Right upper qudrant of abdominal pain

[MeggieMae]

Since the start of sept I had this pain in my upper right abdominals. It can get pretty severe and last for hours. There is no relief and is fairly tender just touching the area and moving. I will also have fever, sweats, chills, extreme fatigue, dizziness and vomitting. I am floored when the big attacks of pain happen and there is always a tenderness and lingering pain. I ended up in er when it got so bad I couldn't move or walk without pain and they of course ultrasounded for gallstones. There was none so the next step was ulcer buy I wasn't to be scoped till oct 13th and it was only the second week of sept. I Was given nexium and the pain had gone away for a week but soon after I felt it building up again by my scope I was once again having extremely painful episodes of this sharp constricting pain, though this time my chest would also tighten up and hurt to breathe in. Chest xray showed nothing, I did not have the virus that causes ulcers either. With my scope it showed An inflammed duodenum but no signs of ulcer. I am not on dexilant to help with that but I then had an attack of severe pain for over six hours that day, pain for the next three days and now I've had on and off attacks all day today since 8 pm yesterday.

There is an extrely tender spot to the right oft navel i'd say smack dab in the middle of that area. The slightest amount of preassure hurts. It seems to be where the pain is coming from but it radiates up into my ribs and into my back it can be hard to pinpoint during one of these attacks. I am 23 years old so I know alot of other things it could be are pretty uncommon and I don't entirely know what to do. Is an inflammed duodenum really the cause of all this pain? Should I just wait it out or be concerned? I am terrified of emerg cause I already feel like they cast me off twice and didn't take my pain seriously, like they went with what they saw and not what I was saying. I am worried because I've never felt pain like this before, I am always terrified for the next attack because it floorse. The nausea can get so bad I feel like it's choking me. I am really looking for some advice or at least someone to just say, yes your duodenum cam do that just ride it out. Though truth be told this pain is really starting to wear me down it's almost been two months and I didn't get a weeks reprive like when it started. I am worried.

[Jax555]

Again did you ask for a HIDA scan? Its one more test that wouldnt hurt to get and might give you your answers... all my tests were clear until they did that one?

[MeggieMae]

No answers. My tests came back fine, they found nothing for either. He referred me to get the ball rolling and in hopes the two specialists can figure it out so I don't have to get a laproscopy or whatever to figure it out. He also said it could very well just be an acute case of IBS......But that just upset me even more cause that has no answers, and this pain has put my life on hold, and doctors don't seem to realize this. I am so lucky I am not working or have school right now cause I couldn't do it. I don't see how my symptoms even add up to IBS, the pain is not cramping, it doesn't also happen along with a bowel movement, nor does a bowel movement relieve it. I've pretty much been on the IBS diet since this started with no results, and even when I treat myself to something considered bad, it doesn't change anything, it doesn't bring on pain. It is sharp, hard and pulsating most of the time. I can't do any strenuous movements without it flaring up, I can't even roll over in bed, my right leg can't go up to my chest and I can't stretch or twist certain ways that used to be normal without a sharp flare of pain.

I don't know. I am at the end of my rope and I feel like I am falling apart....If this just goes away on its own, super, but it hasn't yet, and its now 4 months of this pain that was sudden onset to begin with,

[Jax555]

If the results are all clear, ask for the HIDA scan!!! But for him to refer you to a gastro and surgeon sounds like either they found something on test, or still nothing and he wants you to see a GI to figure it out.

[MeggieMae]

