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Mysterious Abdominal Pain
Hello everyone. My name is Shannon and I'm new to this forum. I've been searching the internet trying to find out what's wrong with me, and I stumbled across this site. I'm hoping there's someone out there who has some answers for me because my doctors don't know what's wrong. I'm not sure if this is the right place to post my question or not. If it's not, please forgive me.
In July of this year, I started having pressure in my chest. I went to the urgent care and they didn't find anything. The urgent care sent me to a cardiologist who did a stress test, nuclear imaging test, and an echocardiogram. All of those came back fine. A few weeks later, I had what felt like fireworks going off inside my chest. The pain started on the right side and branched out across my chest. Knowing that my stress test was normal, I tried to wait it out. The next day, I couldn't take it anymore and went to the ER. My EKG was normal again, but they admitted me so more testing could be done. While I was in the hospital, I had an MRCP, nuclear imaging studies, another echocardiogram, and a heart catheterization. The nuclear imaging test showed that I had sludge in my gallbladder. The other tests came back fine. I was sent home and told I was fine. By this time, the intermittent pain was gone.
The next week, the pain and pressure came back with a vengeance. I went to the doctor and they had my gallbladder out the next day. Since I've had my gallbladder out, I've been in constant pain. I also get spikes of pain that send me back to the ER. It's been about a month since my gallbladder was removed and no one has any idea what's wrong. I've had multiple CT scans, MRCPs, an ERCP, an ultrasound, and every kind of blood test imaginable. I'll be having a colonoscopy tomorrow as well. The GI doctor told me that he seriously doubts he's going to find anything. It's the only test I haven't had yet, so we have to exhaust all available options.
I have constant pain where my gallbladder was. It's tender to the touch. I never know when the spikes of pain are going to come. The twinges are nearly unbearable. I also will get pressure in my stomach like I've swallowed something and it's stuck. The pressure isn't in my throat, and I don't have heartburn.
Right now, the doctors have me taking percocet (5-325) every four hours and bentyl four times a day. None of the doctors I've seen have any idea what's wrong. If my colonoscopy comes back fine, they said they'd refer me to a pain clinic.
I don't know what to do or who I can turn to. Thank you in advance for any advice or information you give me.
In July of this year, I started having pressure in my chest. I went to the urgent care and they didn't find anything. The urgent care sent me to a cardiologist who did a stress test, nuclear imaging test, and an echocardiogram. All of those came back fine. A few weeks later, I had what felt like fireworks going off inside my chest. The pain started on the right side and branched out across my chest. Knowing that my stress test was normal, I tried to wait it out. The next day, I couldn't take it anymore and went to the ER. My EKG was normal again, but they admitted me so more testing could be done. While I was in the hospital, I had an MRCP, nuclear imaging studies, another echocardiogram, and a heart catheterization. The nuclear imaging test showed that I had sludge in my gallbladder. The other tests came back fine. I was sent home and told I was fine. By this time, the intermittent pain was gone.
The next week, the pain and pressure came back with a vengeance. I went to the doctor and they had my gallbladder out the next day. Since I've had my gallbladder out, I've been in constant pain. I also get spikes of pain that send me back to the ER. It's been about a month since my gallbladder was removed and no one has any idea what's wrong. I've had multiple CT scans, MRCPs, an ERCP, an ultrasound, and every kind of blood test imaginable. I'll be having a colonoscopy tomorrow as well. The GI doctor told me that he seriously doubts he's going to find anything. It's the only test I haven't had yet, so we have to exhaust all available options.
I have constant pain where my gallbladder was. It's tender to the touch. I never know when the spikes of pain are going to come. The twinges are nearly unbearable. I also will get pressure in my stomach like I've swallowed something and it's stuck. The pressure isn't in my throat, and I don't have heartburn.
Right now, the doctors have me taking percocet (5-325) every four hours and bentyl four times a day. None of the doctors I've seen have any idea what's wrong. If my colonoscopy comes back fine, they said they'd refer me to a pain clinic.
I don't know what to do or who I can turn to. Thank you in advance for any advice or information you give me.
There's no way of being positive without specific testing, but you may be experiencing SOD, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Here's a place for some good information on the subject: http://www.hopkins-gi.org/GDL_Disease.aspx?CurrentUDV=31&GDL_Disease_ID=7AB086B0-AB01-446E-B011-2E67CAFEF96D&GDL_DC_ID=320F4EDD-0021-4952-83D7-8B0C67B47BFF
The only way to diagnose this condition is via ERCP with manometry. Without the manometry step = no diagnosis.
The only way to diagnose this condition is via ERCP with manometry. Without the manometry step = no diagnosis.
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