Abdominal Pain

[Growing2Boys]

Hi everyone
I'm a 42yr old woman. Post 2 c-sections. Unsure how long I have had MS. Many brain lesions- no spinal lesions- newly taking Copaxone.
Question
Are other experiencing abdominal pain? I have had constant abdominal pain for 13 months. It is a burning sensation that is about a level of a 6 (on 1-10 scale) when my bowels are almost empty (I often only drink water for a couple of days to get the pain down to that level. It is currently the level of an 8. It's so bad I wish I could just curl up into a ball & die, but I continue on for my 2 young kids. It is from the bottom of my ribs to my pelvis. It also radiates to my back. I can not take a deep breath & have pneumonia 3 times in the last 12 months.
I have had a negative MRI of my abdomen. Negative ultrasound of pelvic organs. Negative exlporatory lap. Colonoscopy only showed tiny diverticuli, but I do not currently have diverticulitis (negative CT this week)
My GI doctor & main doctor have told me they are not going to run any more testing. They told me it is 100% MS related & that I should just try to keep my bowel empty (but the only way I can do that is to starve myself- water only)
I am down to 115 pounds & I am 5'6" tall. I have stopped eating dairy, gluten & sugar without improvement.
Lyrica takes my pain down to about the level of a 3, but I can not drive/function on Lyrica during the day. It makes me feel like passing out.
  
I am at wits end & hoping someone out there has had abdominal pain & learned a way to help it? I am also concerned that my doctors now look at me like I am just insane because I have had negative testing & they don't seem to believe me at this point. I have never had health issues before this year & I have never taken meds. I am certainly not insane & in extreme pain.

Thank you all so much for any input or support

[Lulu54]

Sorry, Becky.  I haven't taken gabapentin and have no personal experience with any of the nerve medicines (fotunately I don't have that pain).

I hope someone else here will be able to fill in some blanks.
Lulu

[Growing2Boys]

Hi Lulu,
Thank you for the reply & the info. They offered gabapentin, but I was afraid it would make me just as drowzy- out of it as the Lyrica. Have you taken the med or know if it is as bad as the Lyrica? I really feel like I have been drinking when I take Lyrica & I am afraid to drive my kids around. However the pain is so bad now I am having a hard time doing anything. I take the Lyrica before bed & it does allow me to get some off/on sleep.

thank you!
Becky

[Lulu54]

You're right, you are not insane and I'm so sorry you are feeling the doctors are doubting this.  Some pains can't be tested for, and neuropathic pain is one of those tough ones to prove.  

It sounds like your doctors have done all the right tests so far, but there must be something missing in the big picture.

here's a reference to abdominal pain I found in MS literature:

"Patient AP is a 38-year-old woman, who has complained
of recurrent abdominal pain in the right flank
for the last 10 years; in the last 2 years the pain has
increased (rated 8 out of 10) and has become continuous.
The pain is felt as deep, originating from a visceral
structure. The patient denies any abnormal cutaneous
sensation. She had exploratory endoscopic
laparoscopy without abnormal findings. The urological
examination was within normal limits. On sensory
examination she had no right middle abdominal reflex.
She had almost complete sensory loss for pin and cold
on the right, hypochondria, with progressive recovery
of sensation cranially toward T4 and caudally towards
the knee. The remaining neurological examination and
specifically vibration sense and knee and ankle reflexes
were normal. The Lasègue manoeuvre was normal.
The pain was treated with a fair outcome (VAS from 8
to 4) with gabapentin 400 tid."

http://www.springerlink.com/content/d0j5051315242165/


8 out of 10 is a lot of pain.  Have they tried any other  neuropathic pain med for you like the gabapentin mentioned in this studY?

I'm so sorry you are in such agony -don't give up looking for an answer to help.

be better, Lulu