Upper abdominal pain radiating to mid/lower back

[starwitness]

For over 2 years now I've had intermittent episodes of severe stomach pain which radiates to the mid/lower area of my back. The pain lasts between 2 to 4 days. It is a bearable pain for the first few hours and then intensifies. I can always tell when I'm going to have an episode because, oddly, the pain "feels" like it originates in my back. A few hours later the abdomianl pain begins. Initially the episodes occurred about 3 to 4 weeks apart over a period of a few months and then became less frequent over the past year. Despite the decrease in frequency, the episodes have been much more intense and completely unbearable without pain medicine. I went to the ER about a year ago during a bad episode. The x-ray was inconclusive so they gave me a GI cocktail, instructed me to follow up with my regular doctor, and sent me home. I had 2 or 3 minor episodes after that but then in January I had the worst episode yet and it landed me a 3 day stay in the hospital during which time I was administered Toradol every 6 hours. Morphine didn't work (and made me nauseous). I had both IV and oral contract CT scans, xrays, and an ultrasound during my stay. The first CT scan led the doctor to believe it was pancreatitis... until the labwork results said my pancreatic enzyme level was normal. After 3 days of hell I was sent home with no answers. The best guess the gastroenterologist could come up with was possible IBS, which I think he pulled out of his hat based solely on my statement that during these episodes I often feel bloated. He scheduled me for an endoscopy, which also resulted in no conclusive diagnosis. I recently saw a new general physician and after she looked over my hospital records and saw the medications I take (one being Lisinopril w/ hydrochlorothyazide (HCTZ) for high blood pressure and fluid) she seems to think it could be my pancreas because constant use of HTCZ has been shown to lead to pancreatisis in some patients. She said my former doctor should have been conducting regular screenings of my pancreatic enzyme levels (which she had never done, by the way). So I'm just wondering if any one else has similar episodes/symptoms and what your diagnosis have been. Has anyone received a definitive diagnosis and been treated properly so that the epsiodes have disappeared or decreased in intensity? I just find it odd that 2 sources have pointed towards my pancreas, yet my enzyme levels were normal. I do have acid reflux, but take Protonix twice daily which treats it perfectly so the doctor's have ruled that out along with any other stomach-specific conditions. Even though I haven't had an episode in almost 2 months I constantly think about what it's like so the worry and dread is affecting my life in a major way.

[emmakate1]

I know exactly how you feel.  My incident was very similar where I was hospitalized for three days with back/lower abdominal pain.  Touradol was what helped me as well, along with Dilaudid. I had a Kscan, ultrasound, and vaginal ultrasound.  Results inconclusive but surgeons thought might be ruptured ovarian cyst since could see evidence of burst cyst on Kscan.  My episodes were similar to yours where they ncreased in intensity.  The other item that showed was elevated liver enzymes.  I wish you the best and possibly might be ovarian cyst?  Vaginal ultrasound gives the best look of the ovaries to see if cysts/fluid in pelvic area.  Hope this helps