Pain Upper Left Quadrant - have had every test - DOC stumped as usual ..

[Rob]

Same old story gang---recently had ABDOMINAL
SCAN, endoscope down the throat, didn't have colonoscopy this time...ahhhhh  lets see anything else.... DOC is stumped---constant pain in upper left side,,,,, everything looks ok I keep hearing.....pain is always there and sometimes gets REALLLLLLLLLLL  uncomfy...
On the prilosec which I guess is OK for heartburn etc;;; not really a problem with that anymore.... but not this mysterious pain..... ahhh about 5 years of frustration now----with no end in sight-----kinda like  gurgling, pulled muscle, twitching feeling inside that drives me crazy....I'd like to reach in & grab it out if I could....
something is being missed.... some pancreas inflammation type thing ?? spleen ???  scan says all is fine and blood readings OK...
hmmmmm  DOCTORS   you are missing something...
arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  !!
frustrated Rob ....take care all.....
someday  maybe someday I just wanna double over real bad & not get up & say SEE DOCTORS  I told you there was something wrong---ya just couldn't find it....!!!!!!!

take care

[traci]

Hello. This is nothing new, but I wonder if this is specifically how any of you feel.

I went to the emergency room because I was having chest pain, pulpitations, and prickly sensations. They did a chest x-ray and blood work. I was fine. All they found was a high level of white blood cells in my urine. They thought I pulled a muscle in my chest. The doctors gave me anti-inflammatory and pain pills for my chest, and antibiotics for a urinary tract infection.

A week later I went in to see my doctor. I don't think I pulled a muscle in my chest, because there is no localized pain in my chest. I do have constant pain in my left side, behind my lowest rib (in the front and back of my body). Sometimes the pain is just a dull ach other times I feel almost nausous, but have never thrown-up. My ribs seemed really swollen. They appeared to be jutting out. The lowest floating rib on my left side is poking out (it has never been like this). It feels like someone has blown a balloon up under my rib cage. It feels like pressure to put a bra on. I don't have a hard time breathing normally, but if I am singing (OR LET OUT BREATH -- NOT TAKING IT IN) I HAVE terrible pressure in my chest. I have no problem with my bowel movements, but I feel like there is a lot of gas in my chest and stomach, but there is no release of it. This feeling is always constant (DO ANY OF YOU FEEL LIKE THIS???)! I feel bubbles in my chest. I am always tired. It is uncomfortable to lie on my ribs -- either on my back or stomach, or on my left side. I can only sleep on my right side.

ANYWAY, I told my doctor about my emergency room visit and about everything I told you. He didn't even examine me! I had to force him to look a my ribs. He told me they looked normal. But they weren't! Since my doctors visit my ribs have gone back to their normal position and aren't poking out (except the lowest floating rib on the left). My doctor gave me xanax for anxiety.

I've taken the medication and all it really does it my me feel extreemely tired! But I still have the pain in my side.

Today the pain in my side is dull and not profound, but I have I have pangs of pain in my chest. What should I do? Should I see my doctor again? Is this what you are experiencing?

Help.

(Sorry about my terrible spelling!)

Traci

[ELENA SMITH]

I'm so frustrated like many of you.
The pain is so intense at times. I am currently on disability and my job is not to happy with that but I can't go a day with out pain my doctors so far seem baffled. I've had several blood tests, stool tests, upper gi, and I've also had a laporoscopy because my gyno was so sure that I had endometiosis but found so sign of it. I am constipated, have bloating pain, gas, acid reflux, sharp stabbing pain in my stomach, excrutiating periods which they are trying to releive by putting me on the pill(it's not working) i get extremely dizzy at times, naseous, and I am extremely tired all the time. I was waiting to have and endoscopy for 1 month and now it's being rescheduled because me gastro has family problem so now my appt is postponed I am so tired of waiting, some days I get so deppressed and frustrated, I was thinking of seeing a therapist to help with the stress, but I'm so tired of these doctors. Any medication that is given to me is horrible. My body is extremely sensitive to most medications. I always end up taking it once and never again because of all the side effects. It just seems to add to the problems not help. I never considered shingles. I do find it hard to beleive but most of you seem to have the same problems as I do. it's just so damn frustrating. Any suggestions would really help. I am litterally in constant pain and it is annoying how the doctors seem to constantly shrug you off and try to convince you that it is all in your head.    help!!!!!!

