Horrible abdominal Pain- all tests say I am fine but I am not

Posted by jojo13 @jojo13, Sep 1, 2021

I am new here and hoping you guys can help. I have had horrible abdominal pain for weeks now, once it was so bad I was on the floor crying. It is almost like a burning, gnawing feeling. It is in my abdomen and down by my hip bone- so more pelvic I guess. I am bloated and nauseas most of the time. I wake up with the pain and it can last all day. It ruins my day to day life. I had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy yesterday and both came back fine. I was told to go home and eat better. This morning I woke up in terrible pain and it has not let up all day. I know my body and something else is wrong, not just diet. There are also horrible noises that come from my stomach all day which I have been told is IBS but this pain can not be just IBS. Does anyone have any insight? I am thinking of going to the Mayo Clinic but don't know what tests they would do. Perhaps there are some blood tests I can get done on my own? Any help would be awesome. I just want to feel better again and not like I am crazy. I am a female 41, 5'4 and 127.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

Do you have a gripping habit, ie, clenching or sucking in your stomach?
It can cause a myriad of physiological symptoms, from poor digestion to pelvic and, diaphragmatic pain.

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Profile picture for ashby1947 @ashby1947

Carol poses an interesting question. Have you had many abdominal surgeries? If you have, you may have some, or extensive, adhesions. Abdominal adhesions can cause chronic pain, among other things. I hope today is a good day. Sue

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Hi Carol, I have been looking for someone to help me with regards to my stomach. I have constant pain in the upper part of my stomach in the middle. It is a 24 hour pain. I have had xrays done a sonar and they cannot pick anything up. BUT I had a stent put into my heart and i was wide awake. It took them 4 hours as they did not want to give me a bypass. Ever since then I have cronic abdominal pain. Could it have been an adhesion? And how can they pick it up. I suffer from anxiety and now I am on Xanax to calm me down regarding the pain.

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Profile picture for wishingtobepain @wishingtobepain

Have you had any abdominal surgeries? If so could be nerve entrapment or damage. Unfortunately, I have the latter and haven't worked in 14 years.
I have also read that you can get bone spurs in your pelvis.
I would try and get ultra sound done of pelvic area.
Not trying to be negative Nelly here,. Just wanted to give couple options of what it could be. May need to find a pain clinic also. Some things are very hard to diagnosis, so maybe you can something for pain, since most docs won't prescribe anything that's going to help.
Let me know what you find out.
Take care of yourself, you know your own body and may take a couple docs to find one you feel comfy with.
Carol

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I found your page. I have stomach pain in my upper abdomen for 11 years since my heart surgery. They put a stent in (took them 4 hours as they did not want to give me a bypass) I went through hell during the operation. I have never been the same again. My stomach pains 24 hours a day. I have had xrays done they saw nothing only that i am severely constipated. I had a ultra sound done, they cannot see anything just a alot of gas. And some urine stays in my bladder even when I have gone to toilet. Did they hurt me somehow and now they cannot find it? It feels like something is stuck in my stomach. I take xanor for the anxiety i go through due to this pain.

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Profile picture for rolly @rolly

I found your page. I have stomach pain in my upper abdomen for 11 years since my heart surgery. They put a stent in (took them 4 hours as they did not want to give me a bypass) I went through hell during the operation. I have never been the same again. My stomach pains 24 hours a day. I have had xrays done they saw nothing only that i am severely constipated. I had a ultra sound done, they cannot see anything just a alot of gas. And some urine stays in my bladder even when I have gone to toilet. Did they hurt me somehow and now they cannot find it? It feels like something is stuck in my stomach. I take xanor for the anxiety i go through due to this pain.

