Upper asbdominal pain with mid back pain

10 years ago I had to go the the emergency room for SEVER upper abdominal pain and the doctors found that I was dehydrated. (I had been outdoors in heat all day) Since then I've had "attacks" that pretty much incapcitate me until they're over, These attacks feel like the pain I had that sent me to the emergency room with dehydration. The longest this pain has lasted has been about 45 minutes and the shortest time has been about 10 minutes.
In the beginning I went to several doctors, specialists and had many tests run only to be told nothing could be found to cause the attacks. Finally I just gave up on trying to find a case and treratmnet and decided to just live with the intermittent pain. It's very frustrating to go time after time and spen so much money and the end result always being that no one could help me.
SO now, 10 years later the episodes are more frequent and I have FINALLY noticed a pattern to the pain. I cannot eat sugar on an empty stomach because that causes the worst attack. During the attack, if I lean over, the pain gets a little bearable. If I can belch it helps but most of the time my husband has to "burp" me like a baby during theses episodes. (sexy huh?) The pain is in my upper abdomen in between my ribcage and goes straight through to my back. Sometimes the back pain during these attacks are worse than the actual stomach pain.
Does anyone have any advice, words of wisdon or info that you can share?

Thanks

[crambone]

reading yuor thread sounds exactly like me and i too have been dealing with it for 10 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i have not realy noticed a pattern with anything as far as food though.
u have had my gallbladder,liver,pancreas all checked,,,a ok
have had ct scans for ulcers,hernias,,,everything is good,,all tests are clear.
its bot cancer not enlargements,,NOTHING
sometimes i feel like i have to burp bad,but cannot.
its got to be something gastro,,,,or muscular skeletal,,and we and the docs cannot figure it out!!,,,either way after 10 years were still kicking so it must not be too serious,though it hurts like hell.

[gramma_c]

Hi Amy......I can relate to the pain you describe, I had my gall bladder removed Jan 8th, 2009, since then I am having these attacks that are like the mini gall stone attacks.....the pain starts in the Epigastric region and goes straight through to my back and up to the left shoulder, the pain also seems to be severe in my ribs on both sides.  The episode lasts close to a minute (which is severe) and then another minute with the spasm relaxing....there is no pattern that I have noticed other then after eating or drinking .  When the attack starts I have to get up and stand as straight as possible with my shoulders back as far as possible until the spasm starts relaxing.  I have been under a dr's care since November of 2008.  I have had 2 ERCP and most recently a EGD....all came back normal.  My Doctor has no idea what is causing these attacks......I hope someone out there might have found an answer for us.  Good luck!

[crambone]

ya,standing up usualy help me too,like if im sitting there worse,if i stand a stretch up,it often helps.
i swear its got to be muscular/skeletal,though it does feel internal too.
i often notice that area is tender to the touch after an "attack"
i got scared it was my gallbladder or pancreas,i quit drinking alcohol all togather(i only drink some beers here and there)
and that kinda helped me too,,,maby its got something to do with gerd,,,i realy dont know,but after 10 years in still alive right!!,,wish i could figure it out though.

[Genevieve98]

I think you need to have an ultrasound done on your gallbladder and then a Hydascan. Sometimes, a hydascan will pick up stuff (like how you gallbladder is functioning) that an ultrasound won't.

I have some of the same symptoms and am going in for an ultrasound tomorrow. If not, the surgeon has ordered a hydascan.

For some reason, I know alot of people that have had gallbladder problems who didn't get diagnosed for months, or years. I don't know why that is, but sometimes you have to find the right doctor who will take the time to investigate. Some doctors see so many patients and are so overbooked, they don't want to take the time to try and figure out stuff if the "easy" tests come back negative.