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Chronic LRQ pain, undiagnosed
I have had this chronic pain since february 8, 2010; i had recurring sharp stabbing pains prior to this, but nothing as long lasting as it has been. i've had "millions of dollars worth of testing done" according to one of the many doctors i've seen, and nothing comes back with any results, all of my blood and urine tests are clean, i've had a ct scan, an mri, x-rays, bone scans, ultrasounds, colonoscopy, endoscopy -- nothing shows anything, i was told at one point that i have enlarged lymph nodes in my lrq, but, that it shouldn't be causing me this much pain. its a constant pain, that at some points spasms severely - almost knocking me out, (as in near passing out due to the pain) sometimes its a burning pain that i can only describe as white hot, and some times its spreads into my hip area. i've been cleared by orthopedics - saying its not musco-skeletal, i've been told by general surgery that its not a hernia, but after going back to the g.s. and asking about a tear in the abdominal wall, he gave me a trigger point injection of anesthetic and steroid - this helped for about a day, and now the burning pain is back . . . its just not spasming. i'm going to see a pain management dr next week - but what are they going to do -- get me addicted to pain killers?? i've been prescribed Neurontin (sp?) and it has calmed the pain a little bit, but not nearly to what i want (which is to be pain free) this has affected my life in such a huge way -- i was pulled out of my military training and am now stuck on hold. . . waiting to be 'fixed' . . . my pcd has suggested anti-depressants stating that i have every right to be extremely depressed right now since nothing seems to be helping me. . . i can't walk for long distances, and going up stairs? i have to pull myself up the steps -- and i live on the third floor of my barracks. . . this is ridiculous. . . i'm so frustrated and have no idea what to do
I'm glad you are seeing an improvement in your pain level!
I mentioned I had a urinary tract infection that felt like appendicitis- must have been referred pain. So, I suggested- have you ever had a cystoscopy, which is where a urologist goes in with a scope to your urethra up into your bladder and looks around for abnormalities. But if you have no urinary symptoms, like frequency, blood showing up at least occasionally in urine samples, etc., that may not be the problem either. I have a condition called interstitial cystitis diagnosed by cystoscopy with hydrodistention (done under anesthesia)- it can cause painful spasms, a lot of pain, frequency in urination and occasionally, urine samples show traces of blood.
An immediate relative of mine has spasms in the pelvic floor and takes valium generic (least amount he can get away with) to help so sitting is more comfortable.
I mentioned I had a urinary tract infection that felt like appendicitis- must have been referred pain. So, I suggested- have you ever had a cystoscopy, which is where a urologist goes in with a scope to your urethra up into your bladder and looks around for abnormalities. But if you have no urinary symptoms, like frequency, blood showing up at least occasionally in urine samples, etc., that may not be the problem either. I have a condition called interstitial cystitis diagnosed by cystoscopy with hydrodistention (done under anesthesia)- it can cause painful spasms, a lot of pain, frequency in urination and occasionally, urine samples show traces of blood.
An immediate relative of mine has spasms in the pelvic floor and takes valium generic (least amount he can get away with) to help so sitting is more comfortable.
haven't had a cystoscopy (never heard of it even) all my blood work is fine, they've run hundreds of blood tests, and everything comes back fine, that's how i know its not appendicitis . . . they did all kinds of ultrasounds, kidney, pelvic (internal and external), ovaries (left and right), the pain is not related to menses, it stays the same throughout. they have not rechecked the lymph nodes. . . he didn't think that was the cause of my pain since my pain is so severe. . . it's actually better right now, i think i might be dreaming. . .
and yes, AminNj - its VERY frustrating. . . to say this is where it hurts, this is when it hurts, this is how it hurts, and this this and this are going on, only to be told we can't figure it out b/c all your other tests come back normal. . .
and yes, AminNj - its VERY frustrating. . . to say this is where it hurts, this is when it hurts, this is how it hurts, and this this and this are going on, only to be told we can't figure it out b/c all your other tests come back normal. . .
Have they rechecked the lymph nodes to see if they have gone back down to normal size? See PM for lymph info. Have the done any cancer marker testing? Did they rule out chronic appendicitis? .
You mentioned ultrasounds- does that include pelvic, looking at your uterus and right ovary? (You say not in right place-the ovary hangs down below uterus on each side- positive not right place? Sometimes cyst can even grow inside an ovary.) Do you notice the pain getting worse with menses (thinking endometriosis, which often doesn't show up with imaging)? Also, once I had a UTI and thought I was having appendicitis- must have been referred pain- have you had a cystoscopy?
