Has anyone been diagnosed with Abdominal Wall Pain

Posted by rufus444 @smiles444, Dec 15, 2017

Starting on May 1, 2017, I began having abdominal pain that wraps around to my left back. The first time it happened, I went to the emergency room because I thought I might have an apendicitis. The hospital did a CT scan of my abdomen, everything looked okay. I went to the emergency room several times over the summer with excruciating abdominal and back pain. I had a hida scan done, a colonoscopy and an endoscopy and CT and ultrasound scans of my abdomen. Everything looked normal. In September of this year, a doctor at Mayo felt the area on my abdomen and did a Carnett's test. He suggested it could be abdominal wall pain. I have had two steroid injections and I am still having pain in the same area. Has anyone out there had this type of diagnosis and still having pain?

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@qball2019

@captainsteve Are you seeing someone in pain management? If the injections are not working for you then you need to ask the doctors to look at other things that could cause your pain. You may have to ask about any "incidental findings" that show up on your imaging reports. Most doctors ignore them but if they can't figure out what is causing your pain then they need to consider other things. Don't settle for being a pain patient and sit like that for years. You may need to see numerous doctors until someone is willing to pay attention to your ailments and dig in to what's actually causing it. This is what happened to me over the course of 15 years. Hope all goes well for you, take care!

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qball2019--can you tell me how your problem was solved? I've been to urologists, gastroenterologist, orthopedic, nephrologists and finally the pain management dr. came up with the diagnosis of ABDOMINAL WALL NERVE ENTRAPMENT. This past week I have had a little bit of relief so maybe the tap block shot is kicking in.

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@captainsteve

qball2019--can you tell me how your problem was solved? I've been to urologists, gastroenterologist, orthopedic, nephrologists and finally the pain management dr. came up with the diagnosis of ABDOMINAL WALL NERVE ENTRAPMENT. This past week I have had a little bit of relief so maybe the tap block shot is kicking in.

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The pain I've been experiencing for the last 5 years has not been solved. We are going to revisit Sphincter of Oddi as a cause. Glad to hear you've found relief. I wish you well.

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@bubbleshdr

I had the million dollar work up before I was diagnosed with ACNES. I have been getting injections since 2015. I also had 25+ sessions with PT for abdominal deep tissue massage to break up scarring. I am now getting injections every 3 months after 2 years of injections every 2 months. I’m in a good place. I have some right lower quadrant abdominal pain if I’m constipated and my bowel is too full. I keep hoping I’m in “remission” but I realize I will have this medical problem the rest of my life.

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If you were diagnosed with ACNES, why have the doctors not tried a neurectomy? What type of physician did you see for the diagnosis of ACNES....GI, neurologist, pain specialist?? Lisa

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@wancio

If you were diagnosed with ACNES, why have the doctors not tried a neurectomy? What type of physician did you see for the diagnosis of ACNES....GI, neurologist, pain specialist?? Lisa

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I saw a pain specialist who suggested ACNES. Since then I have had a diagnostic ab lap where adhesions were found in the area where the gallbladder had been. Surgeon took down the adhesions which were very thick. I also received TAP. Blocks. It all helped tremendously with the RUQ ab pain I had been experiencing.

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@wancio

If you were diagnosed with ACNES, why have the doctors not tried a neurectomy? What type of physician did you see for the diagnosis of ACNES....GI, neurologist, pain specialist?? Lisa

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The GI doctor I had at the time was doing an endoscopy on me when she asked if she could inject my abdominal wall with lidocaine. The pain went away right away. The doctor had just read a case study about ACNES. Unfortunately I think this is a new medical condition to many doctors. The trigger point injections work for me now. If this changes, I will pursue a possible neurectomy.

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@coderhomer

I saw a pain specialist who suggested ACNES. Since then I have had a diagnostic ab lap where adhesions were found in the area where the gallbladder had been. Surgeon took down the adhesions which were very thick. I also received TAP. Blocks. It all helped tremendously with the RUQ ab pain I had been experiencing.

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Was your gall bladder surgery done via open incision or lap
surgery? My scarring has happened after 2 lap surgeries.

