teresa26
09-01-2003, 09:29 AM
i've been feeling poorly since early july. it started with ovarian pain and bloating. that was coupled with a feeling of fullness before i'd finished a regular-sized meal. from there, it just got worse. i became tired - too tired to stay up to work on my hobbies, too tired to work out in the day like i normally did, and so tired that it was a challenge to drag myself out of bed after 8 - 10 hours of sleep. in late july the pain got pretty bad along with the bloating.
in august, i started having a lot of pain above my belly button and to the right (along the rib cage). especially after eating. i also lost my appetite during that time (but maybe i just didn't want to eat because it hurt whenever i did.) then i noticed (by accident) that i had a slight fever. (99.8 when my regular temp is 97.5) after 10 days of the fever, i went to the dr. she ran some blood tests. my LFTs all came back normal. my WBC was normal. and my amylase was slightly elevated (lipase normal). she re-ran the amylase test 4 days later and it was still slightly elevated.
she gave me a scrip for aciphex even though she said she didn't think i had an ulcer. it didn't really help and my fever went up to 100.3. it's been hovering around there ever since (100.0 - 100.3). this is the 21st day in a row that i've had a fever.
my dr told me that it is probably just a "viral thing" although no one else i know is sick. i don't have any flu-like symptoms, no coughing, etc. just the abdominal pain, the ovarian pain, lower back pain (when the ovaries hurt) and upper right back pain (that corresponds with the abdominal pain).
i do have endometriosis and have a Gyn appt scheduled for late sept. and my dr finally put in a GI referral after my husband called her a dozen times.
it is not normal for me to run a fever for this long without having the flu. she seems to be brushing it off. she said that since it hasn't gotten over 101 that it's not serious.
i have a GI appt next week, but i have no idea what they are going to do or even look for.
i am going to be 27 in a couple of months, so i tell myself that i'm not in a high-risk category for cancer. especially ovarian cancer because i have given birth, breastfed, have taken oral contraceptives.
but i am still a little scared. what could be going on?
thanks for reading.
~teresa
in august, i started having a lot of pain above my belly button and to the right (along the rib cage). especially after eating. i also lost my appetite during that time (but maybe i just didn't want to eat because it hurt whenever i did.) then i noticed (by accident) that i had a slight fever. (99.8 when my regular temp is 97.5) after 10 days of the fever, i went to the dr. she ran some blood tests. my LFTs all came back normal. my WBC was normal. and my amylase was slightly elevated (lipase normal). she re-ran the amylase test 4 days later and it was still slightly elevated.
she gave me a scrip for aciphex even though she said she didn't think i had an ulcer. it didn't really help and my fever went up to 100.3. it's been hovering around there ever since (100.0 - 100.3). this is the 21st day in a row that i've had a fever.
my dr told me that it is probably just a "viral thing" although no one else i know is sick. i don't have any flu-like symptoms, no coughing, etc. just the abdominal pain, the ovarian pain, lower back pain (when the ovaries hurt) and upper right back pain (that corresponds with the abdominal pain).
i do have endometriosis and have a Gyn appt scheduled for late sept. and my dr finally put in a GI referral after my husband called her a dozen times.
it is not normal for me to run a fever for this long without having the flu. she seems to be brushing it off. she said that since it hasn't gotten over 101 that it's not serious.
i have a GI appt next week, but i have no idea what they are going to do or even look for.
i am going to be 27 in a couple of months, so i tell myself that i'm not in a high-risk category for cancer. especially ovarian cancer because i have given birth, breastfed, have taken oral contraceptives.
but i am still a little scared. what could be going on?
thanks for reading.