You mentioned ultrasounds- does that include pelvic, looking at your uterus and right ovary? (You say not in right place-the ovary hangs down below uterus on each side- positive not right place? Sometimes cyst can even grow inside an ovary.) Do you notice the pain getting worse with menses (thinking endometriosis, which often doesn't show up with imaging)? Also, once I had a UTI and thought I was having appendicitis- must have been referred pain- have you had a cystoscopy?
I have the same problem. I swear it's my appendix but the doctor says it "looks fine" on scans. They are starting to think maybe it's Crohn's Disease because they found some small ulcers in my terminal ileum after a Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy, but I have no other symptoms of Crohn's (diarrhea, etc.) It's very frustrating and scary to have such a significant pain in one very specific spot and point it out, but not be able to find out what it is.
the gi dr thinks it started out as ibs. my pcd doesn't know what it started out as, i didn't injure anything that i know of - they at one point said it was ovarian cysts, but the pain is in the wrong place for that, and the cysts are larger on the other side. . . what other questions? i didn't intentionally not answer, i just don't have energy or concentration or anything right now. . .
Don't let what your doctor says or depression keep you from answering my questions! Pain can actually change the chemistry in your brain & pain can cause depression, which does seem to amplify the whole thing. But if the doctor thinks it started out as one thing- what does he/she feel that one thing was that started it?
thank you to all, my dr seems to think it started out as one thing and depression has made things worse -- which would be a reason that nothing shows up on any tests.... i'm just lost.... i do go see a pain management dr on this coming friday... i suppose i'll see what he has to say....
Have you injured yourself in that area? I only ask because I have RSD/CRPS, a severe, chronic pain syndrome. Have you gone to a Pain Management Specialist? The one pain we all share is the burning pain, and your stabbing pain is also one we have. It can be triggered by an injury, minor surgery, in rare cases, it can occur spontaneously. I also have Fibromyalgia, but burning pain is not one of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, just our RSD/CRPS. Unfortunately there is no "test" for the RSD/CRPS. The American RSD Association, which you can find online is an excellent site and will describe the symptoms. I have had swollen glands for several years, but the Fibromyalgia can cause that.
To be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, there are 18 Trigger Points or Tender Points, depending on who you talk to, and if you have I believe 11 of the 18, you are diagnosed with the Fibro. A Pain Management Physician can also diagnose it, as they diagnosed mine about nine years ago and I have had the RSD/CRPS for 18 years due to minor foot surgery.
The Trigger Point injection will calm down an RSD area or a Fibromyalgia area, as I get them when my headaches come back, and the base of my skull hurts so bad and my Neurologist injects only Marcaine or Lidocaine since he doesn't want to inject too much of the Steroids because of my allergy to the drug if given IV. The doctor will usually user their thumb and press on those specific trigger points, and believe me, when he pushes on them and you about fly off the table, you will know it.
A Neurologist can diagnose both, but a Pain Management Specialist would be your best bet. They usually will give you a Block in a specific area and if your pain disappears, that is usually a clue you may have it. Since you have seen every doctor there is, see a Pain Specialist immediately as the sooner you are diagnosed with RSD/CRPS, the sooner you can keep it confined, however in 70 percent of the people who develop it are women and then 70 percent who are diagnosed with it, it will spread to your whole body. And for those of us who have RSD, all agree, we wish we had not been so eager to have all the invasive procedures because it made our RSD spread, but in some people it does halt it's spread. You just never know. I have had every one they have and every implant they can do, but because it had been 22 months between diagnosis and treatment, for a variety of reasons, my Pain doc who confirmed the Diagnosis, said the cards were stacked against me, and he was so right. But each of us is different, it's just the constant burning pain that immediately thought you should see a Pain Specialist and think back if you had an injury you forgot about, because the doctor will ask you that first.
Did you see a GYN doc and have the CA 125 blood test done? It's not really a cancer test, but is a cancer marker for Ovarian Cancer and if your pain is near your hip, and because this form of Cancer is called the Silent Cancer, the only test that may INDICATE, you may have it. It can't hurt, and if the level is low, you should be OK. But I am no doctor, only a long term chronic pain patient speaking from my own experience. Also do you have knee problems? I did, and it would cause Bursitis to flare up my hip on the side of the affected knee, but the nerves get inflamed and meds and PT will cause it to decrease almost immediately, Sometimes you have to get really firm. It's your burning and stabbing pain that are symptoms all RSD/CRPS patients suffer from, so seeing a Pain Management doc, or Rheumotologist or Neurologist can diagnose it or rule it out. Better to be safe than sorry. I am not one who likes to go to Chiropractors, as I did initially as I was a passenger and the car I was riding in, got rear ended.