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@bubbleshdr

Was your gall bladder surgery done via open incision or lap
surgery? My scarring has happened after 2 lap surgeries.

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It was taken out laprascopically. Am glad the trigger point injections worked for you. They worked for me too but only lasted a few days. It was time to find out what was causing the pain. Fortunately the Lysis of adhesions has made a big difference.

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@coderhomer

I saw a pain specialist who suggested ACNES. Since then I have had a diagnostic ab lap where adhesions were found in the area where the gallbladder had been. Surgeon took down the adhesions which were very thick. I also received TAP. Blocks. It all helped tremendously with the RUQ ab pain I had been experiencing.

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Thank you!!!

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@aesmayo01

I am currently at Mayo Clinic Rochester MN. I have had severe (worse than childbirth pain) for 23 yr after I had gallbladder out. I was diagnosed based on symptoms not testing and by this was reconfirmed by dozens of ER visits over the years. Pain began in center or upper abdomen and always radiated to the back. I had to take Morphine or Dilaudid it was the only thing reducing my pain below 7. Last 2 years huge increase in stress plus more fat than usual resulted in episodes up to twice a wk for nearly a yr.

Moved 7 mo ago and the original doc who dx me with chronic pancreatitis 17 yr ago decided it wastnt because I have not lost tons of weight or been hospitalized. Meanwhile I got a prescription for percocet that reduces pain enough I usually dont end up at ER.

I came to Mayo to find out if I had chronic pancreatitis or not. I was told my wonderful GI doc here that it is abdominal wall pain and I am getting a shot for it Monday. I dont know if ultrasound will be used. She also said she can prescribe pain meds if the shots dont work. I do not have chronic pancreatitis or an ulcer.

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Abd pain started after I split a load of firewood. Thought it was an abd muscle tear or pull and let it go for 2 months. Pain bad enough I went to the ER in Sept 2017. Tests all negative, scans all negative, I had the works to rule out gastroenterologic problem. It is now 21 months later after having been prescribed 21 meds and have been brushed off by 17 physicians. I hit the internet doing research and found Carnett's description so I have essentially had to diagnose myself with abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment pain. After reading Mayo's Dr. Seth Sweetser's CME posted in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, I tried again for an appointment. Mayo sent me a form letter stating, in part, "we do not believe a visit to the Mayo Clinic would add to the care you have already received." Since I have received NO CARE AT ALL, other than pain meds, Mayo's response makes no sense--based on Dr. Sweetser's detailed post of Feb 2019, there ARE more options for treatment other than pain meds (which I DO NOT want). Thanks a lot Mayo for nothing.

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@juliepm Hi, I could be totally wrong but perhaps you tension in internal nerve plexus that is affecting nerve functions / producing pain. Think about how it feels to get punched in the solar plex (or for men kicked in the crotch; for ladies menstrual cramps). Tension internally on a nerve can make it malfunction and that causes a viscious cycle of pain.

It depends on where the plexus or nerve is and where the pain is. It wasn't clear from your description. Myofascial tissue / muscles clamping on nerves is a common source of pain and there is no test / no imaging and meds don't help it much, either. Stretching and exercise just might.

If so, extremely deep breathing (especially inspiration) and stretching of the psoas – which attaches to diaphragm- might help. If possible, search for psoas stretches (sometimes called hip flexors). Include very deep breathing with those stretches. For the solar plex stretch grab a taller table and crouch over it pulling Google pandiculation) you’ll get an idea what to do while pulling and stretching the solar plexus (celiac plexus) region. See if that helps. That really could be the issue that drives your pain. That caused my back pain and sciatica - without a doubt. It took me a while as I had chains of trigger points- and I firmly believe I had digestive issues from a tight nerve plexus somewhere (for me it was psoas for sure and I believe my sitting pain was from tightness near the pelvic plexus (right near the sitbones from the hypogastric nerves and others)). For me, DDD drives the process, I think. I've had great luck with intense stretching and exercise (including TRX core work - I haven't had a backache in months since I tried that). I still have a little sitting pain and I know at least some to most of that is myofascial tension. Try the pandiculation and deep breathing and find some stretches / exercises. It’s worth a try. See if that helps. Best of luck, Rich

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