Would it be silly to ask for an urgent referral for these symptoms?

[DevilledEggs]

I’ve suffered with heartburn for a long time. I’ve been prescribed various medications to help but they only offer temporary relief.

Recently, I’ve been getting sharp, painful stabbing pains at the top left of my stomach. Usually during or after eating. I also suffer bloating and general abdominal pain along with some occasional IBS.

DH and went out for a meal tonight and I’d not even finished before I started getting pain in between my shoulder blades and lower back. It feels like food is stuck in my back (I know it’s not, but that’s how it feels). The pain in the left of my abdomen has returned and I’m so bloated I feel ready to burst. Now I have mild but uncomfortable pain in my back and between my shoulder blades as well as in my abdomen.

I’ve been to my GP for various symptoms recently (including itchy skin, new headaches , cystitis and vertigo) so I don’t want to be viewed as a hypochondriac but something seems very off with my digestive system at the moment.

Will I sound silly asking for an urgent referral for an ultrasound on my abdomen?

I'd be worried about itchy skin along with this pain. You'll need bloods for liver tests and exclusion of pancreatic cancer if it's not felt to be e.g. gallstones /peptic ulcer or e.g oesophageal spasm. If food is sticking, that's a 2 week wait referral to exclude oesophageal cancer.

I'm not saying this to frighten you but my DSIL had similar symptoms - pain on eating, indigestion, back pain. She was treated as a nuisance by her GP and our local hospital until she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her only other symptom was pale floating poo. It probably isn't, but please go to your GP and ask for a referral.

edited to add that I overlapped with the poster directly above, I'd missed the itchy skin. Please get checked.

Yes with the itchy skim i would be concerned

Visit the GP

I agree that if you have active biliary colic, lots of things set it off.

Sounds very much like a possible hernia? I have a paraesophageal hernia my symptoms were pain under left rib - reflux - pain in back - I had an endoscopy and saw the hernia - might be worth getting an endoscopy done 👍

See your GP. They need to send you for an endoscopy.

Op, make an appointment to see your gp asap and they will decide on referral route based on their clinical decision, asking won't work because the gp has to go by their guidelines. If they think it could be sinister then it will be a 2 week referral, you really don't want to be having that!

My BIL had severe gall bladder attacks (several hospital stays). If was after eating. He got his gall bladder out and is perfectly fine now

Also could be a stomach ulcer. I'd definitely be seeing the GP.

I managed to make a GP appointment for next month. However, I had to call them today to ask for an earlier appointment. It’s over the telephone next week.

I’ve been off work all week because I am exhausted. I slept through 3 alarms this morning. I must be itching in my sleep because I’ve woken with scratches on my skin. I’ve got a dull gnawing pain in my stomach and just feel generally unwell.

I have a feeling I’ll be fobbed off with antacids.

Good Lord OP - next month? No, sorry, I'd be looking for an urgent appointment to be seen tomorrow. Failing that I'd be contacting out of hours. If you're off work you obviously needing seeing sooner rather than later. I hope you get the help you deserve soon.

You need an urgent appointment with your GP as you might have a stone in a bile duct. While you're at it ask for a test for H pylori too - it'll be a stool sample.
I've just been diagnosed with both.

The receptionists are unlikely to have a clue about the significance of your symptoms. You likely need a 2 week wait referral to exclude biliary cancer or pancreatic cancer. Although healthcare professionals wouldn't disclose their status on Mumsnet, I think you're getting a lot of responses from health professionals here. If I were a GP, I would want to see you very quickly and get you referred.

Im glad you are booked in for next week
Make sure you have all your symptom's wrote down, so you remember each one

Do not let the dr fob you off

An update. I called in to the GP surgery today and managed to get a cancellation to see a GP today. I was examined and upon pressing on my left rib side, they managed to get a pain response (it was quite sore!) in my spleen or pancreas area.

I was surprised that the GP took bloods there and then (usually we have to book an appointment at a blood clinic). Bloods are for liver, pancreas and infection markers.

Anti histamine for the itching and antacids for my stomach. I have to wait for bloods to come back I guess.

I’ve only managed to eat a boiled egg, a slice of toast and some nuts today as I feel so full and I am exhausted.

Depending what your tests come back with it might be coeliac.

I went for an endoscopy for suspected gallstones (which I did have) - turns out I have coeliac too.

Completely blindsided, zero symptoms other than the pain after eating, but no difference whether or not I ate gluten.

No family history and now I miss bread.

Look on your NHS app the blood results might be there.

I had bloods taken late afternoon, I assume missed collection for the lab and will be available Monday now?

This

Sorry, just read your update that you have been to the GP