Unexplained Lower Right Abdominal & Back Pain
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Hoping someone can shed some light, i have wrote as much as possible that I can think of...
I am a 29 year old Male. My problem started on the evening of Sunday 9th January. All that day, I had spent it removing kitchen floor tiles, which involved the use of a lump hammer and chisel, crouching, squatting, on hands and knees to take up tiles that had been laid for 20yrs - it was really difficult but managed it. Not sure if this activity is relevant/cause of my problem but genuinely feel its worth mentioning it, just in case! Later on, in the evening I started to get a dull ache in my groin and/or right testicle. Monday 10th this was the same, dull ache, and by Tuesday it was felt specifically in the lower right abdomen.
11th January. On this Tuesday evening i saw my GP, they examined my testicles which they were satisfied with. After explaining my pain, i was advised to take paracetamol/ibuprofen and sent on my way.
The dull pain remained solely in my lower right abdomen from then on, and always more noticeable whenever i bent/leaned over.
19th January. I went back to the doctors. It was a different doctor so explained the short story and symptoms, and expressed my worry that i hadnt gotten better. This doctor appreciated my worry and ordered me urgent blood tests (which i had carried out the very next day), and also a stool sample was taken to check the calprotectin (inflammation i think). Anyways, all my blood results came back normal, and my stool sample showed no inflammation.
Still, I had this dull lower right abdominal pain. It isnt a classical pain that i recognise like a stomach ache, trapped wind or heartburn, it was simply a discomfort that certainly isnt normal or ever experienced before. As mentioned, this discomfort is significantly noticable when I crouch - however to this day i cannot feel any mass to explain the cause / exact pain point by hand.
17th January. It is very hard to get a GP appointment, but my pain mixed in with worry drove me to Urgent Care. After explaining my story, they tried me on a week of buscopan, but this made no difference.
25th January. I went back to Urgent Care and the doctor suggested maybe kidney stones. They referred me to the Stone Clinic in Urology, this appointment would take place a month later on 25th February.
8th February. In the meantime I went back to my doctors as my pain remained. They ordered me 2 x FIT tests, each one to be submitted the day after the other, and also referred me for an ultrasound scan. The FIT tests to check for traces of blood in the stool came back as negative - no traces found. As of writing, i am yet to receive my appointment date for the ultrasound scan. (Im told there is a 15week wait time for non-urgent Ultrasound appointments).
25th February. I attended my Urology appointment and after explaining my pain the Urologist ordered me a CT KUB that same session. Initial review of the scan confirmed no stones, and a further full review by a radiologist confirmed no abnormalities found elsewhere.
18th March. I had sudden severe left testicle pain (could have been groin!) that started the evening of 17th. I did my best to try and sleep it off, when i woke up on the 18th it remained. After a phonecall with my GP (who prescribed Naproxen), i decided to head to urgent care as the pain wasnt subsiding. Urgent care referred me to the Surgical Assessment Unit at my hospital, to be seen to by a Urologist. The Urologist in SAU this day fortunately was the same person that had seen me in the stone clinic back in February, so was already familiar with me which was some sort of relieving. After examination of my testicles, they found no swelling or anything of concern. They felt a scan was not necessary, and prescribed me codeine for the pain. The testicle pain fully subsided nearly 48hrs later on its own and has not occured since - not sure if this is connected to all this story, or if id hurt it crouching or something but was not fun. Very bizarre with it being on the left!
23rd March. The lower right abdominal pain remained but started to feel more like a throb, and it kept me awake from 3am. Luckily i got an appointment at my doctors for 10am, a different doctor again. After examining me and taking in my story of symptoms since the 9th January, they referred me to SAU to make sure my appendix wasnt the problem here. At the hospital I had bloodwork done, urine taken and after some hours of waiting a surgeon on duty saw me. They looked over my CT from the 25th Feb, examined my abdomen and checked my bloodwork and urine... All these gave them zero cause for concern and therefore I was discharged, and no closer to finding out what is going on.
24th/25th March. The lower right abdominal pain suddenly seemed to take a backseat, and instead I started with pain that seems like its coming from the lower right back away from the spine, mostly at the bottom of the ribs (id like to say its exactly where i think my right kidney is!). I cant seem to replicate the pain by hand if i feel in that region which is odd. I do find it uncomfortable to sleep on my right side though. The pain seems to be constant, and is waking me up after around 5hours of sleep most nights.
4th April. I went to the doctors (again, another different doctor) to address the pain felt in the back who dismissed it was related to everything else ive been experiencing, and advised me to self refer to physiotherapy. I personally believe this pain IS related to the existing abdominal pain, as i havent done anything to pull a muscle or along those lines - i have kept myself as relaxed as possible.
14th April. 3 weeks since the back/flank pain started and just over 3 months that my lower right abdomen pain began. Naproxen doesnt seem to ease the pain, and i dont wish to take any codeine as all it does is keep me tired for days. I can still feel the lower right abdomen pain, certainly when crouching over. I also have the back/flank pain which is more predominant to the lower right abdominal pain.
20th April. Saw a doctor who has seen me a few times and is familiar with everything. They insisted i at least try the physiotherapy while we await for the ultrasound appointment. I have self referred to physiotherapy and await for them to be in touch. Ultrasound still not been arranged, but i expect an appointment date soon. Doctor advised to book an appointment 2weeks after ultrasound has taken place.
25th April. I have no idea what to do next... Part of me thinks perhaps in January doing the tile removal maybe i trapped a nerve? Slipped a disc? And perhaps slowly its giving me these symptoms? I dont know. Im not really producing classical symptoms to aid doctors to give me a diagnosis, and to be honest I am feeling like doctors are not taking me seriously and always in a rush to dismiss me. Clearly there is a problem, as it has been over 3 months. Throughout these 3 months I have found myself overcome with high levels of worry and upset, which ive managed to get under control recently. I hate the not knowing and I have never had health problems prior. The constant pain makes it hard for me to concentrate during work and everyday life, it is hard to put it to the back of my mind as its always there in one way or another (back or lower right abdomen).. I also sometimes wonder if im having side effects of the C19 jabs, I am triple jabbed. I dunno!
To summarise, i have had:
9 x GP F2F Appointments
4 x Urgent Care Attendances
2 x SAU Referrals
1 x CT Scan
2 x Blood Tests
10 x Urine/Culture Tests
1 x Calprotectin Test
2 x FIT Tests
No signs of blood in urine or stools
No discomfort using the toilet
No loss of appetite
No weight loss
No fevers
No chest pain
No itching
No noticeable swelling anywhere
Stools and Urine all OK and no changes.
The pains are always right sided (other than the left testicle/groin pain that occurred)
Sometimes feel a slight twinge in right leg.
It is still uncomfortable to crouch down
No effect/changes when sneezing or coughing (i.e. doing this doesnt hurt)
Eating or drinking does not increase or decrease pain. I eat healthy and i have always drank plenty of water through each day.
I have no other pain in other parts of the body and I am otherwise well in myself.
I worry everyday that I have something sinister wrong with me, albeit all tests/examinations have so far come back clear with no explanations. I still have an abdominal ultrasound appointment coming up (appointment still TBC).
Advice would be appreciated!!!
0 likes, 3 replies
alexis20017 robert18162
Edited
Hey Robert! Sorry youre dealing with this. I can relate to this except for location... mine is typically left-handed and a little higher than you explain but im thinking area kidney area too. loads of blood work taken abdominal scans, CTs, everything comes back negative. I did do physio for three months at the beginning of the year and I do think it helped me. but for the last 9+ months I’ve been having what feels like inflammation in my back and front and I’m thinking it’s referred pain in the front or like you said a trapped nerve and the nerve is travelling to the front it’s crazy how connected your abdominal muscles and nerves are with your back. I’ve learned a lot in dealing with this but besides my job where I am hunched over for 9+ hours a day, I find it interesting you bring up COVID-19 vaccines because I too have been wondering if it has caused some inflammation in my body. I was totally fine before the shots and 2-3 months of it in my system is when it all began. I’ve actually talked to a couple other people who have this unexplained pain wherever it is in their body like they suddenly have this inflammation that they’ve never had and theirs too started after shots... wondering if it’s a side effect of the vaccine. I too got myself very worked up thinking worst things in the world but I feel great besides this pain and discomfort I’ve lost no weight my appetite is great my energy levels are great I’m very active out all the time with people so I just kind of learned to live with it. sometimes the worries creep in again but I just try and stay present and hope that this subsides soon. i wish you the very best and hope you start to feel better soon. I’m seriously contemplating whether I should get another booster or not! im 25 and feel old sometimes with this pain!
robert18162 alexis20017
Edited
Hey Alexis, really interesting to hear very similar issues as mine. Since writing my post, the pains have had a few trips over to the left as opposed to the right of my body where it was always, until late May.
Ive since had an ultrasound just for completeness (as already had CT), that also showed nothing, but they only looked at solid organs so not really in the key area of pain. Anyways, no issues found. Ive since had referrals done for Ultrasounds of both my groins to see if anything is showing...
Interestingly enough, Physiotherapy seem to believe i have root nerve compression of the L1 and L2, along with ilioinguinal neuralgia. This is actually something i stumbled across myself when i scoured the internet for many weeks, as it kind of made sense. The nerves from the L1 L2 vertebrae wrap around from the back where the ribs end, and wrap round to the front of the abdomen diagonally down into the groin. Therefore ive started on Amitriptyline as a nerve painkiller, but yet to notice an improvement other than it is making me sleepy!
The saga continues, I have bloodwork being done next week and as mentioned im due for groin ultrasounds at some point (6weeks since i was referred, and apparently its 15weeks at the moment!!!)
In 2 days it will be exactly 6 months since i started being in pain 😦 This year has certainly seen me develop health anxiety, and therefore I tend to immediately panic about everything to do with my health, which obviously isnt going to do me any good - i just wish i had some definite answers already. I will keep pushing as surely this will go away, or can be fixed! i can only hope.
Feel free to direct message for any queries
Hope you are well,
Rob
robert18162
Edited
For anybody that stumbles across my post - i am no longer suffering from any of the above symptoms. This problem disappeared on its own and I feel sure it was nerve related / physical related. This problem crops up for about 30mins if i do a strenuous task like lifting but does not plague me anymore. Very strange to experience for such a long period of time but fortunately (touch wood) it was nothing and nothing that could be helped either - just had to wait for my body to sort itself out.
Main take from this is that you can have something unexplainable wrong with you that can last for months (6months in my case) and it turn out to be nothing.