was two weeks ago) and the doc said that going to a gastro doc would probably be a waste of time, and he suggested a pain management doc and anti-depressants. My son has suffered from clinical depression in the past and HATES antidepressants because, he says, "they make me feel like a zombie." As a singer/songwriter, he likes to feel his emotions. He is scheduling a meeting with the pain management doc we met in the hospital and we'll see where we go from here. He's only 22 and I can't imagine him "living" with this pain the rest of his life!

15

Hi, yes I've tried a few different types over the years. They make me into a zombie too. My next step is a phycologist...

Thanks

16

I no this is probably something you don't want to hear but I found cannabis very helpful with taking the pain away. I used so many different tablets over the last 10 years and cannabis is the only thing that works other than morphine.

Thanks

17

Interesting that you write that. My son's pain sprouted up when he STOPPED smoking weed. He was afraid that he was becoming "addicted" to pot, so quit. Perhaps it's time to re-start. I'lll let you know how things progress. As always, thank you for your posts.

18

Yeah this was one if the reasons I put it off trying it for so long, but I've done a lot of research and watched a lot of documentaries, and spoken to all my doctors, it's great for me because my only other options is morphine which is a lot worse for me to do things n go to the toilet. I found it helped my appetite massively which was a issue when I was taking the morphine. I still take morphine once a week for the bigger amounts of pain I get. And I have found it easy to quit smoking it when doctors wanted to try new medication so I wouldn't stress too much about getting addicted, although this is just me, it may be different for other people. But yeah if you are worried about him taking/smoking it i found a lot of documentary on top documentarys . Com

Glad to help

19

Hello to all,

I have been in the hospital for 2 weeks now with all the same symptoms, with the difference that my pain started on my left side. I've been experiencing this pain for several years now but it just got worst and it has not gone away with any pain meds, it just comms it for awhile then its back full force that if i'm asleep it wakes me up, now doctors will send me for another cat scan in the morning to compare with the first one done on the 4th of this month. if that one comes back normal then what? the floor doctor wants to release me with pain meds and antidepressant but with no answers on why the pain. another doctor consulted a surgeon to perform an exploratory surgery. any suggestions on weather i should or should not do the surgery, can anyone help?

any suggestion accepted!

20

Hi norma34254,

In my opinion because no one has offered me exploratory surgery, I would go for it. If you have had all other test first (MRI, blood test, ct, endoscopy). I would love to the doctors to take a look inside but there not willing to do that for me.

Obviously it's your decision, I'm just saying if I were offered it, I would.

Hope that helps

Bobbie