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Chronic abdominal and joint pain

Posted , 6 users are following.

jackieMccs88
jackieMccs88

I have had all over joint pain for nearly ten years. Started in my shoulders but has spread to hips, ankles, wrists, knees, fingers, and even toes. Never really mentioned it to the doctor because the discomfort is managed with OTC meds.

In the last two years I stared having severe abdominal pain. It started out feeling like extreme menstrual cramps but it wasn't cyclic. I had a diagnostic lap to rule out endometriosis and it was negative.

Over the last year the pain has progressed in severity and included more than pelvic region. It can be a burning dull pain usually in pelvic region, upper abdomen, or a very sharp stabbing pain in all quadrants but very specific locations.

Other Symptoms include hair loss, increased anxiety, severe insomnia caused by pain rarely helped with RX medication, Vitamin D deficiency, slightly elevated ALT.

Bowels are fairly regular with some occasional constipationand/or diarrhea. I do at least feel bloated sometimes. A lot of painful fullness under the ribs. Usually after sitting for too long.

I had an ultrasound 01/2017 that showed a ruptured hemorrhagic cyst, followed up 04/2017 and it was resolving. 02/2018 the pain was worsening so i went back to the doctor who repeated the ultrasound. showed small hypo-echoic area where cyst used to be.

05/2018 pain was so severe went to urgent care then referred to ER, CT and Ultrasound showed 2cm cyst. Referred to GYN for endometriosis consult. Diagnostic Lap performed 07/2018 and was negative but for some pelvic free fluid. No cyst present during ultrasound. 

Urinary- no burning or urgency but increased output. I’ve always urinated more than everyone I know. My old RN manager thought I was diabetic and made me test my glucose several times to prove it to her. I wake up up to 6 times a night to pee. I pee up to once every 45 minutes. Actually pee. Not dribble a little. Labs appear normal except low sodium from peeing so much. 

For instance, today my pain has been, besides the general burning ache in abdomen, an intermittent stabbing in lower left by hip bone. like a pulsing stabbing pain. It alternates all around. upper left, upper right, lower left, lower right.

same stabbing sensation in each area, sometimes multiple areas at a times.

0 likes, 30 replies

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  • libralady13
    libralady13 jackieMccs88

    Posted

    Hello  Sorry to hear you are suffering with all over pain.  It seems many of us are in the same boat.   

    I would get an appointment with your GP I would imagine he/she will do a full blood tests.  Your symptoms could be caused by many things or a combination.  One thing that does come to mind is Thyroid function.  You don't mention how old you are but it does become more common around menopause.  It can cause a multitude of symptoms but the main ones are feeling the cold, aches and pains and fatigue.  Low vitamin D often comes with low thyroid function and digestive problems like IBS seem to common in patients with thyroid problems so maybe ask for a blood test.  Hope you can get some help.  I sympathise as I too suffer with a lot of pain over the body although I do have osteoarthritis but I also have an underactive thyroid which is why I mentioned it.  Take care and let me know how you get on.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 jackieMccs88

      Posted

      I would get your thyroid test done again.  Sometimes it can show normal when your thyroid is not and you are getting symptoms.  The thyroid test isn’t slways accurate.  My mum had this problem. Your hair loss made me wonder about underactive thyroid.  Have you gained any weight recently?
    • libralady13
      libralady13 pippa58442

      Posted

      Hello I agree with pippa 58442.  It would be a good idea to get your thyroid function test redone.  They have a range which they use as normal but as pippa 58442 said it may still not be normal for you.  If you want to research Hypothyroidism on line and you will see there is a long list of symptoms not that you would get them all but you could compare.  Hair loss is one of them although not a common one what is common is losing the outer part of your eyebrow which happened to me before I was diagnosed over 25 years ago.  Other symptoms off the top of my head weight gain and not being able to lose weight, feeling tired, feeling the cold (even the other way heat intolerance which I have) and more.  Also there is a forum on this site for Thyroid disease.
  • mary19068
    mary19068 jackieMccs88

    Posted

    Hi jackieMcc88

    I had a similar thing some time ago with pain in abdomen and excessive urination. After many tests at Urology, Gynaecology scans etc it turned out i had B12 deficiency. Low B12 can affect the nerves in the bladder so it is not able hold the urine for long it becomes very sensitive. Low B12 also causes stomach and digestive problems. Get your B12 and Thyroid checked as previously mentioned by another reply...

