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Does this sound like pancreatitis or something else?

Posted , 3 users are following.

april14718
april14718

I'm a 24 year old female. I don't drink (ever!) and I have never smoked (anything). Only medications I take are Detrol LA (overactive bladder) and Omeprazole (GERD or acid reflux disease for those who don't know), plus depo provera (birth control). Okay so I have GERD as I mentioned and lately I have had bad flare ups. It seems everything has given me hearburn and acid reflux. A typical flare up feels like burning in the chest, bloated belly, acid (sour tasting fluid) in the mouth, extreme discomfort. I take Tums and Omeprazole at the same time to ease these symptoms. 

Lately, as of the past week or so I have not been feeling too great. I thought I had a kidney infection but my urine showed no growth. My left lower back has been achy, my left hip has had some pain near it. That's about how it started. Now, it's more in my upper abdomen, near my left rib. It aches to press on my upper left abdomen plus my back hurts near the left rib. I only feel the pain when I'm laying down or when I am  slouching. Things feel tight on that side. I already had my appendix out over a year ago. And I am debating whether or not to call my doctor because things aren't getting worse, the pain is very tolerable but it's not going away. I have done lots of online research and all that seems to come up is pancreatitis or endometriosis are the 2 conditions that repeatedly appear. Another thing I should mention is I have been having the desire to go #2 a lot more since this started. When I go it's very small amount, just little pellets and then I'll leave the bathroom and within 5 minutes I have to go again. I could have IBS but I've never been diagnosed or went to see a doctor about it or anything. 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • cathy_94688
    cathy_94688 april14718

    Posted

    Hi April

    Your symptomps sounds like mine. Only I am severely constipated and I mostly have the pain in the upper left side under the rib cage. Yea the pain is always there and never goes away. It burns and sometimes I feel it in my chest and all over of my stomach. It's been two years now. But my problem begin after I had the galblader surgery five years ago. For three years I was ok but suddenly I Belgian having problems. Yes I reaserch on Google as well and I keep ending up with pancetites. So I run to difrent GI specialists and I did many different Tests including MRCP all came back normal Thank God.

    But the pain is still there itching and burning.

    So I decided to watch my self when I eat fatty food to see if I get pain but I had no problem at all.

    Then I watched to see if I get pain with spicy food that also didn't work. I didn't try alcohol beacuse I don't drink at all.

    I find out that when I have the bowl movment I get the pain specially when it goes through the upper left side the pain gets worse. And if I am constipated it gets very bad that I cry out. sad

    And beacuse of this I am kind of not sure if it's my pancreas or colon.

    By the way, diagnosing pancreas problem is very difficult for doctors beacuse most of the time it does not show in any scans unless you do the ERCP which is a invasive procedure that can inflame the pancreas itself. That is why they prefer MRCP over the ERCP. But the MRCP is not that accurate like the other one. So we are kind of stuck.

    • april14718
      april14718 cathy_94688

      Posted

      Oh my gosh. While I was reading your reply, you hit the nail on the head! That's precisely where my pain is: upper left abdomen, under rib area. I ended up going to the ER because I never thought constipation could cause problems that high into the abdomen. I assumed it was something more serious. Actually, I was convinced it was. So you can imagine my shock when the doctor comes in and tells me the CT showed I'm quite backed up. I was actually really embarrassed and felt silly for going to the ER for constipation. I was instructed to get magnesium citrate. Honestly, it didn't work for me. I am still bloated as ever, and I don't really have pain in my abdomen anymore; It's more located in my pelvis. I ended up taking a stool softener along with the citrate and today I have been able to go some. I still don't think it's all out. I have to wonder if there is some connection for people who have acid reflux and constipation. It seems like every time I have a flare up, I get bad constipation with it. I probably don't have a pancreas issue. It's probably a bad colon or some condition involving the colon. I know I need to see a GI doctor or someone who specializes in colons and stomach issues, but my general doctor doesn't seem to think it's that serious and therefore never says, "hey, let's refer you to someone". It's ridiculous.
  • pete70517
    pete70517 april14718

    Posted

    Hi ! I was diagnosed with Acute Pancreatitis over three months ago. I had severe pains in my mid abdomen area and I was feverish and had some nausea as well. My temperature was high and apparently the inflammation was seen on the scans which were done in the hospital. so, it looks like you may not be suffering from pancreatitis and I hope you are not. It's a fairly serious condition as you know.  
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