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If pain started immediately after surgery I would say something might have gone wrong. If it didn't start for months, year or so it could be scar tissue which can cause all kinds of problems. They say scar tissue doesn't "hurt" but it depends on where it's at, how much you have and what it's pushing onto. The bad thing is every time you have surgery it just causes more scar tissue.
I am like you as far as constipation, I take a med called symproic which is basically for people that are on narcotics to help poop. There are several meds out there that are for this and can be a trial and error situation to find what is right for you.
I am not a doctor I am talking from experience and so many years of going through this.
Have you gone to a pain clinic? That can make a huge difference if you find the right one. Some have had surgeries or complications from, etc, so they understand. These days they are about only place that will prescribe pain meds and anything else that will help.
I was told I needed to have my colon resection. That lining of my stomach were separating to it was all in my head. So don't get frustrated by being told untruth statements, keep looking for doctor that will listen to you. Write down all your questions and take with you. If a doctor is not taking the time you need with them, go elsewhere.
I hope I helped a little bit, message anytime.
GOOD LUCK

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Hello,
I've been having terrible abdominal pain, like in my bladder, however I had a cytoscope, CT, etc
Now they say nothing is wrong despite this pain that's been going on for 6 weeks now, on top of my regular CRPS, it's either I'm a hypocondriach or the CRPS has spread there which is what I'm left with.
However my pain Dr kind of laughed it off. And will not raise my meds beyond hydro 5's. I'm so tired with what seems like a baby aspirin for pain contro.

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I'm sorry that you all are dealing with such pain. I have different types of pain, but one thing I've been able to do was find and adopt a few tools to communicate "better" with doctors. I put better in apostrophes to indicate that it's a relative "better" - taking on some of their language rather than bringing them to yours.

One is I found this pain scale - I like it because a numbers only scale never worked for me. It uses words to describe the pain, using concepts related to what's called "activities of daily living" - https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=stp1310& I print it out and bring it with me to the doctors appt so they can see what I mean.

In other words how is it affecting your ability to conduct your life. Things to consider are nicely discussed here: https://www.eastridgeatcutlerbay.com/2024/01/19/what-are-iadls-vs-adls/

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Have you considered consulting a gynecologist for pelvic pain?

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Profile picture for wishingtobepain @wishingtobepain

If pain started immediately after surgery I would say something might have gone wrong. If it didn't start for months, year or so it could be scar tissue which can cause all kinds of problems. They say scar tissue doesn't "hurt" but it depends on where it's at, how much you have and what it's pushing onto. The bad thing is every time you have surgery it just causes more scar tissue.
I am like you as far as constipation, I take a med called symproic which is basically for people that are on narcotics to help poop. There are several meds out there that are for this and can be a trial and error situation to find what is right for you.
I am not a doctor I am talking from experience and so many years of going through this.
Have you gone to a pain clinic? That can make a huge difference if you find the right one. Some have had surgeries or complications from, etc, so they understand. These days they are about only place that will prescribe pain meds and anything else that will help.
I was told I needed to have my colon resection. That lining of my stomach were separating to it was all in my head. So don't get frustrated by being told untruth statements, keep looking for doctor that will listen to you. Write down all your questions and take with you. If a doctor is not taking the time you need with them, go elsewhere.
I hope I helped a little bit, message anytime.
GOOD LUCK

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Good Morning

Thank you so much for responding to me. I never thought of scar tissue! I have made an appointment with the Gastro Dr. I never thought of a pain clinic. I will most definitely look into that!! I hope they can figure out what is going on. I absolutely agree when it comes to Dr's. They do not listen to you even when you jot things down. It is so frustrating. I will keep you posted. Once again thank you.

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Profile picture for rolly @rolly

Good Morning

Thank you so much for responding to me. I never thought of scar tissue! I have made an appointment with the Gastro Dr. I never thought of a pain clinic. I will most definitely look into that!! I hope they can figure out what is going on. I absolutely agree when it comes to Dr's. They do not listen to you even when you jot things down. It is so frustrating. I will keep you posted. Once again thank you.

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Absolutely, any time. Good luck.