Another update. Not much to saybut it makes me feel better saying my fears as everyone around me doesn't want to hear it cause they don't want me to worry but it's so hard! Last Friday got my ct scan, with contrast dye. That went well but I don't know if it was just a pain kinda day or the ct. Or dye irratated it but I was in pain for most of the night not to mention the pain cramped up my stomach to the point anything I ate came right back out the other end fairly quickly. It sucked. Pretty much had a painful weekend then Tuesday was barium follow through, which I can't say I enjoyed but it wasn't as bad as stuff I read on the net put it up to be. The thick stuff I drank first was just texture gross like wallpaper taste and had to drink it fairly quick. Then the more liquid stuff had a thick type texture like melted ice cream but it tasted anything but, but I found the gas pills that were like taking pop rocks were actually the worst as the fill you full of gas that they don't want you burping up so it's uncomfertable. Luckily my small intestine moves pretty quickly as it only took like three hours. The last test where the doctor pushes your insides around with a paddle while x raying was more uncomfertable then anything and painful when he pushed ony tender spot. He did say he saw no inflammation or signs of crohns, which I was surprised he told me cause usually they are pretty right lipped. I was pretty relieved to hear it though, I mean by now I want them to find something but crohns is not something I want found. Anyways I went home and got in a nice nap and was woken up by my phone. Supposibly my doctor put on a referral to that surgeon who treated me for h pylorai and they were giving me an apt. I thought he sent her a note last time I
saw him just on my progress but not a referal so I was a lil surprised and then mom says my docs office called to make an apt with him which I already have one Friday. They only usually call if threre is results, though my doc with this pain had called before with no results to get the ball rolling with the next step so it's hard to say. Aldo today I get another call about my doc referring me to this other specialist who I later look up to be a gastro , so I'm a lil confused as to why I  getting referred without talking to my gp about it first. It makes me think a test found something and he's just getting me referred now cause it can take awhile to get apt with specialists. It's just left slot of questions in my head and waiting till Friday afternoon to get answers is tough! I will update again friday if I have results or with the next step. As the pain is defiantly not any better and we are now in the 4 month. Gah. But keep on squeaking all you squeaky wheels out there! We will be oiled soon!

[MeggieMae]

Got my CT scan. Its tomorrow. Hoping that will just show something so I can get off this roller coaster ride.

[Jax555]

At this point to cross your t's and dot your i's i would ask for the HIDA scan to be sure... sometimes gallbladder pain can refer all over and even into the back, couldnt hurt.

[MeggieMae]

My diet hasn't changed, nor has my medication, so I am pretty sure I haven't had anything environmental to account to the change of stool color..

Did you pain move lower? Mine has localized to right about my belly button on the right side and has stuck there for almost two months, and defiantly feels like that is where the pain is coming for,. as any stress due to movement on that are is just more pain. Which doesn't seem to say gallbladder or liver.

[theclansmom]

Did you ever get the Hida scan?  I had the same symptoms as you for the longest time, with no Liver issues.  When I had the Hida scan, it turned out my Gallbladder had almost stopped functioning (down to 25%) with no stones!   My Gallbladder was removed, and as long as I don't eat high-fat foods (big no no when you don't have a Gallbladder), I suffer no symptoms and in this respect am doing well.  

Orange stool can be caused by medications as well as Gallbladder and Liver disfunction, so make a food and medication diary, keep it with you and make sure to show your physicians.

Good Luck.

[MeggieMae]

Another update just cause I don't know what to make of this, it could be a new symptom, though given what I've seen online something I ate. My stool is orange, not like neon orange, but definably orange. I've gone through everything I've ate int he past few days and nothing falls under the list of things that cause orange stool, nor am I taking any new medications. It's been two days of it, I'm going to wait for another day, or two, and see if it runs its course and maybe I overlooked something? Otherwise, should I be worried if this isn't a case of food? The pain has been pretty dormant lately there, but not in full attack, and then when this orange stool started it started again with the full blown nausea and pain, waking me up at night.

[Jax555]

Hang in there hun, take it test by test, as long as you are managing the pain in the mean time... but keep on top of the doctors to find out whats causing this for you.  Keep us posted.

[MeggieMae]

I asked my doctor about the retesting for h pylorai he said they usually wait at least three month before they check for it again. I'm still not experiencing any of the symptoms caused by that and still not having caffine or any irratamts until I know for sure it is out of my system also started taking some natural remidies just cause they can help without hurting.