[Debbie G.]

Dear Carol,
    My pain was very deep within my abdomen.  The way I would describe it is something was in there trying to literally push it's way out.  That's why I thought it had to be Gastrointestinal in nature and because of my nausea and inability to eat at times.  It was not surface pain.  And, I had no rash at all.  The way my family doctor finally figured it out is that the pain never crossed the midline in the front or back.  It was totally on my left side from my spine around to my sternum, with pain in my left arm as well.  Shingles is always unilateral in nature or one-sided. I don't think there is a blood test to determine shingles.  I have read that they can detect it in the cerebrospinal fluid but don't know for sure if that's true. The best way to determine if it was shingles is to try the Elavil.  When I say I feel pressure, it's not painful or even distracting.  It's just that I know my left side feels different than my right side.  And I don't feel that all the time; sometimes it feels as if I'm totally cured.  The pain that results from shingles is due to the inflamed nerve that it runs along. Again, shingles, itself, goes away in a few weeks, but the remaining inflamed nerve can last for years!  I know shingles is supposed to be an elderly person's disease, but I have now had it twice in 6 years and I am only 42.  Each time I got it, it was a result of severe stress (once in nursing school and this time when my husband lost his job). Hope this helps.  After experiencing the four worst months of my life due to this illness that was undiagnosed for just as long, I pray I can help others by suggesting that they check this out with their doctor.

[Frank]

I can't believe that someone out there has the same symptoms as myself.  I have had this problem for about a year.  The first time I was concerned because I was feeling chest pains around the middle of my chest and my back around the shoulder blade area and also some pain in my left arm, this happened about a year ago.  After a heart cath, EKG, ultrasound.....well $12,000 later all  the tests came out good.  The thing that was a relief was that the heart checked out good. About two months ago I started getting the chest muscles and back pains again I told the Doc the heart was checked and that was not the problem,  but what the heck lets do the heart scan and stuff again,  I sort of convinced them that it could be something with the stomach and and ultra sound of the abdominal area was done....again everything turned out fine.....next an endoscopy?  I've been taking privosec and that seemed to help .... but the annoying middle chest and back pain is still there, but also not as bad.  I've been watching what I eat and have been drinking a lot of water.  If someone finds out what your problem is let me know, if my Doc finds something I'll let you know.....take care and good luck....(pray a lot)

[Jeff Chapman]

Yes, I too have had a chronic discomfort, sometimes pain, in my upper left quadrant for around eight years now. Have been through all the tests including MRI of my entire spine. They did notice a "slight buldge" between vertibrae in my upper back which might explain some of the discomfort which includes ocassional numbness in my left arm and hand and stiffness and cracking when I stretch out my back and arm. I've done the bone crunching (chiropractor)approach and physical therapy which has provided some releif. It also feels as if I have a big "thing" growing under my rib cage to the left of my sternum. When I stretch back and push out my chest it also cracks.

I am going for a scope of my upper GI to biopsy a "Polyp" found during a barium x_ray. I don't think it is connected to my pain but who knows.The Polyp is adjacent to my stomach spincter and is 1 cm in size. I am 45 weigh 180 exercise and am a non smoker. I do have gerd and am on Prilosec as of last week. Has anyone ever been told they have a hiertal hernia with a polyp it it? I'm scared but my doc says polyps are common. Does anyone know what the liklyhood is that something like this is cancer?

[Porcelin]

I have the same pain to. Do any of you have stabbing headaches?
have you thought the side pain was your heart? My symptoms are definately stronger during my cycle!!

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