So I’m in A&E for the sixth time in a 9 weeks

[Soubriquet]

And they still don’t know what’s wrong with me

I am in constant pain in my stomach area. It’s an intense pressure that can then sort of spasm and throb.

I cannot walk. I cannot sit. I cannot eat meals. Without it hurting.

Today, I couldn’t even lift a glass of drink.

OTC do nothing. I’ve been prescribed buscapan and codeine and that did nothing.

I’ve had an MRI, a CT scan, an ultrasound, two x-rays, various blood tests and urine tests. All are clear.

I am on the waiting list for an endoscopy but that is two months away and I’ve been told by the doctor at A&E to come back everytime it gets worse or in days I can’t cope because it helps me get pushed up the list.

I’m tired. I’m exhausted. I’m sat in the stupid “fit to sit” area and I’m in agony because it hurts to sit.

I’ve been given oramorph but I chucked it up about 10 mins later.

Just saw the junior doctor and she is completely clueless too. Has no idea. She’s gone to speak to her supervisior for an opinion but it looks like I’m going to be sent home to suffer again.

I can wait for diagnoses. That’s not the problem. I just want a decent pain management scheme where I can be a relative pain free 33 year old!!

Stomach migraines are usually grumbling. Apparently they only really effect children too or so I was told recently by a dr.

Being in pain that is unsuccessfully managed on maximum analgesia available in community usually requires a hospital review/admission.
OP is nowhere near that yet.
Sorry you've had an awful few weeks and no answers OP. It sounds like endoscopy is the right step to take next and the question is how to get you through until then with adequately controlled pain and whether you fit criteria/there is any possibility for an investigation sooner.
I have to say 2 months for an endoscopy does sound pretty good though. I know it's all so disappointing.

Your GP has absolutely no influence or sway over the endoscopy waiting list at all. Once he’s done the referral to gastro it is out of his hands, the gastro/endoscopy waiting list is managed by a gastro waiting list Co-ordinator.

You have been misadvised by the surgeon you saw, but he probably doesn’t care because he’s not the one who’s department you’re returning to. It only effects him if he keep an receiving a referral to come and see you in ED every time, which won’t be happening because they’ll have ruled a surgical abdomen out over and over again.

Your GP can do better to manage this pain, but at the moment they’re choosing not to, maybe for clinical reasons, or something else.

It's Covid. 100%. OP take a test and you'll feel better.

Many years ago I had something really similar.
I couldn't even walk properly, especially up stairs.
I couldn't carry shopping.
I too had all the tests.
Eventually my dd paid for me to see a private consultant. It turned out I had a hernia. It didn't show up on any scans!
Had the surgery and got my life back!

Beg, borrow, sell but try and go private. Once you have the diagnosis you can go back to NHS but if you possibly can go private (I wish it wasn't the case)

Hope that’s sarcasm….cos it definitely isn’t covid.

I had stomach/chest pain, or sort of pressure feeling for a few months, went to A&E a few times and was sent home with Gaviscon, once when I was there ,I was sick, and the tea I had eaten hours ago came back exactly as it had gone in, not digested at all, just a bit chewed looking! I was sent home with yet another bottle of gaviscon. I thought it might be stress, and as soon as I mentioned that to my manager, I was signed off work for a month. Then I noticed the whites if my eyes were slightly yellowed, so I went to the GP, who said they were normal, but the rest of me soon turned bright yellow, so I looked like Marg Simpson! It was a blocked gall bladder, and the clue was in the regurgitated undigested meal, as there was nothing to digest the fat, the staff I saw at A&E should have realised, but didn't. I had my gallbladder removed, and have been fine since.

It's always funny how people on mumsnet think they can spot ailments that haven't been seen by qualified doctors and surgeons in 'an MRI, a CT scan, an ultrasound, two x-rays, various blood tests and urine tests'....
Abdominal pain can be reallly hard to diagnose. I don't see what repeatedly going back to A and E will do. It's so tough, but pain management whilst waiting for the endoscopy seems the best bet.

No-one is diagnosing anything, we are sharing anecdotes whilst saying get the endoscopy and follow up with gp.

They have ruled out gallstones and gallbladder issues haven't they?

I had this.
Started at this time of year and then cleared up in the spring. Had it 2 years in a row. Since having my children it’s not come back (gp friend thinks it was endo)

my GP thought it was anxiety related. As on non-work days I would eat something and all was well but on work days it would cause severe pain. In the end they prescribed an anti-depressant. But after a little while it all cleared up.

I was in my mid-20s

Allergy to codeine/morphine? I'm allergic and the reaction is akin to pancreatitis - it's called a biliary duct spasm. Codeine metabolises into morphine and morphine is known to trigger these spasms in some people

Thank you for this post @Theredjellybean (hope you don't mind me @ing you.

It actually helps to read the process of what happens between the GP, referral and appointment.

I also really liked how it sounds like it used to be, I think my grandmother experienced that and was staunchly in favour of her GP, he could do nothing wrong at all!

It would be nice if things were still like it but lots of factors mean they can't. I'm a social worker, we all wish we could do things differently without constraints.

You sound like a lovely doctor, I'm also one of those who has a great GP at a good practice and I'm grateful for it every time

I suggest this as you've been given codeine to treat the pain but actually it could well be the cause ...

I have no problems with codeine. Had it in the past and been absolutely fine.

I don’t feel worse after taking it either.

All gall bladder/kidney stones/appendicitis has been ruled out.

Any history of acid reflux/vomiting after meals? Is it worse after eating? Have they considered hiatus hernia?

Aren't Crohns sufferers underweight?

I have no idea what I'm talking about but thought I'd think out loud

I’m sorry @Soubriquet but you need a higher dose of codeine, someone’s mentioned Cocodamol, one dose includes 60mg of codeine so it makes a difference. Some people are prescribed to take this dose every four hours but it might not be needed that much.

I hope you get to figure this out, I know how this feels, went all day ok and then went to toilet at night, next thing my right side and back starts to spasm with pain couldn’t bend. The pain migrated to the left and I could hardly walk….I prayed and was healed mercifully by Jesus, so never got to investigate the very strange issue, excruciating pain that haunted me for almost two weeks.

All the best.

@Naijagal you weren't healed by Jesus. HTH.

How can you know my experience better than me? Funny. Please let’s not derail the thread

You're insinuating that prayer will relieve significant pain. That is scientifically and medically incorrect.

@Soubriquet I hope you get some answers and some relief soon.

Are they going to do a colonoscopy? Usually do this straight after the endoscopy. My diverticuloses were spotted this way. similar to you, stomach pains, couldn't eat, lost weight quickly. I was seen on the two week pathway but very long wait to see gastro consultant now I have the diagnosis.

@Soubriquet could it be this? I have a friend who has it - she has Botox injected now. But before diagnosis was in and out of A&E with severe stomach pain.

gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/conditions/biliary-sphincter-disorders-former-sphincter-of-oddi-dysfunction/

The pressure you mentioned reminded me of gastropareisis; you might want to see if you have any other symptoms of that.