This is a long post but please read it because I feel it may be of some help to you. Sorry the wording is all weird. This site doesnt work well with my internet provider.
Your symptoms sound just like chronic pancreartitis and
or sphinctor of Oddi dysfunction(SOD)
I mean just like it word for word.
Getting a diagnoses of abdominal pain can be nearly impossible.
It took 39 years before they finally diagnosed me with SOD and pancreatitis.
Even if pancreaotic engzymes do not show up in the blood lab work you can still
have terrible episodes of pancrease pain. Pancreas pain fills a lot like gall bladder pains.
The pan of SOD and pancrease can also be felt in the back kind of in the regeion where a
bra is hooked.
A pancrease can be inflammed and cause issues like that but still not show up on an
endoscope or ERCP as a problem.
You may very well need pancreas engymes. Perhaps you have pancreatic insufficiency which seems to be
a growing problem.
Do you notice certain foods making it worse? Such as anything that taste good like
junk foods, fats, dairy, meats, fried foods, caffine.
It is not normal to have the pains you discribe. I went threw one diagnoses after another by doctors
guessing before one finally took it serious.
I agree that the Levsin doesnt seem to help much. Nothing does really
Nothing but near starvation. I will make a list of what helps me just incase it might be of some help to you:
-trying to avoid dairy, meat, fried foods, fatty foods,
caffeine, carbination, fake sugars like aspertame. Makes for a sort list of foods to enjoy but
I still eat the other stuff from time to time.
-the anti-inflammatory pain medicationc alled toradol must be heaven sent. It is great for decreasing the pain
but they dont tend to give it out as a home medication because it is very harsh on the
kidneys. But the next time you need to go to the ER for abdoninaml pain try asking for tordaol
in your picc line.
-try asking for a trial of pancrease engzymes. They can work wonders and make us digest better
which means less pain and diarrhea. For me over the counter enzymes make me sick and
do not help but the prescribed engzymes known as Creon work wonders. It is well worth
a try.
-when the pain is getting to be to much and you cant take meds for it try standing
and bending your head down as close to the floor as possible. For whatever reason people with
pancreas or bile duct pains often find that helpful.
I cant state enough how trying engzymes is well worth a try. I too was falsy diagnosed with
all sorts of stuff like IBS, gastropuresis, hernia, ulcers. I thought I just had a growing
list of food allergies and was all messed up.
Here are some symptoms of those with gall bladder, SOD or pancrease inflammation issues. Since you are a nurse you can handle the
yuckiness of some of them lol:
--what I call chronic butt wiping syndrome after a BM (sticky,very foul smelling, tan to orange in color)
--diarrhea
--discomfort in the colon
--gas
--Gall bladder pain: can be in the back or on the right side
SOD and Pancrease pains: can shot all over the upper abdomin and chest on both sides.
But primarily it will hurt in the middle just at and below the breast bone. And in the
back.
--the back pain feels like a missplaced disc or pinched nerve and putting pressure on it sometimes'helps.
--morning sickness that can sometimes last all day. Or it can feel like the back needs cracked.
--sometimes when laying down for too long the pain can start up
--if things are real inflammed heavy lifting can cause pain.
self test to try if you feel it is safe: (to see if it is likely to be something wrong with the billary system)
--eat a fattening greasy meal and see if the nausea and or pain starts in.
--push just below the end of the breast bone where the pancreas is. If it hurts or is uncomfortable
it could indicate an inflammed pancreas.
--try only eating vegetables for a day or two and see if ya feel better.
Things to research:
-chronic pancreatitis
-pancreatic insufficiency (espcially this one)
-SOD type 3 (sphincter of oddi)
-the use of engzymes
DO NOT GIVE UP!
