Please Help (Undiagnosed illness)

Published May 7, 2011

3 Posts

Specializes in Long Term Care.

Hello,

I am looking for some help regarding my own health. I am SO desperate any and every piece of advice/information would be so greatly appreciated. Here is some background.

I am 23 years old. For some time now I have had a slight ache on the R side of my stomach--almost in/under my ribcage (The kind of pain like when you have the flu and your body is sensitive to touch)Back in mid Feb. I was drinking a coffee and was suddenly hit with horrible indigestion (or so I thought), it set in very fast, I wasn't even done with the coffee. The other symptom I had was feeling like I needed to have BM but didn't. The symptoms subsided after about an hour (I had tried taking Rolaids with no relief).

About a week later I had eaten a burrito (I know, horrible diet) and again followed it up with a coffee. The indigestion feeling was back again, only it set in literally 3 sips into my coffee. The pain lasted about an hour and a half this time. No BM. The following night I had a mildly spicy chicken wrap and again the pain set in about 30 mins after I ate. This time it was so intense I could not get out of the fetal position-it last about an hour and a half.

As you can imagine I wanted to just stop eating. I tried to cut out spicy food and dairy thinking I developed an allergy-went to my primary doc who prescribed me Nexium. Took Nexium and woke up the next morning with the pain. The pain is usually upper epigastric region from L to R--all over. I usually end up doubled over in pain.

I had blood work done to check my liver and kidney function along with platelets--everything came back normal. I had an ultrasound of gallbladder which came back unremarkable. I also had an upper GI scope where they took biopsies of my stomach and duodenum--also came back unremarkable. My GI gave me Omeprazole which APPEARED to be working. Eventually that too stopped working.

I've had two ER visits, both of which I was given an IV of Dilaudid, the pain was so intense. I had a CT scan in the ER which came back unremarkable. I have NORCO for pain which isn't doing anything for the pain, just makes me a little dizzy.

I have always had slightly abnormal BM's (once, maybe twice a week) Since this illness started I've sometimes gone a full week without a BM. Two weeks ago all I was having was diarrhea (mostly from the lack of food I've been consuming) and I'm finally having solid BM's but they are extremely painful to pass. (no blood in stool)

I've seen 4 different doctors and went back to my primary who tells me I have IBS-resume a normal diet. Well, I threw up my dinner that evening and ended up back in the ER because the pain was radiating up into my chest. (It feels like indigestion but also that my stomach is knotted into a ball, with the sensation of having an BM, but not producing one). This new ER doctor recommended I have a HIDA scan--which I had Friday and preliminary results show that my gallbladder is filling and emptying normally, however when he injected the stimulant I did have symptoms similar to my 'episodes'.

My arms are bruised from the IV's and blood draws and my spirit is broken, I am feeling very hopeless..I can't even get through my work day and my second job let me go. I have lost 7 lbs (I am only 5'3 and before this started weighed 113.) I don't know anywhere else to go and I don't know what else to do. I am desperately seeking guidance from fellow nurses.

If anyone can offer me any type of...well, anything I would greatly appreciate it.

Please and Thank you in advance.

Jessica