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1 Month + 5 Urologists+ 2 OB's = No Answers PLZ help!
My girlfriend is now 10.5 weeks pregnant. At 6 weeks she started getting left flank pain that is in the lower quadrant starting from the back to the front with occasional shooting pains that go into her vagina. This has been a constant pain for nearly a month now. This has been extreme pain for her, 9 or 10 out of a pain scale of 10 (10 being the highest). During peak times (when the nurse takes her time bringing pain meds) the pain brings her to tears and is very unbearable to watch. The only relief she has had is after she gets IV delodid. There is no position that is comfortable for her and the pain seams to increase when she is pushed on, coughs, sneezes, vomits, and right after she urinates. She has been very nauseated since week 5 of the pregnancy and vomits on a daily basis (we believe this is just due to 1st trimester pregnancy). She has a hard time keeping food down which has caused her to lose alot of weight. She has had very irregular bowel movement which we believe is just because of the low amount of food consumption.
She has had numerous ultra sounds which reveal nothing except that the fetus is in the correct position. From an OB standpoint our baby is just fine, her hormone levels are perfect and every other OB tests seam normal.
Heres the kicker... She does have a history of Kidney stones but she only has gotten them once and guess what.... she was pregnant at that time too. She went into the hospital with the same symptoms I outlined above but, like this time, nothing showed up on any tests. Unfortunately her kidney suddenly began to swell up to a point the doctors thought it was going to rupture and they had to do emergency termination the baby to operate on the kidney, It was then when they found a kidney stone the size of a pencil eraser. The stone was analyzed to be a calcium stone (what ever they call it). 2 days later she was discharged and was doing great.
Now here we are 2.5 years later.
Given her past history the DR's decided to put in a stint between the kidney and ureter on the left side in hopes to relieve the pain. They went in by systosscopy (how ever you spell it) and didn't see anything abnormal but still placed the stint. It's been 8 days now and still no change in hew symptoms.
So... Even with past medical records and history we have gone through 5 Urologists, 2 OB's (1 specialty high risk OB), and 100's of residents that all keep telling her they can't see/find anything wrong with her. Then how can we explain the pain she is having?
We are limited to the amount of testing that can be done because of her pregnancy.She is allergic to IVP Dye (she swells up) so we can't do a CT scan. However when they did the systoscopy surgery they did what they call a retograde? and checked her left kidney and they said everything looked normal.
She has no other past medical history other than the very 1st time she had the stone which was 2.5 years ago. Both sides of her family has a history of breast cancer but from the grandmothers (one died at 33 because of it), her mother is in her 50's and has no signs and is very healthy.
We are dying for answers.... Over the past month she has slept in our bed a total of 3 nights. We are very fearful of the baby because she is still in her 1st trimester and has not been able to eat but a very small amount of food and has been on delodid for a month now. We are very desperate for answers or any suggestions that we can bring up to the doctors.
Thanks,
Doug
She has had numerous ultra sounds which reveal nothing except that the fetus is in the correct position. From an OB standpoint our baby is just fine, her hormone levels are perfect and every other OB tests seam normal.
Heres the kicker... She does have a history of Kidney stones but she only has gotten them once and guess what.... she was pregnant at that time too. She went into the hospital with the same symptoms I outlined above but, like this time, nothing showed up on any tests. Unfortunately her kidney suddenly began to swell up to a point the doctors thought it was going to rupture and they had to do emergency termination the baby to operate on the kidney, It was then when they found a kidney stone the size of a pencil eraser. The stone was analyzed to be a calcium stone (what ever they call it). 2 days later she was discharged and was doing great.
Now here we are 2.5 years later.
Given her past history the DR's decided to put in a stint between the kidney and ureter on the left side in hopes to relieve the pain. They went in by systosscopy (how ever you spell it) and didn't see anything abnormal but still placed the stint. It's been 8 days now and still no change in hew symptoms.
So... Even with past medical records and history we have gone through 5 Urologists, 2 OB's (1 specialty high risk OB), and 100's of residents that all keep telling her they can't see/find anything wrong with her. Then how can we explain the pain she is having?
We are limited to the amount of testing that can be done because of her pregnancy.She is allergic to IVP Dye (she swells up) so we can't do a CT scan. However when they did the systoscopy surgery they did what they call a retograde? and checked her left kidney and they said everything looked normal.