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I have had the SAME issues. I have a very small and bland menu of what I can eat. I dont have a B.M. at times for 2 to 4 days. I used to have it (B.M.) the same time in the AM everyday. It gets so bad that I cant eat. My water I drink and Miralax do not do it. Ive gone to the ER. I also had my colon completely cleared. I had 4 polyps. I had two tiny ones 5 years ago. Yes, i ended up with Hemeis (yuck) Large ones this time. Anyhow, my water I try to push the food down with stretches my esophagus to the point that clear water with no food comes out and out and out and out. Then once the valve in my belly opens and the waste finally begins to travel. But, not for long. My small intestine has some muscles (sort of like a snake when I eat) and a valve that's not getting a signal to push the waste to my large intestine and then my colon. I had to go to the ER. They did a CT scan and i had no blockage. The ring type muscles that expand and contract in a way to push waste down and out. Here is the issue, im 98% sure. I had head and neck cancer. For treatment I had a tube put into my stomach so i could feed myself while I was being zapped with radiation twice daily, 4 days apart. And Chemo in between my two radiation sessions (the four hours, 4 hours apart two times a day is the MOST radiation one can get BY LAW in Texas. This went on until I had completed 168 radiation sessions. NO ONE BELIEVES ME. They all say they cant give anyone that much rad. for that long , and two times a day. Screw them, I did it. I rang the bell several months later. I felt okay except for the first onset of side effects. Finally, they got that PEG tube out of my stomach and the Port out of my chest. Im glad because it was pulling away from my corotid artery going to my brain. (Now they are getting sued) I missed out on that).

Here is the worst part, two years after they said I was now going to heal up in about two months, they began scanning me. Praise God Im still cancer free. But, I have take thyroid pills (Levothyroxine) for the rest of my life. I also give myself Testosterone injectons every two weeks. Also for the rest of my life. I must carry water with me everywhere I go because I no longer produce saliva, my mouth stiicks to itself and sleeping in terribe. I have to reach for my water many times in the night. I get very cold sometimes. And I get very HOT other times. Ive had two heat strokes. Matter of fact Ive woken up in the hospital on several occassions and had no idea why I was there with that fat tube shoved down into my lungs. My hands were tied to the bed. First time, i thought I must have been in a wreck and killed someone. I thought the ties were handcuffs. I slept for a couple days, so no one was there when i first awoke. Well, here it is 4.5 years later and I still have horri le bouts of my stomach bloating, unable to eat and vomitting. Still carry water with me at all times or my mouth will dry out. I also now have a what they call a stricture in my esophagus cardiologist too. And I found out I also have diverticulitus. So, food can get hung up in my colon. Matter of fact Im going into Houston July 30th 2025 to a different kind of gastro man. He is going to perform a motility study. My memory is shot. MY cognitive skills no longer work as they should. I cant do my IT work now. I lose my memory while talking mid-stream. I have nightmares. I get angered easily. I am just miserable. Thats the extremely short version. I pray this specialist on the 30th this month can help me. I have a problem with the front left temporal lobe of my brain. Its dying in that area. I am raising my 18 year old son by myself. He is on the spectrum, therefore its so much more diffiucult. But, im proud of him. He graduated H.S. Now, i have to take him somewhere and teach him how to drive. The schools do not do that anymore. Im a pot head of sorts. My oncologist gives me an Rx for gummies to assist with pain and confusion. Also, to help me sleep. As I was saying, this is the shortest version. I hope what i have shared with you gives you an idea as to what/why/where your body is malfuntioning. I never had migraines. Now, I know all about them. There is so much more to tell. I feel i e put a good amount of info out there. I know how it is and i wanted to try to help. DO NOT FREAK OUT! I dont feel like yours is cancer related. Im fixing to meet with a very expensive and top notch doctor. Meanwhile if need be ill go to the ER. My understanding is that this type of Digestive system issue can and is dangerous. It can and will kill you if you do not find out whats up. God Bless you!

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