Massive Upper Abdominal Pain With No Other Symptoms Or Triggers

[DigitalMan]

For over two years now my wife (now 34) has been having

[tarndug]

I have extreme abdominal pain, but can't be sure that it's the same as described above.

I am a 23 year old female. One and a half years ago I ended up in the emergency room after an evening of extreme pain. I had gall stones (hereditary) and had emergency surgery that evening to remove my gall bladder. 4 or 5 days later I had my first attack of the pain. The pain is located directly under the zyphoid process, or point where the ribs meet at the bottom. It feels like a giant knot, or someone squeezing, and it is unbearable. There are times when I feel a mild burning sensation, but not always. I cannot function in any capacity until it is gone. I usually stand up, leaning over a table or desk until the pain has passed. During the first attack I got extremely hot, but that doesn't happen all the time. Sometimes I feel a little nauseous, but not always. Sometimes it is immediately followed by a bowel movement, but not always. I've found no link to diet or menstrual cycle. An attack lasts no more than 5-10 minutes. Attacks occur anytime of day or night (and at night they are so painful they wake me up and I am unable to fall asleep until they pass). The attacks can happen once every 3 months, once every week, and once I even had 2 in a row. Recently a dull version of the pain has become more constant. I have also found that since my gall bladder was removed, feeling hungry has become uncomfortable and slightly painful. There is only one way I've found that I can trigger an attack, drinking alcohol (not just one drink, but going out to a bar kind of drinking). That works most of the time, not all the time.

I have had bloodwork, x-rays of my abdomen, ultrasound, an endoscopy, an IVP, and a CAT-scan. Visiting a doctor or the emergency room is a waste, as the pain is so brief that it has passed before I can be seen. I've been put on Zantac, Prilosec, GI cocktails, etc., but the pain is so random and short in length that it is impossible to tell if anything has helped. The surgeon that removed my gall bladder thinks the next step is exploratory surgery, and I would be more than willing to do that if it would give me an answer. I will do whatever it takes to not have to live with this condition any longer. (Unfortunately I am currently without health insurance, so I have no choice but to deal with the pain for a few more months.)

I will continue to check back to find out if anyone has any definitive answers.

[Genevamom]

wow, your wife is experiencing the same thing that I am.  It is so frustrating.  Please keep us posted as I will too.

[tinaA]

Dear digitalman,  I can sympathise with your wife, I had the same problem, for 2 years i had terrible abdominal pains and every time i ended up at the hospital. The same as your wife stated, the only way i could describe it was like a vice and that someone was making it tighter and tighter. I know I have repeated myself before but do not ignore it, get something done and get a diagnosis. There are plenty of tests that can be done and as someone here has already said it could be a bile duct obstruction and to be really sure she will need an MRI. I am having an MRI on tuesday as I ended up with Pancreatitus 6 weeks ago and shocked my GP and Liver specialist as they said there was nothing wrong (no stones) with me other than Gilberts Syndrome. Had they done the MRI 2 years ago I would not have ended up in hospital for a week with the worse pain I have ever experienced ( I have given birth twice and that compared to this pain was a piece of cake)Good Luck and keep us posted

[jes]

I am 32.  I have been having upper abdominal pain since mid-January.  It seems to range under my ribs to my navel.  I have a reoccuring pain on the right side of the navel.  I also have visible spasms around the navel and sometimes in the right back side under the ribs.  I wake up in the middle of the night with cramps in the same abdonminal area often.  The cramps come and go throughout the day.  I have found absolutely no relation to food and I follow a low fat diet as I am a weight watchers life time member.  I have had an ultrasound to check for gallstones, blood work, stool samples, an upper GI because I am also dealing with acid reflux.  I have been diagnosed as having IBS but I am not "buying it".  I have been taking Zantac 300.  It doesn't help.  I have tried Dicyclomine for the spasms.  It didn't work.  I have also taken librax and it has offered no relief.  I feel as if I am having a baby when the cramping starts.  It can last anywhere from an hour to days.  My stomach gets so sore I feel as if I've been repeatedly punched.   I have nausea on a daily basis.  I have been told that IBS is aggravated by stress and I have never been under less stress than I am now!  The pain is relieved slightly after emptying a full bladder.  Standing seems to be the most comfortable position.  Any ideas?  Thanks

[Lor]

I was told by a couple of Drs that my problem was IBS also. I could never believe that. Yes, I do had IBS, but it is a symptom of my Biliary problems. I did ask the Drs if it was IBS why does it only hurt right at my sturnum area? Why not all over? Couldn't give me an answer. I to had bloating and a bubbling feeling. I had a hard time eating salads. Seems to bring the pain on. Wish you luck in your search.

[aniee1]

Hi, Well I went to my Gastro Doc on Monday and his theory is IBS. I know this is a catch-all term but so far that is all I have to work with. My liver stats were normal,so he does not believe that my inability to digest fats is caused by that organ. When we laymen see a diagram of a gastro tract, we see everything separate...the colon is in plain sight but that is not what it is like in our bodies. My Doc explained that all the organs are bunched together. There are no spaces. So our colon and small intestions actually partly sit under our liver, pancreas, stomach, etc. Even when we sit down our colon can actually move under our ribcage. So if we have a problem with a certain food and bloat with gas we can feel something bubbling inside, like its moving or the feeling like a knot or rolled-up sock...IBS can cause pain anywhere in the colon not just the lower right quadrant.  Stress and foods (sometimes greens like salad)can be the problem or really any other food...it is just takes trial and error to find the culprit.  I am not saying that IBS is my problem or yours, hey but it is worth investigating. I am tired of all the tests and poking only to find out nothing is wrong and that I shouldn't be in pain.  All I know is that since I have started to elimate all fatty foods from my diet, I have not bloated at all.....now if I could relieve all the stress of daily life.......yeah, right!  
My pain is still there under my ribs but not servere. I do not eat anything after 8 o'clock at night and only sip on water if thirsty..That way my digestive tract gets a rest and hopefully there will be no more early morning attacks......I'll keep posting and let you know how I'm doing...........Aniee
e.....yeah, right!