I was sent to a Chiropractor and he just made my RSD pain go off the scale, and at the point, I didn't even know what RSD was. It wasn't until I got a computer and started doing research, because at my local library had little information 18 years ago about RSD/CRPS. Good luck and I hope you get a diagnosis of something soon. You know your body better than anyone so keep up your search until you get a diagnosis, particularly if your pain continues or worsens and treatment started for whatever ails you.
Rockygurl2
To be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, there are 18 Trigger Points or Tender Points, depending on who you talk to, and if you have I believe 11 of the 18, you are diagnosed with the Fibro. A Pain Management Physician can also diagnose it, as they diagnosed mine about nine years ago and I have had the RSD/CRPS for 18 years due to minor foot surgery.
The Trigger Point injection will calm down an RSD area or a Fibromyalgia area, as I get them when my headaches come back, and the base of my skull hurts so bad and my Neurologist injects only Marcaine or Lidocaine since he doesn't want to inject too much of the Steroids because of my allergy to the drug if given IV. The doctor will usually user their thumb and press on those specific trigger points, and believe me, when he pushes on them and you about fly off the table, you will know it.
A Neurologist can diagnose both, but a Pain Management Specialist would be your best bet. They usually will give you a Block in a specific area and if your pain disappears, that is usually a clue you may have it. Since you have seen every doctor there is, see a Pain Specialist immediately as the sooner you are diagnosed with RSD/CRPS, the sooner you can keep it confined, however in 70 percent of the people who develop it are women and then 70 percent who are diagnosed with it, it will spread to your whole body. And for those of us who have RSD, all agree, we wish we had not been so eager to have all the invasive procedures because it made our RSD spread, but in some people it does halt it's spread. You just never know. I have had every one they have and every implant they can do, but because it had been 22 months between diagnosis and treatment, for a variety of reasons, my Pain doc who confirmed the Diagnosis, said the cards were stacked against me, and he was so right. But each of us is different, it's just the constant burning pain that immediately thought you should see a Pain Specialist and think back if you had an injury you forgot about, because the doctor will ask you that first.
Did you see a GYN doc and have the CA 125 blood test done? It's not really a cancer test, but is a cancer marker for Ovarian Cancer and if your pain is near your hip, and because this form of Cancer is called the Silent Cancer, the only test that may INDICATE, you may have it. It can't hurt, and if the level is low, you should be OK. But I am no doctor, only a long term chronic pain patient speaking from my own experience. Also do you have knee problems? I did, and it would cause Bursitis to flare up my hip on the side of the affected knee, but the nerves get inflamed and meds and PT will cause it to decrease almost immediately, Sometimes you have to get really firm. It's your burning and stabbing pain that are symptoms all RSD/CRPS patients suffer from, so seeing a Pain Management doc, or Rheumotologist or Neurologist can diagnose it or rule it out. Better to be safe than sorry. I am not one who likes to go to Chiropractors, as I did initially as I was a passenger and the car I was riding in, got rear ended.
I was sent to a Chiropractor and he just made my RSD pain go off the scale, and at the point, I didn't even know what RSD was. It wasn't until I got a computer and started doing research, because at my local library had little information 18 years ago about RSD/CRPS. Good luck and I hope you get a diagnosis of something soon. You know your body better than anyone so keep up your search until you get a diagnosis, particularly if your pain continues or worsens and treatment started for whatever ails you.
Rockygurl2
Even though you have been screened by ortho's, have you ever seen a good chiropractor? Maybe that sounds silly but I have chronic lower back problems and the pain can be so bad. It always radiates to my hip when I wait to have something done. The only two things that help are my chiropractor or an injection into the nerve. You've tried everything else-get an appt. and give it a try. (You know, every nerve in your spine controls specific areas.)
You mentioned ultrasounds- does that include pelvic, looking at your uterus and right ovary? Do you notice the pain getting worse with menses (thinking endometriosis, which often doesn't show up with imaging)? Also, once I had a UTI and thought I was having appendicitis- must have been referred pain- have you had a cystoscopy?
Have they rechecked the lymph nodes to see if they have gone back down to normal size? See PM for lymph info. Have the done any cancer marker testing? Did they rule out chronic appendicitis?
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