Aa
A cry for help.
Hi,
I'm a 23 year old female in desperate need of help.
Here's my story:
As a child, my mother taught me to be tough. If I was feeling sick or experiencing pain, I was told to wait for 3 days.
If the symptoms didn't decrease or disappear by then, she would take me to a doctor.
On a Friday in May 2011, I woke up with a devastating pain in my chest radiating to my back and right arm. Comforting myself with 'it'll pass soon', I laid down on the couch all day, applying pressure to my shoulder and back with pillows and watched TV to get my mind off it. It had gotten worse by Sunday and I barely got any sleep because the pain would keep me up. I even tried sleeping on the floor because the cold would relieve some pain.
On Monday I couldn't take it anymore and that evening my boyfriend took me to a doctor.
'I think you have a stomach infection. We'll start treatment but just to make sure it's not your pancreas, you should go to the hospital for some blood tests.'
When I called the next day for results, I was told they were negative. The doctor asked me if the medication was working for me but I couldn't tell him yet because due to exhaustion from lack of sleep, I passed out right after I had gotten back from the hospital up until I made that phone call.
Weeks passed and the pain didn't go away but I didn't feel like bothering a doctor again. I was sure the pain would go away eventually if I would keep taking the medication.
In June, I went back to my hometown to visit my parents for a few days. I wanted to spend some quality time with them and planned on making an appointment with my old doctor to make sure I was okay.
When I arrived on Sunday the 19th, dinner was just about ready and we sat down at the table. While dinner was usually the time for social interaction, it was rather quiet which made me come to a conclusion that my parents had something else on their minds (what later turned out to be their divorce), so I decided not to tell them about my pains so they didn't have to worry about that as well.
I was so tired! I didn't catch any sleep the nights prior to that one. After twisting my body in any way possible to try relieve the pain, I eventually fell asleep in fetal position on a cold couch around midnight.
2 AM and I was wide awake again because of the pain. I felt the need to visit the emergency room but my father had left that night and took the car. I knew he'd be back at 6 AM because he'd leave for work at that time so I decided to wait.
I did pretty much everything I could think of to take my mind off things. I felt like the pain was better when I was standing so I walked around the house. I took a bath cause usually that helped me to relax. I did some research on the internet for ways to relieve stomach pains (which I believed it to be then because a doctor had told me so) and I used the cold metal table to cool down my hot body.
Around 5.30, I couldn't take it anymore. I called my father and asked him to take me to the emergency room. He told me to wake my mother so she could take me because he had to work. He'd be right there to bring the car.
At 6 AM sharp, we checked into the ER. My mother was rather angry and frustrated that I didn't tell her or woke her up earlier. I stated she couldn't do anything anyway because the car was gone and I didn't want to pay for ambulance expenses.
I was immediately brought to a room where they interviewed me and took some blood. I was hooked to an IV and got some painkillers for my stomach based on the previous doctor's diagnosis.
Soon after, a doctor came in and examined me. He believed it to be a stomach infection as well but was waiting for the blood test results which would come back in about an hour or 2.
The blood tests came back clear and I was sent to radiology for an ultrasound later on.
About 7 hours after check-in, I hear a male nurse enter the room to my right and say:
'We seem to be pretty crowded today and need this room. Can I please ask you to move to the general waiting room?'
Both girls to my left and right arrived at about the same time I did. Completely frustrated I turned to my mother and said: 'They're going to kick us out.'
When he entered my room, I was ready to leave but he said: 'A doctor will come see you soon.'
'Errr... Okay?!'
Then he moved to the room to my left and repeated the same question as he did in the room to my right.
At this moment, which seemed to be in slow motion, it hit me that I had something serious going on.
Another hour later, I was greeted by a surgeon. He let me know I had a massive gallstone and that they had prepped for an emergency surgery. Nurses would find me a bed and come get me in about 10 minutes.
I didn't have too much time to worry. I called my father and my boyfriend. My father didn't seem to care much. My boyfriend was at work, he had no idea I had spent the last 8 hours at the emergency room. We had an argument about him leaving work to come see me. I didn't think it was worth the 2 hour drive since I'd be out anyway.
I spent the rest of my time trying to calm down my mother. Like I said: No time to worry,
When I woke up after surgery, I was very disoriented. It took me a few minutes to realize what had happened and where I was. The next thing that hit me was that I wasn't in pain anymore. Sure, there was some pain. I mean, they had just cut me open and poked around in me, but this pain was shallow and I could handle it.