As for the bubbles they have been since march, no amount of excess water has ever stopped them. The urologist said he saw nothing and there was nothing to worry about so I believed him though when my ureatha was fist stretched it felt better then when it started coming back I was too distrated by my scar revision surgery and then this pain. The bubbles arnt excactly stopping my life but I wonder if they are causing my bladder to feel full at such a small amount of urine. When they tested my bladders maximum volume it was only 220ml and this is I have to go so bad I don't care if it's at the side of the road infront of people but supposibly normal bladder can hold like 750 or somewhere like that so that's way off. Even when I had my pelvic ultrasound I felt like I was going to pee my pants and it wasn't even half full I had to drink more water!

As for the hiss scan I am just not sure if it is my gallbladder, the pain has stayed low and really feels like it is defiantly coming from that spot, truth be told it's excactly where your appendix is supposed to be. It now goes into my back at points or shoots down to my leg sometimes. It's like a bolt of electricity.

Also I can't say I remember the last time I had a normal bowel movment, I havnt seen any black or signs of bile problems but it hasn't been normal for awhile. It goes from liquid to almost a sludge, it ribbons or comes out in small pieces, the diareaha got so bad I ended up with a pretty gnarly fissure. I have told my doctor this and I've been tested recently for blood in stool which came back fine.  

I'm glad things are looking up for you jax and I hope your surgery goes well!

As for Vernon since I got the barium xray schedualed we are going to see what that shows before then and hopefully it shows something. The thing I'm confused about is from what I read drinking it, which is the one I am doing is for upper gi track and my doc is looking for a hole between my intestine and bladder. Will it show that with only the upper shown? As I said the paiin is down by where my appendix would be so I am concerned they might just miss that crucial spot again with a test cause both my ultrasounds the wand went nowhere near the tender spot or epicenter of the pain. I realise abdominal pain can present in one place while somewhere else is the problem but it really feels like it localized here , hasn't moved from the spot since oct. The pain feels like something doesn't belong , like a rock is just sitting and growing in my gut sometimes.

Though right now I am really just trying to getby test by test and not try to worry about what it is cause I've already had a bit of a breakdown because of it, so I've been trying to just distract albeit it's extremely hard to do. I also suffer from pretty severe depression which I just was starting to find answers for when this happened, not to mention the season changE doesn't help it. So I just gotta do it step by step and just hope this next one is the answer. If not I think it's time for vernon cause I still havnt recieved any contact about that ct scan.

Thankyou for the responses again guys. <3

[Jax555]

Hey, glad you have finally been getting somewhere, and yes the wait times here in Canada are quite long... I still think you should ask about the HIDA scan, at this point it cant hurt you to have it.  How has the nausea been?  I finally got through all the tests myself after 6 months of this BS and they figured out its my Gallbladder not doing its job, no stones but doesnt work properly... I am now scheduled for surgery and hope I can put this behind me... yes you almost have to be pushy to get answers, hang in there...

[ggreg]

H.pylori can sometimes be VERY hard to get rid of, could be you need to AGAIN be retested.  Try drinking plenty of extra water for a while, might help those bubbles in your urine go away.  But the doc is doing right by you, in making sure the bubbles aren't coming from a another source, hence the scan, etc.  I know you are sick of this whole thing, but keep at it until you feel like yourself again.  If you can get over to Vernon, you might want to schedule an appointment with an "internal medicine" doc at the exact same time, just to get another pair of eyes on the situation.  Keep in mind you may get scan results before your regular doc has a chance to explain them to you, so don't worry too much about not understanding them... it's just protocol now that they send the patient the results first.

[MeggieMae]

To Margy.
I was hoping this thread would be helpful as I know I am not the only one who scowered the net looking for kindred spirits in my pain and answers, or at least ideas to give my doctor. And hopefully when I find my answer it'll help others at least continue to pursue treatment when it seems like a diagnosis can't be found, cause it's hard.
Gggreg was very helpful, defiantly, even in just replying. I've been really watching what I eat and getting those probiotics.
Advil, i'd have to say I don't know. I didn't take it very regularly at all before the pain started and when it did doctor told me to avoid it and ibprofen cause they upset the stomach so I did, so Its never had a chance to be an instigator.
Yes I'm in canada and it seems to really depend on what the test is. I mean both ultrasounds were fairly quick, and this barium xray is booked for dec 7 so that is pretty fast though still no word from ct scan to even book a date, so it really depends on the test I think. My scope for my stomach was booked quickly with about a months wait as well as the one i had on my bladder a few months ago. I mean from how my doctors stead the wait I wouldn't consider it long in retrospect but when your in pain even a day is too long.