She has no other past medical history other than the very 1st time she had the stone which was 2.5 years ago. Both sides of her family has a history of breast cancer but from the grandmothers (one died at 33 because of it), her mother is in her 50's and has no signs and is very healthy.
We are dying for answers.... Over the past month she has slept in our bed a total of 3 nights. We are very fearful of the baby because she is still in her 1st trimester and has not been able to eat but a very small amount of food and has been on delodid for a month now. We are very desperate for answers or any suggestions that we can bring up to the doctors.
Thanks,
Doug
My sister-in-law suggested we go see a chiroprachtor. Her chiropractor in fact, because he specializes in child birth. He has some certification about breached pregnancies and I guess deals with alot of patients that have similiar symptoms.
So... we go see this guy today. He claims he can relieve her pain in 10-12 days. A known condition of my wife is that her right leg is shorter than the left. The chiropractor tells us that due to this it has shaped her hips out of alignment which he believes is causing her left flank pain. He also told her she has about 75% of her spine out of alignment which could also be contributing to her pain.
He gives her an adjustment and tells her to put ice on her lower back for 50 minutes on and then an hour off for the remainder of the night.
We get home and my wife is in extreme pain from the previous dose of dilaudid running out along with the added pain from all the adjusting the chiropractor did. 4 hours go by and she is still in extreme pain and she asks me to take her to the hopital ER.
Now, here we are in the ER awaiting for blood and urine results to come back in which we are 100% positive that when they get them back they will tell us there is nothing they can do and send us back home.
After we left the chiropractor I had called some friends and family, they both told me about underlying issues about having a MD and seeing a chiropractor. I guess MD's don't like it for you to see chiropractors because of the liability or something like that.
What are your thoughts on her hip being out of alignment? and could that really be the cause of all her pain? and what exactly are the risks/complications of seeing a chiropractor while she is pregnant?
So... we go see this guy today. He claims he can relieve her pain in 10-12 days. A known condition of my wife is that her right leg is shorter than the left. The chiropractor tells us that due to this it has shaped her hips out of alignment which he believes is causing her left flank pain. He also told her she has about 75% of her spine out of alignment which could also be contributing to her pain.
He gives her an adjustment and tells her to put ice on her lower back for 50 minutes on and then an hour off for the remainder of the night.
We get home and my wife is in extreme pain from the previous dose of dilaudid running out along with the added pain from all the adjusting the chiropractor did. 4 hours go by and she is still in extreme pain and she asks me to take her to the hopital ER.
Now, here we are in the ER awaiting for blood and urine results to come back in which we are 100% positive that when they get them back they will tell us there is nothing they can do and send us back home.
After we left the chiropractor I had called some friends and family, they both told me about underlying issues about having a MD and seeing a chiropractor. I guess MD's don't like it for you to see chiropractors because of the liability or something like that.
What are your thoughts on her hip being out of alignment? and could that really be the cause of all her pain? and what exactly are the risks/complications of seeing a chiropractor while she is pregnant?
Well... we are at home now. The doctors gave us a rude awakening the other day. Came in at 4:45pm and told us. "The test results from your MRI (of the gall bladder and pancreas) are negative so we have prepared your paperwork". "Paperwork?", we said. "Yes, your discharge papers" said the doctors. Needless to say we were outraged. I was FUMED and very loud. How the hell could they discharge a patient who is crying her eyes out at the 1:45 mark waiting to get her IV push of dilaudid that comes every 2 hours. They sent her home with oral dilaudid and phenergan.
Needless to say I will badmouth that hospital to who ever I speak to for the rest of my life. The doctors there GAVE UP !!! It was my impression in life that doctors are the ones we turn to for answers. Hell thats why they spend all their lives in school and work, to help heal people like my wife. These doctors have given up on my wife, who are we to turn to now for answers?
3 hours after we got home she was in tears as usual. We went to the ER of a different hospital. This makes our 3rd hospital now. They take her in, give her meds to calm her down and do the usual tests. 3 hours later they come in with discharge papers too! "Sorry, we can't find anything wrong, follow up with the urologist that put the stint in".
We have been home now for 2 days. She is taking dilaudid that is supposed to be 1 every 3 hours but she is taking it 1 every 2 hours. She has only left the bedroom to pee. This is not how a pregnant person should be living through their pregnancy.
She has never had a standing up pelvic exam. Who would do that? the Urologist or her OB? She has never complained of this pain except for when she is pregnant. Never had the paid during menstrual periods or after intercourse. She has never had any of the other symptoms you mentioned.
