Middle and Lower Back Pain, Abdominal Pains
 

Hey everyone, I posted this in the "back pain" section but I figured I would post it here as well. I have GERD and take 20mg of Omeprazole each day. Any of your ever experience any of these sort of symptoms? It's kind of coming down to GI vs. Muscular-Skeletal.

-------

I am a 25 year old male that has been having mid and lower back pains along with some abdominal pains. I also have sore sides around the ribcage. Somtimes the pain comes across both bottom ribs, other times it can be felt in the chest. I even have some muscle twitching around these areas at times (not often). There isn't any constant relentless pain and I can function somewhat normally throughout the day. It's more confusing and aggravating than anything.

My past few weeks have consisted of:
-Multiple PCP Doctor visits
-ER twice (due to anxiety about abdominal pains)
-Chiropractor twice
-Massage Therapist

It started out with me going into a walk-in clinic on the weekend because I had some lower left abdominal discomfort and a general unwell feeling, almost like I had the after effects of being kicked in the left man part (last time that happened, I had to get my appendix out!). The doctor there didn't do any physical examination and decided to do a quick urinalysis. He said there were white blood cells and that I probably had a UTI, even though it's rare for males. He gave me a heavy antibiotic (Bactrim) for three days. That drug put be on my back, destroyed my appetite and gave me nausea. I didn't eat much for 4 days and lost between 8-10 lbs. Not knowing if these were side effects, I went to the ER and followed up with my PCP.

The ER did bloodwork, abdominal CAT scan, and a kidney and bladder ultrasound which came back normal. My PCP and ER did a urinalysis two different times, which came back normal, and told me that the dipstick method they used to test the urine in the walk-in clinic was probably not accurate and they really are not reliable. My PCP and ER did physical exams, checked my lymph nodes and even a prostate exam (ugh). All came back normal. My massage therapist checked my lymph nodes as well and said they were fine. She said all the soreness on the sides of my body along the ribs are definitely muscular. She said my left middle back and onto the ribs felt congested and a bit inflamed and that I need a chiropractor that would address it. She also said I felt well hydrated and not very tight in my upper back, neck and chest.

It's been almost 4 weeks with this. I have "generalized anxiety disorder" and the first two weeks for some of the most stressful weeks of my life. I felt almost in and out of depression because the doctors haven't been able to locate anything in particular. I worried myself sick. After CAT scans and lab work, it relieved much of the emotional symptoms due to mental relief, but I continue having these pains. My chiropractor for two sessions treated my neck and upper back because of his "belief" that it is the primary place to start. Yes my neck was as stiff as a board, but the pain wasn't coming from there. I have a desk job and know for a fact that my posture was atrocious these past two years. Needless to say, I'm seeing a new chiropractor today. I also have a GI Doc appointment next week, just in case. I haven't had any changes in the bathroom but some people have told me to rule things like gallbladder and GI issues out. Neither do these symptoms seem to coincide with meals (before or after), as far as I can tell.

If it wasn't for the abdominal/rib pains here and there, I wouldn't be posting here.


Any help/recommendations would be appreciated!

Re: Middle and Lower Back Pain, Abdominal Pains
 

Hi Krozak, the symtoms you describe can all be caused by Omeprazole.

It took me a year to work out that was the cause in my case, having gone round in circles with tests etc. The drug can cause bone pains, especially of the ribs. I realised the cause when I was doubled the dose of Omeprazole to 40mg and all those symtpms suddenly increased. Then I halved the dose again and the symtoms subsided again. Now I am tapering off Omeprazole and the bone pains are reducing as I take less and less Omeprazole. It also caused a host of other symptoms including a general feeling of unwellness. Of course, there can be other reasons for back pain. How long have you been on the med?

Re: Middle and Lower Back Pain, Abdominal Pains
 

[QUOTE=kacyc;5096460]Hi Krozak, the symtoms you describe can all be caused by Omeprazole.

It took me a year to work out that was the cause in my case, having gone round in circles with tests etc. The drug can cause bone pains, especially of the ribs. I realised the cause when I was doubled the dose of Omeprazole to 40mg and all those symtpms suddenly increased. Then I halved the dose again and the symtoms subsided again. Now I am tapering off Omeprazole and the bone pains are reducing as I take less and less Omeprazole. It also caused a host of other symptoms including a general feeling of unwellness. Of course, there can be other reasons for back pain. How long have you been on the med?[/QUOTE]

Kacyc,

I've been on Omeprazole for almost 8 months now. I did forget to mention that during the first week of all these things happening, I tried to quit omeprazole cold turkey for about 5 days (mostly because the first three days, I forgot to take it). My stomach burned and a horrible unwell feeling was present. It didn't help that I was finishing off a heavy antibiotic. I immediately jumped back on Omeprazole and the burning went away. Now these aches and pains have been going on. I never experienced these in the first 7 months of taking Omeprazole. I don't think the antibiotics and cold turkey omeprazole quitting benefited my body.

Re: Middle and Lower Back Pain, Abdominal Pains
 

What you experienced when you tried to quit was rebound hyperacidity. Not fun!

The bone pains and general unwellness do not necessarily start straight away, it takes a while for the mineral deprivation to affect the bones!