[margypops]

I have been reading this thread with admiration for what you are going through can you keep us updated the poster gregg gave some good advise aswell ..May I ask did you find that advil irritated and brought on the pain .Ypou live inCanada do you find you have to wait a long time for testing etc ?

[MeggieMae]

Another update. Finished antibiotics, still having pain along with random back pain. Saw my gp today. In march I was having bubbles coming out with my urine and some freqency urinating and such. I saw a urologist got a scope of my bladder, saw nothing though he had to stretch my ureatha cause it was really narrowed and infected so I also got antibiotics. He said it looked fine no worries and I cast it off as just something I had to live with. I still have bubbles and when I toldmy gp that he thinks it could be a fistula that might of been too small for the scope, specially since I've had no other particles in my urine just the bubbles. He's referred me for a barium xray now, rereffered me for ct scan and said don't stop bugging him about it and to watch out for new symptoms and to see him in two weeks. Going to call again tomorrow and see if he can refer me to Vernon too. It's an hour away but smaller city and less outside patients due so less of a waiting list. So going to try as I think fate is pushing me that way, people keep saying Vernon, so gotta pay attention to the signs.

I just want an answer! And for all the people out their battling with undiagnoised illness my advice is a squeaky wheel gets oiled so keep on squeaking!

[ggreg]

MM,
Ah-hah!  I'm glad they doublechecked H.pylori.  That can make you some kinda sick.  On the antibiotics, perhaps the doc called them in to the wrong pharmacy, this happens sometimes.  So, talk to her office people and have them make sure it was called into the correct place.  Gee whiz.  Promise me you'll make sure, even if you have to go down there in person and raise hell, or at least maybe threaten to.

I am VERY glad they got you on a fast-track for the CT scan... it's about time!  That way almost for sure they'll know it's not anything else wierd going on.  And again, if they treat you for H.pylori and do the CT scan, and after you finish the last round of antibiotics, and you still don't feel better, do as Jax said, which is have them do a Hida scan, to make sure your bile is doing right, it comes out of the liver and gallbladder, and other digestive enzymes come out of the pancreas, and it all goes down the duodenum and into the small intestine.

But I think getting rid of the H.pylori will do the trick, and you got the CT scan scheduled as a backup.  Sometimes that bacteria is hard to get rid of, but let's hope it doesn't take long for those drugs to fix you.  Whenever you completely are done with the antibiotics, since they kill both "good" and bad bacteria, you can restore normal intestinal flora by eating Activia yogurt for a couple weeks.  That'll keep you from getting too constipated.  Also, while you're on the antibiotics, drink plenty of water and get enough fiber food, and try to get in an easy walk around the neighborhood a few times a week, helps digestion move better.
GG  

[MeggieMae]

Anything not Anthony. Typing on itouch with no glasses on is a bad idea  

[MeggieMae]

I've been playing phone tag with this surgeon to get antibiotics. They keep saying she's there, they will get her to call it in, then nothing, for over a week now. I didn't think it'd be this hard.

In other news I got another weeks reprive from the pain, well it seemed to move to my back and I was really dizzy and nauseous bur the abdominal pain and even the tender spot seemed to dissaper besides a few pangs, though as it's done this before I didn't get my hopes up and once again today I can feel that familiar preassure of it building. It's like when you shake a pop bottle you can feel it get bigger even before you attempt to open it kinda deal.  So anyways it's a waiting game, surgeon said she put me on urgent waiting list for ct scan but this fight for just antibiotics that she had said she called in makes me wonder. Scedualed an apt with my gp but it's not till the 22nd, so I am hoping the surgeon actually did what she said and we get somewhere before then, if not I'm going to see if my gp can refer me to someone else. I understand doctors are busy but this is kinda ridiculous. I may end up going to a ultrasound clinic that's in Vernon because I've heard stories of people not finding Anthony at this hospital and then go to Vernon and they find what our hospital missed. I mean I'm getting desperate for an answer, and Boone seems to care.

