6 years of Pain

[vizfizz]

For 6 years I've been fighting a sharp, consistant pain in the left upper portion of my abdomen. After multiple misdiagnosises, I finally went to a gastro specialist that found two ulcers. One was located in the peptic region the other was down where the stomach attached to the small intestine. Figuring that my pain was being caused by the ulcers, my doctor and I focused on healing them. Standard triple antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors were ordered. This went on for months, and I found little to no relief. I switched to a dietition. I found that cutting out cows milk, wheat, and fatty foods improved my condition, but the pain stood fast. Fast forward 2 years. I start seeing a new gastro doc. Endoscopy reveals NO ulcers...but yet I still suffer from pain...plus a new twist. I now am having fevers whenever I eat! The temp is low grade...but occassionally its hit 102. The new Gastro Doc ordered a sonagram, but no stones or gall bladder abnormalities were found.

Symptoms:

1. Fever 1 hour after eating. Up to 102 degress.
2. Nausea
3. Headaches like you can't imagine.
4. High Cholesterol and High Tryglycerides. (Although both sides of my family deal with this issue)
5. 2 years after the pain started, I became hypothryoid and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease.
6. Fatigue
7. Constant feeling of being hungry, but after eating, even just a little, feeling like I stuffed myself.
8. Pain increases with consumption of milk, wheat, and fatty foods.
9. Pain when sleeping on left side.
10. Achy joints
11. Back pain
12. Mouth Sores

Could this be chronic pancreatitis?

[juliehoffman]

A related discussion, pancreatitis symptoms was started.

[vizfizz]

Hi There.... Sure, I'd be glad to chat with you about all of these troubles. You can write me directly at:

***@****

I got the results of my amalyse/lipase tests back and of course, they were within normal parameters. Sigh...I'm glad that my pancrease "appears" to be normal via the numbers, but once again I'm left holding an empty bag...with no answers.

About the only thing left to do is a CT scan....and I'm not so sure that I want to get exposed to so much radiation...and there are no guarentees that they'll find anything. Don't know...I think I'm still inclined to have it done. I need to find out.

Anyway...I look forward to hearing from you.

Brian

[PM]

Hi Vizfizz,

We need to talk.  Finally someone with similar symptoms.  I tested negative for Amaylase and Lipase.  Let me know what you find out. I have been tested for everything under the sun.  I gave up on doctors and I continue to do a lot of research on my own.  Everything I eat hurts me although my Carafate and Nexium help.  I didn't use to have the pain after eating, I just had the other symptoms up until 2 years ago.  Do you have Gastritis?  I have been diagonosed with Chronic Gastritis, yet it doesn't explain my fever, joint pains, or muscle weakness.  I have a list of symptoms, but those are the most bothersome.  

Everything started in 1996, but the really bad Gastritis started in Jan 2002.  I kept telling my doctors that everytime I eat I started running low grade fevers, but they have never been able to figure it out.  

I would be glad to share my case history with you, but I have everything on disk at work.  If you want to, give me your email address and I will send it to you.  I have to catch survivor, but I will check in again before bed.

[anti spaz]

http://www.iknowthecause.com/info/dietfungi.mv

[vizfizz]

Thanks for your comments so far. To answer your question Nanny, I'm having the Amalyse and Lipase tests done today. I'll have those results soon. I am a bit concerned with those tests though. I wish I could have had them done 4 days ago, when I was at the peak of my attack. I've been fasting for the past 4 days to releave the pain. I just hope I don't get results back that aren't really reporting my enzyme levels correctly.

I guess I can wait for another attack and have them take them again, even though my current gastro doc will probably balk at the idea. He's very by the book....and if my levels are normal in this test, he'll conclude that there can't be any problems with my Pancreas.

I just can't explain it any other way. What possible organs are affected when you have pain in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen. The stomach and the pancreas....that's about it.

Brian

[Patrick J.]

Mouth sores can be a symptom of IBD, such as Crohns or Colitis.

[Marlasinger3]

Mouth sores can also be as simple as iron-deficient anemia, especially if they're primarily in the corners of your mouth.  Try taking some iron pills for that.

[Nanny]

While all the symptoms you mention, except for mouth sores, are regular occurances with chronic pancreatitis, you would really need to have some more tests done to determine if that's the cause.   The pain, high triglycerides, nausea, fatigue and feeling of fullness after eating are all suspect.

Has the doctor done any bloodtests to check your amylase and lipase levels?  Have you lost any weight?  Unfortunately, a sonogram won't show chronic pancreatitis.  You need to get your gastro doctor to check further.  Good luck.

Nanny