Recurrence of Mesenteric Panniculitis?

I have a history of Mesenteric Panniculitis (diagnosed in 2004 - last bout with it 2008).  Over the past two weeks or so I have had abdominal pain (left side, slightly higher than navel, but about 2-3 inches to the left of navel).  I've also had intermittent nausea and a couple instances of vomiting (although I've felt like vomiting many more times).  My bowels seem to be fine - no diarrhea or constipation - bladder and kidneys also seem fine - no change in urinary output or burning/urgency.  My stomach does feel somewhat bloated, but I've not really noticed a change in how my clothes are fitting, so not sure if there is "real" bloating, or simply the feeling of being bloated.  I also have a history of GERD, but I have not been having any symptoms of this - no heartburn, excessive burping, etc.  the pain is present almost all the time.

The pain and nausea are definitely worse after eating and/or drinking and it does not matter what I've eaten or drank (fatty foods do not make it any more worse than salads or other "healthy" foods).  I do drink usually two cups of coffee per day, but do not notice that the coffee makes things any worse than any other food/drink.  In fact, I've stopped drinking coffee for a few days and haven't noticed that that made any difference at all in my symptoms)

My medications are:  Norvasc for high blood pressure; Ambien if I need it at night for sleep; Vicodin for severe arthritis; Albuterol Inhaler for Asthma.  None of these medications has changed nor increased/decreased recently.

I do have SLE, high blood pressure, asthma, severe arthritis and fibromyalgia.  My joint/muscle pain has increased from both the fibro and the arthritis, but I have not increased my pain medication (I cannot take anti inflammatories because of the high blood pressure and also they make me very sick to my stomach - even when taken with food - I was on Celebrex for a short time, but had to go off of it because it increased my blood pressure to a dangerous level -- 170/110).  There has not been any change in my asthma recently.

I'm worried that this may be a recurrence of the panniculitis - last time I had a recurrence I was hospitalized for almost two weeks and was on very high doses of painkillers and steroids as well as TPN feedings since I was unable to tolerate any food and very little liquid.  The steroids helped, but they also had horrific side effects and it took quite a while to get me weaned off of them.  I definitely want to avoid having to go back on them if at all possible.  My symptoms this time are not exactly like they have been in the past with the panniculitis (and not as severe), but they are close enough for me to be a little concerned.

any ideas what else this could be or should I head directly to my doctor?

[geminigirl1963]

The above post can be disregarded.  I'm feeling much better from the stomach issues and I believe it actually was a slight case of constipation, although I wasn't really having trouble going to the bathroom.  I think I probably just wasn't "completely" emptying out.  On an off chance that this was the case, I tried some Colace and after a couple of very productive visits to the bathroom I started to feel better.

Goes to show you that you don't actually have to feel or realize that you are constipated in order to be so......  But I'm very relieved that this was the problem and I wasn't in for another long hospital stay hooked up to IV pain medication and steroids.