Severe pain, told to “forget about it”

[Glitterballofdreams]

I’ve been experiencing pain in my abdomen for two months, it’s increasingly gotten worse. I saw my GP on 3 separate occasions, had blood tests and was referred for an ultrasound.
Last week the pain was so severe I went to A&E, I was kept in for two days and had an ultrasound & blood tests. Doctors couldn’t find anything wrong and discharged me with painkillers.
i attended the ward twice more in agony, had a CT scan and two more loads of blood tests. All of which were clear, yet I am still in severe pain. Alongside this I have become very dizzy and have blacked out twice (I am anaemic and I fear all the bloods they took have made this worse).
I visited my GP again today as I cannot function with the pain and dizziness, I am bedridden and am having to have family members help me look after my children. My GP told me today to forget about the pain and it will go away.

i am so upset, and fed up. I know that it is very reassuring that the scans showed nothing, yet why am I still in so much pain?!

has anyone had any experience of abdo pain that went away?

A couple of years ago I had gallstones, I was in severe pain for a few hours after eating every day for over a month. G.P suspected gallstones and referred me for an ultrasound scan and bloods which came back normal. Days letter A&E gave me an urgent referral to a Gastroenterologist who I saw a few days later. He also suspected gallstones. Had an MRI, was normal. Had an ERCP which finally confirmed the diagnosis. He also explained that bloods needed be done within a specific time window from the onset of pain each day or they wouldn’t show anything. I stopped eating every other day to give myself a break from the pain. I was prescribed Tramadol which did help. After around 5/6 weeks the pain stopped on its own. Then eventually after over a year I had surgery to remove my gallbladder. Don’t be fobbed off if your bloods and ultrasound are normal. Keep pushing for a referral to a Gastroenterologist.

IBS often just means they haven't got a clue. Keep pushing, OP.

This is so helpful, thank you.
I am sorry you had to go through that, it must have been awful. I hope you’re more comfortable now

You need to push for a second opinion. Book another appointment today, but refuse to accept an appointment with that GP.

Does your practice have a female GP? Saying you need a female GP might be another way to avoid this one.

Good luck xx

I have got an appointment for next Monday, with a different GP. Hopefully I can hang it out till then.

Thank you all so much for your support, I really appreciate it xx

How are you hanging on?

Had yet another GP appointment with yet another GP - tell me your story from the beginning….. then as we had to cover the old ground only managed half my questions in 17 mins so going to have to see if I can get a medication review for painkiller increase discussed with previous doctor.. upshot is referral for Ultrasound but by gosh I’d love some continuity of care or read my notes before phoning….. also spend all day being anxious I’d miss the phone call phoned at 5:50pm.

how do you contact your GP? I have to go through ai system it judges my answers and then you get triaged.

right off to get a drink to take the next round of painkillers in the hope of getting to sleep 😴

I’m sorry to hear you’re still in so much pain. I do hope it eases for you soon.
Continuity of care would be amazing, I hate having to go from the beginning with each medic.

We are triaged by the GP receptionist. They are like Rottweilers! My mother actually walked in there last time and demanded someone see me as I kept getting fobbed off. Didn’t and up being a success though.

@Glitterballofdreams

Any update wrt your 19th May appointment? 💐

Hopefully not with the GP who keeps insisting it's IBS!! (generic catch all, aka they don't know what's wrong)

Hiya

so after seeing the same rude doctor twice, I made an appointment with a different GP. He was brilliant, he was really concerned about the pain I am suffering. He has requested an urgent CT scan of my chest & lungs, and will see me again in two weeks time to check how I am coping.

the pain is still unbearable, but I am trying to keep things as normal as possible for my children, as the show goes on.

@Glitterballofdreams

A much better appointment, for you, then, at last. 🙂

I do hope you're feeling a bit more optimistic lovely. All the best.🌸

That is really good news😭! At last you’re being taken seriously. I hope it all goes well for you.

You poor thing. Hope they find the cause. It makes me so cross hearing how you were just dismissed and told to ignore it.

Glad you got referred. Did the new GP give you some better pain meds?

Im glad you can give an impression of being normal to your kids, I’m failing miserably I’ve spent most of the weekend in bed continuously popping pills but still in agony and now my anxiety has kicked in. Shouldn’t have googled but I have and freaking out.