~teresa
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projapoti
09-01-2003, 01:53 PM
Teresa, I'm not gonna lie to ya, I'm concerned about the symptoms you've given me. The early satiety (i.e. feeling full really fast when eating), the fatigue and fever are not good signs. Did your GP do an ultrasound of your abdomen, 'cause she really should. Now, I want you to realize that not everything that can go wrong in the body is cancer! You could have an ovarian cyst, your endometriosis acting up etc. etc. Unfortunately, though, cancer is on the list. I know that you are in a low risk category group, which is encouraging, but since you haven't had anything done on your abdomen, that still has to be ruled out. Let me know how your appt goes.
teresa26
09-01-2003, 02:02 PM
thank you for your quick reply.
no, no abdominal u/s was done. she just asked me some questions, pressed on my abdominal area and send me to the lab. i had mentioned that the morning i had come in i'd had a yellow stool with black dots in it (about the size of a pencil eraser and pretty uniformly circular looking - i asked if it could have been gall stones but she said no). she did do a rectal exam and send it to the lab for a fecal occult blood test. it was negative. she did a urinalysis, too, which was positive for blood. however, i was menstruating at the time so it was unclear as to the cause of the blood. the test was not re-done and she didn't mention it again.
my abdomen is also tender to the touch. (even lightly pressing on it feels like touching a fresh bruise.)
what do you think the GI dr will do? i already know that the Gyn will be doing surgery. (i am having my tubes tied along with the lap for my endo.)
~teresa
no, no abdominal u/s was done. she just asked me some questions, pressed on my abdominal area and send me to the lab. i had mentioned that the morning i had come in i'd had a yellow stool with black dots in it (about the size of a pencil eraser and pretty uniformly circular looking - i asked if it could have been gall stones but she said no). she did do a rectal exam and send it to the lab for a fecal occult blood test. it was negative. she did a urinalysis, too, which was positive for blood. however, i was menstruating at the time so it was unclear as to the cause of the blood. the test was not re-done and she didn't mention it again.
my abdomen is also tender to the touch. (even lightly pressing on it feels like touching a fresh bruise.)
what do you think the GI dr will do? i already know that the Gyn will be doing surgery. (i am having my tubes tied along with the lap for my endo.)
~teresa
projapoti
09-01-2003, 02:58 PM
Originally posted by teresa26:
thank you for your quick reply.
no, no abdominal u/s was done. she just asked me some questions, pressed on my abdominal area and send me to the lab. i had mentioned that the morning i had come in i'd had a yellow stool with black dots in it (about the size of a pencil eraser and pretty uniformly circular looking - i asked if it could have been gall stones but she said no). she did do a rectal exam and send it to the lab for a fecal occult blood test. it was negative. she did a urinalysis, too, which was positive for blood. however, i was menstruating at the time so it was unclear as to the cause of the blood. the test was not re-done and she didn't mention it again.
my abdomen is also tender to the touch. (even lightly pressing on it feels like touching a fresh bruise.)
what do you think the GI dr will do? i already know that the Gyn will be doing surgery. (i am having my tubes tied along with the lap for my endo.)
~teresa
Hey Teresa....all right, here we go:
Your abdomen is tender? That could be a sign of peritonitis...I think that you need a more thorough exam. I am shocked that your urinalysis wasn't repeated after you weren't menstruating!
Did you have a pelvic exam done? The doctor should have done a bimanual pelvic exam where (s)he feels your cervix and vagina for any abnormalities, and also palpates your ovaries for any abnormalities as well. Did your doctor at least do that?
I am also shocked that, with your history of early satieity that an u/s wasn't done. This is just strange.
The GI doctor will probably end up doing some kind of abdominal imaging. The funny thing is, HE (or she) might be the person who ends up doing the bimanual pelvic exam.
Did you ask your doctor why she didn't perform any abdominal imaging?
thank you for your quick reply.
no, no abdominal u/s was done. she just asked me some questions, pressed on my abdominal area and send me to the lab. i had mentioned that the morning i had come in i'd had a yellow stool with black dots in it (about the size of a pencil eraser and pretty uniformly circular looking - i asked if it could have been gall stones but she said no). she did do a rectal exam and send it to the lab for a fecal occult blood test. it was negative. she did a urinalysis, too, which was positive for blood. however, i was menstruating at the time so it was unclear as to the cause of the blood. the test was not re-done and she didn't mention it again.
my abdomen is also tender to the touch. (even lightly pressing on it feels like touching a fresh bruise.)
what do you think the GI dr will do? i already know that the Gyn will be doing surgery. (i am having my tubes tied along with the lap for my endo.)
~teresa
Hey Teresa....all right, here we go:
Your abdomen is tender? That could be a sign of peritonitis...I think that you need a more thorough exam. I am shocked that your urinalysis wasn't repeated after you weren't menstruating!
Did you have a pelvic exam done? The doctor should have done a bimanual pelvic exam where (s)he feels your cervix and vagina for any abnormalities, and also palpates your ovaries for any abnormalities as well. Did your doctor at least do that?
I am also shocked that, with your history of early satieity that an u/s wasn't done. This is just strange.
The GI doctor will probably end up doing some kind of abdominal imaging. The funny thing is, HE (or she) might be the person who ends up doing the bimanual pelvic exam.
Did you ask your doctor why she didn't perform any abdominal imaging?
teresa26
09-01-2003, 03:28 PM
yes, i had my annual pap and pelvic exam done in june. everything there was normal according to my dr. and i would figure that if i had ovarian cancer, it would have been noticed either then or during the blood test. is that right? wouldn't my WBC be elevated if i had cancer?
i did not ask my dr about abdominal imaging. she is pretty confident that i have a "viral thing" (her words) and she only gave me a GI referral after being bugged by my husband. she did offer to write another Rx for a different "stomach medicine" since the aciphex wasn't really helping. but since she said it was viral, i thought it was silly to take a stomach medicine. it didn't make much sense to me. since then, i haven't spoken to her. the last thing she said to me was that if my fever got to be above 101, then to go to an ER.
i got the feeling from her that she doesn't think it is anything that really needs treatment and that i should really just try to wait it out but that she gave me a GI referral just to appease me.
i did not ask my dr about abdominal imaging. she is pretty confident that i have a "viral thing" (her words) and she only gave me a GI referral after being bugged by my husband. she did offer to write another Rx for a different "stomach medicine" since the aciphex wasn't really helping. but since she said it was viral, i thought it was silly to take a stomach medicine. it didn't make much sense to me. since then, i haven't spoken to her. the last thing she said to me was that if my fever got to be above 101, then to go to an ER.
i got the feeling from her that she doesn't think it is anything that really needs treatment and that i should really just try to wait it out but that she gave me a GI referral just to appease me.
teresa26
09-05-2003, 05:31 PM
my GI appt was moved to today. the dr is pretty puzzled by the symptoms, too. he said, maybe it's the gall bladder and maybe something going on in my stomach, he really can't tell yet. the fever is very odd according to him. he's repeating the CBC as well as the LFT and is also testing my thyroid since my mom had thyroiditis before. i am also scheduled for an edoscopy on monday - which i find incredibly scary sounding. i don't even like nitrous oxide when i go to the dentist - i prefer to be in full control of my faculties.
in the meantime, i have been given prevacid (he said it won't hurt anything and when i come back in, i can either say i still feel bad or i feel all better).
he also felt around for my lymph nodes. as far as i know, he didn't notice any that were swollen.
so, any advice on the endoscopy? i'm very very nervous.
in the meantime, i have been given prevacid (he said it won't hurt anything and when i come back in, i can either say i still feel bad or i feel all better).
he also felt around for my lymph nodes. as far as i know, he didn't notice any that were swollen.
so, any advice on the endoscopy? i'm very very nervous.
projapoti
09-05-2003, 06:41 PM
Originally posted by teresa26:
yes, i had my annual pap and pelvic exam done in june. everything there was normal according to my dr. and i would figure that if i had ovarian cancer, it would have been noticed either then or during the blood test. is that right?
