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Need some advice/help - abdominal pain

Posted , 8 users are following.

thomas91276
thomas91276

Okay so here is a fairly detailed summation of my situation.

I have been experiencing fairly constant, disruptive stomach and abdominal pains and cramps for probably 6 - 8 months. The pain was originally in my stomach and my GP suspected it might have been an ulcer, although i got tested for the bacteria and it showed that it wasn't an ulcer caused by the pylori bacteria. I went to a gastroenterologist and he said it was probably stress. He ordered an ultra-sound which showed the passage from the gallbladder to the stomach was unusually dilated. He simply told me to wait and attempt to reduce my stress. He also indicated that 'something' (he was not specific as to what) was present that indicated inflammation was present. Although, given the constant bloating that doesn't seem surprising.

It has now been at least four months since i last spoke to him. I still get almost constant pain and bloating, but it seems to have moved lower down my digestive system. It feels painful and swollen just above my groin area and below my stomach. I suspected both Alcohol and Dairy (or lactose) might be contributors. I have cut out alcohol for a month now and have cut dairy out for the last couple of days. No notable differences.

I've been to a different GP who ordered a whole host of tests (most of which i have already done). The tests included bloods, stool, urine and x-ray. I have yet to receive the results however i strongly suspect he will not be able to tell me anything more instructive than the last doctors i spoke to.

I have kept a rough food diary, making notes particularly when it flares up. I have really struggled to identify any kind of correlation with foods i eat. I doubt it's stress because my one month holiday did nothing to relieve the symptoms.

I have even treated myself for worms in the off-chance i had an infection.

This is more or less Fing up my life. Any help/advice/tips would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

  • byron17923
    byron17923 thomas91276

    Posted

    Hi

    is the pain on the left or right side in the groin? Could it be trapped wind and a sluggish gut in general? Have you change your level of physical activity?

    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 byron17923

      Posted

      Doesn't seem to be specifically in any area. Pushing on any area in the lower abdomen causes pain.

    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 byron17923

      Posted

      Also i am generally quite active and have been fairly consistent with that over the past year or so.
  • mark91131
    mark91131 thomas91276

    Posted

    It is frustrating when Drs cant pin symptoms down. I'm surprised that they havent followed up on the gallbladder dilation issue though. Maybe press for further tests in this area

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 thomas91276

    Posted

    Has IBS been mentioned?  If all tests are negative, it could be Irritable bowel.  Do you have change of bowel habit?  Relief of pain after a bowel movement?  Incomplete evacuation?

    If you still have the pain on holiday, even in a low stress environment,  you may still be stressing about your symptoms even if you are not aware of it.  IBS will make anxiety worse and  IBS can be triggered by anxiety.

    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 pippa58442

      Posted

      I seem to be fairly regular. I do sometimes feel relief after a movement, othertimes not so much. Movements tend to be quite loose and complete.
    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 thomas91276

      Posted

      Bloating, stomach pain and loose stools may be a sign of IBS.  Has any doctor mentioned the possibility of IBS?
    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 pippa58442

      Posted

      No doctor has suggested it as yet. But, and correct me if i'm wrong, doesn't IBS more or less just mean that a patient exhibits a group of unexplained symptoms related to the gut. From my research it seems less a daignosable disease and more an admission that doctors just don't know the cause.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 thomas91276

      Posted

      IBS does have a variety of causes that are different for each person.  Some have stress related IBS, others get it as a result of stomach surgery or a stomach infection or a particular food(s) triggers it.  There is no specific test for IBS so doctors have to rule out other causes because other conditions can mimic it. IBS does not show in tests because it is a functional disorder.  

      If you are diagnosed with with IBS, you have been diagnosed with a recognised condition.  Doctors don't just label you with IBS because they don't know. If they can't diagnose you, they will admit this. I was told several times by doctors that they had no idea what was wrong with me but none of them said IBS simply because they felt they had to diagnose me with something rather than nothing.  The doctor who recognised Irritable Bowel, listened to my symptoms and confirmed IBS because he saw my symptoms matched the condition and there was no sign of anything else.  He asked me about streas and saw that shortly after the stressful incidents, my gut problems began.  This is a major cause of IBS.

    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 pippa58442

      Posted

      So, assuming for the moment that it is stress related IBS, how did you address it? 
    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 thomas91276

      Posted

      I have always been anxious and so for the most part I try to avoid situations that I know will stress me out.  However. this is not always easy and unexpected things do occur and make me anxious.  If it causes a flare up I take Buscopan or Nurofen to control the pain.
    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 pippa58442

      Posted

      Yeah, i'm a lawyer so avoiding stressful situations is unlikely sadly.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 thomas91276

      Posted

      I would imagine you will be bombarded with stress on a regular basis.  I am a poet and I have recently tried to see the humour in annoying/stressful events that come my way and I often write limericks to take the sting out of the situation.  When others are amused  at my word smithing, it gives me a great buzz.  Laughter is the best medecine. 
  • lidia1972
    lidia1972 thomas91276

    Posted

    So I have exact your symptoms! Do you he any relief? My pain is constant and I am super bloated!! I am female so they are looking into female problems, my pain started in the stomach region but now is localized on lower belly, if you press on my stomach I feel pain so bad and have been having hard bloating too. To the point I look pregnant! I have a follow up with Gastro appointment today, I have done colonoscopy ct scan, ultrasound. He put me on the fodmap diet, honestly I am not very confident that he will come up with a diagnosis. I also have constipation and rectal pressure.

    I wonder if the lower part of the intestines, I'm so frustrated with this.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 lidia1972

      Posted

      If your doctor has put you on the Fodmap diet, he may suspect IBS.  This diet is designed for IBS sufferers.  If all your tests come back negative, IBS can be diagnosed
    • lidia1972
      lidia1972 pippa58442

      Posted

      Pippa,

      The diet did not change the pain, and my pain has been very localized but I do have painful sensations all over my abdomen when pressed. Could this still be ibs?

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 lidia1972

      Posted

      Some people with IBS are not helped with Fodmap.  IBS pain usually moves about your stomach. It can come and go or be constant. Dull, deep grinding, stabbing and sore to touch pain are also signs of IBS. Have you had any  change of bowel habit, Incomplete evacuation, or relief after a bowel movement? 
    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 lidia1972

      Posted

      Hi, i dont know of anything that relieves the pain specifically but general things can help. Before i gave it up alcohol seemed to numb the pain. Paracetemol and ibruprofen also seem to help with the pain but do nothing for the bloating and gas which i find just as frustrating.

      Im a 26 year old male so in that respect we differ but otherwise our symptoms sound very similar

    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 lidia1972

      Posted

      Hi Lidia,

      A little update. I tested positive for Blastocystis. This doesn't necessarily cause symptoms. There doesnt appear to be consensus as to whether it does or not. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that suggests that it can, and people who have been treated report almost immediate relief from symptoms following treatment.

      So that could be what causes my pain. Maybe it would be worth doing a stool sample to check for this? I'm taking anti-biotics now. I will message again at the end of my treatment.

    • thomas91276
      thomas91276 lidia1972

      Posted

      It's not quite diarrhea, but definitely a strange consistency. Kind of mushy. Sorry to gross you out.

      I'm mid way through the treatment and my symptoms seem to have eased although i am not too optimistic yet as they tend to come and go naturally.

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