'undiagnosable' abdominal pain.

Posted , 101 users are following.

Hi there,

I've had right severe abdominal pain, just below my rib line, It's a constant pain and i've experienced it for about 4 months now. At first I didn't really pay attention to it, it then became too painful to ignore at all. I would find myself waking up at night, or having to sit/lay down at work clutching my side. One day at work it became so painful I collapsed, and began having heart palpitations, after calling an ambulance I was sat inside it for 30 minutes or so hooked up to an ecg, my heart beat averaged about 125. I've seen about 10 doctors, 4 of my local GP's, and had 3 trips to AnE. The palpitations proceeded the severe pain a total of 3 times so far, It'd feel as if something in my right side had almost burst and spread across my body becoming numb and having severe chest pain - and I honestly thought I was having a heart attack because of the pain and the feeling of my heart pumping through my chest.

I guess the best thing will be to answer every question they've asked me..

I'm a healthy 19 year old male, I've eaten healthy, exercised often, i'm 10 stone 8, and i'm 5ft 8. I am not a drug user, although I am partial to the occasional binge drink (Like most teenagers).

I do not lift heavy objects, I work in a bar and don't lift any barrels/trays of glasses. I have been a smoker for a year now, and have been cutting down since the pain started, although giving it up entirely is quite hard as i'm finding it the only thing that has relaxed me. I've had no blood in my urine/feces/vomit. I have only vomited once during the 4 months. I do not have a temperature, I do not have a fever, the pain is not increased when pressure is applied. It is not relieved by warm/cold packs etc. The doctors are adamant I do not have appendicitis, i've had 3 ultrasounds which show no stones in my kidneys or galbladder and everything is as of normal size.

When I was admitted into AnE and asked to spend 2 more nights in the hospital I became so bad I had to have someone to hold me up while I walk, I couldn't sit up due to the pain and I would be so tired that I couldn't get out of bed. They had asked me to stay because of one blood test that showed my liver functions spiking high (I think it was billirubin? - and no I had not had a heavy night of drinking or anything the night before It was taken) They released me because they said being an outpatient would be faster (Which, it isn't, as the specialist i've been referred to will not be able to see me until december, when it's september now.)

Through all the doctors i've seen, i've stuck with one who has been incredibley helpful throughout this all, although completely clueless to what is going on with me.

Whilst in the hospital I've had a doctor tell nurses to stop giving me any pain killers because Im probably just a drug addict, and other doctors tell me it's complete anxiety, and others take one look at me and say it's a mucle inflammation under my rib.

It's got to the point where I can't work, my relationships are suffering incredibly because I can hardly do anything. I Can't drink without having incredibly bad hang overs which last for days or throwing up after the first couple of pints, some days I will wake up and sit on the floor because it's too painful to lie down or stand up. My relationship with my partner is suffering, as it is most of the time too painful to be intimate. This is ruining my life, and all the doctors are telling me 'come back if it gets worse, but there's nothing wrong with you'.

But as I said, 3 ultra sounds, 2 x-rays, 15 blood tests (Including one for hepatitus).

And nothing except one liver function spike, the once. My blood sugars are normal, there's nothing abnormal in my urine.

What i've told every doctor i've seen;

I've had severe right abdominal pain. Just below my rib. So severe I can not walk etc. I've had constipation for 4 months a long with the pain, which every now and then seems to just disappear. It seems to become more severe every other week, and on 3 occasions so painful I have collapsed and either thought I was having a heart attack or my appendix had burst due to the pain.

Please, any help is incredibly appreciated, I just want my life back!

Thank you, Alex.

8 likes, 127 replies

127 Replies

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  • Posted

    I have been dealing with this same issue . Only mine hurts on the left from time to time but the right side all day everyday and up higher on the right. I have had 2 CTs, ultrasound , colonoscopy , exploratory surgery and now heading to see a urologist since it hurts on my sides when I urinate. I have also made an appointment with Mayo Clinic because I feel my local drs aren’t getting anywhere.  It hurts so bad most days it makes me vomit. I’m struggling to get to work and nobody has answers . I unfortunately have resorted to very strong pain pills that barely touch the painsad

    I hope you find relief soon! I know all to well what your going through.

    • Posted

      I should add . 

      I have no gull bladder so that’s out .

      They say my appendix looks ok

      I have had a hysterectomy but kept my ovaries . They did discover that my colon is 2times the normal size but apparently that’s not cause for concern .  Next we are moving  on to check my kidneys. 

      No blood in urine, durning bowel movement or vomit. Just and insane amount of pain 

  • Posted

    Did the doctors ever find out what's the problem. I have a similar problem but the pain is on the left side.  I use to vomit with the stomach pain and only after vomiting did I get relief. 

    First the doctors diagnosed inflamed gall bladder with a stone and a polyp .  They removed my gall bladder and nothing has changed.

    I have had blood tests, had them  look into my stomach including check for H-pillory, X-ray, CT Scan, CT scan with contrast and it is still hell on earth.  I know that any acid fruit brings on the problem. Three days ago I saw the doctor and he says he can find nothing Test shows nothing.  I have taken Prilosec and recently  zantac.  Both work fine and if I  forget to take the medication and the pain starts I swallow one faster than you can say what time of day is it.  After a few minutes I am back to normal as if nothing happened.

    Yesterday and today, 1/12-13  I had to run for the pink medicine (bismuth subsalicylate) because that helps after a few minutes.  

    Something is wrong and it is not psychosomatic, something causing my stomach to make my life hell.

    This all started after I got a new refrigerator in my dorm room. I started vomiting with diarrhea and after almost a week of on and off I went to  the emergency room. In looking back what happened was I noticed the food kept going spoil in a short time. vegetable salad in zip log just went bad.  Bake Macaroni and cheese started growing fungus in a short time  -  an unusual situation because this dish goes stale and dry after a long time and then you can discard in garbage -  but to have fungus growing on the dish so soon says maybe the fridge was contaminated.  I took pictures and email to rental management as I thought the whole scenario was unusual. 

    If you found a solution please, please post.

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