Cause for LLQ pain?

[aimster01]

I have a rather complicated and lengthy history, but I am really hoping someone can help me to find out what the cause is for my LLQ pain.  I recall saying something to the midwife about it when I was pregnant in 2005 but was told it was the muscles stretching from my pregnancy.  This pregnancy was high-risk due to 2 previous losses so took her word for it and sought no other intervention.  Fast forward 9 months after delivery when I went to my GP about this pain which was always in just one spot, never radiating anywhere else.  One one visit, the PA felt "a mass" and 2nd visit the MD felt something as well.  Sent for pelvic ultrasound (negative) and abdominopelvic CT with and without contrast (negative) so was sent to GYN thinking it could have been a return of endometriosis.  He felt nothing there.  I told him it was nothing like what I experienced with it previously, but he said it was just in a different place, so wanting to just be done with it, I accepted this and went ahead with lap (negative!).  He sent me to a GS, who felt nothing there, who checked me even for hernias but found nothing, who did a colonoscopy (again, negative).  Thought related to bowels so was put on Zelnorm, which gave me diarrhea then switched to doxipen, which did nothing.  I was basically told whatever it was, was basically a result of (or exacerbated by) my anxiety and depression.

Other relevant PMH includes (not in order) cervical cone biopsy for cervical dysplasia, 2 pregnancy losses with D&C, lap for endometriosis x2, tubal ligation, uterine ablation, and 3 vaginal deliveries with pregnancies complicated by preterm labor on terbutaline and progesterone but made to full term with earliest delivery at 38 weeks.  Did not have a period from 2/2006 until last few months when I started having monthly spotting with terrible monthly pain which was exactly why I had the ablation procedure to begin with.  

Over a year later now, this pain continues in the exact same spot, never goes anywhere else, worse with bowels sometimes associated with gas.  Basically I still have this same LLQ pain and no one can tell me what it is!  Any info/advice MUCH appreciated.  

[Pretzel0]

Hi, I only just read your posts and wanted to just find out whether you were able to find out what could have been causing your LLQ pain?  I have been dealing with the same kind of pain for a couple of months now.

A bit of my medical history for you...  I experienced this same type of LLQ pain and was at first diagnosed with a 4.6cm complex hemorrhagic cyst in early 2007 and then after about 6 weeks the cyst ruptured.  My doctor thought that the LLQ pain I experienced was from the cyst, but after the cyst ruptured and my doctor referred me for all the tests in the world you can possible think of, they were all negative or showed everything looking normal.  I still continued to have the pain. It wasn't until late August that I was referred to a gynaecologist and he recommended a laparoscopy to check for endometriosis.

In mid October last year I had the laparoscopy and was diagnosed with stage 2 endometriosis and at the time of surgery there was another small ovarian cyst which my gyno said was an endometrioma cyst starting to form.  The intense pain I experienced not only with my periods but throughout my entire cycle was gone basically right after my recovery from the surgery and I really started to feel better.  Before my surgery I also experienced pain with sex, pain with bowel movements, fatigue and severe lower back pain.  Then about 6 weeks later, I started having bowel problems - I had the worst constipation and was diagnosed by my regular doctor as having IBS and was told to up my fibre intake and was given some laxatives to start helping me out.

Things started to improve towards mid January 2008 as far as the bowel movements went, but then in February the LLQ pain started flaring up again and I went back to my doctor and explained to him that it started to feel like it did before my endometriosis diagnoses, although not as bad and severe.  He sent me for an ultrasound and back to my gyno and turned out I had a 4.5cm simple ovarian cyst on my left ovary.  My birth control pill was changed to a little higher dose and I was told by my gyno we would wait and see whether the cyst resolves on it's own. It didn't and ruptured 3 weeks ago!  The pain continued though and after seeing my gyno for a follow up and I asked him whether it could be the endo again, he said that he didn't think it could or would be endometriosis because I only had the surgery 6 months ago and it couldn't have come back that quick.  He said that he thinks it might be my bowels.

I went to see my regular doctor and he has only just given me a referral to a GI specialist that I will be seeing on 5 June.  My regular doctor said that I might have to have an upper endoscopy and colonoscopy, however it would depend on what the GI specialist thinks/says.  I have been having continuous nausea now for over 5 weeks and although some days it comes and goes, other days it's constant and killing me!

Anyways, I just wanted to share my story and wanted to say that I hope you have been able to find a cause to your pain.

If you ever want to chat or drop me a link, just send me a message.

Take care and good luck. :)

[aimster01]

That was the first thing they thought it was--endometriosis, so I went ahead with the lap, but he found nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  He even gave me pictures of very healthy ovaries, etc.  Thank you for replying.

[Ms_Makita]

Has your dr mentioned adhesions? with your history of endometrosis, very well good be adhesion pain (if you had lap they should been able to see them) I also have same problems which turned out to be ovarian cysts/adhesions from 3 previous abdominal surgeries.Went through 2 colonscopy's that were normal t and barium xrays.I also got the depression/anxiety theory or IBS.Check with your dr about adhesions.Good luck to u!

[aimster01]

I forgot to mention that it was a gastroenterologist who put me on the doxepin.  

All the blood work I had from my GP when I was first seen for this came back negative.  CBC, ANA, sed rate, CRP, amylase, I forget what else, but it all came back normal.