Unsolved Pancreas / Gallbladder - Normal tests

Digestive health
1

From the US here. I am 29 and come from great genetics with no medical problems on either side.  In Feb 2014 I had a severe (what I thought was food poisoning) attack with severe abdominal pain with nausea and didn't go to the hospital.  I recovered after a week or two with terrible bowel problems with a feeling like it was something worse.

I had another attack with nausea and vomiting in April 2014.  Recovered again after a week or two, but I was left with constant upper left chest (behind the rib cage) and back pain, dark urine, terrible acid reflux, gas, bloating, and fatty stools.  No jaundice and no weight loss.

Fast forward to this year, I have had 3 more attacks, and any fatty foods put me into another attack and I still have constant upper left chest and back pain.  Indigestion, gas, and urine have gone back to normal.  I have read nearly every thread of this forum and I cannot find answers.

I have had an MRI, 3 Ultrasounds, Endoscopy, HIDA scan, ALL blood tests, urine tests, and tried countless medications for GERD and acid reflux.  All test come back completely normal.  The MRI was described as "perfect".  The ultrasounds show no gallstones and no thickening of the gallbaldder wall but showed some "sludge".  The HIDA scan showed 45% effectiveness of the gallbladder which is well over their limit.  I tested positive for Murphy's Sign on the Gallbladder much to the doc's confusion. Endoscopy showed no ulcers or hernias.

The constant pain never goes away and feels like a dull, pressure pain behind my left ribs and well into my back.  I also have muscle pains in the back that span from the neck down to the lower back and a feeling like I should "crack" my spine and neck, but cannot.

When I restrict my diet to no fat and no dairy, I feel okay but the pain never goes away.  Very small weight loss on the diet but nothing abnormal.  Pain killers can't touch it.  Alcohol doesn't seem to affect the pain at all.

This is infuriating and my GI doc is at a loss for what it could be.  I am seeing a chiropractor now and haven't had a positive result yet.

What other tests should I do?

Should I try taking any additional medication that could help?

Should I see another doc?

Has anybody had success with a chiropractor removing all symptoms?

Any help is extremely appreciated since I am at the end of the road for diagnostic options.  Scared to death since I have two beautiful daughters under 3 years old.  HELP!

 

2

Hello,

I am from the UK, 31 years old 3 young children. Youngest is 9 months.

I have similar symptoms to you. I have right sided pain and left sided pain. When I have an attack it hurts to take a deep breathe on my right side. I feel sick and have diarrohea. The pain on my left side is worsened by eating but generally it has no pattern. Left side is almost constant and right side flares up with a large meal or fatty foods. I have loose stools. No visible oil but I have a sheen on the top of the water. My stopls have some undigested food in them (usually vegtables) and they smell a little bit chemically.

I saw the surgeon to have my gall bladder removed and he said he wouldn't take it out as he believed my problems to be caused by chronic pancreatitis.

I've had the following: 2xMRI/MRCP, 2x ultrasound, lots of bloods including: full blood count, amylase, lipase, liver functions, bone profile, vitamin D, iron, clotting, hepatitis, HIV, thyroid. Stool sample for feacal Elastase.

All my results are NORMAL!! Even my gall bladder!! And pancreas!!

I see the gastro at the end of April. I still need to have a Hida scan, endo and colonoscopy.

Have u had any stool samples taken? Have you heard of an EUS? (endoscopic ultrasound).

I too have seen a chiropractor and it did relieve my upper left sided back pain however I do still suffer with back ache but it across my ribs at the back and feels a different type of pain? If that makes sense!

I also find no pain killers take the pain away. I have been taking paracetamol and naproxen when having a flare up. It doesn't help at all. As I'm still feeding my baby I'm limited to what I can try.

I do honestly feel your frustration and desperate need for answers. It's driving me crazy no knowing and I have 3 kids under 4 to look after I find it hard work sad

I hope you manage to get some resolve soon. Please update this thread with more info once you have it.

In relation to seeing another Dr. I am currently moving to another Dr as my dr didn't take my symptoms seriously and refused to refer me to anyone and continuously diagnosed me with a pulled muscle and gastris.