    • wendy68446
      wendy68446 mary19068

      Posted

      Hi Mary19068 can I please ask you if you were woken by extreme painful pins and needles which left hands and arms tingling the following day?
    • jackieMccs88
      jackieMccs88 mary19068

      Posted

      Hi Mary, my B12 is ok. I’m actually producing a lot of urine. Not just frequency just to low retention ability. Almost every time I go it’s like I’ve help it for hours but it’s only been 1 
    • mary19068
      mary19068 jackieMccs88

      Posted

      Hi jackieMcc88

      Have you had a Urodynamics Test and seen a Urologist. This test will tell whether you have an oversensitive bladder which will cause incontinence. Also, have you been tested for any urine /kidney infections?....

    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Hi wendy68446

      Yes, low B12 is classic for causing pins and needles.....

    • wendy68446
      wendy68446 mary19068

      Posted

      Thank you. I have a doctors appointment on Wednesday so I will mention it to her then. I’m just tired all the time and assumed the iron and folic acid tablets I take would have sorted out my energy levels.
    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Hi wendy68446

      Folic acid, iron and B12 work together they all have to be at their correct individual levels for us to have goid energy levels. Low B12 causes extreme fatigue, very low energy and low mood. It would be a good thing if you have a complete anemia test including B12, folate and iron/ferratin. Very low B12 can cause pernicious anemia. Research "Low B12 Symptoms" and "Pernicious Anemia and B12".....keep us posted....

    • wendy68446
      wendy68446 mary19068

      Posted

      Hi mary19068, I had my doctors appointment today and she has told me to stop taking iron and folic acid tablets and to lose 1-2 stone. The pins and needles she thinks is related to carpal tunnel rather than B12. I explained that I have little energy but she still wants me to stop taking the supplements. 
    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Hi wendy68446

      Where exactly are the pins and needles?...are you overweight?

    • wendy68446
      wendy68446 mary19068

      Posted

      The pins and needles are in my hand and goes up to my elbow, it is a constant tingling. Yes I could do with losing at least a stone and a half
    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Hi wendy68446

      Hmmmm! I had CTS but the pins and needles were in my hand only from wrist area and felt pain and numbness in my thumb and first three fingers, nothing up to the elbow. I eventually had the op to release the nerve that was trapped in my wrist that caused the pain and pins and needles. All fine now. Has your doctor referred you to a hand consultant that's the usual procedure...

    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Also i think you should have an anemia blood test before you come off the supplements to make sure it is safe to come off them....some doctors are soooo casual about things these days, how on earth does she know you should come off them without testing your blood first.....Mmmmm!..
    • wendy68446
      wendy68446 mary19068

      Posted

      I am booked in for a blood test next Wednesday but she said to stop all supplements. I have been getting quite forgetful lately and also mixing words together. She is thinking I might be pre-diabetic and that is causing the pins and needles 
    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Hi wendy68446

      Ahh! I thought there had to be a blood test carried out and that is why she wants you to stop supplements for the blood test. Ask her to include B12 in the test aswell. She probably going to test your blood glucose levels by a Hba1c test which i have every 6 months as i have Type 2 diabetes. Because i take Metformin for T2D i have 3 monthly B12 injections (Hydroxycobalamin) because Metformin is one of the meds that block absorption of B12....keep us posted..

    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Hi wendy68446

      I forgot to mention why don't you google 'Symptoms of B12 Deficiency'...and see f you have any of the symptoms mentioned and if so show your doctor.....

    • wendy68446
      wendy68446 mary19068

      Posted

      Hi, I mentioned the symptoms that I was having but she has said it is more likely carpal tunnel and she won’t do another b12 test as I had one in August. I came away with the impression that she has put it all down to my weight and isn’t going to listen to anything else. 
    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Hi wendy68446

      Do you know what your B12 levels were in August?...

    • wendy68446
      wendy68446 mary19068

      Posted

      The doctors I was with said b12 was measured between 211-911 but I have heard so many different levels that I don’t know what to think anymore. In August I was at 212.
    • mary19068
      mary19068 wendy68446

      Posted

      Hi wendy68446

      I d9n't know your age but if you are under age 50yrs your reading is ok at 212. When you next have your B12 tested or any other blood tests ask for a print out of your results Under the 'Freedom of Information Act' anyone is allowed to see any information about themselves ...a reading of 500-900 is best for over 55year olds....

    • wendy68446
      wendy68446 mary19068

      Posted

      Yes I’m under 50 and when I next get results back on any blood tests then I will ask for a printout (depends if I remember to ask)
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