A blonde female came to see me but I don't remember the conversation at all. She left me some paperwork for healthcare and a note with the date of my check-up appointment with my surgeon a month later.
14 hours of (much needed) sleep later, I left the hospital.
I have a history of not recovering well and experiencing uncommon side effects from medication so as soon as I got home, I bought big bandages and alcohol to clean my wounds every day the way I saw the nurses do it right before I left the hospital just to make sure nothing would go wrong. A few days later my doctor came by to check if my wounds were healing well and everything seemed fine. The pain was gone and I was back on my feet.
A month later, I met with the surgeon. He asked me how I was doing and I told him that since 3 days, I had these quick stabbing pains where my gallbladder used to be. 3 of the 4 scars healed nicely but the one in my bellybutton still stung. I was also experiencing fatigue and my stomach was swollen.
He explained something about my gallbladder being really infected before it was removed, causing some mutations of my liver but it would be back to normal in about 3-4 months. The fatigue was most probably a side effect of the anesthesia and I had some gas left in my stomach from the surgery. My scars looked great, the bellybutton one would take a little longer because it was bigger.
Months passed by as the pain in my liver became more frequent and lasted longer.
In august, the pain was almost the same as before the surgery. It didn't radiate to my back and arm anymore but I did get chest burns and stabbing pains in my spleen area.
In panic, I went to see my doctor. He was worried there might have been some kind of blockage and ordered me another ultrasound which turned out to be clear. All there was to see was left from surgery.
A week later, I was sent to have a CT-scan. Same results.
When he suggested It might all be stress, I got quite mad. He tried to prescribe me anti psychotics but I refused to take that junk. ...
I'm a 23 year old female in desperate need of help.
Here's my story:
As a child, my mother taught me to be tough. If I was feeling sick or experiencing pain, I was told to wait for 3 days.
If the symptoms didn't decrease or disappear by then, she would take me to a doctor.
On a Friday in May 2011, I woke up with a devastating pain in my chest radiating to my back and right arm. Comforting myself with 'it'll pass soon', I laid down on the couch all day, applying pressure to my shoulder and back with pillows and watched TV to get my mind off it. It had gotten worse by Sunday and I barely got any sleep because the pain would keep me up. I even tried sleeping on the floor because the cold would relieve some pain.
On Monday I couldn't take it anymore and that evening my boyfriend took me to a doctor.
'I think you have a stomach infection. We'll start treatment but just to make sure it's not your pancreas, you should go to the hospital for some blood tests.'
When I called the next day for results, I was told they were negative. The doctor asked me if the medication was working for me but I couldn't tell him yet because due to exhaustion from lack of sleep, I passed out right after I had gotten back from the hospital up until I made that phone call.
Weeks passed and the pain didn't go away but I didn't feel like bothering a doctor again. I was sure the pain would go away eventually if I would keep taking the medication.
In June, I went back to my hometown to visit my parents for a few days. I wanted to spend some quality time with them and planned on making an appointment with my old doctor to make sure I was okay.
When I arrived on Sunday the 19th, dinner was just about ready and we sat down at the table. While dinner was usually the time for social interaction, it was rather quiet which made me come to a conclusion that my parents had something else on their minds (what later turned out to be their divorce), so I decided not to tell them about my pains so they didn't have to worry about that as well.
I was so tired! I didn't catch any sleep the nights prior to that one. After twisting my body in any way possible to try relieve the pain, I eventually fell asleep in fetal position on a cold couch around midnight.
2 AM and I was wide awake again because of the pain. I felt the need to visit the emergency room but my father had left that night and took the car. I knew he'd be back at 6 AM because he'd leave for work at that time so I decided to wait.
I did pretty much everything I could think of to take my mind off things. I felt like the pain was better when I was standing so I walked around the house. I took a bath cause usually that helped me to relax. I did some research on the internet for ways to relieve stomach pains (which I believed it to be then because a doctor had told me so) and I used the cold metal table to cool down my hot body.
Around 5.30, I couldn't take it anymore. I called my father and asked him to take me to the emergency room. He told me to wake my mother so she could take me because he had to work. He'd be right there to bring the car.
At 6 AM sharp, we checked into the ER. My mother was rather angry and frustrated that I didn't tell her or woke her up earlier. I stated she couldn't do anything anyway because the car was gone and I didn't want to pay for ambulance expenses.
I was immediately brought to a room where they interviewed me and took some blood. I was hooked to an IV and got some painkillers for my stomach based on the previous doctor's diagnosis.
