Please help - so fed up and been ill for months - is it an ulcer/ibs/gallstones or what?

[kuckingfunt]

I am waiting to see gastro specialist after 6 months of hell.

These are my symptoms:

dizzy/lightheaded
pain that I get under both ribs (just under boobs)
vomitting
pain goes into back
2 stone weight loss
occasional pain in chest towards right breastbone
constipated a lot

I can't see a pattern with it being worse after eating anything in particular, it just seems to be anything can set it off. It also isnt horrendous every minute of the day, it comes and goes.

I am getting desparate now though, had every blood test you can think of, had brain scan, had ultra sound for gallstones. My next step is to see the gastro specialist.

I have thought it could be a peptic ulcer, a duodenal ulcer, gallstones, ibs.

Anyone any idea and can any of the above make you feel dizzy?

I'm really getting down about this now - I can't plan anything as I never know how I will feel, I can't work as I am ill almost everyday. I had to cancel a holiday as I wasn't well enough to go, I can't even plan to even go and see friends as I just don't feel up to it. I feel like my life is on hold until I find out what is wrong. Today has been a bad day, pain and vomitting and I have spent most of it in tears to my DF - it has been going on 6 months now and I am so fed up of it.

Hi KF

How are you feeling? Any more results?

Bumping this to ask how you are feeling now KF and did you get any answers?

I've pretty much had the same symptoms as you for months now and am getting very frustrated.

Me too - awaiting endoscopy next week, having MRI this Friday, my symptoms were very similar to KF's. Hope it all turned out ok?

I can't find any posts from OP, have searched her name, since this - hope all is well?

Hi

Thanks so much for checking up on the post. I am still around but under another name.

Anyway, update on this - I am still ill. I am better than I was and have stopped vomitting. All the blood tests came back ok, I have had all kinds of checks for the dizziness, seen ENT specialists, had balance tests etc and they think that it is linked to migraine. I am not convinved though. I am taking beta blockers for it and although it has eased a bit its still there a lot. I still have the stomach problems and pain in chest/back. My doctor is now getting fed up of me and I am convinced he thinks I am making up my symptoms.

I am still under the gastro specialist and seeing him again soon. I have a Hida scan booked in for next month. If this is the hernia causing all this then they are worse than I ever thought they were - again I dont think a hernia can cause so many symptoms.

To be honest I can live with the stomach issues if the dizziness would go. I also keep getting the racing heartbeat but gp says that is anxiety.

So not a lot to update you on really as I am still ill and dont feel like they have got to the bottom of what it is.

Sorry Kucking, I sent out an all posts alert for you then! Panic over! But I am very sorry to hear you are still suffering, doesn't seem possible.

No problem BurningBridges. I see that you are having similar problems too, sorry to hear that.

How are you getting on now - are you feeling any better? I am out for the rest of the afternoon but will check on the thread later this evening or you can PM me if you would rather do that.

So sorry that you're not feeling much better : (

I'm experiencing similar symptoms and have a tentative diagnosis of Bornholm disease (bit like costochondritis). My dizziness has improved but Im still in a huge ammount of pain in my back/ribs. Interestingly I also have a hiatus hernia but they don't think this is causing the symptoms. Ceoliac disease has also been flagged up?

I'm pissing off the drs too....

Kucking, not sure if this fits, but have you been tested for Addison's Disease. My friend has this, and it took ages to get diagnosed - she had pain beneath her ribs, vomiting, fainting, generally feeling crap etc etc, and the docs thought she had gallstones, then said she'd reacted to the anaesthetic, then said she had an infection etc etc etc, until finally they cracked it and relaised it was Addisons. It is rare, so isn't always thought about, plus the symptoms are similar to lots of other less serious things.

May be worth looking into...

From addisons.org.uk:

Addison?s disease is not usually apparent until over 90% of the adrenal cortex has been destroyed, so that very little adrenal capacity is left. This can take months to years and is known as primary adrenal insufficiency. Symptoms of the disease, once advanced, can include severe fatigue and weakness, loss of weight, increased pigmentation of the skin, faintness and low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, salt cravings and painful muscles and joints. Because of the rather non-specific nature of these symptoms and their slow progression, they are often missed or ignored until, for example, a relatively minor infection leads to an abnormally long convalescence which prompts an investigation. Frequently, it is not until a crisis is precipitated that attention is turned to the adrenals.