Not necessarily with the pelvic exam as the ovaries are hard to feel, though a large cancer would be felt probably. As with the blood test, not all ovarian tumours are necessarily "functional", so you might not see it then either. An imaging test would probably be the best (other than doing a laparoscope). The doctors for some reason must really not have gynecological cancers as too high a priority on their lists 'cause they don't seem to want to scan your abdomen for some reason!
wouldn't my WBC be elevated if i had cancer?
Yes...usually it is, but it doesn't always have to be!
i did not ask my dr about abdominal imaging. she is pretty confident that i have a "viral thing" (her words) and she only gave me a GI referral after being bugged by my husband.
Don't be afraid to ask these questions if they are bugging you....it's too bad that this possibility has been shrugged off....it's also too bad that they're doing a scope like this on you without first at LEAST doing an abdominal u/s...something that is much less invasive! It really does seem that they're thinking that you probably have some kind of peptic ulcer disease, GERD or something infectious. I should really not say too many things against the doctor's decisions as they are the ones that know your case well....let's see where this goes.
yes, i had my annual pap and pelvic exam done in june. everything there was normal according to my dr. and i would figure that if i had ovarian cancer, it would have been noticed either then or during the blood test. is that right?
Not necessarily with the pelvic exam as the ovaries are hard to feel, though a large cancer would be felt probably. As with the blood test, not all ovarian tumours are necessarily "functional", so you might not see it then either. An imaging test would probably be the best (other than doing a laparoscope). The doctors for some reason must really not have gynecological cancers as too high a priority on their lists 'cause they don't seem to want to scan your abdomen for some reason!
wouldn't my WBC be elevated if i had cancer?
Yes...usually it is, but it doesn't always have to be!
i did not ask my dr about abdominal imaging. she is pretty confident that i have a "viral thing" (her words) and she only gave me a GI referral after being bugged by my husband.
Don't be afraid to ask these questions if they are bugging you....it's too bad that this possibility has been shrugged off....it's also too bad that they're doing a scope like this on you without first at LEAST doing an abdominal u/s...something that is much less invasive! It really does seem that they're thinking that you probably have some kind of peptic ulcer disease, GERD or something infectious. I should really not say too many things against the doctor's decisions as they are the ones that know your case well....let's see where this goes.
teresa26
09-05-2003, 07:26 PM
Originally posted by projapoti:
Originally posted by teresa26:
yes, i had my annual pap and pelvic exam done in june. everything there was normal according to my dr. and i would figure that if i had ovarian cancer, it would have been noticed either then or during the blood test. is that right?
Not necessarily with the pelvic exam as the ovaries are hard to feel, though a large cancer would be felt probably. As with the blood test, not all ovarian tumours are necessarily "functional", so you might not see it then either. An imaging test would probably be the best (other than doing a laparoscope). The doctors for some reason must really not have gynecological cancers as too high a priority on their lists 'cause they don't seem to want to scan your abdomen for some reason!
wouldn't my WBC be elevated if i had cancer?
Yes...usually it is, but it doesn't always have to be!
i did not ask my dr about abdominal imaging. she is pretty confident that i have a "viral thing" (her words) and she only gave me a GI referral after being bugged by my husband.
Don't be afraid to ask these questions if they are bugging you....it's too bad that this possibility has been shrugged off....it's also too bad that they're doing a scope like this on you without first at LEAST doing an abdominal u/s...something that is much less invasive! It really does seem that they're thinking that you probably have some kind of peptic ulcer disease, GERD or something infectious. I should really not say too many things against the doctor's decisions as they are the ones that know your case well....let's see where this goes.
well, he actually did do some hypothesising about why the ovarian pain started around the same time the stomach pain did. but since he knows i will be seeing a Gyn later this month and having a lap done next month, i guess he figured that he'd take a look at the stomach first. he actually said it doesn't sound anything like GERD or an ulcer, but wanted me to try the prevacid just in case (for lack of a better phrase). he said that since the symptoms are worse when i am upright and better when i lie down, that that is really not sounding like GERD. i did ask what he'd be looking for during the procedure and he just listed a variety of ailments that can occur in that area, so he wasn't very specific.