Soon after, a doctor came in and examined me. He believed it to be a stomach infection as well but was waiting for the blood test results which would come back in about an hour or 2.
The blood tests came back clear and I was sent to radiology for an ultrasound later on.
About 7 hours after check-in, I hear a male nurse enter the room to my right and say:
'We seem to be pretty crowded today and need this room. Can I please ask you to move to the general waiting room?'
Both girls to my left and right arrived at about the same time I did. Completely frustrated I turned to my mother and said: 'They're going to kick us out.'
When he entered my room, I was ready to leave but he said: 'A doctor will come see you soon.'
'Errr... Okay?!'
Then he moved to the room to my left and repeated the same question as he did in the room to my right.
At this moment, which seemed to be in slow motion, it hit me that I had something serious going on.
Another hour later, I was greeted by a surgeon. He let me know I had a massive gallstone and that they had prepped for an emergency surgery. Nurses would find me a bed and come get me in about 10 minutes.
I didn't have too much time to worry. I called my father and my boyfriend. My father didn't seem to care much. My boyfriend was at work, he had no idea I had spent the last 8 hours at the emergency room. We had an argument about him leaving work to come see me. I didn't think it was worth the 2 hour drive since I'd be out anyway.
I spent the rest of my time trying to calm down my mother. Like I said: No time to worry,
When I woke up after surgery, I was very disoriented. It took me a few minutes to realize what had happened and where I was. The next thing that hit me was that I wasn't in pain anymore. Sure, there was some pain. I mean, they had just cut me open and poked around in me, but this pain was shallow and I could handle it.
A blonde female came to see me but I don't remember the conversation at all. She left me some paperwork for healthcare and a note with the date of my check-up appointment with my surgeon a month later.
14 hours of (much needed) sleep later, I left the hospital.
I have a history of not recovering well and experiencing uncommon side effects from medication so as soon as I got home, I bought big bandages and alcohol to clean my wounds every day the way I saw the nurses do it right before I left the hospital just to make sure nothing would go wrong. A few days later my doctor came by to check if my wounds were healing well and everything seemed fine. The pain was gone and I was back on my feet.
A month later, I met with the surgeon. He asked me how I was doing and I told him that since 3 days, I had these quick stabbing pains where my gallbladder used to be. 3 of the 4 scars healed nicely but the one in my bellybutton still stung. I was also experiencing fatigue and my stomach was swollen.
He explained something about my gallbladder being really infected before it was removed, causing some mutations of my liver but it would be back to normal in about 3-4 months. The fatigue was most probably a side effect of the anesthesia and I had some gas left in my stomach from the surgery. My scars looked great, the bellybutton one would take a little longer because it was bigger.
Months passed by as the pain in my liver became more frequent and lasted longer.
In august, the pain was almost the same as before the surgery. It didn't radiate to my back and arm anymore but I did get chest burns and stabbing pains in my spleen area.
In panic, I went to see my doctor. He was worried there might have been some kind of blockage and ordered me another ultrasound which turned out to be clear. All there was to see was left from surgery.
A week later, I was sent to have a CT-scan. Same results.
When he suggested It might all be stress, I got quite mad. He tried to prescribe me anti psychotics but I refused to take that junk. ...
Did you read my other post ?It also sould like the same symptoms. I lived sick to my stomach and ni pain for well over a year before I did the research and brought it to my doctors.
I had my gallbladder removed in 2010, and ever since the surgery, have been having the same problems as before I had the surgery. Have been in and out of hospital ever since, have had ever test you can think of, and still they can't find an explanation for my pain. I don't suffer with it every day, but have approx 2 to 4 attacks every month. The only thing that eases the pain is getting sick. The attacks can last from minutes, to hours. Am so tired of it all, and the doctors have treated me as though its all in my head, which I know its not. It is a physical pain and I just want it to stop. I was healthy and well before I had this surgery, I think it was the worse thing I ever could have done. My life is crappy now wondering when an attack will happen. I can be at work and one will start and I have to go home, as I just cannot manage to do anything, other than stay in the bathroom, getting sick. If anyone out there has any suggestions, or cures, I would love to hear them, as at this stage, I think I would try just about anything. Many thanks.