Funny you should say that iheart - I was tested for Addisons because one of my blood tests showed the hormone that causes it to be out. They did further testing though and that showed all clear so they ruled it out.

Ungratefulchild - do they think your dizziness is linked to the Bornholm disease? Have they got to the bottom of why you are dizzy?

I have read (after my many hours, days, months of trying to find out what it is) that some people with a hernia do experience dizziness, although my gastro consultant says that it isn't the cause.

They are no longer interested in the dizziness as it seems to have abated.

I'm sceptical about it being BH disease as it seems to be a diagnosis of exclusion and its not got any better with anti inflammatories. I see the gastro conslt again next week.

Glad it's not Addison's.

Hope you get to the bottom of things (you too Ungrateful)

Have you lost weight or reduced appetite?
have you had any bleeding from the bowel?
Do you have crampy abdo pain?
Were there any abnormalities on your blood tests?

How did everyone's symptoms begin? Was there some sort of catalyst or was it gradual?

I was so wound up with the dizziness that I didn't pay too much attention to this odd pain in my left ribs, like a pulled muscle which looking back I can now see I have had for about a year. One day in July whilst in the middle of the wait to see a neurologist, we had a takeaway curry, we hadn't done that in months, and that was my last "normal" day - the pain now goes through to my back, in my groin and thighs, keeps me awake at night and gives me crashing waves of dizziness. So I think some damage had been done long term and the huge meal just pushed "it" into crisis. Since then, its got steadily worse.

Also see this thread, someone going through similar problems again with dizziness:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1299342-Wish-me-luck-im-going-to-battle-my-GP

hi, i have crossed over from other thread :)
I have alot of the same signs but know its not gall stones as I had my gall bladder removed 4 years ago after a massive attack left me very sick with paracretis and my kidneys had started to shut down :(
As for the heart rate thing, thats very intresting, I have been under cardio team for 5 years due to constent racing heart rate, even while sleeping. I had an EP study done last week (was horrible test where they put wires into veins and into heart) and it showed that it wasnt the electrode problem they thought it was :( Im beginign to believe all my symptoms are linked and it may be some sort of chemical imbalance, caused by something else. They have already checked me for adeneral (sp?) tumors, but thats all.Im not due to see gastro till dec, in the mean time im in so much pain and soooo tired:(

Hi again,

My symptoms started at the beginning of the year with extreme pain in my chest. My kidneys were enlarged and I had blood in my urine so I was diagnosed with small kidney stones.

I then had a hysterectomy for CIN 3. The pain in my chest continued and in June I collaped and was taken to hospital. I had a lot of pain in my chest, couldn't stand and had numbness in my arm. Angina was diagnosed and I was sent home with loads of medication. 2 days later I felt very very dizzy and unwell and was again admitted. Angina was ruled out by CT angio as were other heart problems (had echo cardio, 24 hr heart monitor etc). Had 24 urine test to rule out adrenal tumours, had positive protein tests so myeloma was suspected. Bone scans and MRI showed no lytic lesions so this was also discounted. Showed severe arthitis in my spine but not in the area of pain.

I already had a hiatus hernia so had another endoscopy but this showed nothing of note. Pain continued but dizziness stopped a month or so ago. Still feel very unwell (24 hr pain, tired etc) so now have bornholm/costo chondritis diagnosis.

At my physio appt yesterday I had a quick look at my notes when she was out of the room. The discharge letter stated that I have a nodule on my lung, small (3mm) but nobody mentioned this to me? SIGN guidelines say these should be followed up by further CTs.

All the notes say I'm very anxious etc and they seem to think I'm making it up but I am in constant pain and feel very unwell. I am not usually an anxious person at all and haven't, until this year, had a single day off sick from work in over 9 years. I am at my wits end and really don't know how to proceed.

Sorry for the very long post!

