DH discharged from hospital with no diagnosis for extruciating stomach pains, any ideas?

[silver1977]

DH got sent to hospital from doctors as in so much pain, been going on for hours, had an attack previous night also lasting 4 hours. Just agonising stomach pain, right in the centre at the top, under ribs, occasionally radiated to his back, he was rolling around on the floor in pain, no position relieved it. On morphine in hospital which he said was such a relief and he seemed well on it, had x-rays, ultrasound and ct scan and nothing found! I was convinced he had gallstones as symptoms sounded so similar, really shocked when they didn't find anything!

He has been sent home as they are baffled! Got an outpatients appointment for a couple of weeks time but can't see how he can last that long as he is still in pain, not as bad as he was as has some pain relief meds but not as good as morphine.

Great they have ruled out anything major but something has got to be causing this excruciating pain surely? He is self employed, we have 3 young children and he has been told not to drive/work for at least a week so no money coming in, desperate for some answers. Wondered if symptoms sounded familiar to anyone else?

Thanks.

I was told by an A&E dr that my gallbladder was gravelly and sludgy.

No, not constant pain. Pretty much ache and in discomfort constantly though. Normally in right shoulder blade. Then I get proper double over pain every day or every other day. Doesn't always last terribly long but enough to stop me in my tracks. Had a proper blow out ( pizza & ice cream ) been trying to eat low fat but thought what the heck as told no gallstones and the pain was almost immediate!
Worst pain was after examination, my tummy REALLY doesn't like being prodded at the moment.
Hope you get some answers too. good luck!

I had one attack where a gall stone got stuck in the duct into the pancreas and caused pancreatitis. Absolutely agonising- hopsitalised for 10 days, ill 8 weeks. Ultrasound did not show gallstones. In the end MRI found them, sludgy, gravelly ones rather than large ones. gallbladder removed laparascopically- no probs.

I've been diagnosed with stress-related IBS when I thought I had gallstones. I get appalling stomach pains. I also get gurgling, occasional diarrhoea (but rarely) and a sore throat (feels scratchy) from acid coming up my throat at night. Do these sound like your DH's symptoms? I too was crying with the pain.

I am 44 and never had ANY gastric problems in my life so I am a bit devastated by it. I am currently on omeprazole which reduces the symptoms by about 80% but I have no idea what I'm going to do about it all in the long term as my life remains stressful and I cannot change it :(

Not sure if pain would be as high up as you're describing, but friend of ours had excruciating stomach pains and turned out to be lactose intolerance. Started when he was in his forties, was always fine with dairy before. Stress makes it worse. Hope your husband gets an answer soon.

My dh had pain in similar place and was burst cyst in liver

It sounds like a pancreatic problem. The pain high in the belly and radiating to the back is a giveaway.

It sounds like a pancreatic problem. The pain high in the belly and radiating to the back is a giveaway.

Pancreatitis would be apparent on CT scans not to mention routine abdominal pain work up (ie Amylase).

The sickness bug - does he also have the extreme pain and does it go while he's vomiting? I wasn't always sick with gallstone pain but when I was, I would be sick regularly and it was a relief for those few minutes as the pain went! When I had my scan for gallstones they couldn't even find my gallbladder at first. My blood results told their own story though - blocked liver duct. Ask if they have checked for bilirheuben and amilayse levels in the blood work. The nurse practitioner I saw was so sure it was an ulcer she only checked for helicobacter. By the time they did the right tests ( and only because I asked) I was so sick I was admitted to hospital when they saw the results! Do some reading and ask lots of questions!