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Gastroenterology  (Expert Forum)
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back, stomach and chest pain, please help
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MedHelp Member's Question

back, stomach and chest pain, please help

by sutcliffe, Aug 27, 2002 12:00AM
I am a 29 year old Male. My symptoms started about 5 weeks back.

It started with upper back pain on both sides and on my left arm and left side of my chest. When It became severe, I went to the emergency fearing it had something to do with my heart.

The doctor did a physical checkup and said my heart and lungs were normal and that it was probably a muscle strain. he gave me some anti inflamatory drug (motrin). however the symptoms did not go away and I went to my family doctor after a week. By this time I had constipation. I was also belching to releive gas in my stomach. The doctor gave me some laxatives (bicolax) and AXID.

I had all the symptoms for another week so I went to the doctor again. This time he gave me protonix.after a few days, I stopped having the chest pain and the symptoms subsided somewhat although I would still have it from time to time. Then I stated having severe neck pain and head aches and a prickly feeling all over my body. after a week of this, I went to the doctor again. by this time the neck pain had gone away, but I was still having the chest and back pain, though not as bad as before. The doctor said the neck pain was not assosiated with this and asked me to continue with the protonix. I have belly aches and stomach pain now. It is not very severe but very uncomfortable. I also have slight fever(99 degrees) once in a while. I also have a bitter

taste in my mouth once in a while.

can someone tell me what is afflicting me. The family doctor has asked me to come after 2 weeks. he is not reffering me to a gastoenrologist.
Member Comments (4)

by gregd64, Aug 28, 2002 12:00AM
To: sutcliffe
Sorry to hear about your not feeling well, Protonix will cause

belly aches and stomach pain , I had better luck with prilosec but everybody is different. I still got the belly aches and stomach pain from the prilosec but it went away gradually. I was taking 40mg 2X aday but that bothered me so I reduced it to 1 pill aday for better results for me. If you have some form of gerd/acid or acid reflux it can cause you to have chest pains because of your esophogus getting irritated. I also thought I had something more serious wrong with me until I was checked out.

I had chest xrays/ekg/blood/24hr holter  etc.. stress can also cause all of this to be worse or be the source of everything and i also was a non believer at first but have since changed my mind. I took ativan for a few months and straightened out my life and now feel much better. Good luck

by boomersmom2, Aug 31, 2002 12:00AM
Hi Sutcliffe, first of all let me say that I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling so crummy. Secondly, I'm a nurse, not that that makes me a "know it all", but perhaps I may have a little more insight.  Thirdly, my husband, my father and my girlfriend's 21 y.o. daughter were all recently hospitalized for similar symptoms. If you have been checked out for cardiac problems and that's negative, then you need to insist on a referral to a gastroenterologist.  If your dr. won't refer you to one, refer yourself.  If you have the type of insurance were you need a referral from your primary care physician, then contact the insurance company directly and explain the problem.  Your symptoms sound like they could be related to either your gallbladder (low grade temp. 99, back-stomach-chest pain) or an ulcer.  But usually with an ulcer you don't have a temp.  The medication you were given will not help at all if it's a gallbladder problem.  The low grade temp. indicates that you have some type of infection going on in your body and that needs to be addressed immediately.  The emergency room at our local hospital sent my father home on a friday night with your symptoms, including a low grade temp. and told him he was constipated (they gave him an enema).  Over the weekend his temp. rose to 102-103.  I called his family dr. on the weekend and he didn't return my calls.  I called the ER back and they said they were really too busy to see him, "call back later".  On Monday morning, when my mom and I got him to his dr.'s office he had him directly admitted to the hospital.  By that time he had pneummonia and a "ruptured gangrenous" gallbladder.  A complete misdiagnosis by the Emergency Room doctor.  My girlfriend is also a nurse and she had an HMO insurance and it took her forever after much demanding to get a consult for a gastroenterologist to see her daughter.  She too had gallbladder disease (same symptoms as yours).  They kept saying she didn't need to see a G.I. specialist because she was too young and her problems were all stress related.  My husband fortunately has traditional Blue Cross and doesn't need a referral.  He also has a history of a bleeding ulcer.  So, his G.I. doctor was called immediately and I was there to ask all the questions.  One additional note of advice (as if I haven't given you enough already!), make sure you have someone with you to act as your advocate.  You need someone there to "demand" answers, ask questions and to speak on your behalf.  If you don't feel that you're getting the right treatment, then send your advocate straight to the public relations department of the hospital and have them complain.  You deserve the best medical care science has to offer, nothing less.  So don't accept anything less.  If you want you can email me at: ***@****

by KathyS, Aug 31, 2002 12:00AM
To: boomersmom2
Hi, I just found this site tonight.  Your comments sounded very helpful and I was wondering if I might ask you a question since you are a nurse and sound very knowledgable.  I began having "spasm" type chest pains in June which got progressively worse.  In July I had a full cardiac workup (stress test) and was told my heart is fine.  Chest pains persisted and I wound up in the ER on two occasions.  The second time they did a sonogram and found gallstones.  I had emergency gallbladder surgery on 7/19.  The chest pain was present again the very next day and has continued to worsen.  I now have pains every day, almost all day. Sometimes I also have pain (almost a numbing sensation) in the upper part of my right arm, and around my right shoulderblad, but I don't always have that. The pain doesn't seem to react to what I eat, when I eat, or if I eat, as well as whether I exert myself or not.  I have had so many tests and still nothing.  Last week I had an upper endoscopy and was told I do not have acid reflux.  I have an appointment with my gastroenterologist next week to discuss having an ERCP.  He doesn't want to do it because of the risks, and because he says I don't have the typical symptoms of a gallstone in the bile duct or of sphinter of Oddi dysfunction.  Evidently I would be vomiting and having severe abdominal pain.  My question is, do you think that chest pain alone(and the right arm/shoulderblade intermittent pain) without stomach cramps/pain or vomiting, could possibly be gastro issues?  Any input you have would be very appreciated.  Thanks.