Any amateur doctors want to try diagnosing me? The real ones have given up.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I've been suffering with abdo pain for the last two years. Constant low grade ache, not affected by cycle. I did have heavy periods though so presumed it was related and went to the gp two years ago. They did a urine dipstick while I was there and it was positive for leucocytes so they said I had a uti and give me antibiotics. Also referred me to gynae.

Lab wee test came back negative for a urine test. Gynaes ended up a few months later doing an endometrial ablation. That didn't make any difference but at least I don't have heavy periods.

Pain still the same, I go several times to gp. Each time get antibiotics which do seem to help, I always have leucocytes in my wee. I wonder about interstitial cystitis and get sent to see the urologists. They do some sort of internal bladder scan tell me it's all normal.

By now I'm on antibiotics every day. In fact I've now been on antibiotics constantly for two years. I have trimethropin on rpt prescription and take it nightly.

I went back to the gp a cople of months ago who shrugged, sent off another urine test to the lab. This one didn't actually have leucocytes in it and the lab test came back clear. I seemed to correlate this flare up and previous ones with forgetting my antibiotics for a cople of days.

I'm in a lot of pain the last few days. Even though I've been taking my antibiotics. Symptoms are terrible abdo pain with the focus been central , massive bloating, bad wind, stabbing pain up the arse. I had a sandwich at lunch and the stronger abdo pain seemed to come on after I'd eaten.

My thoughts on possibilities are now,

Celiac disease
Ibs
Ovarian cancer

It's ot endometriosis, the gynae dr was very clear i didn't have any. I keep telling myself if it was cancer they'd have noticed when they did the ablation.

Is it worth going back to the gp and asking for a test for celiac disease or are the tests you can buy online any good? I think gp thinks I'm imagining it all so am loathe to bother him again.

Have you had blood tests. I think they show up coeliacs.

IBS sounds like a possibility - do you have the symptoms or just the pain?

A coealiac test from Boots correctly diagnosed my DH. If you do this or a blood test make sure you don't cut out gluten beforehand or you'll get a false negative.

I don't have any constipation or diarrhoea.

Saying that I don't go very often, maybe every third day. But that seems normal for me.

But passing wind can often make the abdo pain better for a bit and then it builds up again. But I don't always get the wind with the abdo pain so then I'm stuck with the pain.

Tummy nosily gurgles a lot as well.

That's good to know that the tests are reliable. Thanks 2madboys.

you have to go back.

the symptoms that you mention are, you know, symptoms of ovarian cancer.

go back to the gp. insist of seeing a specialist. of course chances are that its nothing - ibs or some such
but you must find out.

Are you saying that you have had this for 2 years and haven't had blood tests? That sounds crazy. I personally would want to be tested for everything under the sun after two years. And taking antibiotics so much? That doesn't sound good for you. That could be possibly feeding into the problem, unbalancing your digestive system, killing good bacteria.
I would go and see a different GP if you can, and ask for a full range of blood tests. When you see the GP, I would advise you to be clear about what your worst fears are, eg ovarian cancer.

But I had all these symptoms when I saw the gynaecologists. I cried at the consultant on the morning of my op and told him if it was cancer just to do a hysterectomy there and then. He said that nothing I was telling him made him think it was cancer and afterwards that there was no sign.

food intolerance an cause bloating and bowel problems like constipation and excess wind
so maybe if not positive for coeliacs then some food intolerance

do you take a probiotic supplement to support your bowel with all the anti-biotics you take?

Does the bloating come and go?

Yes the bloating does come and go but it comes more than it goes.

No I don't take a probiotic, will get some tomorrow.

Is it a period type pain or an abdominal/indigestion type pain. And does it get worse or come on after eating. Really wouldn't you have thought they would have diagnosed this by now. I'd keep going back till I got an answer. Do you get sweating when the pain is bad. My gallstones took them totally ages to diagnose.

with all those antibiotics you need a very good probiotic
i had something fairly similar but not as constant. I can't eat anything with a high fat content esp doughnuts, yumyums, mc donald's chips, that kind of thing. It all causes my tummy to swell up, wind etc... some form of IBS.
i have to be very careful what i eat.
fennel tea, peppermint tea help a bit but sometimes i just have to wait for it to go.

do you get some relief when you fart? if so i would guess it is digestive rather than anything more sinister.

I'd say it's quite periody type pain. But I've never had Iindigestion.......

There is definate period type pain but also higher up, but it's all below my tummy button. But from the tummy button down its a big swollen, bloated painful, tender to the touch, can't do my trousers up, mess.

Yes I get some relief from farting if I can fart.

Well, I'd go back to the GP and specifically ask about ovarian cancer. But this link says that there is persistent bloating with ovarian cancer rather than bloating that comes and goes.

In the meantime, I'd get the coealiac test mentioned, and try that.

I don't sweat when the pain is bad.

Off to google gallstones now!

Don't think the pain is high up enough for gallstones.

Are you on the pill?

I tried it years ago (can't remember which one) and it caused horrendous abdominal pain. No doctors have ever believed that the pill was causing it but it stopped as soon as I stopped taking it.

No, not on any sort of contraception.

Viva I had very similar symptoms with many gyne investigations - it felt like a gynae problem, constant pain etc.

It did turn out to be IBS - would it be worth trying treatment for this?

Shocked re antibiotics for two years - you poor thing

Betty, what sort of treatment did you/do you have for ibs? I always thought it was something you just had to suffer with?

OK I failed then. Sorry

Thanks for the suggestion though Goldmandra, would have been a nice, easy fix if it had been that.

Have you thought about having your bowel checked? A colonoscopy? Often i get mild period type pains when i really need a poo. Not saying you need a poo . . . just that they are so close together that one can press on the other so something large in your bowel can make you feel womb pain iyswim.