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Gastroenterology (Expert Forum)
Digestive issues combined with back pain
Answered by
Kevin Pho, MD - Internal Medicine
KevinMD.com
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
Digestive issues combined with back pain
by SueandBrad, Nov 05, 2005 12:00AM
On January 24, 1999, HFHSM.D.-ym replied to someone named Frank about his posting titled Gall Bladder Sludge? Frank's symptoms are almost exactly the same as my husband's. Is there any way I can find out what his resolution was or you could give him my email address? Barring that, here are the symptoms:
- In June 2004, my husband began experiencing a bloated feeling after eating, clay colored stools, rib area pains, and acid reflux. He was, prior to this, a very healthy 42 year old with no medical conditions and a regular exerciser.
Shortly thereafter, he began having a recurrent sore throat.
After an endoscopy, colonoscopy and bloodwork revealed nothing, he was assumed to have IBS and began taking protonix, which has partially relieved the stomach problems and he no longer gets the sore throat. He still gets pains in his rib area.
He shortly thereafter began having pains in his back and shoulder blades.
He has had a bone scan,ultrasound, CATscan and numerous blood tests which have found nothing except some slightly elevated liver enzymes and gall bladder sludge.
In September of this year, he went into atrial fibrillation. After about 20 hours of a cardizem drip, he went back into a normal rhythm and remained there (on 120 mg cardizem daily) until today when he again developed afib. He received 200 mg tambicor (or fleccinol?) and regained normal rhythm 4 hours after receiving it. His heart tested fine in September on an echocardiogram and stress test.
He also recently begain experiencing tingling and an asleep feeling in his hands and feet.
We have been very frustrated that no one has been able to determine exactly what he has and I am suspicious that it all began in the digestive area 17 months ago; his symptoms have been somewhat abated by the protonix, but whatever is wrong has manifested itself in the back pain (which ebbs and flows in intensity but never goes away completely) and now, possibly in atrial fibrillation.
Can you tell me if Frank ever found out what he had or provide some insight as to what we might explore next? Thank you.
- In June 2004, my husband began experiencing a bloated feeling after eating, clay colored stools, rib area pains, and acid reflux. He was, prior to this, a very healthy 42 year old with no medical conditions and a regular exerciser.
Shortly thereafter, he began having a recurrent sore throat.
After an endoscopy, colonoscopy and bloodwork revealed nothing, he was assumed to have IBS and began taking protonix, which has partially relieved the stomach problems and he no longer gets the sore throat. He still gets pains in his rib area.
He shortly thereafter began having pains in his back and shoulder blades.
He has had a bone scan,ultrasound, CATscan and numerous blood tests which have found nothing except some slightly elevated liver enzymes and gall bladder sludge.
In September of this year, he went into atrial fibrillation. After about 20 hours of a cardizem drip, he went back into a normal rhythm and remained there (on 120 mg cardizem daily) until today when he again developed afib. He received 200 mg tambicor (or fleccinol?) and regained normal rhythm 4 hours after receiving it. His heart tested fine in September on an echocardiogram and stress test.
He also recently begain experiencing tingling and an asleep feeling in his hands and feet.
We have been very frustrated that no one has been able to determine exactly what he has and I am suspicious that it all began in the digestive area 17 months ago; his symptoms have been somewhat abated by the protonix, but whatever is wrong has manifested itself in the back pain (which ebbs and flows in intensity but never goes away completely) and now, possibly in atrial fibrillation.
Can you tell me if Frank ever found out what he had or provide some insight as to what we might explore next? Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Pho, MD, Nov 07, 2005 12:00AM
, Nov 07, 2005 12:00AM
Regarding what happened to the prior patient, you can contact the administration of Med Help at ***@****.
There has been a pretty comprehensive evaluation of the symptoms already, and most of the major diseases would have been evaluated for.
You can consider more atypical diseases like delayed gastric emptying or esophageal motility disorders. Specialized testing like a gastric emptying scan as well as esophageal motility studies can evaluate these options.
If there are elevated liver enzymes, a liver biopsy can be considered depending on how high the elevation is.
Regarding the tingling, you can consider a neurology evaluation as well as a EMG for an initial evaluation.
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.
http://www.straightfromthedoc.com
There has been a pretty comprehensive evaluation of the symptoms already, and most of the major diseases would have been evaluated for.
You can consider more atypical diseases like delayed gastric emptying or esophageal motility disorders. Specialized testing like a gastric emptying scan as well as esophageal motility studies can evaluate these options.
If there are elevated liver enzymes, a liver biopsy can be considered depending on how high the elevation is.
Regarding the tingling, you can consider a neurology evaluation as well as a EMG for an initial evaluation.
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.
http://www.straightfromthedoc.com
Member Comments
by pain42long, Nov 23, 2005 12:00AM
I have had back pain in my lower right side every since I had my ovaries removed, I haven't been able to work for 2 years now and of course now have a pending divorce and my husband works at GM, anyway I never really paid much attention to my side ache as it was nothing compared to my back pain until everytime I ate it didn't stay down then I noticed that on my right side that when I ate I would have pain under my rib cage that radiated down and into my lower back, although my lower back is a chronic pain, of course I have been to numerous dr.s who I didn't realze at that time about the side pain until every time I ate it wouldn't stay down they are wanting to do a stomach scope for stomach problems and my insurance is running out so I need to find the problem and fast, I also have coolness in my legs or they hurt when I walk neuro. says its nothing. Please I need help SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!
