May be OT ~ Upper abdominal pain, any ideas?
 

For the last few weeks, every time I lay down, my upper abdomin (right between the lowest ribs) HURTS with sharp, burning pain. The burning is similar to heart burn (GERD) but it is way lower down then I normally get that. The pain is strong. I can't sleep, unless I roll over onto my stomach in a specific position, but then it usually lets up enough to let me sleep.

I have been dx with Ulcerative Colitis for many years, and the pains are quite similar (but not nearly as bad as they are when I have an attack of UC). Besides, those attacks come on no matter if I am sitting or laying (there is no rhyme or reason to them), and I normally have bowel things going on at the same time.

This pain has gone right through me, to my back, and has traveled down my front left side to my 'love handle' area. It got to the point where I was feeling very nauseous and dizzy earlier, and that was while I was sitting up . . . then suddenly it let up and only the dizziness and nausea remains.

I have never had gallstones, pancreatitis, or anything like that . . . so I'm just wondering if this sounds familiar to anyone who has. It might just be the UC, and I have a doctors appointment for Monday, but was hoping to get some feedback on other ideas. It's not the MS hug, I know that.

Thanks, Cherie

Never had UC, but have had gall stone attacks in the past. Gall bladder was taken out when I was 19. Sounds similar to what you're experiencing. I had really bad nausea and dizzyness with it. Too bad those pains seem to be similar to a lot of stuff, and I'm no doc. :(

Hope the doc can help you out on Monday. But if the pain gets worse, or you find yourself vomitting a lot - please go to ER and see if they can get you an ultrasound. Those stones show up best when they are passing through and causing issues. :(

Hope you feel better soon. :hug:

I would agree with Fin, unless you might of cracked a rib? but then it would hurt when you yawn sneeze laugh cough

Survivor of gallstone attacks here as well. I don't know about the traveling down but the originating spot sounds absolutely right. I had several acute attacks that were painful beyond belief and debilitating for up to 6 hours at a time. That doesn't sound like that's what's happening with you but I do remember having less acute pains as well. I remember those as being more like a dull and uncomfortable ache than burning though I'm not 100% sure.

I'm with the other two -- I hope it doesn't get bad enough to go to the ER but I agree it would be a good idea to get a sonogram. BTW, the only thing that helped me when I was having an attack was to sit in a very warm bath. If you don't have heat issues with your MS and are experiencing discomfort over the weekend you might want to try it.

I did go to the ER during my second attack, before I knew what was going on and they told me I had food poisoning. :eek: Wrong!

Until you know what's going on I would strongly suggest you be careful with what you're eating. Stay away from fatty foods, etc.

Feel better, Cherie!! :hug:

Cherie
My first thought was a heart issue. Women sx are way different then men. Maybe a trip to the ER is a safe choice. Feel better.

:hug:'s

Cherie,

I went through this several months ago. I ended up having my heart checked out as well as the total upper GI with ultrasound and scope. I hope they'll get to the bottom of this soon for you. Hopefully it isn't your heart, but as others have noted, please go to the ER if it gets to be more uncomfortable just in case.

For me, it turned out to be GERD and I'm taking Nexium 40 mg daily to control it along with dietary changes. Maybe it will be the same for you. My MS neuro said that GERD is very common in people age 45+.

I don't know if you're that old yet... I turned 50 this year, and I've had this problem for the last couple of years. My Mom had it too so I'm guessing it can be genetic?

Thanks everyone for your input and feedback. :hug:

I'm pretty sure this doesn't have anything to do with my heart, because I have had "wall of my heart" infections before, and they occurred quite a ways up the body from where this pain is. Also, I had a TIA/stroke like occurrence last Xmas, and my heart was tested thoroughly at that time. (It was just the MS...)

I have had troublesome GERD for about 5 yrs too Ewizabeth (BTW, I'm only a few months behind you in age; 50 in June :eek:), and I know that that can feel various different ways. I got heart-burn really bad when I tried Prozac for PMS about 20 yrs ago . . . and I swore I was having a heart attack. :rolleyes: I take Nexium and Gaviscon on a regular basis for that problem already.

What it really feels like is the Ulcerative Colitis (if that dx was correct). I was checked for gallstones, pancreatitis, etc. back when I used to have UC attacks on a fairly regular basis, and it was the colonscopy (+ bleeding, etc.) that finally got me the UC dx. Basically the only difference now is that the pain is more of a chronic type then the ACUTE, fish-out-of-water, can't breath type that I am accustomed to from the UC.

I'm starting to wonder if what I've really had all along is chronic pancreatitis, with acute attacks . . . and perhaps not UC at all. (Just like I think I really have a vitamin B deficiency and not MS either. :wink::rolleyes:) Just looking at the symptoms of pancreatitius, it sure seems to fit:

"Acute pancreatitis results in severe inflammation of the gland and patients may be seriously unwell.

Chronic pancreatitis develops either as the result of repeated attacks of acute pancreatitis or as the result of other injuries to the pancreas (see below).

Pain occurs in most patients at some stage of the disease. This may vary in intensity from mild to severe. It may last for hours or sometimes days at a time and may require strong painkillers to control it.

It often radiates through to the back and can sometimes be relieved by crouching forward. It is commonly brought on by food consumption and so patients may be afraid to eat. It is also commonly severe through the night.

The pain varies in nature, being gnawing, stabbing, aching or burning, but it tends to be constant and not to come and go in waves. It may sometimes burn itself out but can remain an ongoing problem.

The pain is often difficult to diagnose and can be mistaken for pain caused by virtually any other condition arising from the abdomen or lower chest.

It can be difficult to distinguish pain caused by pancreatitis from pain caused by a peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, angina pectoris, gallstones.

Diarrhoea occurs in just under half of patients. ... The undigested fat also traps water in the faeces, resulting in pale, bulky, greasy stools which are difficult to flush away. They may make the water in the toilet look oily, smell offensive and may be associated with bad wind.

Vomiting after meals is a less common symptom but can occur as a result of severe pain. It may also be due to duodenal ulceration, which is often connected with chronic pancreatitis. In rare cases, the duodenum may be narrowed as a result of scarring secondary to chronic pancreatitis."
___________

Well, if it gets bad like yesterday, I guess I'll drop in the ER . . . but otherwise I will probably try to hang on till my doc appointment on Monday. I've been putting up with this for a couple of weeks (perhaps even years) already . . . a few more days isn't likely to hurt.

Thanks for all the ideas. I guess it could be any of them at this point. :cool:

Cherie

Sending hugs and feel better wishes to you, Cherie. :hug:

hi cherie,

i'm sorry you're dealing with this.
i hope you make it thru the wk/e.
i'm very glad you have an appt for monday.
personally i couldn't venture a guess as to what it might be.

do you have someone to take you?

please keep us posted.
sending healing thoughts your way.

Cherie,

Are you feeling any better today? Check in with us when you get back from the doctor if you have the chance. :hug: