severe stomach and back pain with nausia and vomiting help greatly appreciated

emmie86

Angelic Fruitcake
Hi all long time no see. I came off cambridge just over three months ago as I went on holiday to cuba and didn't have the money to continue when I came back despite this I succsessfully managed to maintain the weight I had achieved when I finished ssing however two weeks after finishing ss I had a teriible episode where i had crippling back pain and a gripping sensation of the stomach and I have suffered from these episodes ever since the longest break I had between them was 2 weeks the attacks can last between half an hour an 24 hours and cause nausia and sometimes vomiting pain reliefe does not work in fact only the vomiting makes it go sometimes. And when an attack stops it is litterally like a light bulb being turned off as its instant. These attacks can happen at any time and I have noticed no pattern in terms of what I have eaten. the attacks feel alot like a stomach bug and are very painful. I have been to the doctor lots of times and they have said everything from indigestion to ibs. I have also had both a urine and stool test both of whitch came back clear. I am currently waiting to see a stomach specialist (because I demanded to see one). These attacks are seriously worrying me and they have not got worse or better and I get little surpport from my doctors and I'm terrified in case it is something serious. Has anyone had anything similar? and did I do this to myself through dieting and switching to food? Im sorry I have rambled but im so scared and tired of these attacks any help or info would be appreciated. the only other symptoms I have noticed when I am not having an attack are needing a no.2 about 4-5 times daily and sharp lower abdominal pain. Thank you xxxx
 
Hi Emmie, as soon as I started reading your post I thought ibs as I suffer with it and you are describing me to a t. The gripping pain in your tummy is your bowels spasming. It's very painful and really is unpleasant. If your doctor suggested it may be ibs did he give you and medication for it as Mebeverin really helped me. It stops the spasms and you take it before meals. You spasm straight after food not because of the food going straight through you as that can't physically happen but because the food in your stomach triggers the bowels to spasm causing you to need the toilet straight away (tmi sorry). I hope this helps hun, I am not saying it is definately ibs but it does sound alot like it. Go and see your doctor again and ask for help if he thinks it's ibs. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
Aww Emmie - it sounds terrible for you hunnie. I can understand why you think the worst - I think we all do when something is wrong with us don't we? My husband has IBS too and, as Zoe says, it sounds virtually identical to the symptoms he gets. Some nights, he has to get up and sit on the loo in agony cos he gets that spasming thing right the way down his bum (He'd love me for telling you that!!!). Its one of the very few times in 27 years of knowing him where I've seen him cry. Try not to worry about it being something else cos stress makes it worse - and definitely go and make a nuisance of yourself at the docs cos, unfortunately, thats the only way to get yourself noticed and effectively treated by them. Keep your chin up and stay positive hun - it'll be ok. xxx
 
Sorry to hear of your ghastly symptoms - you really have been suffering. I also thought of IBS but then wondered whether it could be some kind of gut parasite that you picked up in Cuba? Have you been tested for any parasites or similar? The 2 weeks after you returned might have been some kind of incubation/hatching period. I only know of people getting this sort of thing after being in India or some parts of South America - it might be worth googling cuba and stomach parasites. Hope it's not but I think they can all be treated really easily, whereas IBS you'll need to live with (with treatment to reduce effects).

Hope you soon get better,
 
I agree with minxie, you should check with your doctor what exactly they tested for - it's easy for them to say the results were clear but they might not have tested for much. I had something similar once from abroad and all those things are usually treatable with antibiotics - sometimes the antibiotics are pretty vicious but at least you're cured in 10 days at most usually.

If that's not the answer then you have to keep pushing your doc until they work out if it's IBS or what. Sometimes with busy docs, the only way to get an answer is to keep going back and arm yourself with as much info as you can from internet etc.

A friend of mine had similar symptoms for gallstones so that's worth pursuing. Also, can you see any link between what you eat and the attacks - eg is it brought on by fatty food, acidic food, dairy etc? Maybe keep a diary of food and the attacks and a link might emerge.

Hope you get a solution soon. x
 
Thanks for all the replies over the last week I have had three attacks which is alot for a week usually I have one or two a month an have been very stressed the past week whitch leads me to believe that strss may be a factor I have become ill form stress before as for me it tends to take physical manifestations of stress before I realise I am even stressed. I cannot find a pattern in food as I have had attacks after spending weeks eating well but have also had them after eating fatty food such as pizza. In Cuba I had an upset tummy during the first week but it wasn't until two days before leaving for home that I had my first attack but I would have thought if it was a bug or parasite it would have been picked up in the stool sample. The only thing that led me to believe it wasn't ibs was that I thought ibs caused lower abdominal pain and constipation or/and diarreaha. I have suffered with both except the constipation but it was more the fact that it was upper abdomianl pain I was suffering and obviously the nausia and vomit was a big cause for worry when I have an attack it litterally feels like my stomach has a bowling ball in it or that it is being squezzed or gripped. I am going to go back to the docs but each time I see a new doc at my surgery each tell me its somthing elso so far I've been told its
cycistitis
back injury (physio proved it wasn't this)
indigestion
stress
IBS
Stomach bug
anxiety attack

oh well what really makes me laugh is the fact that It was in the news the other day that ricky hatton had been admited to hospital with vomiting and severe stomach pain and had every test imaginable conducted on him when I went to a&e I waited 6 hours just to be put in a cubicle injected with anti nausia drugs and pain relief the nurse said she would be back in half an hour I fell asleep and woke four hours later no one had even entered the room so I got up and walked out totally unoticed oh well hopefully this is cleared up soon thanks for all the help everyone xxx
 
I was going to suggest gallstones, my friend developed them when she lost weight quickly. Especially if the pain is concentrated in the right hand side of your tummy.

Hope it gets sorted soon hun! xx
 
i also had gallstones about 5 years ago the pain with it in the stomach though is right at the top of the abdomen and a localized pain, i had several spisodes and it was like waves of pain that would intensify and calm for a while then just stop, i didnt have any bowel problems though. i have heard that change in diet can increase the risk, only reason i actually got diagonsed after months of agony was that it caused jaundice and pancreatitus? and i looked like id walked out of the simpsons. really hope you get it sorted whatever it is!
 
The back pain with it does make me think gallstones hun. I had them last year and had to have my gallbladder removed. I did have vomiting with it so it may well be asking your GP to get you an ultrasound sorted to check for it. At the end of the day what harm can it do?
What painkiller are you taking hun?
 
drs drive me barmy i try to avoid at all costs i was told several things through my suffering like i was too young to have gallstones i also had to have it taken out i still get pains every now and then but they did an ultrasound and no stones and ive had shocking stomach acid since but better then the alternative i guess. i think we know when somethings not right so keep at it with the gp
 
I had exactly the same symptoms as you a few years ago - the most agonising pain and it often occurred at night. Nothing eased the pain. My GP suspected gallstones and I had all the tests. I even spent an evening in A&E and the Dr knew I was in agony as he could feel the heat where the pain was.

I have an aversion to doctors and hospitals and only went to both as a last resort I was so desperate.

After repeated episodes, I was referred for ultrasounds, endoscpoies (both ends) and MRI scans.

What did they find? Nothing, absolutely nothing. It's still a mystery and the painful episodes gradually stopped.

I was relieved on both counts and I am convinced that a gallbladder problem was the most likely culprit.

I do hope that you get this sorted soon as I know how awful it can be.

Good luck!
 
sounds like gallstones defo. I am only a young un and my doc didnt send me off for an ultrasound for ages as he thought i maybe to young, suggest it to your gp though. It is an awful awful pain sometimes worse than childbirth as you never know when it is going to end.
 
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