Can't get Diagnosis....

[Nance42]

I'm overweight (225 @ 5'5") but am otherwise a very healthy and active 47-yr-old female.  Last month, while traveling in Atlanta, I woke up in the hotel room with an extreme crushing pain in the center of my chest.  I tried to tolerate it for 4 hours but finally woke my husband to take me to ER.  Emory University admitted me thinking I was having a heart attack though, they admitted, I had NO risk factors or family history for it.  They did xrays, blood work, tests for enzymes, urine work, EKG's, ultrasound, nuclear scans (?), and a stress test. Everything proved that I had a very healthy heart.  They also checked to see if I'd possibly developed blood clots in my legs while traveling there (though it was only a 2-hour trip) and that was negative, also.  They concluded that I had had an esophageal spasm due to acid reflux disease (which I've never been diagnosed with).  

Three weeks later, at home late on a Wednesday night, I suddenly developed a pain in my right side under my rib cage.  It became more and more prominent to the point that I couldn't get my breath and this made me panicky.  After about an hour of this, I could not bear it anymore and we went to our local ER.  The physician was pretty sure it was gallbladder and, when we told him about the Atlanta ER visit, he felt sure the two situations were related.  However, they did blood, urine, xrays, cat scans and, three days later, a hydascan.  My gallbladder was functioning normally.  The pain subsided after a couple of days.  My GP called after he received the results of the hydascan and told me he thought I had IBS and prescribed something to put under my tongue to relieve spasms.

Last night, the pain started again.  I took a pain pill (from the ER) hoping to sleep through the night.  My right side hurt so badly that my husband had to help me even turn over in bed.  This a.m., I called for an appt hoping that, if my doc could see me while I was having this pain, it would give him a better idea of what we are dealing with.  He examined me, took more urine, an xray and sent me for a Cat scan today (this time of the chest) but he said he doesn't think this is going to turn out to be anything internal.  He thinks it is muscular in the the chest wall. He no longer suspects IBS. I asked him about pancreas and liver...He said those proved normal with the hospital cat scan.  I have no constipation or diarrhea or nausea or vomiting or fever.  No other symptoms other than the pain. BUT, I've had muscular pains before-pulled muscles, sprains, etc. I've never experienced pain like this.  

I have a colonoscopy set up.

When it is full blown, I cannot take a deep breath at all without almost passing out from the pain. It scares my kids to death because it is so painful for me. I am not the "hypochondriac" type!  I am a healthy woman!  I am stumped by this and anxious to find out what is going on.  I just had my 47th birthday and feel like my warranty must have expired!  Do you have suggest

[Phil41]

My symptoms are identical to Nance42. Seriously - - IDENTICAL. I am a 41 year old man. I am 5'11" and 200 lbs. I probably could stand to lose 15 - 20 lbs. This has adversely affected my everyday life. My doctor and one GI specialist insisted this was acid reflux. I already had an upper endoscopy which came back with "minor irritation of the esophagus". I had an ecco stress test to rule out heart - - and it came back normal.I finally insisted on having my gallbladder checked after my sister went through the same scenario. I had the ultrasound and hydascan - - my doctor told my the results were "fine". I just had another attack three days ago. I insisted for another doctor to read my hydascan. Long story short - - another GI specialist told me that my gallbladder was functioning at 11%. I asked why my regular doctor would have told me that my hydascan came back "fine". The new GI specialist stated that it "all depends on how you define 'fine'". I just called my sister to see if she remembered what percentage her gallbladder was functioning - - she recalled 12%. I'm having my gallbladder taken out!!! Make sure you ask your doctor for the functioning percentage - - I was told that 30% - 40% is average. Obviously, I am definitely well below average. Interesting note - - I recently switched medical plans from an HMO to a PPO. When I was on the HMO is when I got the run around - - now that I'm on a PPO I all of a sudden have a doctor that says I should have the surgery. Like I said - - interesting.
A note to SheriNY - - this all started after I was taking Zantrex over a 10 day period. Zantrex is a fad-diet pill. An interesting parallel to your Herbal Life diet - - to say the least. However, I have also been on Jenny Craig and I have read that dieting and gallbladder issues have been linked.
Noticing the dates of your comments - - I hope everyone is doing better. In a morbid way, I was happy to read that I was not alone and it helped solidify my confidence in finally having the surgery.