I also have a feeling what your are experiencing is something called a sphincter into a of odi dysfunction .You need to get gastro that is knowledgeable they will have to rule out some other issues first IBS being one and acid reflux . they should take blood see what your counts are ;Then you only want an ERCP done by a specialist .My gastro sent me to a specialist two hours away . There are sphincters that help open and close both the duodenum and the pancreas .The pain you feel over by your spleen could be your pancreas. they did a sugery on mine and fixed them . Do some research on sphincter of odi
dysfunction .Take it to the doctor with you . They have to investigate more then they have . I understand how you are feeling it made my life almost unmanageable for two years . I am 80% better and I can live with that ,
dysfunction .Take it to the doctor with you . They have to investigate more then they have . I understand how you are feeling it made my life almost unmanageable for two years . I am 80% better and I can live with that ,
Hi, I read your entire story and am so sorry you had to endure such an experience and recover only to have something else going on. It must be so hard. I've learned to trust my instincts through the years and go with them until you find a doctor who can help you .. it is most discouraging when some prefer to hand out a pill for stress when they are empty-handed. Of course, we need to consult our doctors, but I would continue to ask around and find a good specialist who can help rule out everything before they say it's stress related. I am going to send your thread to a member with some Gallbladder experience and maybe she can also stop by to offer her thoughts
We also have an expert forum to ask your question, but you probably have to condense it to one post .. http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Gastroenterology---Digestive-Disorders/show/107
Keep us posted and please feel better soon ......
C~
We also have an expert forum to ask your question, but you probably have to condense it to one post .. http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Gastroenterology---Digestive-Disorders/show/107
Keep us posted and please feel better soon ......
C~
You're more than welcome.....
I hope that you can get some answers and treatment to help :)
I hope that you can get some answers and treatment to help :)
Thank you Sarsi.
The diagnoses don't sit with me right at all.
I feel like my doctor never took the time to really listen to me.
The specialist took a quick look at the note and just followed my previous doctor's assumptions.
The last doctor I saw never took a look at my test results, she based her diagnosis on a file of another patient who she had seen recently and shared the same symptoms but I can't get it out of my head that she asked me if I had lost weight because of it as I was leaving, but didn't respond when I said I had actually gained like 25 pounds.
On top of that, I realize my test results never could have been normal as I was fighting an infection at the time of the blood tests and my liver was mutated during the ultrasound and the CT-scan.
I looked up SOD and everything seems to fit perfectly.
I'm going to search for another doctor, share your suggestion and have all my tests redone.
Again, thank you for struggling through my wall of words and leaving your answer and support.
The diagnoses don't sit with me right at all.
I feel like my doctor never took the time to really listen to me.
The specialist took a quick look at the note and just followed my previous doctor's assumptions.
The last doctor I saw never took a look at my test results, she based her diagnosis on a file of another patient who she had seen recently and shared the same symptoms but I can't get it out of my head that she asked me if I had lost weight because of it as I was leaving, but didn't respond when I said I had actually gained like 25 pounds.
On top of that, I realize my test results never could have been normal as I was fighting an infection at the time of the blood tests and my liver was mutated during the ultrasound and the CT-scan.
I looked up SOD and everything seems to fit perfectly.
I'm going to search for another doctor, share your suggestion and have all my tests redone.
Again, thank you for struggling through my wall of words and leaving your answer and support.
Okay, you sure have had a rough trot.....
I have had similar experiences.....after 2 years of being in constant upper epigastric, predominently URQ pain....I have been diagnosed with Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction.....I'd recommend you google that and see if it fits your symptoms.....if it does you can get an ERCP with a sphincterotomy to attempt to help the symptoms.
As to the diarrhea - I get that too, and mine is yellow......which has only been present since I had my gallbladder removed. This is quite common, as the liver now has no storage for the bile, so it goes straight into the duodenum and hence, diarrhea.....
IBS and visceral hypersensitivity are thrown around very quickly by doctors....if your symptoms do not match these diagnoses or it doesn't sit right with you....keep looking! There are many issues related with the liver/gallbladder including pancreas issues.......
I hope that you get some answers and relief soon
Sarsi
I have had similar experiences.....after 2 years of being in constant upper epigastric, predominently URQ pain....I have been diagnosed with Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction.....I'd recommend you google that and see if it fits your symptoms.....if it does you can get an ERCP with a sphincterotomy to attempt to help the symptoms.
As to the diarrhea - I get that too, and mine is yellow......which has only been present since I had my gallbladder removed. This is quite common, as the liver now has no storage for the bile, so it goes straight into the duodenum and hence, diarrhea.....
IBS and visceral hypersensitivity are thrown around very quickly by doctors....if your symptoms do not match these diagnoses or it doesn't sit right with you....keep looking! There are many issues related with the liver/gallbladder including pancreas issues.......