Hope the CT scan date comes through quickly!

He gave me ibuprofen, however it hasn’t made a difference. I took codeine last night and that took the edge off slightly. What pain relief do you have? Has the doctor discussed a plan for you? I hope you feel more comfortable soon. Sending hugs and strength xx

On Gabapentin, tramadol and diclofenac (suppositories- my stomach can’t handle NSAIDS) - and I’m still in a ridiculous amount of pain. It’s very localised around my caecum area. But given I don’t have any infection markers or nausea I feel like I’m being fobbed off.

Just got my ferritin results back at 1/10 the lower accepted level and been told to take multivitamin and diet changes, been doing that for 6 months and the level has dropped marginally - Have attempted to message to doctor back but up to a 3 day response….

Feel like it’s your a menstruating woman of a certain age now just go away and shush.

Taking the kids away to the beach tomorrow to see their aunties.

It’s super frustrating, I feel your pain. I have just got my CT scan appt through for the end of next month. Can’t move off the sofa today though.

That sounds amazing, I took my youngest two away to the caravan by the sea last week. The change of scenery and sea air really boosts your serotonin. I hope you have a great time, and can manage the pain as best you can.

@Glitterballofdreams was wondering how you were getting on? Hopefully you've got some better pain meds?

Pain radiating to shoulder can also be gynae.

OP, I had a lot of admissions to hospital in my 30s for abdo pain. I had ovarian cysts and then repeated adhesions. Two decades later it started again and I had appendectomy, oophrectomy and fallopian tube removed and they all looked normal. I was very upset but was told by the consultant that unexplained gynae pain is very common but removal of those organs frequently helped but they didn’t know why. It took about a year but the pain did go. For ages I was told I had pelvic inflammatory disease in spite of having no markers for infection or inflammation. They just made it up as they didn’t know what else was the problem. I feel quite angry about how women’s symptoms are so often not taken seriously and unhelpful and inaccurate diagnosis given. Persevere with another doctor. Update, I see you have and hope you get a diagnosis and treatment soon. x

I had an ultrasound on my gallbladder on a Thursday evening. Was told all clear no signs of stones. The following Thursday I ended up in a+e with chronic pain. Kept in and had a mri done on Friday. Showed my gallbladder chock full of stones. Didn't happen in a week. Push for mri

I’d bet my house this ends up being your gallbladder OP

Sounds very much like gallstones. They often do not show up on scans.

I highly recommend doing the Liver & Gallbladder Cleanse - the book is on Amazon, by Andreas Moritz. A series of these cleanses rid me of gallstones and the pain went away.

In the meantime, you can manage your symptoms with a vegan diet or at least by not eating red meat or fatty foods.

I ended up in hospital with extreme pain on my right side, the appendix looked fine and they could see nothing that could be causing it. I think they were getting ready to discharge me when I was violently sick with no warning. I was rushed to theatre and they found out that I had pelvic inflammatory disorder but it was all over my left side, so they said that my body obviously likes to confuse us. Because they opened me up like the thought it was my appendix they took it anyway so if I'm ever unconscious they will know the appendix is gone.

I got good painkillers and 2 weeks of drain killer antibiotics.

If you can afford private see dr Peter Barton smith in London, my survey was at 45 and I’m pain free at 50, he’s an amazing surgeon and human.

Hi OP I have endometriosis and gallstones, I’d say this could be gallstones but equally as endo can attach anywhere it could be diaphragmatic endometriosis, if you keep that in mind while they are scanning.

Also not one single scan showed mine, MRI, CT, vaginal.. nothing all clear, but I paid for a surgery and the endo was on most of my pelvic organs. It’s a disease where the only way to find out it to go in.

assuming pancreas , bile duct etc all clear?

I had ultrasound and CT scans which showed nothing. Ended up paying £350 for an MRI. It shows atrophy of my pancreas. I think my pain has been pancreatitis. I have a genetic fault that makes me prone to liver and pancreas problems. I'm waiting to see gastro (third time of being referred). I think it's causing digestion problems. Just to throw that one in the mix. A decade ago I thought I had gallstones. But none were ever found. Will be interested to see what they do next.