Years of musculoskeletal blame covering up duodenal ulcers / h.pylori? Can anyone relate?

Digestive health
1

For 8 years I've suffered from chronic back, neck and shoulder problems, all on my right hand side and thought to be as a result of degenerated thoracic discs. At the same time, I've had a very intense, sharp, burning pain in my front, on my right hand side, under my rib cage, near to my sternum but spanning out the side of my ribs towards my back... Leading me into the magical world of pain management and nerve blocks, neuropathic drugs and NSAIDs. I have now been signed off work sick for 2 years, have a rubbish quality of life, spend most of my days going to the gym, pool, hot yoga, pilates, alexander technique, osteopath, physiotherapist, counsellors, nutritionists, gp surgery, blood clinics etc... You get the picture. Guess what - my pain has just been getting worse and worse and worse! Just the other day, I went to the GP and complained specifically of front rib pain deep inside like a burning stiletto heel scraping against my insides. As she was a new GP and didnt know my entire history, she was quick to suggest it was gastro related and that it could be helicobacter pylori; and / or a duodenal ulcer. I've had my stool sample sent off but told it takes 2-3 weeks to come back. I am in real agony now, I cant eat, sleep, sit, stand, lie down, walk without pain. I've been prescribed Omezaprole (taking 40mg a day although was only prescribed 20mg) while I wait for results. Has anyone had anything similar? Any recommendations for making things immediately better? Im thinking of going to A&E but I know thats just going to cause me more pain and discomfort than ever because of all the sitting around and waiting. I think I am going to combust with this pain and frustration, it has always just been assumed its been a muscular or costocondral problem as I do have so many problems with my back muscles but I've been made to feel like the Emperor who cried wolf for years (yes I know thats 2 different tales but go with me on this one smile ) 

ANY advice, support, help would be very much appreciated.

Thank you,

Susan - London - 35

2

hi susan

hope you have got sorted out with you not been able to do what you have discribed i hope you are ok now.

3

hello susan....i myself had the h pylori bacteria.   In february of this year i had a perforated duedenol ulcer to which i had to have emergency surgery.   The pain was very intense.  I did not know i even had an ulcer until it perforated.  About 6 months leading up to this i didnt feel quite right and i put it down to anxiety.  I also woke up most mornings with very sore shoulders and sometimes couldnt even move them for a while after waking.  I noticed your post was 28 days ago so my advice would be pointless now but i would have suggested you go to a & e. Please let us know how you are doing.

 

4

Hi Susan,

All your symtoms are associated with chronic peptic ulcer disease. Understanding this is very important to avoid hopelessness and to concentrate on tackling the disease.

Consult a gastroenterologist for better management.

5

Yes yes yes!!! This exactly has been happenning to me,I've had right abdominal pain that goes around to my back so I had an ultrasound to check for kidney stones..which I didn't have! So doc concluded it was muscle pain combined with slow digestion ,until I continued to have the pain and went from sleeping all day and night to not even being able to sleep at night,I'm awaken every hour and a half..I feel warmth on that right side and it even warm to the touch! My appt with GI isn't until mar.24th. And I'm scared if I have had a slow bleed its been going on for months and I'm afraid to wait much longer to see the GI!

6

If anyone has advice for me on whether I should wait til my appt with GI on March 28 or should I go into er..like I said what worries me is if it is a slow bleeding ulcer its going on for months!!! Its just like susans pain..they confused it with muscular problems cause ultrasound didn't show any stones..and I do also have a slow digestion due to pain meds..I too took way to much ibuprofen throughout the years due to sinus problems.a and migraines...do I wait or go to er???

7

Hi Rachel,

Sorry to hear you are in so much pain and discomfort, I understand how frustrating and worrying it can be.

As an update since I wrote that post last year, I have some good news to share with you that may hopefully be of use to you as well. I tested negative for H Pylori but still had an awful lot of pain. Turns out my liver was massively inflamed (although this didnt show up on an ultrasound, it was confirmed by manual palpitation of my liver by an osteopath who also specialises in visceral (organ) pain. I've since had various blood tests done for liver functioning and the results have confirmed inflammation, malfunction and basic poor liver health. Upon further consultations with my osteopaths and qualified nutritionists (all at the same osteo clinic, I was lucky) the general agreement is that I am suffering from chronic systemic inflammation, with poor gut health, digestion issues and gut immunity problems. I have since decided to tackle my diet for once and for all and now follow a highly recommended programme (US Based) which basically eliminates all foods that cause inflammatory responses and focuses on eating only food that contribute to good health. I am also supporting my diet with supplements to aid digestion, improve gut function and immunity and take the load off my liver. The results so far (its only been 6 weeks) have been fantastic! My liver has improved no end, the heat coming off it, similar to your description has gone away completely, the stabbing stilletto-like pain I continually felt has gone, my muscles and joints no longer feel as if they are made of concrete, my skin has cleared up, my weight is going down (slowly but in a very healthy satisfying way) and I have lots more energy. I am no longer taking any prescribed medication and have taken up weight-resistance training and given up pain-inducing exercise like pilates, yoga etc - while they are fantastic forms of exercise for the fit and able-bodied, for me, with all the pain I had and problems in forwards compression ie bending, and doing full-bodied movements, I just had to give it up once I realised it was really not helping me - but in the future, I do hope to return to pilates and yoga as I enjoy the relaxing and medidative benefits they bring. 

So, with all that mind, my advice to you would be to start looking into the diet, try and find a specialist nutrititionist who is very well versed in adrenal &  thryoid health and knows their stuff when it comes to analysing and interpreting your digestive system, bowels, and blood work. 

Obviously I am not a medical professional and in no way am I qualified to say what you should and shouldnt be doing, but if you want to give something else a go for the next couple of months, I would recommend this. Speak to your docs, do a bit of research on professionals where you live, and monitor your pain, mood, movements, energy etc. I think you will be very surprised. 

Best of luck and keep me posted,

Susan xx

Emis Moderator comment: I have removed product/protocol names as we do not allow repeated posting of these in the forums. If users wish to exchange these details please use the Private Message service.

http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages