I am having severe abdominal pain, please help!?!
Question: I have been having severe abdominal pain for about 15 months. I've been to the E.R. 3 times & was told that I was having cysts rupture, I was treated with morphine each time. My dr said I may have IBD or Crohn's..they were both ruled out by colonoscopy. I had a laparoscopy & my dr found black tissue indicative of endometriosis, he also found that my left ovary is quite swollen and I have several cysts. I also had an endoscopy & everything was normal. I've also had CT scans & ultrasounds and the only thing they saw were cysts & enlarged left ovary.
To treat the pain at home, I was given Darvocet 100, but I'd really like to figure out exactly why I'm in so much pain.
I saw on the news recently that women were being misdiagnosed with cysts & IBS, and that hormone testing showed that their pituitary hormone levels were way off.
I want to take a list of hormones and their normal ranges to my dr and request bloodwork.
If you have any information for me, I'd really appreciate it!
Answers: I have been having severe abdominal pain for about 15 months. I've been to the E.R. 3 times & was told that I was having cysts rupture, I was treated with morphine each time. My dr said I may have IBD or Crohn's..they were both ruled out by colonoscopy. I had a laparoscopy & my dr found black tissue indicative of endometriosis, he also found that my left ovary is quite swollen and I have several cysts. I also had an endoscopy & everything was normal. I've also had CT scans & ultrasounds and the only thing they saw were cysts & enlarged left ovary.
To treat the pain at home, I was given Darvocet 100, but I'd really like to figure out exactly why I'm in so much pain.
I saw on the news recently that women were being misdiagnosed with cysts & IBS, and that hormone testing showed that their pituitary hormone levels were way off.
I want to take a list of hormones and their normal ranges to my dr and request bloodwork.
If you have any information for me, I'd really appreciate it!
Please go see at least two more different doctors about all of this- and show them all of your information and test results. The fact that one ovary is swollen is alarming... They should do something about that alone!! I am only concerned because my mother has been fighting ovarian cancer for the last year, and her symptoms (or some of them) were similar. I am not trying to scare you and I am sorry, but please do not take this docs word for anything... Something needs to be done and this doctor is not the one to do it... Good luck and God Bless.
It could be if you've worked it too hard at the gym.
Or you could have pulled it.. i'd go to your GP if i was you to get it checked out.
Hello tinkerbelle,
Before the visit, prepare written lists of:
* Medications you are currently taking, including herbs, vitamins, minerals, and food supplements.
* Your allergies
* The medications that you have tried for your abdominal pain.
* Important medical illnesses that you have such as diabetes, heart disease, etc..
* Previous surgeries such as appendectomy, hernia repairs, gallbladder removal, hysterectomy, etc..
* Previous procedures such as colonoscopy, laparoscopy, CAT scan, ultrasound, upper or lower barium x-rays, etc..
* Previous hospitalizations
* Ill family members who have symptoms similar to yours.
* Family members with gastrointestinal diseases (involving the esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder).
* Be candid with your doctor about your prior and current alcohol consumption and smoking habits, any history of chemical dependence.
Be prepared to tell your doctor:
* When the pain first started
* If there were previous episodes of similar pain.
* How frequently episodes of pain occur
* If each episode of pain starts gradually or suddenly
* The severity of the pain
* What causes the pain and what makes the pain worse
* What relieves the pain
* The characteristics of the pain. Is the pain sharp or dull, burning or pressure like? Is the pain jabbing and fleeting, steady and unrelenting or crampy (coming and going)?
* If the pain is associated with fever, chills, sweats, diarrhea, weight loss, constipation, rectal bleeding, loss of appetite, nausea or loss of energy?
After the visit, do not expect an instant cure or immediate diagnosis, and remember:
* Multiple office visits and tests (blood tests, radiographic studies, or endoscopic procedures) are often necessary to establish the diagnosis and/or to exclude serious illnesses.
* Doctors may start you on a medication before a firm diagnosis is made. Your response (or lack of response) to that medication sometimes may provide your doctor with valuable clues as to the cause of your abdominal pain. Therefore, it is important for you to take the medication that is prescribed.
* Notify your doctor if your symptoms are getting worse, if medications are not working, or if you think you are having side effects from the medication.
* Call your doctor for test results. Never assume that "the test must be fine since my doctor never called."
* Do not self medicate (including herbs, supplements) without discussing with your doctor.
* Even the best physician never bats 1000. Do not hesitate to openly discuss with your doctor referrals for second or third opinions if diagnosis cannot be firmly established and pain persists.
* Self education is important, but make sure what you read came from credible sources.
Abdominal Pain At A Glance
* Abdominal pain is pain that is felt in the abdomen.
* Abdominal pain comes from organs within the abdomen or organs adjacent to the abdomen.
* Abdominal pain is caused by inflammation, distention of an organ, or by loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain in IBS may be caused by contraction of the intestinal muscles or hyper-sensitivity.
* The cause of abdominal pain is diagnosed on the basis of the characteristics of the pain, physical examination, and testing. Occasionally, surgery is necessary for diagnosis.
* The diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain is challenging because characteristics of the pain may be atypical, tests are not always abnormal, diseases causing pain may mimic each other, and the characteristics of the pain may change over time
Are you on birth control? My mom was telling me she went on birth control for a year to give her ovaries time to heal when she had cysts and she also said, (Weird)... to get a douche with warm water, not hot, but add a teaspoon of vinegar to the mix and the warm water will soothe and rinse you out.
ok don't douche that is horrible, and causes more problems than helps. I also had this happen to me with cysts rupturing, and my ovaries were swollen. Birthcontrol helped, and also I watched my diet. Weird, but try eating less sodium-salty things, and it should help. These things can also go away on their own. Multi vitamins are always a good thing too! Good luck