ongoing abdominal pain, chest pain and back pain

Posted by moosoon10 @moosoon10, Dec 15, 2018

Hello there,

I am 40 year male and have multiple health issues happening to me now, but in the beginning of my discussion I will mainly focus on explainning abdominal pain and chest pain then I will mention about back and joints pain.

Around late July, middle of night, I had discomfort around where gallbladder is located.

The following week, the discomfort turned into minor but clearly noticeable pain and I thought my liver was failing. I also had multiple nauseas at that time.

A week later, around 2 am, I had chest pain radiating from center of my chest, so I rushed to E.R.
The E.R doctor told me my chest was fine after checking EKG and other things.
He also told me my liver was fine after running blood test.
He advise me to see my primary physician for getting ultra sound imaging for my gallbladder although the blood test did not show inflamed gallbladder issue.

Few days after that, I went to see my physician, but he refused to get me ultra sound imaging for gallbladder because I had it last year and the test came out normal for both of my gallbladder and liver. I also finished Hep B vaccine January this year.

He then had me do stool sample because I had H.pylori last year and treated for it but they never checked to see if I was clear of H.pylori after the treatment.
The stool sample test returned and I was told that I was clear of H.pylori.

Afterward, the physician had me to get multiple blood test but everything came out normal. He then referred me to gastroenterologist.
After listening to me about pains and symptoms I was dealing with, the gastroenterologist diagnosed me with neuromuscular issue and told me all my digestive organs were fine.
But he agreed to get me endoscopy and it turned out to be I have chronic gastritis.

I began taking Omeprazole (a type of proton pump inhibitor) and I had been on it for 3 months.

My chest pain is still there. The pain mostly occur around center but it moves to side to side or below or up.
The pain feels like burning sensation mostly. Sometimes it feels like I have sore muscle or bruise on chest.

I also have pain around right side abdominal area. Usually it feels like something is squeezing my gallbladder.
I sometimes have very light electrical shooting pain or needle poking sensation.
The abdominal pain mostly stays around gallbladder but it would move to appendix area time to time.

What is interesting about my abdominal pain is that whenever I drive car, I could feel the pain is clearly noticeable in comparison to other occasion like walking or sitting.

While taking the Omeprazole, for a short period, I had had headache, mind fog and sometimes fatigues. However, I no longer have those possible side effects. (according my research about proton pump inhibitor, the side effects extremely rare)

Both abdominal and chest pain are less noticeable when I am walking or exercising or even focused on something seriously like studying.

Everyday is different but typically, I feel much better in the morning, then it starts getting worse.

My only clues about my symptoms are my diets, eating habit, and stress level.

About 3 month prior to the symptoms occurred, I would daily eat heavy meal late night (10 pm) then go to bed right away.
I used to be under extreme stress from work and school between April and May.
In June, for the whole month, I used not eat anything until 1 pm and I often felt pain in my stomach.
I used also drink several cans of coke in empty stomach

I quit drinking alcohol 7 years ago and do not smoke

Up until here, it was about my chest and abdominal pain.

About my back pain, it constantly move arounds but pain near right shoulder blade side is always there.
I do not remember if the right shoulder blade pain began after I went to the E.R or before because I have had my back pain for over 4 years.
So, it is possible I already had the shoulder blade pain before.

I have learned that troubles in gallbladder could cause pain in right shoulder blade and also chest pain.
I know I have chronic gastritis but I am wondering if I also have issue in the gallbladder.
Could they all (gastritis, gallbladder and back pain) be related?

Anyone has idea what I should do next? I am planning to get ultra sound imaging in January to check my gallbladder.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

Profile picture for Teresa, Volunteer Mentor @hopeful33250

Hello @donnacarp,

You have personally experienced a lot of losses, @donnacrap. The COVID problem has created a lot of stress for all of us. It is more difficult when you have a chronic illness as you have in your life. Mayo just recently posted a podcast on this very topic! It's called Mental Health and Coping with the Pandemic.

Here is the link where you can watch and listen to this great information, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/podcasts/newsfeed-post/mental-health-and-coping-during-the-pandemic/?

Please give it a listen and let me know if you think.

Jump to this post

@hopeful33250 This sounds like great info, I definitely plan to watch it later today. The pandemic really does harm the mental health of many of us in various ways. I have good days and then I will slump into a down day. I miss my life.
JK

REPLY
Profile picture for JK @contentandwell

@hopeful33250 This sounds like great info, I definitely plan to watch it later today. The pandemic really does harm the mental health of many of us in various ways. I have good days and then I will slump into a down day. I miss my life.
JK

Jump to this post

So true, @contentandwell! It has been a major stressor because of both the fear of the virus and the isolation that it produces in our lives!

REPLY
Profile picture for cristina9532 @cristina9532

Hi everyone,

I've found this group suggested on a different Mayo Clinic question and thought I'd add here what's worrying me. My father (53) has been having on and off abdominal pain (started on the right, under his ribcage and sometimes moves to the left) for the past 3 weeks or so. Last night he also complained about lower centre back pain. He's a very fit man, has a very physical job and has a pretty balanced diet. However, I've never heard him complain about this "dull pressure" in his abdomen the way he is complaining now. I'm super scared as I suffer from very bad health anxiety which comes back at least once a year. A few years ago I was convinced I had a brain tumor, which turned out to be a very bad case of vitamin D deficiency. I know reading up stuff on the Internet will do me no good and I'm trying to limit it, but it's still something I struggle with.

We went to our family doctor a few days ago, he did a physical exam and just said he shouldn't worry about anything as long as these are the only symptoms he has. I was a bit shocked hearing that. I'm worried about it being PC. I'm trying to convince him to go get a CT scan done as I don't want us to wait until worse symptoms appear.

For some context, he did get a pretty bad back strain a couple of weeks ago, pain was there for a few days and then slowly it got better. I'm thinking the pain from last night could be for that? But his back has been alright for more than week so why this sudden reappearance? He also just told me today that he thinks the pain usually comes after doing physical effort. The way he describes it is like the spleen pain you get after running a long distance.

Thanks for listening to my rant. Any thoughts?

Jump to this post

@cristina9532 Hi Cristina, how was the past week? Any news? Hope all is well.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.