Does anybody recognise these symptoms? Am in so much abdominal pain.

[SachaStark]

Posting out of sheer desperation before I call the doctor again.

I’m in crippling abdominal pain. It’s been on and off for six months, but it happens most days, several times a day, sometimes after eating, sometimes when I haven’t eaten anything. For example, right now, I haven’t eaten since dinner at 7:30pm last night.

It’s a kind of stabbing pain all over my stomach and into my rib cage (sometimes in upper and lower back as well, though that’s more occasional). Right now, I can’t stand straight as it’s too painful, and an hour ago I couldn’t walk. Also get lots of gas with it (belching), and sometimes acid reflux.

My GP said stomach ulcer at first, and to give it three months to recover, but no improvements. Then I was sent for an ultrasound to search for gall stones, but nothing found. Booked for an endoscopy, but I’m bottom of the waiting list, as they said it’s not an urgent case.

I’m going to ring my GP again to see if they can do anything more. I had a little cry an hour ago as it hurts so much, and I feel like they’re just going to tell me to “wait and see” again.

Please, does anybody know what this might be?

It may be IBS. Try avoiding wholewheat products such as brown or seeded bread, digestive biscuits etc. You could have a look at adopting an IBS diet, see if it helps. IBS can be excruciating.

Mebeverine prescriptions might help or buscapan bought over the counter.

I thought IBS meant toilet troubles? Everyone I know who’s had it said they had to dash to the toilet, etc. I don’t have any problems at all in that area, would that not rule out IBS?

I have IBS and don't have to dash to the loo. I just get hideous pain.

Gallstones? Does the pain feel like it's right in the centre of your stomach and like you cant do anything to alleviate it?

I had gallstones pain for months and kept getting diagnosed with acid reflux/stomach ulcers. It was the most pain I've ever been in and I would rather have given birth 5 times than gone through the pain again.

Ask your GP if theyd consider doing an ultrasound?

It does sound very like an ulcer to me. I had to one years ago but my stomach can still be like you described. I absolutely had to eat every 2 hours and eat late at night just before bed. If I didn't eat at night when I did eat in the morning I had terrible, very sharp pains in the stomach. Also during the day if I left it longer than 2 hours it really hurt. I lived on bisodol, gaviscon etc. I believe what cured it in the end was 3 different courses of antibiotics which was treatment for a different ailment. That's the treatment for h. Pylori the bacteria that causes ulcers.

It can be diarrhoea or go the other way with constipation. Some people like me get a mix. It might be worth playing around with your diet in the absence of anything else being done at the mo. Keeping a food diary and noting symptoms helps to track things down that set it off. With me its brown bread and digestives, and wholewheat pasta. Unusually I'm fine with beans but not with broccoli or cauliflower. Gas is a symptom. I don't know what else to say except hope you get better soon whatever it is.

Thank you for the suggestions everyone. I think I’m just panicking because it’s been so long, but so painful, and nobody seems to care a jot about finding out what it really is.

I’ve rung the doctors, and they’ve put me on the call back list for today.

My mum is coming over to sit with me for a bit until I can get up properly, and I’ve asked her to pick up some buscopan on the way in case it is IBS. Will definitely try the IBS diet; I went on a gall bladder diet for a while, but then when it wasn’t that, I thought, well, fuck that then, and stopped it.

Definitely not gall bladder issues, Stormcloak, as I’ve already had an ultrasound which confirmed no sign of it.

They tested for H Pylori months ago when they first thought it was a stomach ulcer, but that test came back clear as well, so they wouldn’t let me have any antibiotics ☹️ I’ll be very upset if it turns out that antibiotics could have helped me all along, and I’ve had six months of pain for nothing.

Well, doctors are largely unhelpful.

Had a callback from one of the GP’s doctors, and he was dismissive because I’ve only seen locum doctors so far. Well, that’s hardly my fault is it!

Said he could take it on as the main GP for it, but we’d need to start the process from scratch, and I could book a callback with him if I rung the surgery next week (?!?! I’m on the phone with you now?!?!). I insisted that I couldn’t do that, as I’m a teacher, and unable to access my phone during working hours (even after school next week, as there are parents evenings two nights, and GCSE revision the other two), so he’s booked me a face to face for a chat next Friday afternoon.

I’m going in circles here. I’ve had pain several times a day, every day, for seven months. Nobody cares.

Sorry, I don’t mean doctors in general in the opening of the previous post.

I meant my particular doctors today.

I agree. Doctors were useless with mine hence IBS diagnosis. Thankfully my pain has lessened from everyday to occasional now but if it kicks off it takes a few day to go away. I try to manage it by being careful what I eat through trial and error. Buscopan can help a bit. I find a hot water bottle gives a bit of relief.

Just because you don't have stones does NOT mean you don't have gallbladder problems. It could be that your gallbladder is dying and it's lost it's functionality. That's what happened to me and my symptoms were exactly like yours. I was in absolute misery for a year and then it was removed. Totally back to normal now. Make sure you get a test to check for functionality. An ultrasound does NOT show that.

Rumbling appendicitis?

My dm has just had a stone removed from her liver which has been causing her a lot of pain over the last few weeks, maybe it’s that?

I would try to get another doctor. I can't se why you need to "start the process" again just because you have seen a range if doctors that's fairly normal practice with GPs these days. If by "the process" he means trying and ruling things out, well why would you need to do that twice! If it's been tried it's been tried. Why waste NHS resources and delay things for you for no reason. And there is absolutely no reason why he couldn't have discussed whatever needs discussing there and then if it could have been done over the phone next week.

I would have no faith in this doctor and would cancel the booked appt and get one with someone else.

You need to be your own advocate with health issues and pick your doctors wisely. Many of them are frankly useless and even dangerous in my experience.

Could you afford to get the endoscopy privately? Speed things up a bit?

I had this on and off for years. Huge flare up while on holiday for a week. Ended up in hospital when I came back for 10 days.
Suspected gall bladder , tested for other issues.All clear.And no pain anyway.Felt like a fraud.
Decided I had IBS like symptoms. Told to avoid all members of " nightshade" food.
So peppers, too much garlic or onions.
No wonder I had a flare up on holiday - in Spain.!
Have to say it has worked for me.I can tolerate a bit of garlic but I will be ill if I overdo it.