he did mention a CT scan and other tests, but wanted to do this one first because the others would take a couple of weeks to set up. (i was given the choice between a barium swallow in 2 weeks or the endoscopy on monday and since i just want this over with, i chose the endoscopy.) and if nothing shows up on monday, he wants to do an ultrasound of my gall bladder.
he pretty much said the same thing that you did about the CBC. he did mention cancer, but not in any specific terms. just that it is one of the possibilities. but that given my age, that it wasn't a huge probability. (but since he spent a good amount of time going over my lymph nodes, i assumed he was looking for signs of lymphoma. do you think that could be what he was doing?) and is lymphoma always detected by touch? or are there lymph nodes in the body that can be enlarged and go unnoticed? and would those show up in a routine CBC?
Originally posted by teresa26:
yes, i had my annual pap and pelvic exam done in june. everything there was normal according to my dr. and i would figure that if i had ovarian cancer, it would have been noticed either then or during the blood test. is that right?
Not necessarily with the pelvic exam as the ovaries are hard to feel, though a large cancer would be felt probably. As with the blood test, not all ovarian tumours are necessarily "functional", so you might not see it then either. An imaging test would probably be the best (other than doing a laparoscope). The doctors for some reason must really not have gynecological cancers as too high a priority on their lists 'cause they don't seem to want to scan your abdomen for some reason!
wouldn't my WBC be elevated if i had cancer?
Yes...usually it is, but it doesn't always have to be!
i did not ask my dr about abdominal imaging. she is pretty confident that i have a "viral thing" (her words) and she only gave me a GI referral after being bugged by my husband.
Don't be afraid to ask these questions if they are bugging you....it's too bad that this possibility has been shrugged off....it's also too bad that they're doing a scope like this on you without first at LEAST doing an abdominal u/s...something that is much less invasive! It really does seem that they're thinking that you probably have some kind of peptic ulcer disease, GERD or something infectious. I should really not say too many things against the doctor's decisions as they are the ones that know your case well....let's see where this goes.
well, he actually did do some hypothesising about why the ovarian pain started around the same time the stomach pain did. but since he knows i will be seeing a Gyn later this month and having a lap done next month, i guess he figured that he'd take a look at the stomach first. he actually said it doesn't sound anything like GERD or an ulcer, but wanted me to try the prevacid just in case (for lack of a better phrase). he said that since the symptoms are worse when i am upright and better when i lie down, that that is really not sounding like GERD. i did ask what he'd be looking for during the procedure and he just listed a variety of ailments that can occur in that area, so he wasn't very specific.
he did mention a CT scan and other tests, but wanted to do this one first because the others would take a couple of weeks to set up. (i was given the choice between a barium swallow in 2 weeks or the endoscopy on monday and since i just want this over with, i chose the endoscopy.) and if nothing shows up on monday, he wants to do an ultrasound of my gall bladder.
he pretty much said the same thing that you did about the CBC. he did mention cancer, but not in any specific terms. just that it is one of the possibilities. but that given my age, that it wasn't a huge probability. (but since he spent a good amount of time going over my lymph nodes, i assumed he was looking for signs of lymphoma. do you think that could be what he was doing?) and is lymphoma always detected by touch? or are there lymph nodes in the body that can be enlarged and go unnoticed? and would those show up in a routine CBC?
projapoti
09-05-2003, 10:41 PM
i assumed he was looking for signs of lymphoma. do you think that could be what he was doing?
No, not necessarily...there are other things that can cause "lymphadenopathy" (i.e. swollen glands), which include infections (which is the most common reason for lymphadenopathy). Lymphoma is a possibility, but according to the tests your doctor seems to want to run, lymphoma isn't high on the differential diagnosis.
and is lymphoma always detected by touch?
