Severe Back Pain (right flank) and abdmoinal distention (right side)

[Worried and Confused]

Okay, this sounds odd but really has me worried and stumped:

40 yr old, normal healthy male w/no med problems ever.  I experienced sudden, severe back pain in my right flank.  Whe to emergency room and was sent home with diagnosis of pulled muscle. Next day it was still so sever had to go back to emergency again and was diagnosed with Kidney stone, even tho they couldn't find any with Xray.  Next day still SEVERE but accompanied by high fever and nausea, went back to emergency. They did a CT with Rectal contrast, XRAY, etc and only found what seemed to be pneumonia in righ lung.  After strong anitbiotic drip IV, sent home at 5AM Mon mrn. 2PM Mon, had to go back and was finally admitted after Xrays showed pneumonia in both lungs.  Oxygen saturation was at 37%.  Stomach also become very distended. After 3 days of morphine every 4 hours, 50-100 % oxygen, and strong antibiotics, they cleaned out my system as prep for a colonoscopy, but never performed the procedure.  Temp came down, lungs cleared up, distention reduced, but left me with a elongated swelling (bulge)in the area of my gall bladder.  A hyda-scan revealed nothing, nor has an MRI, UltraSound, or IVP.  I still have the "bulge" and it is soft palpable.  It doesn't cause "pain" but with the wrong movement, it is still sore internally in that area.  It can be seem and is horizontal and is approx5" long and 2-3 inches high running from under my right lower rib to the middle of my side.

I am very concerned the doctors are missing something and I don't know what tests to ask for.  ANY HELP, PLEASE!

[Addie]

I am also on a PPO.  On my plan we can just about go anywhere with no approval.

With a teaching hospital/university, Start my calling the administrator's office and ask for their help in seeing a VERY good doctor there.  Be sure and tell them how sick you are feeling and how concerend you are and that you need to see someone ASAP.

If they are lax in their response...ask to be transferred or get the number to the Academic office for GI (Gastroenterologists)

If this is not a gastro problem (after they have seen you) they need to refer you to the right dept. and ask then to make this call for you, for your appointment.  

Tell them prior to your visit, your insurance PPO so they can check this out OR you can call your PPO plan and ask about a certain hospital/facility/university that you are considering going to.  Be sure and bring all x-rays and reports.  Or, they may order these from your previous doctors after you give them a consent to do so.  This consent ususally can be in the form of a fax with a signature.

Good Luck.

[Worried and Confused]

How is it that you would go about getting in to see someone in one of the Research and/or teaching hospitals.   I am on a PPO and not sure how coverage would apply

[Addie]

If you are near a large teaching hospital...see if you can make an appointment or at least get to another doctor...

Good Luck.

[Abbey]

How in the world did they miss pneumonia in both lungs?

I'm sorry about your problems. It sounds like they did all the tests but don't give up and take their word if it doesn't feel right. Find a doctor that will listen. sometimes they are hard to find.

Good luck to you.

Abbey