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pain in left-upper abdomen: pancreas or gallbladder (or something else) ?
I have a long history of "stomach" problems for last 7 years - now I am 33. Most of the problems went away when bacteria was discovered and treated with antibiotics.
However for last 10 months I am feeling pain/pressure in my left upper abdomen. Initially it was an occasional feeling of pressure that came and go (there could be whole week of feeling ok). In last 3-4 months the pressure changed into pain and the pain is almost all the time there.
I will list my symptoms:
- pain/pressure in left upper abdomen. There is hardly an hour when I do not feel it. Sometimes it lasts for minutes, sometimes for hours. On 1 to 10 scale I would say it is around 2-3.
- the pain may go to my back (left side mainly) or to be close to my left shoulder
- in last 2 months the pain is more intense - I wake up during the night several times
- my stool is loose and a little bit yellow. I am mostly on vegeteranian diet, but when I eat meat the stool floats. I rather tend to have constipation, but anyway the stool is loose.
- I am not sure if my pain is related to eating - maybe a little bit, but I am feeling it so often that maybe I do not notice the regularity
- from total of about 10 hours pain per day I may have one or two minutes pain on my right side (under ribs or under right shoulder)
- sometimes in the evening I feel itching
- about 2 years ago I had very strong attack of pain (I would say 8 in 1-10 scale) on left side of my abdomen, that went to the middle. However in ER the doctor did not diagnose it as pancreatitis - he said gastritis. I never had that strong pain again.
Tests that were performed in last 6 months:
-gastrocopy: normal
-colonoscopy: normal
-ultrasound: sludge-like deposits in gallbladder
-gallbladder contraction test: contracts in 32%
-CT scan: normal
-MRI scan: normal
-endoscopic ultrasound: normal, however the doctor said that my pancreas consistency is more solid than usually in my age
-some blood tests showed bilirubin 1.9, but another one showed 0.4
-any other blood test was normal
My first gastroenterologist (did only gastroscopy and X-ray) said it was irritable bowel syndrome caused by my spine that is not perfectly straight.
My second doctor was telling me that it was gallbladder problem and sent me to a surgeon.
Surgeron said that my symptoms can not be explained by gallbladder and sent me for additional test.
Now I wait for appointment with the 4th doctor.
I was taking stool softeners and citrucel, but it did not help. I also was takin hyocamine (against spasms), but it neither helped. Taking advil (9 per day) helps, but without it I can hardly focus on my job.
I have following questions:
- should I remove gallbladder or not ?
- can a gallbladder cause stool to be loose, clay-like in color and make it float ?
- are there any other tests that should be done ?
- what do you suspect to be the most probable cause of problems ?
Sincerely,
Jerzy B.
However for last 10 months I am feeling pain/pressure in my left upper abdomen. Initially it was an occasional feeling of pressure that came and go (there could be whole week of feeling ok). In last 3-4 months the pressure changed into pain and the pain is almost all the time there.
I will list my symptoms:
- pain/pressure in left upper abdomen. There is hardly an hour when I do not feel it. Sometimes it lasts for minutes, sometimes for hours. On 1 to 10 scale I would say it is around 2-3.
- the pain may go to my back (left side mainly) or to be close to my left shoulder
- in last 2 months the pain is more intense - I wake up during the night several times
- my stool is loose and a little bit yellow. I am mostly on vegeteranian diet, but when I eat meat the stool floats. I rather tend to have constipation, but anyway the stool is loose.
- I am not sure if my pain is related to eating - maybe a little bit, but I am feeling it so often that maybe I do not notice the regularity
- from total of about 10 hours pain per day I may have one or two minutes pain on my right side (under ribs or under right shoulder)
- sometimes in the evening I feel itching
- about 2 years ago I had very strong attack of pain (I would say 8 in 1-10 scale) on left side of my abdomen, that went to the middle. However in ER the doctor did not diagnose it as pancreatitis - he said gastritis. I never had that strong pain again.
Tests that were performed in last 6 months:
-gastrocopy: normal
-colonoscopy: normal
-ultrasound: sludge-like deposits in gallbladder
-gallbladder contraction test: contracts in 32%
-CT scan: normal
-MRI scan: normal
-endoscopic ultrasound: normal, however the doctor said that my pancreas consistency is more solid than usually in my age
-some blood tests showed bilirubin 1.9, but another one showed 0.4
-any other blood test was normal
My first gastroenterologist (did only gastroscopy and X-ray) said it was irritable bowel syndrome caused by my spine that is not perfectly straight.
My second doctor was telling me that it was gallbladder problem and sent me to a surgeon.
Surgeron said that my symptoms can not be explained by gallbladder and sent me for additional test.
Now I wait for appointment with the 4th doctor.
I was taking stool softeners and citrucel, but it did not help. I also was takin hyocamine (against spasms), but it neither helped. Taking advil (9 per day) helps, but without it I can hardly focus on my job.
I have following questions:
- should I remove gallbladder or not ?
- can a gallbladder cause stool to be loose, clay-like in color and make it float ?
- are there any other tests that should be done ?
- what do you suspect to be the most probable cause of problems ?
Sincerely,
Jerzy B.
I have had this same pain for about 20+ years, off and on. I have been reading on the use of antacids, for the most part these do not help in my situation. I have been looking at he possible idea of NOT enough stomach acid as a real possibility. I have just finished a course of antibiotics for Broncitis. Ever since taking the antibiotics I have had another bought with this pain. I am quite aware of the need to replenish the bacterial flora after there use. One thing that has helped more than anything is the use of digestive enzymes and acidophilis.