We are desperate for answers.
Needless to say I will badmouth that hospital to who ever I speak to for the rest of my life. The doctors there GAVE UP !!! It was my impression in life that doctors are the ones we turn to for answers. Hell thats why they spend all their lives in school and work, to help heal people like my wife. These doctors have given up on my wife, who are we to turn to now for answers?
3 hours after we got home she was in tears as usual. We went to the ER of a different hospital. This makes our 3rd hospital now. They take her in, give her meds to calm her down and do the usual tests. 3 hours later they come in with discharge papers too! "Sorry, we can't find anything wrong, follow up with the urologist that put the stint in".
We have been home now for 2 days. She is taking dilaudid that is supposed to be 1 every 3 hours but she is taking it 1 every 2 hours. She has only left the bedroom to pee. This is not how a pregnant person should be living through their pregnancy.
She has never had a standing up pelvic exam. Who would do that? the Urologist or her OB? She has never complained of this pain except for when she is pregnant. Never had the paid during menstrual periods or after intercourse. She has never had any of the other symptoms you mentioned.
We are desperate for answers.
I looked up CPPS and it looks like a catch all for when they can't really find a problem. Has she had a standing up pelvic examination?
The causes of chronic pelvic pain are varied, but are often associated with the presence of ovarian and pelvic varicose veins. The diagnosis if often missed because women lie down for a pelvic exam, relieving pressure from the ovarian veins, so that the veins no longer bulge with blood as they do while a woman is standing.
Here is some additional info I found though.
The chronic pain that is associated with this disease is usually dull and aching. The pain is usually felt in the lower abdomen and lower back. The pain often increases during the following times:
Following intercourse
Menstrual periods
When tired or when standing (worse at end of day)
Pregnancy
Other symptoms include:
Irritable bladder
Abnormal menstrual bleeding
Vaginal discharge
Varicose veins on vulva, buttocks or thigh.
The causes of chronic pelvic pain are varied, but are often associated with the presence of ovarian and pelvic varicose veins. The diagnosis if often missed because women lie down for a pelvic exam, relieving pressure from the ovarian veins, so that the veins no longer bulge with blood as they do while a woman is standing.
Here is some additional info I found though.
The chronic pain that is associated with this disease is usually dull and aching. The pain is usually felt in the lower abdomen and lower back. The pain often increases during the following times:
Following intercourse
Menstrual periods
When tired or when standing (worse at end of day)
Pregnancy
Other symptoms include:
Irritable bladder
Abnormal menstrual bleeding
Vaginal discharge
Varicose veins on vulva, buttocks or thigh.
After the weekend stay with her at the hospital I am back home to do some work. We have had an MRI of the gall bladder and the pancreas and are still waiting for the results on those. However we seen a Urology specialist and from the sounds of it he believes it is not related to kidney stones. He believes she is suffering from Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. He briefly told me a little about it and I will research it some more tonight after I get some work done. I bought a lap top and it comes in through UPS today so I'll have it tonight at the hospital.
Basically he believes the nausea and vomiting is triggering the CPPS and that once she passes her first trimester and stops vomiting then it will all go away. Unfortunately the only way to truly diagnose CPPS is with a lot of radiation which is not an option at this time. Currently they have her on a 25mic fetinal patch (getting upgraded to a 50mic today) and 1mg dillaudid every 2 hours. She is in a lot of pain at the 1:45 mark so we are pressing the call light early every time. If the nurse doesn't make it in by the 2:10 mark she's in tears and has a very difficult time handling the pain. Hopefully the 50mic patch will help her in that last 15 minutes. We have an Anestesia team monitoring her pain and see them every day to try to come up with a solution to keep her comfortable.
I'll post more a little later tonight when I get back to the laptop with my new laptop, got to get some work done.
Basically he believes the nausea and vomiting is triggering the CPPS and that once she passes her first trimester and stops vomiting then it will all go away. Unfortunately the only way to truly diagnose CPPS is with a lot of radiation which is not an option at this time. Currently they have her on a 25mic fetinal patch (getting upgraded to a 50mic today) and 1mg dillaudid every 2 hours. She is in a lot of pain at the 1:45 mark so we are pressing the call light early every time. If the nurse doesn't make it in by the 2:10 mark she's in tears and has a very difficult time handling the pain. Hopefully the 50mic patch will help her in that last 15 minutes. We have an Anestesia team monitoring her pain and see them every day to try to come up with a solution to keep her comfortable.
