Help Me Figure It Out

~Lisa~ · Post by **~Lisa~** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:49 pm

My anxiety has been so good for the past couple months and I'm so grateful! However, for the past 9 days I've been experiencing some pains and dizziness that have really started to aggravate it again. So I'm writing this post to see if any of you can help me figure out what may be going on with my body.

Here are my "symptoms":
*It started 9 days ago with a pain in my upper abdomen that lasts for anywhere between a minute or two til about a half hour. And it comes and goes.
*About 3 days ago I started getting dizzy frequently, but to be honest I'm not sure if that's related to this or if it's related to the fact that I had the stomach flu Thursday, Friday and Saturday and haven't taken my vitamins. (multi-vitamin and an extra iron). The dizziness starts in the very back of my head and then just kind of takes over.
*Last night the pain from my upper abdomen started happening in the same spot in my back.

I've done some researching online, and things that have come up include gallbladder, kidney, liver and appendix. However, they all seem to be "extreme pain" kind of things, and my pain is more crampy, annoyance and worrisome rather than extreme pain. I mean, I haven't felt the need to rush to the ER or anything.

Does this sound familiar to any of you? Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks in advance!
Lisa

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:10 pm

Hi Lisa:
I feel that it would probably be best for you to be checked out by a doctor for your physical symptoms. It would be rather difficult for anyone here on the forum to give any kind of a diagnosis.
That pain in your upper abdomen could be coming from acid reflux. But it could be something else also. So you really do need to see your doctor.
It could all be anziety . But you need a good examination to rule out anything physical.
I had the pain in upper abdomen, not extreem, like you say. but enough to make me miserable.
I'd have a kind of sick headache with it. I had it a long time before I finally went to the doctor. I was convinced I had ulcers. But my doctor called it reflux disease. And she prescribed something for it called protonix.
Also prilosec and stuff like that is good for it. The protonix tho' took care of it in about a week or so. I mean the stomach quit hurting.
But doc said to keep taking the medicine.
She also said to quit drinking so much coffee.
She said that if I drink Iced tea (which I like)
that I should eat something first.

But don't try to diagnos yourself. Go to your doctor and be checked out. Then take it from there.
Best wishes.
MJF

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:18 pm

Thanks for your reply. I actually have an appointment with my doctor on Thursday for something unrelated, and I plan on talking to her about this then. I just want to see if anyone out there can relate.

I'm already on 2 different meds for acid reflux, and they keep it under control. I don't do caffeine either, so that's not it. Good suggestions though!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:30 am

Hi, Lisa-I am glad you are seeing your doctor. I had my gallbladder removed several years ago, and it started as an annoying crampy-burn in my upper abdomen that kind of "wrapped" around my back. I thought it was acid reflux or gas pain, even though I take meds for acid reflux that take care of it. I ignored it for almost 2 years, and the pains came more often, lasting sometimes for several hours. They came more often at night, and got progressively worse, sometimes resulting in vomiting. I let it go way too long and when I finally went to the ER I was crawling on the floor it hurt so much. I did not have gall stones, but apparently sometimes your gallbladder can just "go bad".

I am NOT a doctor by any means, and you need to listen to what your doctor suggests to you. But since you are looking for someone who has had similar symptoms, I did and that is what is was for me. Please let us know what you find.

Hugs, Tara

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:58 am

That is exactly how my GB started, from front to back...lost 14 lbs in two weeks as I just couldn't keep anything down. I had no stones or sludge either... but on HIDA SCAN, found my GB was functioning at less than 5%! Needless to say, 3 days after the HIDA, the GB came out! Now, I have only been plagued by loose stools ever since. Small price to pay for the pain and lack of nutrition I suffered for two weeks!

Good luck, and most definitely, get checked out. Also, some good advice...
DO NOT GOOGLE OR RESEARCH YOUR SYMPTOMS... WebMD is EVIL... it only puts bad thoughts in the heads of those suffering from anxiety and panic.

Good luck

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:46 am

Lisa--tell us how the doc appt went?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:25 pm

Thanks for asking, Tara! Honestly, I haven't gone to the doctor for this pain yet. It's been going on for 2 weeks now, but it hasn't gotten any worse...although not any better either. I have a scheduled appointment in 2 weeks for something else, and I'm hoping to just wait it out til then.

With it going on this long, I have ruled out appendix - since that it pretty much an immediate "attack" kind of thing. I still think it might be gallbladder related, but I just don't know. It doesn't hurt when I press on it or anything - it's more just like a very bad period cramp the entire day. The only other "symptom" I have noticed would be my right leg has started hurting as well - but I don't know if that's related to whatever this is or if it's related to the fact that I've been doing a lot more walking and more yoga these days.

Again, thanks for thinking of me!
Lisa

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:27 am

A few weeks ago my doctor ordered an ultrasound of my gallbladder area, and everything came back fine. No stones, right kidney is fine, pancreas is fine, etc. But since I'm still having the pain, she has now ordered a HIDA scan, to see how efficiently my gallbladder is working.

Has anyone ever had a HIDA scan? If so, please describe.

Thanks!
Lisa

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:47 am

When I had my GB problems the US came back normal. Then they did a hydascan. It was abnormal. When I went to get the gallbladder removed there were over 60 stones in it.
The hida scan worked awesome. it is really not a big did. kind of like a cat scan.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:50 am

To describe the hida scan...
you lay on a table and the give you a chemical called cholesystikinan. they place a camera over the gallbladder area. take pictures as the med passes through.
it was really a relaxing test where I had it done because it was in a dark room and they placed warm blankets over me. It was a soft table also. I wasn't anxious at all once it started going. I recommend it for a true diagnosis of your gallbladder.