[SheriNY]

Nancy42,  I am going through the similar discription of pain right NOW!  I have a hyda-scan on Tuesday and see the surgeon again on Wednesday.  I had a cold that started 2 weeks ago with a persistant cough that lasted 2 weeks.  This pain started 4 days ago very dull and now I can't move, breath, cough, sneeze, yawn, lay down or any movement just a slight jar can send me through the roof.  They ruled out muscular or rib fracture.  The ultrasound showed no gallstones.  Just one question?  Are you taking ANY over the counter medications?  I am on herbalife program and just started 2 weeks ago....just wondering if there was any similarities.....thanks, a killer right upper quadrant pain in NY ohhhh and I can point right to the area that hurts!  Sheri

[marnette]

MY HUSBAND HAD A JETSKI ACCIDENT 2 YEARS AGO AND TORE HIS PANCREAS AND WAS IN ICU, HE DID RECOVER BUT LAST YEAR 31 DEC 2004 HE LANDED IN ICU AGAIN WITH PANCREATITIS AND HIS CHOLESTROL WAS 40 BECAUSE OFF HIS PANCREAS AND SUGER VERY HIGH,WITH HIGH CHOLESTROL AND HIGH BLOOD PRESURE HE NEARLY GOT A HAERT ATTACK AND ON THE END THEY PUT A STENT IN.HE RECOVER WELL AND IS ON A DIET BUT IS ON EAS PRODUCT -CLA 80+, TO LOSE WIGHT. HE IS COMPLAINING PAIN AGAIN IN HIS PANCREAS BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE CLA 80+ BECAUSE IT DOES CONTAINS FAT. HE IS URENAITING MORE NOW THAN BEFORE

[charchar]

Hi, its been a long time since I posted. My daughter went through similiar problems .She had these attacks and was diagnosed with pancreatitis and then she would have attacks after attacks it all started in June 2004 and then in Feb. 2005 she had her pancreas completely removed. she had a pancreatectomy and an auto islet cell transplant .And she is doing wonderful .It was a long 8 months and she was hospitalized about 20 times between that time.But she is completely healed and starting back to school in the fall.It is hard for some drs. to understand chronic pain and we went through about 3 of them until we found one that knew what she was going through and he then sent her to another that sent her to the one who performed the surgery. She underwent a 14 hour surgery and was back at home recuperating in 3 weeks. She is otherwise a healthy 20 year old . They first thought it was her gallbladder so they took that out then they thought it was her appendix so they took that out.Then they thought it was her endometriosis so they went in and cleaned that up. And then they put stent after stent into the pancreas and that didn't work very long. And then they did a celiac nerve block and that didn't work.So finally we moved on to another dr. and the ball started rolling from there.And now she is pain free! Any ways your attacks that you are having sounds like the same attacks she had. Hopefully not pancreatitis is a HORRIBLE disease and nobody deserves to go through that.Have they checked your amylase and lipase levels? Pancreatitis is a hard disease to diagnose.

[ozark]

it sounds like esophageal spasm,,,my husband had it went to the er and they gave him nitro which helped (thinking it was a heart attack)  work up was neg and they  gave him morphine instead and both had helped the pain   it eventually went away after 3 days       good luck

[yoshi]

have you been tested for hector pylori bacteria from contaminated water and food?
you can easily get a breath test in doctor's office/

[care4]

your trouble reminds me of some of mine - went looking for help to my problem - I'm also overweight: (187 @ 5'2") but am otherwise a very healthy and active 47-yr-old female. My main symptom is long episodes of burping. It gives me a headache and agrivates my troublesome sinuses. I've had doctors do upper GI & lower - no cancer - would almost be relieved to find that as answer - I've changed my diet - tried numerous stomach meds - not much relief - have recurring pain in left side low rib area - my thought was hernia or stomach - doctor said it was irritated cartillage - took Ibuprophen - its better, but slight nagging pain - bloating of abdomen - I don't wear tight waisted clothes - I wonder if I have a parasite? We used to go camping & drink creek water ... I'm just so agravated & tired of this .... could allergies cause it? I've noticed for 3 years now, that each March this starts ....

[Kevin Pho, MD]

You have had a pretty comprehensive GI evaluation.  If there was something wrong with the liver, gallbladder or pancreas, it would have shown up with the studies you have already had.  

I would ensure that the heart isn't involved - an exercise stress test would do nicely to rule out this cause.

To complete the GI workup, you can consider an upper endoscopy or a 24-hr pH study with esophageal motility studies.  This can evaluate for the various causes of dyspepsia, as well as ruling in or our GERD.  The motility studies can rule out motility disorders.

If this continues to be non-revealing, you can continue to look at other organ systems - including the lungs as well as muscle causes.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b