Help diagnose dh please. Back pain spreading to front leading to vomiting (not heart attack)

[MissElizabethGrayling]

Can anyone help diagnose dh? (He has booked GP appt but not for a few days). He has had three episodes of this in two weeks. The first so bad we thought it was a heart attack and went to a&e (diagnosed as heartburn which may or may not be correct). Basically each time has happened after carrying something heavy - dragging a suitcase or even just a small backpack of lunch and drinks around all day. Starts as back ache in upper bag and spreads to front. Clammy. Shivers. Retching. Throws up. Disappears after about half an hour but leaves him exhausted.
Is he trapping some kind of nerve? Is it heartburn? Heart tests were all fine.
Late 40s, mid weight, seems healthy enough.

Doesn't sound like heartburn. I'd go back to ED if he has another severe bout

I had similar symptoms with a hiatus hernia although not clammy/shivers

It could be many things but from personal experience when I had similar symptoms it was gallstones. Don't be fobbed off.

Pancreatitis, gallbladder… I’d go back,just to make sure.

We can’t diagnose the cause. Could he contact NHS 111 for advice? If his symptoms get worse, please call 999.

When my DH had chest pain, he called 111. The adviser contacted our GP surgery and arranged for him to be seen that same day.

You could try calling 111 tomorrow and ask whether they can arrange a same day GP appt for him. Alternatively, phone your GP surgery and ask whether they have had any cancellations.

I hope you both find out what’s causing his symptoms soon.

Has he tried medication for heartburn? Not just gaviscon, I mean something stronger like Nexium or even prescription strength Nexium? (You can get 40mg prescribed which is double the 20mg you can buy over the counter). If that helps after a few days of using it perhaps the diagnosis of heartburn is correct - it can be really horrendously painful.

Look up Costochondritis and the symptoms. Very painful thing and it sounds very like it.

We cannot diagnose anything though, only throw out suggestions which are useful to have if following this up with the medics, as in "I wonder if it could be......"

I would think along these lines too, especially with becoming clammy, shivers and the sickness and if it’s very inflamed it could be that the movement of carrying something heavy triggers it.

Is there any soreness when he’s not in one of these attacks?

Hope he gets sorted OP, don’t stand for fobbing off

I’d consider private blood work if you can afford it. You can get the results within 24/48 hours and would be great to check his overall health.

Pancreatitis

Gallstones.

It’s def helpful to have things to suggest to the GP to rule out so thank you for all these

Pancreatic something
Can be incredibly serious if left untreated.

Call 111. If you and DH aren't asleep yet, do it now.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/angina/

Sounds like when I had gallbladder attacks

Those of you who've had gallbladder or pancreas disease, were the spasms triggered by exertion? Most people feel it when lying down and after eating.

Tbh, the fact that it's triggered by dragging and carrying does sound most like sciatica or something structural like a slipping or herniated disc. The suddenness and intensity, though, mean you should treat it as possibly life-threatening. Good luck.

I had gallstones, and the attacks were not triggered by exertion.

I'd hazard a completely uneducated guess that the OP's H has a hernia or some sort of bowel issue. An urgent colonoscopy might be a good idea. He needs a really thorough physical exam, blood tests, and probably an ultrasound.

Don't be fobbed off with suggestions of gaviscon or an indigestion remedy or any other otc product, OP.

Very unlikely but I'd want them to rule out an aortic dissection https://aorticdissectionawareness.org/patients-and-families/aortic-dissection/aortic-dissection-symptoms

Ecg and blood tests can still be normal, a CT is the only way to rule it out.

Gallstones

I was thinking aorta my FIL had a problem with the aorta I think it was a bulge which caused terrible pain during and after exertion, he needed an urgent operation. You can get a routine examination to specifically check the aorta, my DH had one.

This could be something serious, he should go to A and E (ex A and E nurse so not said lightly)