Abdominal Pain

[Dizmo]

Hey all,

I'm delivering this question to Squad but if anyone else has any insight then I'd be more than happy to listen.

I've recently (over the past 3 days) been suffering from abdominal pain - the pain is located on my right side just above my hip; spanning round my side but not in my back. As well as this pain roughly every 15 minutes (this varies somewhat between 5 and 30 minutes) I get a really sharp pain (similar to having severe stomach ache) around my navel which only last about 5 seconds but is intense enough to make me curl up into the fetal position. Immediately after the pain has subsided there is a surge of gas which rumbles in my stomach. The surge of gas is loud enough to be heard through my bedroom wall.

With regards to eating and drinking I've tried to eat soup but my appetite is somewhat extinct. I've been drinking water frequently and have continued to take my Lansoprazole, Vitamin B, Thiamine and Hypscome Butybromide. I've got diarrhea and feel nauseous but haven't actually vomited.

Before anyone suggests I go to the doctors or hospital; I can't get through to our useless doctors at the moment and as soon as I do I will make an emergency appoint as advised by NHS direct.

[Dizmo]

Sorry, Sqad not Squad... My bad.

[Sqad]

Well Dizmo.......the first thing that hits my in the face is acute appendicitis, which clearly must be ruled out.

it could be other conditions, but:

I would certainly present myself to A&E.

Good luck.

[Dizmo]

That was what I thought but I don't understand why it isn't getting worse. I had pancreatitis late December last year which was one of the most painful things I've ever had to endure. If I had to rate the pain now I'd only give it a 3/10 but it's the fact it isn't getting any better. I don't really want to be admitted to A&E with peritonitis just because I couldn't be bothered to do anything about it sooner. Is appendicitis always hideously painful or can it be just moderately painful until the organ ruptures?

[Sqad]

Dizmo...the pain of appendicitis varies as to in which position the appendix is lying. It can be colicky in nature or it can be a low, persistent ache.
A medical person needs to put a hand on your abdomen.

[Dizmo]

Cheers Sqad. I've finally managed to get an appointment at 17:40 this evening. No doubt I'll be advised to go to hospital but hopefully the doctor will be kind enough to issue me with an Ultrasound form to save me waiting 6 hours in A&E. I'll let you know how it goes - I bet he says it's gastroenteritis or gastritis. They seem to like diagnosing me of that and the last time they did their misdiagnosis nearly killed me. Happy days! see you soon.

[Sqad]

OK Dizmo.

[Mamyalynne]

Glad you have an appointment Diz and sincerely hope the GP doesn't fob you off without a proper check.


Hope you're soon sorted.

[Dizmo]

Cheers Mamya, I've just got back from the doctors and they apparently stop doing blood tests after 10:30am because their 'blood taxi' comes at 11am so any samples taken after won't arrive at the hospital the next day at 11:30. So my only alternative was to offer to get the bloods to the hospital myself. Now I've got to bus it all the way to the hospital... I kind of wish I'd just gone there in the first place at least then they would of kept me in till the bloods had been checked. Sods law I'll be on my way back home and get a phone call from the hospital asking me to come back in for an Ultra Sound or something annoying.

The doctor doesn't think it's appendicitis, he seems to think it might be something wrong with my pancreas. After having pancreatitis I was told whilst in hospital that it could come back any time - baaaah. I will keep you informed.

Off to the hospital..

[Mamyalynne]

Oh Diz, what a palaver - yes my surgery is the same re Bloods, must be done in the mornings.

Hope you get this resolved sharpish, take care.

[Sqad]

Dizmo...blood tests are to rule out pancreatitis. Appendicitis is still in the frame for me.

Blood tests will decide.

[Dizmo]

Well I've messed up anyway. I've looked at the bus timetables and I can't get there and back. I've got nobody to take me either. What are the chances (as long as I keep the samples at around 22degrees C) of them accepting them if I get there at 08:00 tomorrow morning (it's the earliest I can get there)? I'm really annoyed because I though at least one of my family members would of helped me out - guess not. The only benefit to going tomorrow is that I need to buy a bus pass anyway as I've got an appointment with lifeline about 20 miles away which will require the bus.

[Mamyalynne]

Oh my, what a damn shame - I honestly don't know re the keeping of the samples.

Is it not possible to get in at the Surgery first thing and they can send fresh off in the morning?

[Dizmo]

I don't know Mamya, I don't think the doctors are going to be very happy with me for not being able to take the other samples in. I don't have time to wait in A&E for a appointment either because I really can't afford to miss my Relapse Prevention Group and 1 on 1 appointment at lifeline. I relapsed a few weeks back which has only been the second time in 6 months so I need to keep the support going. Tomorrow is going to be a day of riding on buses I think. The doctors doesn't open will 8:30 by which time I could already have been to the hospital and be on my way back.

[Mamyalynne]

Ok, well get them in tomorrow and hopefully they will be ok to test.

Well done on your progress too, long may it continue and hope you get a resolution to this stomach pain.

[Everhelpful]

Try something different to Lansoprazole,I had similar symptoms to you,if you can manage without anything ending in "prazole"give that a try,certainly worked for me.

[anneasquith]

no news re the blood sample/results ?