I eventually got to see a surgeon and its gone from there sad

All the best Gem

3

I am in the same boat mine has been going on for a year now. it started bizarrely had throat pain but not where you tonsils are mainly in the larynx area.

also having nerve- Electric shock type little pains in between my shoulder blade's and mid back which would come and go.

after six months of this I then suffered really horrendous at abdominal pain. which lasted a month non-stop it was worse at night when I was laying down and it was a really strong dull ache that would radiate right through to my back. one day it gradually started to fade out and I've not had it since like that maybe the odd twinge here in there.

but I do have a constant pain around my shoulder blades and when I take a deep breath it feels like my shoulders are being ripped out. i've had nausea and I was sick once and it had traces of blood in it, only tiny amounts though. I was told this could've been a burst blood vessel but I don't think it was because I'm 35 and I've never had blood in my sick before and normally I am a real recher when I'm sick.

i've had your chest pain here and there as well now my pain is right-sided under my ribs that sometimes makes my right shoulder ache as well. and when I wake up in the morning is my left side feels like it's all cramped up bruised internally it's horrendous but the more I move throughout the day it gradually wears off. I still have a slight pain but has been continuous for year now. i've also had flashes of a pain at times as well.

i've been going to the GPs for the first six months when this started for them to treat me for depression telling me it was all in my head I was imagining the pain making the pain worse. eventually I collapsed with the pain I was taken to hospital where I had a CT scan and that was normal. i've also had an MRI scan ultrasound. Fecal test, A blood test for autoimmune pancreatitis. A blood test for tumour markers. all came back normal. (I had to pay for all of these things as the GPs were not interested)

The specialist I am seeing now did go over my scans again and said my pancreas does look on the plump side but has told me because all my blood tests are negative for pancreatitis it can also be plump if there is a lot of healthy tissue. I just don't buy that when I've got this many symptoms and in this much pain.

I also have two children and it does terrify me.

i've lost friends and family over this as everybody thinks I'm going crazy and should see a psychiatrist. but I know there is something wrong your body does not give of symptoms for no reason

4

Hi to everyone with this problem;

Don't let the specialists put you off...keep going with the research until they give you answers, ....and change your diet completely! Western ways of eating cause a lot of problems and serious illnesses.

Your 'self help' work must be to build up your immune system so that your body can help to put itself right, and there is plenty of help on the web.

Juicing vegetables, every day, a pound of carrots and pieces of tumeric and ginger, a stick of celery and a green apple. Look for the people on you tube to find out how. There is also a fellow called Chris Walk who will show you how to juice veg and make salads and eat to beat these problems. It is so important...let us all know how you get on.

Blessings,

Lesley

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I know this was well over a yr ago but have they figured out what is wrong... I have pain and diahrrea and they can't figure out what is wrong sad

When I don't have diarrhea my stool floats..

They think it's my pancrease but the blood work and stool was neg. I didn't provide enough stool for them though.

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I hope that this finds you feeling better and you've made positive progress in getting answers ... hugs

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Have you had any success in getting any answers to your symptoms ? I pray that you have...

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I realize this is from 3 years ago but I am desperate and I just joined this page just so i could reply to you. How have you been feeling?  I feel like I could have written your post as I have a very similar situation. I al 31.  I've had a 10 year history of unexplained abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea. I thought I had food poisoning. I keep having vomiting/severe pain/diarrhea attacks and they will go away after rolling around for a half hour in agony. After about my 3rd attack I had a blood test with slightly elevated amylase and lipase. Dr said mild pancreatitis eat a low fat diet for a week. I did. Then had another attack and another. And another. Then blood tests are all normal. Ultrasound normal. Ct normal.  Fecal labs. Normal.  They don't know what's wrong. I'm breastfeeding so I refuse to do the hida scan. 

I'm curious if you ever got an answer or a diagnosis? 

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Hey its probably late for this reply...but u should see a general surgeon . They can probably do an ERCP do determine if there are any abnormalities in the bilary tree or pancreatic duct.