[MeggieMae]

So surgeon called today, turns out I do have h.pylorai so she's putting me on antibiotics. Weird it actually felt good to hear that. But she also schedualed me for a ct scan now and put it as urgent so hopefully that won't take to long. She says it could be chrones or something with my appendix ot something else, so hopefully the scan shows something when it happens. According to my doc it's a long waiting list.

[MeggieMae]

Doc never got back to me. Guess I am calling my gp again on Monday as a trip to the er just has been so pointless the last few times. :(

[ggreg]

MM,
I'm SO relieved to hear you will hopefully see your gastro down at the ER... today now.  And I'm glad you will mention gallbladder and retest of H.pylori and, since you'll be where the CT machine is, I also hope they'll go ahead and scan your abdomen.  You should not be in the pain you are, something is amiss, no doubt about it.  I'll be thinking of you and look forward to hearing back how things go.  I take those Tyl#3's also, I take them right after I eat, it's for my legs that hurt from a car wreck, but they make the rest of me feel tolerable, too.  Hang in.
GG

[MeggieMae]

Well my gp actually just called, he contacted my original gastro doc who did the endoscopy she will be in the er on call tomorrow so he is having her call me for a time to meet her there so hopefully this will get some results and perhaps she will now listen.
My doc actually took me off the percaset cause it can upset the intestines and since he doesn't know what's wrong he doesn't want to aggregate anything more then it already is, I have t3's they don't help as much but they do at lest take some of the edge off the attacks. I had another this morning, woke me up, and it gets hard to move.

Yeah I really think they should just scan everything, the abdominals have a way of having pain in one place while the cause is somewhere else and as my dic says after the ct we step into the uncommon problems, though really I think it's something common presenting itself uncommonly. I'm kinda fed up just letting the docs drive my car so I think I'm going to take your advice and bring up the gsllbladder.
To tell you the truth I've not had any heartburn or ingestion or any kind of burning pain, they didn't see an ulcer forming just that it was a lil inflammed. Though getting restested for h. Pylorai couldn't hurt.
Thankyou so much for the thoughtful reply it means alot.

[ggreg]

Dear MM,
Usually an inflammed duodenum happens from H.pylori, but you said they did not find that in the blood test, so you could get retested for that.  If you happen to take Ibuprophen, that can also cause it, so immediately stop taking any if you do, no excuses!  Also, sometimes the gallbladder doesn't work correctly, even tho the ultrasound didn't show any stones, which is how come the poster Jaxx told you about the Hida scan to check on how the bile is moving around, so that is something you can mention to the doctor.  And you said a CT scan would be next if they didn't find anything on the pelvic ultrasound, and so I think they should scan your whole abdominal area, from arms to legs.

When you get your pain now, since they gave you the Percocet prescription a week ago, I'm hoping that when you take that medicine, it keeps you from experiencing so much pain... it should help a lot.  If it doesn't, don't hesitate to talk to your doc about that... it can indicate some rather severe problems they've missed, especially since you had some bruising in the area where it's been hurting.

While you wait for your CT scan, I think you should schedule an appointment to see your gastroenterologist for the week or so after the CT scan's date, set it up now, so you won't have to wait yet again for him to go over and explain the scan results.  Now, if the pictures show nothing, then you can discuss at length with him what else could possibly be going on, and if he thinks a gallbladder problem of SOME kind might be a problem here, like the poster Jaxx told you about, and you can ask to be retested for H.pylori, and lastly request that he please consult with some other folks about what in the world is going on with you or refer you to someone who does.

I feel for you, I'd be SO upset and frustrated if I had the severe kinda pain you have, and here the docs are, all these piddly tests and no one knows what is really happening.  I do think they did you a favor when they prescribed Percocet and the acid-reducer Dexilant, and I'm glad they said they'd do a CT scan next.  That's about the extent of what I know might be going on and how to proceed.  We'll be thinking of you and hoping somebody gets to the bottom of this soon.  Keep us posted.
GG