If I take fairly high doses of acidophilis every morning before putting anything in me stomache for about 5-7 days and then use 2-3 caps of digestive enzymes every time I eat I find that the pain subsided. I have just recently been using this and it is about the only thing that has helped.
As to the use of any acid blocker, it is my understanding that a doctor should NEVER perscribe this type of medication unless there is clear evidence to indicate it,ei:Ulcers etc. It is necessary to the digestive process. Possible lack of stomache acid, causing putrification of undigested food can be the culprit?
It was suggested years ago that it is a pancreatic problem but all tests rule this out.
Maybe this info will be of use to someone.
If I take fairly high doses of acidophilis every morning before putting anything in me stomache for about 5-7 days and then use 2-3 caps of digestive enzymes every time I eat I find that the pain subsided. I have just recently been using this and it is about the only thing that has helped.
As to the use of any acid blocker, it is my understanding that a doctor should NEVER perscribe this type of medication unless there is clear evidence to indicate it,ei:Ulcers etc. It is necessary to the digestive process. Possible lack of stomache acid, causing putrification of undigested food can be the culprit?
It was suggested years ago that it is a pancreatic problem but all tests rule this out.
Maybe this info will be of use to someone.
This is the first site I have found where people are complaining about up back pain.I have had all the same symptoms for a few years. I too, have been through many tests and have been told it is stress related or maybe lactos related. The pain is mainly in the mid to left side of my stomach and goes to the left side of my back. The pain in my back is almost constant. I find that a heating pad helps me sleep. I feel like there is a lump in my throat, but it doesn't stop me from eating. I have no energy by the end of the day and some times it feels like my right kidney hurts. I was taken to the hospital last April with terrible pain in my lower back and right side. After many tests they desided I was passing a kidney stone. I did have blood in my urine and ended up with a nasty bladder infection the next day. Which cleared up with anti-biotics. The kidney stone (if there was one) has never been found.
Carol -
you really need to be the squaky will with the medical system and press for further testing for your daughter. Is she losinbg weight because she isn't eating, or is she eating normally but losing weight? You are entitled to a second opinion of you have na HMO - I just recently found this out.
I would think the pepcid would be to treat reflux (from which I also suffer bouts of), but the reflux pain is usually dead center between my ribs where the end and it is usually a sharp stabbling pain. I have asked my doctor if the pain in my left side could be related to my reflux and she doesn't think there's a relation. Fortunately my docotor is willing to p[ursue all the test routes until she comes up with an answer. You need to be assertive on your daughter's behalf and insist that your Dr. pursue further tests if the Pepcid treatment doesn't produce any positive results.
Good luck - let us know how it goes -
Carol D.
you really need to be the squaky will with the medical system and press for further testing for your daughter. Is she losinbg weight because she isn't eating, or is she eating normally but losing weight? You are entitled to a second opinion of you have na HMO - I just recently found this out.
I would think the pepcid would be to treat reflux (from which I also suffer bouts of), but the reflux pain is usually dead center between my ribs where the end and it is usually a sharp stabbling pain. I have asked my doctor if the pain in my left side could be related to my reflux and she doesn't think there's a relation. Fortunately my docotor is willing to p[ursue all the test routes until she comes up with an answer. You need to be assertive on your daughter's behalf and insist that your Dr. pursue further tests if the Pepcid treatment doesn't produce any positive results.
Good luck - let us know how it goes -
Carol D.
I am experiencing similar symptons except they are more in the middle top part of my stomach and on both the left and right sides and it goes around to my back. I have already had my gallbladder out. Point me in the right dorection as to what you think the diagnosis might be
Dear Jerzy, I can only suggest the same to you as I did to Kimberly.WHOLE HUSK PSYLLIUM.Make sure its fresh and keep it in the fridge after you open it.If your gassy or have diariah or constipation It will make you regular again.People go there whole lives with gallstones and never have problems.There are so many things that cause many of these symptoms.I think anyone who's having gastric type problems should probably try to stay away from problem foods such as hard alcohol,spicy foods,garlic,lemons,limes(there go my gin & tonics)anything with citric acid,caffien (ya right)high fat meals ,chocolate etc.& especially eating too fast or too much at at a time.I tend to have gallbladder like attacks if I overeat due to a spatic asophagus. Its better to eat many small meals instead of 2or 3 large ones for poeple like us.I always make sure to keep snacks with me like bananas,protien bars or shakes.I was serprised to find that anything with peppermint,like Altoids,really killed me.Hope this helps!.
Dear Jerzey,
I have the exact same symptoms that you describe. I posted many months back under upper left quadrant pain if you want to hear my whole story. The only difference is that in the last month or so my pain has moved to mostly the right side. My second GI MD has given me a 'presumptive' diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. He can't officially diagnose me as it is so hard to diagnose in the early stages and every test has so far been negative. It is very frustrating. He did start me on pancreatic enzymes-8 with every meal and before bed. The pain has improved with them but is still there. Some days it is so bad I do take pain meds but in general I try to stay away from them.
Take care and don't give up!!
Elizabeth
I have the exact same symptoms that you describe. I posted many months back under upper left quadrant pain if you want to hear my whole story. The only difference is that in the last month or so my pain has moved to mostly the right side. My second GI MD has given me a 'presumptive' diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. He can't officially diagnose me as it is so hard to diagnose in the early stages and every test has so far been negative. It is very frustrating. He did start me on pancreatic enzymes-8 with every meal and before bed. The pain has improved with them but is still there. Some days it is so bad I do take pain meds but in general I try to stay away from them.
Take care and don't give up!!
Elizabeth
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