Pain on left - pancreas?

[SinkingSlowly20]

I’ll try be brief, but probably fail.

A couple of months ago I started with severe constant lower abdo pain (more pelvis) and upper left back pain. The doctors have only focused on the abdo pain as that was the worst, I’m being investigated for that which they think is endometriosis but started at same time as back pain.

They did do bloods to rule out pancreas with upper back pain and came back fine, slightly elevated bilirubin but they weren’t concerned with that at all. I do have gallstones but hadn’t had an attack for a year at this point,

Now I’ve been having gallbladder attacks and the upper left back pain has ramped up, with the pain under left breast now too. I’m convinced it’s my pancreas but doctors said blood test would have found pancreatitis.

I need to go back as the pain has me in tears - has anyone else had this and it’s not been pancreatitis? Seems to have been too intermittent to be that.

Sounds like your gallbladder is the problem. With my husband his first gallbladder attack saw the emergency Gp send him to A&E because he was concerned about pancreatitis but he didn’t have it - A&E were actually useless that time - they dx gastritis when it was a clear gallbladder problem. Didn’t even scan him! Did do the bloods for pancreatitis but they came back ok. By the time his gallbladder was removed 5 months later he was actually jaundiced.

I thought your gallbladder was more on your right side? Your pancreas is the main organ that's in that area, but have you had anything like diarrhoea or unexplained weight loss?

Your left kidney is also towards the back on the left side, and there are bits of your stomach and digestive system there too. Have you thought about ulcers? And is the pain definitely coming from inside and not, say, from a muscle in the area?

In short, you really need to go back to your GP urgently, but don't get too hung up on the pancreas, as there are other possibilities that you should ask them to consider too.

I get gallbladder pain on the right, this pain is on the left - sometimes occurs with the gallbladder pain but usually not. I’d say the pain is stopping me in my tracks several times a day, sometimes for a couple of minutes sometimes nearer an hour.

Last time they took blood they gave me a full work up, pancreas, liver, kidneys etc and everything was ok at that point. The latest bloods were a month ago maybe. Trace of blood in urine sample but I’d been spotting the morning before I took the sample so could have been from that.

I can’t say for sure it’s not muscular but it feels deep inside and I have been very incactive because of the abdo pain so I haven’t done anything to pull it. The pain feels like gallbladder pain if that makes sense, a crushing twisting aching horrible pain.

No diarrhoea or drastic weight loss, I’ve not had a big an appetite as normal so I’ve lost maybe 5lb over the last month - and I’m overweight so it’s not an issue. Get really bloated but it could be the endo doing that.

I ended up in a&e with chest pains 3-4 weeks ago which they put down as the muscles lining the ribs or something,m (X-ray & ecg was fine). Still get the odd chest pain so maybe it’s all connected.

I’ll try get in to GP tomorrow but so worried about being labelled a hypochondriac with everything else that’s been going on.

I've was in similar horrific pain under my left rib all day Saturday, aching dull pain and at other times it was awful stabbing pains that also extended into my left side at times. I've had the same pain on and off but much milder over the last few weeks, it was bad Sunday but better and more manageable. Yesterday it was on and off but very mild and today it feels ok so far! Anyway I went to see the Doctor yesterday and she felt it was acid as I do suffer with indigestion a lot. She also thought it could be constipation pain and I have felt quite constipated the last week. Any chance it's the same for you?

You can also get transferred pain that originates elsewhere, so it could be related to one of your existing problems. But if it's debilitating and interfering with your life, you certainly shouldn't worry about being called a hypochondriac. Unfortunately women do often get their pain dismissed and have to fight their corner to be taken seriously. Good luck with the doctor, hope you get it sorted.

It really doesn’t feel like indigestion, although I do get that sometimes. Dr has taken blood although not sure what she’s testing.

I’ve been referred to surgeons about getting gallbladder removed and she said if bloods are fine then I just wait and mention this pain on the left to them too.

She did give me antacids too just incase.

I have had acute pancreatitis and believe me, you would know if it was that.

Chronic pancreatitis is more of a dull ache I believe. I was diagnosed with this after having acute, had none of the symptoms and said so, a year later an MRI proved I didn't have it at all. I was mightily pissed off to have been so badly misdiagnosed (and called an alcoholic) I was actually put on lifelong tablets called KREON. I did not take these as was convinced I did not have chronic pancreatitis. I was right.

Obviously, in that year of worry I researched ALOT...

As many PP's have said, runny and (TMI) apparently REALLY stinky poo STRAIGHT after eating and vomiting would be your main symptom and white poo too. You would also be totally off your food and loosing tons of weight Any of these, go to the doctor and insist on a new blood test. As one who has been through all this, I really don't think it sounds pancreas related. I agree this is gallbladder. But I am not a doctor!

Very good luck to you

Also OP be aware gallbladder attcks CAN cause acute pancreatitis.