Although we all have some similar symptoms, and some different, I think the link here is shared amazement at how long you can be ill, after presumably being a relatively healthy person, and you think oh yes medicine will solve it, and it can't. You just see one dismissive professional after another - I'd be happier if they said look we just don't know or even look we can't afford the diagnostic tests you need/can afford it but don't want to dip into budget.

My neurologist at University College Hospital in London was fabulous, he sat with me for over an hour, examined me from head to toe even looked at my stomach and said common sense things like ok I can see why you are worried, and was willing to discuss my ideas about what might be wrong. I find the more senior people are the better service you get from them. But a lot of the time I feel we are being treated with contempt, and dismissed as "anxious". We all sound like people capable of doing some basic research which is readily available from sources (yes including the internet), so why can't we be included in the diagnostic process?

Anyway, rant over. I feel a bit as some of you are clearly suffering intolerably and although I am in pain its not dreadful, and I have some access to private health care. But I feel on behalf of you all, just not sure who with!!

BurningBridges - yours does sound like it could be gallstones.

Mine started out of the blue very suddenly, I am usually healthy.

I am being tested soon with a hida scan for gallstones, I have had an ultra sound and they didn't show.

I have been back to doctors today - my blood pressure is on the low side but apart from this he tells me that the dizziness is stress related. I don't think it is at all, I get all pressure up my neck, jaw and palpatations. I have also had an ecg that was normal but dont feel as though enough checks have been done. I have been suffering for a year now and am now nearer getting a diagnosis.

I get palpatations so much that I can even hear my heartbeat/pulse in my ear at night ad it stops me sleeping. Of course then the circle starts, you worry about what it could be and that doesn't help.

I agree that it is annoying that we seemed to get fobbed off a lot, I wish my GP understood how I feel everyday and how it affects my life. I have tried telling him but of course he then thinks I am even more anxious.

I ended up shouting and crying at mine and will admit I threw in a "I have two disabled children to deal with a. A husband with cancer and don't have time to be this sick ad this tired"

Three years I have been being fobbed off by GP! I'm just grateful for a referral!

This evening I'm sitting here with the pain in my back, thinking how can this be something trivial, I'm not going to get away with it this time. Its our 23rd wedding anniversary next weekend and I was talking to DCs about silver and gold anniversaries and all the time thinking I might not make it to 25 years the way its going

As you might have noticed, I am not a very positive person! I have my consultant appointment on Tuesday, have to fast from 9pm tomorrow in case they do go ahead with endoscopy. But you know what? I'm thinking what if they miss something?

Thats exactly how I feel burning, the pain is so bad and I feel so unwell I really believe I am seriously ill. But both my osteopath and physio say that severe pain can be present without there being much wrong.

The endscopy is pretty thorough, if there is something sinister they will see it immediately, and they will take biopsies of anything even vagely suspicious.

Good luck

Well. I just got back from hospital. Consultant will not win any awards for kindness and reassurance, he didn't even look at my carefully typed lis tof symptoms however, he thinks I have several problems including gastritis (what GP said in first place) and costochondriotis (or something spelt like that). Which is a new one on me. He reckons that explains the pain in the back. He pressed on my chest, as I was lying down I couldn't see him about to do it and I nearly hit the ceiling, he said that is the tissue running between the ribs, its is severely inflamed. But he did question the pain in the ovary area, so I am back 31st for an ultrasound. Odd thing was, he wrote a letter to GP and gave me a copy and just put gastritis on it. Not sure how helpful that is, now she thinks she was right all along and will dismiss my other symptoms. Anyway, I'll see how I go for the next few weeks.

Its interesting what Ungrateful says - you think to yourself how can this be so bad and still not be life threatening.

As of this minute, my ribs have stepped up and are now hurting all over, but I don't feel quite so doomed. Doesn't mean I'm not though eh?! (always the pessimist )

Not feeling quite so chirpy today. How does costochondritis make you lose weight? My friend had a good tip she said next time ask him questions - don't tell consultant your symptoms, say "I am losing weight - why?" Having tried to do so all my life, I know full well that just cutting down a bit doesn't do it for me so what's going on?