Connect
Has anyone been diagnosed with Abdominal Wall Pain
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?
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.
Connect
@bubbleshdr Thank you for the reply! I had a lower hernia repair back in 2001, no real issues until March 2018. My pain is deep and stabbing in and around pelvic area. That came on a year after the navel to xiphoid started in March 2018. The navel up is pain and aching, I do have a diastasis navel to xiphoid but two surgeons didnt really think that was a factor. At the xiphoid level and across the aching is worse. The navel up seems shallow level vs the pelvic which seems deeper. I could have messed up pelvic nerves and muscles as a result of the year of aching up higher. I am trying to get into a new pain mgt doctor while I wait for Mayo to get back. The pain clinic I used at the hospital isn't really investigating hard, I have had two injections in the back and some in the ilioinguinal nerves and genitofemoral. This last week is Unbearable, i'm not a wimp and its an 8 or better now all the time. I slept four hours last night when I awoke to urinate, right after my pain went up a full level, just the bladder working I guess against nerves and muscles. Too much pain and I couldn't fall back asleep. I took a medical thc hit to try and settle it a touch and it didn't dent it. I have used the thc for the last 9 months but now really need it all of the time and I don't really want to do that. Its a slight distraction, doesn't bring pain down to better than a 7 and not long. After sitting up reading phone to try and distract I took a BM two hours later, that boosted it again which sets off even more pain right up under my xiphoid. I have full pain from xiphoid to lower pelvis, I could point to 3-4 trigger areas and the rest of the area is just bad pain too, but wondering if referred.
I just got my primary to send in some gabapentin and ativan, I havent tried the Gabapentin for over a year and also need something to help with a bad mindset, I totally feel trapped. Also got a referral for a psychiatrist, I am at the end of my rope. The pain just keeps getting worse!
@rt061069 I wanted to check in and see how you were doing. You said, you are feeling like you're at the end of your rope.
Are you feeling any better today? Were you able to make the appointment with the psychologist?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@erikas I went to see my internist but she wasn't available so nurse practitioner. Got a script for gabapentin and ativan, helping a little and allowing more sleep. Hoping to get into another pain clinic and here back next week. Its been the 8-10 days since Mayo called me to review my case referred by my GI doctor, I haven't heard anything. Hoping I don't get a letter that they won't try to help. Seeing a pelvic floor PT Monday. I am holding on is all I am doing, trying to be nice to my family but still feel no hope.
@rt061069 You are in constant pain and feeling hopeless. It's good to hear that you were able to reduce your pain enough to sleep more. That is important and a step in the right direction.
@erikas Hi Erika, Ok called Mayo today, # was to GI dept as far as who called back on 10/2. Spoke to a nice person who after I asked about why I haven't heard or my status looked up my info. She asked if anything to add to chart, I said my 3 page review I sent pretty much covered it. She asked a few more GI questions but I am down in system as abdominal pain. It wasn't a call to discuss really how I was feeling. She then said I am looking to schedule you in the computer, she then came back with 12/7 in the morning with a GI doctor at the Mayo Clinic Rochester. She gave me a phone number that they call their consigner. I asked about do the doctors work together or what should I plan for, she said typical Mayo patients are there 3-7 business days. I asked do they ever talked to you for an hour then say nope we can't help you, she said no not really.
This is a very strange process, how do you plan your lodging stay if you don't know much. She said if GI refers the hope is that the other dept can see you in the week your there. I am in so much pain and still working on getting into another pain doctor in St Louis and also a counselor to talk to. I am starting with the pelvic floor PT person again too. Am I putting too much hope on Mayo or worse my concern that they will evaluate me fully-other depts like pain mgt or neuro. I looked up the doctor and she is fairly young and just out of school though residency looked to be at Mayo. The problem with modern medicine right now is you go from doctor to doctor, most say if you don't fit in my box I cant help you and dont know who to tell you to see. I have done this enough in my market, my problem seems to be abdominal nerve and muscle issue. Yes there are other things out there I have gotten responses from which I appreciate like MALS, I just want someone to take a interest. Is the Mayo appt all about taking an interest in a patient, I will be coming 450 miles looking for HOPE.
@rt061069 I have gone to Mayo MN GI probably 6 times in 5 years, Initially it was for GI and I took care of everything in two days .. the Motel/Hotels there allow you to cancel anytime before 6 PM usually.. There are parking ramps and hotels in downtown Rochester that are connected to the subway tunnel system that leads to the main Mayo and Gonda Buildings.
Usually they want you to have a blood and urine test the morning of your appointment. Most Departments allow you, when for example you need to see the Dietitian, walk over to the desk and request to be fitted in ...that day or the next.. In my initial appointment I had my clinic refer me as well ... I have seen other departments as well, Radiation Oncology, Urology, Audiology, and one visit to the Internist..
I have a telephone visit scheduled with my GI doctor this coming Friday ... it is mostly for prescription renewal, but we will discuss other issues as well. If I need to go up there I will do that too. Good Luck.. Ken
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@ken82 Thank you for the reply, I have no choice but to hope and go as I am suffering terribly with undiagnosed AB pain.
@erikas and anyone else who can help! well things have stopped working but I did a Zoom with a psychiatrist who prescribed Lexpro and Trazadone for sleep. I also got a script for hydro at 10 mg which isnt doing anything. I am a mess right now after taking for a week with the pain, its level 8.5 all day for the last two. I know the lexpro needs time to help mood but really have nothing for pain. Taking 600 mg 3T a day of gabapentin back with nortriptyline helped maybe a touch so I have to try again. I have a celiac plexus block for 12/1.
My Mayo appt starts with GI on 12/7, I called yesterday and the person was very nice and helpful with questions. She said all of the clinic is running and I should be able to see other dept/doctors during the week, I hope that is true. I was calling hotels today and one mentioned the hospital is back to no visitors and cancelling some elective procedures. If tests are done are they done at the clinic or do you have to go to the St Marys hospital. I need pain relief so bad, if I can sleep that is all I want to do. Its hard to do my job even working from home now, my ab muscle wall from below my xiphoid to my pelvis is a solid block of pain. I am going back to see my urologist on Monday as it has been over a year and the pain doctor had ordered another CT since that had been 18 months. It did show "The pelvis, bladder wall thickness is slightly prominent but this is stable likely muscular hyperplasia accentuated by incomplete distention. No obturator adenopathy. Anterior end plate spurring. left femoral neck spurring possibly the sequela of repetitive impingement" My colonoscopy a few months back was OK. It hurts to sit too because of the deep pain at my waistline. I can't believe nothing touches this pain.
@rt061069 When I was at Mayo in July everything was done at Mayo Gonda bldg but the MRI which was done at St Mary's. My MRI was done with sedation and had to be done at the hospital.
@rt061069 It sounds like you are seeking appropriate medical care. Despite this you still have been unable to reduce your pain. You have an upcoming appointment 12/7 with GI. Yes, Mayo Clinic is running its clinics despite COVID-19 and as I understand, they are hoping to continue seeing patients. I hope you are able to find answers soon and reduce your pain.
I'm not a provider. I'm not sure what this means, "The pelvis, bladder wall thickness is slightly prominent but this is stable likely muscular hyperplasia accentuated by incomplete distention. No obturator adenopathy. Anterior end plate spurring. left femoral neck spurring possibly the sequela of repetitive impingement."
Would you please explain?