Has anyone been diagnosed with Abdominal Wall Pain

I have chronic intermittent severe RLQ pain. The pain was never relieved until I started PT for abdominal scar mobilization and then it was still severe when I had a flare. My GI doctor was doing an endoscopy when she told me she had read a case study on abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment. She asked if she could give me a lidocaine injection into my abdomen. The injection relieved the pain I had at that moment. I have had triamcinolone/lidocaine injections every 2 months since 2015. I have had 25+ PT sessions for scar mobilization.

My GI doctor would do 2-3 injections with a spinal needle. She told me she knew when she felt a “pop” she was in the right spot. I felt like she moved the needle in and out in a spiral pattern. I know it sounds crazy but I got used to the sensation and I didn’t mind having the injections. Unfortunately she retired and I was assigned to a new PA. I really like my PA but she does injections differently. I don’t think she is doing the injections wrong but it is a different procedure. My PA doesn’t go in as deep and she doesn’t do more than a single puncture in one area and she goes directly down into the scar with no spiral injection. She also uses topical numbing which was a pleasant surprise.

If my bowel gets full, I get RLQ pain. The abdominal pain isn’t my focus most days as I also have chronic pelvic pain that has been more difficult to treat. Did you have surgery that lead to your abdominal pain or another source? PT has helped me the most but I’m a PT junkie as I have significant arthritis. I didn’t find narcotics to be really helpful as it just made me more constipated. I’m really sorry you are dealing with this horrible pain. I have a really good pain doctor but I think I’m staying with my GI PA until GI no longer offers this service.

@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!

@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 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

@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.

@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.