Upper left quadrant back

[Ditto]

I am so frustrated. 12/2/00 I began having really bad pain in my left side under my rib cage and through my back. After two days, the pain was so bad I could hardly move. That was Sunday. On Monday, the intense pain had subsided but I was still very uncomfortable--even sore to the touch. Ultrasound & Upper GI diagnosed a 3 cm gallstone and a 2 cm lesion or tumor in my pancreas. A CT scan a week later showed the pancreas normal. Had my gallbladder removed by laproscopy on 1/5/01. On 1/8/01, the pain in my left side and back was back--so bad I was vomiting. The doctor "couldn't" see me until the following Wednesday. Once again, the pain wasn't as intense but I was still very uncomfortable and sore to the touch. Since then, I have been back to the surgeon, to my FP, a GI specialist, a chiropractor, and have now been referred (by the chiropractor) to another GI. I am tired of doctors and hospitals--no offense, please--and just want to feel better and energetic again.

Other symptoms:
Irregular bowels, alternating between constipation and diarrhea. I run about a 5 day cycle of constipation and then 1 to 2 days of diarrhea--loose or watery stools that are pale brown to bright yellow in color and sometimes very oily. (Sorry for the horrible description!)

I have had recurring bladder infections in the past 6 years. Most of the time I am able to improve through cranberry juice and lots of water and control it before it gets bad enough to go to the doctor. One week after my gallbladder attack, I had one so bad that I was passing blood clots and the pain was awful--worse than I had ever experienced. My FP put me on sulfur antibiotics.I have noticed in the past month or so, my urine is usually cloudy.Then I developed this raised, hard, sore, and red patch on my cheek and chin, and on my ear. It was like a diagnol line from my ear to my chin. It was very sore. It was diagnosed as impetigo.

Terrible joint pain -- started with ankles and knees about 7 years ago and now affects my hands and sometimes hips and elbows.

Muscles aches -- for the past 6 to 8 months, my muscles ache like a flu virus--I am even sore to the touch especially my neck. I might have several days of feeling better, but more often than not I ache all over--like someone has beaten me with a ball bat.

Low energy & fatigue--sometimes I get so tired. My eyes burn and it is hard to focus or concentrate.  Even the things I love doing and look forward to doing become a chore because of no energy.

I have headaches off and on. The pain is usually located in my right temple. I have dizzy spells--I don't feel faint really, just like my equilibrium is off.

The GI I went to did an endoscopy but said my stomach and pancreas was fine. Sent me home and said it might be Irritable Bowel Syndrome. My FP said it might be IBS or colon cancer. I actually think both doctors attribute it to it "being a state of mind".

I love my job, have a great family, and a life that I am very excited about.  I have been concetrating head on having a positive mental attitude, hoping to self-heal myself. I excercis at least 3 times a week -- 20 minutes of cardiovascular and 15 to 20 minutes of strength training. That seems to temporarily help with my energy level. I just am so tired of feeling like I have the flu all the time. The pain in my back gets very uncomfortable. It even causes sharp spasms up into my shoulder and across my chest at times.  

Other med.history:
Three children and a hysterectomy -- uterus prolapsed and removed in January 1991, ovaries removed July 1991 because of adhesions on my ovaries & large intestine had attached itself to the top of my cervix. All was repaired and symptoms disappeared.

Had a flu virus that mimicked strep throat and mono in Spring of 1994. I had a severe sore throat for about a week and a low-grade fever and aches for almost a whole month.  


After going to the chiropractor, he referred me onto another GI at a local university medical school. The medical team took my history (recent history), examined me, ordered two blood tests--ANA & ASR (what is that), and a stool sample. They notified me a week later that I am scheduled to see another GI on August 1.

I am about ready to give up and just live with this. It is so frustrating to not know what I should do or how long to pursue this problem. I don't even know what questions to ask anymore.
PLEASE ADVISE!!

[S.H.]

I am not sure what the ASR is but the ANA is to check for Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. I have fibromyalgia, and have many of the symptoms that you listed. Chronic fatigue syndrome also has many of the same symptoms. Chronic fatigue is caused by viruses, so since you had trouble with that in 1994 that could be the problem. Some doctors want to act like fibromyalgia is all in your head, but trust me, it is not. There isn't a test to confirm the diagnosis-that's why they test you for some of the other things that have similar symptoms to rule them out first.

[Dani]

I am not sure that all of your symptoms are related. It is possible that you are still having problems with the bile duct. Maybe you have a stone still or you could be having problems with the Sphincter of Oddi muscle, at the end of the bile duct. It can spasm and cause the same symptoms as gallstones. I have talked with several people, including myself, who had the very same intense pain 3-4 days after the gallbladder is taken out. I also had problems with fatigue and muscle and joint pain, related to the liver damage cause by the SOD (sphincter of oddi disorder).

[S.H.]

Here is a web site that describes fibromyalgia symptoms: http://www.fmnetnews.com/pages/basics.html