Severe pain, told to “forget about it”

I had similar symptoms,had all sorts of investigations,but a colonoscopy found diverticulitis.

Have you recently put on or lost weight? As fat cells change they can form a 'globule' around a nerve, causing trapped nerve pain. I had this, diagnosed by a pain management consultant. Before that I'd been seen by gyno & had a colonoscopy, the consultant diagnosed me in 30 seconds by pressing my stomach in a specific way.

Oh god yes. I’d been in agony for about 8hrs by that point and they were insisting they could only give a couple of paracetamol.

Truly amazing but by then if they had said I'm going to hit you over the head with a brick and you won't have the pain in your side I would have said go ahead.

Have you thought you may have gastritis? Sounds similar! Worth checking out if everything else has come back clear x

The morphine was amazing. 😂

Did they do a urine dip? This sounds blindingly obvious but I got discharged after 4 days for similar pain and it was pyelonephritis, which they missed because nobody did one.

I had severe abdominal pain in my right side just under my ribs and ended up in a and e. They gave me morphine which I have to say was absolutely marvellous. They weren't quite sure what it was but went with a twisted ovary. I had an ovarian cyst and the weight of it had something to do with it. I think the term is ovarian torsion? Did they do a scan of your whole abdomen? Another alternative they did explore was kidney stones. But I'm guessing they have tested for that already? Edited to say the pain was excruciating and I had had it on and off for a while before it ramped up to morphine needing proportions. I feel really sorry for you. If you can't do normal everyday activities you need medical help, are there other GPs in the practice?

This really sounds like endo to me. Heavy periods, previous c-sections, abdominal pain in shoulder the same as an ectopic pregnancy. I think you need to push to see a gynaecologist.

I despair that we still fucking living in a world where a man's word is given more weight that a woman's, but sadly, here we are. The above will probably work.

Go back to the GP and do the following.

1. try and see a female doctor
2. go in business wear - take a handbag.
3. take a man- preferably your husband or dad to repeat everything that you say. So you say “I’m in constant horrific pain” and they repeat “I have seen her in constant horrific pain.”
4. write your symptoms down in a note book with dates and times. Or even better a spreadsheet that you print off. Be really specific about bleeding, pads, exact times of symptoms. Give them a copy and ask for it to be added to your record.
5. similarly, write a timeline of when symptoms started when you went into hospital the tests they did and any meds they prescribed. Preferably typed. Give them a copy, and ask for it to be added to your record.
6. explain that the pain is affecting your ability to work, parent and do day to day activities like shower, do the dishes and drive a car.
7. decide what you want before you go in. Do you want endo investigations? Make that very clear what you’d like from the consultation.
8. if (when) they fob you off, say politely “that’s not going to work for me so can you get a colleague to give a second opinion”. When they say no one available repeat politely “I insist on seeing someone for a second opinion”. Get your man to repeat what you’ve said.
9. research the guidelines for gynaecology referrals and try to find some evidence of when a referral is recommended.
10. if the above does not work, complain to the practice manager, attaching your symptoms and timeline of events. Repeat your wish for an urgent referral.
11. make a data subject access request to both the GP and your hospital requesting copies of your recent records. This is free- template letter on the ICO website.

Does the MN hive mind have anything to add?

Have you had your gallbladder scanned? This is what my gallbladder pain was like.

Endometriosis doesn't shows on scans. Only way to diagnose is laparoscopy.

My DD has this we think. Abdo pain, right side where appendix is. We're waiting for surgery to confirm.

Heat pads and TENS machine may help

Glad you have another GP appointment..

I'm so sorry, OP.

Mine was fibroids. I remember feeling my tummy and feeling an actual bulge. Nurse tried to fob me off 'because she couldn't feel anything'. I had to get real firm with them to get referred to scans that showed I had multiple and what I'd actually felt was the one that had grown outside my uterus.

My periods are also ridiculously heavy and the pain had me feeling faint, vomiting, iron low, awful pain...

Ask to be scanned for those too. I hope they find what it is quickly.

Hi OP where abouts in your abdomen? I agree with PP it could be a gynecology issue. Last year I had excruciating lower right side pain and was in and out of SAU for a week whilst they were trying to figure out what was wrong. Ruled out appendix etc, had CT, bloods, ultrasound couldn't find anything. I still get it every so often now. Anyway I had another ultrasound booked from GP a week later, my bladder wasn't full enough so ny chance they done a transvaginal scan found 20+ cysts on my ovaries then diagnosed with PCOS. Keep pushing, you shouldn't feel this bad without support, it's ridiculous how you have to advocate for yourself so much but you can't be left like that. I really hope you get some answers soon

It’s awful isn’t it? I came off the pill at 30 after taking it for 14 years. Horrific pain was told it was my body adjusting. Was then told having a baby would solve it!
My parents paid for me to see a consultant privately at 46 and Endo was diagnosed. Op was on the NHS and they left the Endo in there - said removing it wasn’t in the budget! So I had a diagnosis but no treatment.
I am 55 now and while the menopause has removed my periods I am still in so much pain.

I couldn't have a mastectomy because I might meet someone in the future and wish I'd kept my boob. So I have to keep my completely numb and disfigured boob for a fictional man.

I don't think it would necessarily show up in scans. Adenomyosis does because it is easier to see, and sometimes feel the abnormally thick womb lining. But you might need a laparoscopy to diagnose endometriosis.

It does sound like that's what you have though. Are your periods very heavy? Is that what causes your anemia?

I'd push for a laparoscopy ASAP.

Have you any other symptoms that might connect to gallbladder problems? You don't have to have actual stones and the site of your pain would be spot on for it.

Sending you a hug since you are in pain and your GP is being useless. Keep going to GP - not the same one - until things happen.
Wishing all the best!

The liver can be a funny organ. Sometimes blood work doesn't show up a problem. Also any other symptoms might not seem like they'd be related. I'm not saying it is anything to do with that obviously but if you have ANYTHING else that seems a bit unusual, even if you think it's not worth mentioning, I really would. Maybe itching, change in bowel movements or change im the colour of wee or poo, excessive tiredness, loss of appetite, bruises?