I've got a quick question...I'm having severe abdominal pain, and didn't know what it could be. Due to medicine? It's like a knife that goes from my left hip to my heart sometimes it's dull most the time it's sharp? If it persists I'm going to go to the er.

Tyson, Severe abdominal pain while on Pred IS an emergency. DO NOT WAIT!!!!

You could have a bleed. Please go now. In fact, dial 911. EMT's are as equipped to help you before you get to the ER.

I don't know what more I can say but go in NOW.

Normal is not severe abdominal pain. Normal is no pain.

Seriously, do you really think you can wait? No, deep down I doubt you think that. If you trust nothing else, please trust my experience with emergencies.

I hope you can get some help.


Annie

There are other reasons like kidney stones, gas, diverticulosis/itis, etc. but any severe abdominal pain is cause for going to the ER.

Just wanted to say that I hope you are okay. It's scary to have yet another new symptom. I'm sure your docs will take good care of you.

Annie

Me, too--I hope you're OK. Please update us when you can!

Abby

Annie- It stopped shortly after I posted. But had chest pains all night, and went away after sleeping..maybe I was just tired...but that doesnt happen to everyone. And on my BP cuff it has the ability to show irregular heartbeats..and ive had 3 readings with an irregular heartbeat. My internist says its fine. Should I change internists? I have one that will take much better care i think. Or pay more attetion...yet shes not in the duke system to it will be harder.

But it was the worst pain ive felt, almost as bad as my thymectomy. i dont understand. But its gone now.

Im okay..just very tired, and my eye is continually droopy. Im considering getting off cellcept soon if it doesnt start working. The side affects are horrible.

Hope you guys are alright.

also, my bp right now, is 159/61. i sitting down...i dont get it.

oh well. have a good night.

If an internist thinks that the sum total - or even the "parts" - of all this are "fine," then you indeed should see a new internist. How is a high BP "fine?" How can sudden abdominal pain you've never had before be fine? At the very least, she should've redone the d-dimer and sent you back to the cardiologist for a look at your ankle-brachial-index (ABI), where they check the difference between your arm BP and your leg BP. No, I'm not a doctor but here is an example of how much I have personally witnessed in my life.

My Dad, who got rheumatic fever while in the Navy and had his aortic valve destroyed (they didn't have valve replacement way back then), had undiagnosed high BP for a long time. He got a new valve in 1981 but the damage was done. He had cardiomyopathy. The high BP lead to kidney damage which lead to dialysis, a failed kidney transplant because they implanted a substandard kidney and he died of a cardiac arrest while having dialysis (16 painful months later).

Maybe you were simply constipated (sorry, some people think it's gross to talk about GI stuff). When poop rounds that corner to go down the descending colon, it can push on nerves/arteries and can cause pain. Maybe you need to stop having any sodium and eat a whole foods diet and increase your fiber and your BP will come down. The point is that until the CAUSE of these fairly alarming symptoms are determined, they should not stop looking.

I hope that one of these times you don't make the wrong decision by not going in. You have to trust your instincts but do you have enough life experiences to compare what you are going through to? I'm not being insulting but trying to put all of this in perspective. A high BP is completely dangerous for you. Maybe not today or next week, but definitely in the long run. You can't predict what damage is currently being done to your body. It really ticks me off to hear that doctors are being so cavalier about a patient's health.

You don't deserve to be dismissed like this. I'm sorry you are dealing with so much nonsense.

Annie

Annie- I just tested the difference in my leg and arm BP. My leg BP- tested it 3 times. Around 190/113, pulse 65. Im having pain in my upper stomach area/left side again. not as bad as yesteday..
yet arm BP was 145/68, pulse 72..


Is this bad? Im thinking i should go in.

also having a sharp pain in my right side tempral lobe..

Its worse when i walk, and breathe. and if i put pressure.
Yet its going away and coming back.
not constipation though, because ive gone to the bathroom recently.