I'll post more a little later tonight when I get back to the laptop with my new laptop, got to get some work done.
Doug,
Wow, this is just awful. I did find two things that may be helpful (seperation fo the symphysis pubis, transient osteoporosis and/or gallbladder):
Separation of the symphysis pubis is also quite common. While it is rare, it does occur in an estimated one out of every 2,000 pregnancies and usually occurs during labor and delivery and not during the gestational or pregnancy period. However, if you suffer from severe pelvic pain, it may be related to the rare separation. The pain will be localized to the symphysis pubis and no evidence of contusion or trauma is evident.
OR
When the clinical symptoms raise suspicion of transient osteoporosis of the hip, an X-Ray will be obtained. The X-Ray will show osteoporosis of the femoral head (the ball of the ball-and-socket hip joint), which means the bone is less dense than normal. If this is seen, a MRI may also be obtained to look for the characteristic evidence of transient osteoporosis within this region. The MRI and X-Ray can also be helpful to distinguish between other conditions which may have similar symptoms such as arthritis of the hip, avascular necrosis of the hip, or a femoral neck stress fracture.
X-ray is not always recommended in pregnancy, but most times they can cover up Mom sufficiently to get an x-ray in just the right place. Harder I am sure for the hip, but may be worth the risk if the x-ray tech is very good.
OR
Personally, this is my "favorite". I had to have my gallbladder out last year. AND believe me, the gallbladder pain would be right up there with the natural delivery of my first child. This one of course requires ultrasound and maybe even an MRI or was it a CAT scan. Can't remember. I do remember there being dye involved. Surely there is some sort of dye that they can use. This is common in women, especially women who have been pregnant or are pregnant. The size of the uterus pushes on all your organs. The gall bladder may get pushed into a position that does not allow it to drain properly causing gall stones. Since your wife is prone to kidney stones, she may be prone to gall stones too. In bad cases, they will go ahead and take the gall bladder out even during pregnancy.
Have they ruled out any of these three options?
Wow, this is just awful. I did find two things that may be helpful (seperation fo the symphysis pubis, transient osteoporosis and/or gallbladder):
Separation of the symphysis pubis is also quite common. While it is rare, it does occur in an estimated one out of every 2,000 pregnancies and usually occurs during labor and delivery and not during the gestational or pregnancy period. However, if you suffer from severe pelvic pain, it may be related to the rare separation. The pain will be localized to the symphysis pubis and no evidence of contusion or trauma is evident.
OR
When the clinical symptoms raise suspicion of transient osteoporosis of the hip, an X-Ray will be obtained. The X-Ray will show osteoporosis of the femoral head (the ball of the ball-and-socket hip joint), which means the bone is less dense than normal. If this is seen, a MRI may also be obtained to look for the characteristic evidence of transient osteoporosis within this region. The MRI and X-Ray can also be helpful to distinguish between other conditions which may have similar symptoms such as arthritis of the hip, avascular necrosis of the hip, or a femoral neck stress fracture.
X-ray is not always recommended in pregnancy, but most times they can cover up Mom sufficiently to get an x-ray in just the right place. Harder I am sure for the hip, but may be worth the risk if the x-ray tech is very good.
OR
Personally, this is my "favorite". I had to have my gallbladder out last year. AND believe me, the gallbladder pain would be right up there with the natural delivery of my first child. This one of course requires ultrasound and maybe even an MRI or was it a CAT scan. Can't remember. I do remember there being dye involved. Surely there is some sort of dye that they can use. This is common in women, especially women who have been pregnant or are pregnant. The size of the uterus pushes on all your organs. The gall bladder may get pushed into a position that does not allow it to drain properly causing gall stones. Since your wife is prone to kidney stones, she may be prone to gall stones too. In bad cases, they will go ahead and take the gall bladder out even during pregnancy.
Have they ruled out any of these three options?
She has been an inpatient at the hospital for just shy of a month now. I wont let them discharge her until this is resolved.
Has anyone mentioned sciatica? I know that can cause shooting pains in the back, buttocks, legs, etc and can occur in pregnancy as pressure on the nerve is increased from the uterus. Just an idea...
I agree with Rachie though, you need to trust your instincts, if she is suffering, go to the hospital and dont leave until they give you an acceptable answer.
I agree with Rachie though, you need to trust your instincts, if she is suffering, go to the hospital and dont leave until they give you an acceptable answer.
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