I hope that you get some answers and relief soon
Sarsi
Continuation:
I started having these weird attacks. My blood pressure would get really low really sudden. I'd see black spots and/or stars before my eyes and my head started spinning. Disorientation would kick in and I felt like I was in a bubble. I couldn't concentrate on what anyone was saying. I would try to eat something but it wouldn't work. Drinking something didn't work. Laying down didn't work. Sitting down on the toilet for a while with my stomach pressed to my knees was the only thing that made me feel a little better.
I went back to my doctor who sent me to a specialist with a sealed envelope. When the specialist opened it, I saw the results of the tests were in there along with a note from my doctor but I couldn't read it.
I explained that the last time any blood tests were done, was before the surgery and he ordered me some new ones and a gastroscopy.
The blood tests again weren't alarming but the gastroscopy showed that my stomach was infected and my oesophagus was really irritated which was odd cause I hadn't been throwing up.
He asked me if I was under any stress to which I responded I wasn't and that I thought it could be caused by too much medication in the last few months.
He didn't really believe me, prescribed me treatment for the infection and the same anti psychotics my doctor tried to put me on.
At that point, I felt like I would try anything.
The stomach infection healed. Everything else didn't. Anti psychotics didn't do anything but make me sleep all day.
In October I saw my doctor again for Sciatica (unrelated I guess) and tried to talk him into helping me move on. All the medication he had given me hadn't helped yet and I started showing more symptoms: Clockwork 5 minutes after dinner, my stomach would be killing me and I had to run to the bathroom. My stomach would also swell up a lot during the day, making me look pregnant and I've gained a lot of weight since. On top of that, I've been experiencing diarrhea since the surgery. He told me I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome, caused by stress and there was nothing more he could do. It might just resolve itself.
A few days ago, I went to see another doctor after feeling my heart pounding in my liver area.
She told me I had Biliary Dyskinesia and that the Montignac diet may help me control the pain but besides that and the Ursochol pills. there was nothing else she could do for me. I was just one of the unlucky ones and I should try to live with it.
I tried to research it but most of what I can find is pre-surgery.
So I guess my questions are:
- Does anyone else recognize my story?
- Is it possible it's Biliary Dyskenesia? Or does it sound more like the Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Any other possibility?
- Any ideas? Or tips?
I don't trust doctors anymore.
I started having these weird attacks. My blood pressure would get really low really sudden. I'd see black spots and/or stars before my eyes and my head started spinning. Disorientation would kick in and I felt like I was in a bubble. I couldn't concentrate on what anyone was saying. I would try to eat something but it wouldn't work. Drinking something didn't work. Laying down didn't work. Sitting down on the toilet for a while with my stomach pressed to my knees was the only thing that made me feel a little better.
I went back to my doctor who sent me to a specialist with a sealed envelope. When the specialist opened it, I saw the results of the tests were in there along with a note from my doctor but I couldn't read it.
I explained that the last time any blood tests were done, was before the surgery and he ordered me some new ones and a gastroscopy.
The blood tests again weren't alarming but the gastroscopy showed that my stomach was infected and my oesophagus was really irritated which was odd cause I hadn't been throwing up.
He asked me if I was under any stress to which I responded I wasn't and that I thought it could be caused by too much medication in the last few months.
He didn't really believe me, prescribed me treatment for the infection and the same anti psychotics my doctor tried to put me on.
At that point, I felt like I would try anything.
The stomach infection healed. Everything else didn't. Anti psychotics didn't do anything but make me sleep all day.
In October I saw my doctor again for Sciatica (unrelated I guess) and tried to talk him into helping me move on. All the medication he had given me hadn't helped yet and I started showing more symptoms: Clockwork 5 minutes after dinner, my stomach would be killing me and I had to run to the bathroom. My stomach would also swell up a lot during the day, making me look pregnant and I've gained a lot of weight since. On top of that, I've been experiencing diarrhea since the surgery. He told me I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome, caused by stress and there was nothing more he could do. It might just resolve itself.
A few days ago, I went to see another doctor after feeling my heart pounding in my liver area.
She told me I had Biliary Dyskinesia and that the Montignac diet may help me control the pain but besides that and the Ursochol pills. there was nothing else she could do for me. I was just one of the unlucky ones and I should try to live with it.
I tried to research it but most of what I can find is pre-surgery.
So I guess my questions are:
- Does anyone else recognize my story?
- Is it possible it's Biliary Dyskenesia? Or does it sound more like the Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Any other possibility?
- Any ideas? Or tips?
I don't trust doctors anymore.
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