Yes...a result of the patient complaining of a lump or something. Another way it presents itself is when the patient has a chronic cough, a chest x-ray is done and they see something called 'mediastinal widening', which prompts them to do a lymph node biopsy. The diagnosis of lymphoma must be done by taking a biopsy and having the pathologist look at it under the microscope.
or are there lymph nodes in the body that can be enlarged and go unnoticed?
For sure! There are TONS of lymph nodes in the abdominal cavity, around the lungs etc. etc. which are not superficial enough to be able to feel with the fingers.
and would those show up in a routine CBC?
Yes...it could show up as lymphocytosis (i.e. a high number of a certain type of white blood cell in the blood). With lymphoma there are often other symptoms called "B symptoms" which include things like fever, chills, night sweats, weight loss, extreme fatigue.
No, not necessarily...there are other things that can cause "lymphadenopathy" (i.e. swollen glands), which include infections (which is the most common reason for lymphadenopathy). Lymphoma is a possibility, but according to the tests your doctor seems to want to run, lymphoma isn't high on the differential diagnosis.
and is lymphoma always detected by touch?
Yes...a result of the patient complaining of a lump or something. Another way it presents itself is when the patient has a chronic cough, a chest x-ray is done and they see something called 'mediastinal widening', which prompts them to do a lymph node biopsy. The diagnosis of lymphoma must be done by taking a biopsy and having the pathologist look at it under the microscope.
or are there lymph nodes in the body that can be enlarged and go unnoticed?
For sure! There are TONS of lymph nodes in the abdominal cavity, around the lungs etc. etc. which are not superficial enough to be able to feel with the fingers.
and would those show up in a routine CBC?
Yes...it could show up as lymphocytosis (i.e. a high number of a certain type of white blood cell in the blood). With lymphoma there are often other symptoms called "B symptoms" which include things like fever, chills, night sweats, weight loss, extreme fatigue.
teresa26
09-06-2003, 08:17 AM
ok, then i feel a bit better then knowing that he wasn't necessarily looking for lymphoma. i had thought he might be doing that since he seemed to find the fever and fatigue odd.
well, i guess now i just wait until the endoscopy is done.
thanks for answering my questions!
well, i guess now i just wait until the endoscopy is done.
thanks for answering my questions!
teresa26
09-09-2003, 04:15 AM
ok, my CBC, LFT, pancreas enzymes, and thyroid test all came back normal.
the endoscopy didn't reveal anything except that the inside of my stomach and small intestine are picture perfect.
i was then sent for an abdominal u/s (kidneys, liver, gall bladder, spleen, pancreas). normal.
i am to set up an appt for an abdominal CT scan next. if that is normal, the dr said he'd do a test to measure the function of my gall bladder.
meanwhile, the fever is still the same - hovered around 100.5 yesterday and was noted by the nurse before the endoscopy. abdomen is still tender when pressed (mainly in epigastric area and a little to the right and left). still very tired. what could this be?
edited to add that the dr prescribed hyoscyamine in the meantime. the info that came with it says it is for peptic ulcers, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, colitis, or pancreatitis, bed-wetting, frequent urination, motion sickness, alcohol withdrawl symptoms, parkinson's disease, or poisonings due to certain insecticides and poisons. i have none of these problems. why would he give me this?
the prevacid he gave me before only made me feel twice as bad so i stopped taking it after the first pill. i don't want to take medicine i don't need.
and why am i needing a CT scan of my abdomen? wouldn't the ultrasound suffice? what can a CT scan find that an u/s couldn't?
[This message has been edited by teresa26 (edited 09-09-2003).]
the endoscopy didn't reveal anything except that the inside of my stomach and small intestine are picture perfect.
i was then sent for an abdominal u/s (kidneys, liver, gall bladder, spleen, pancreas). normal.
i am to set up an appt for an abdominal CT scan next. if that is normal, the dr said he'd do a test to measure the function of my gall bladder.
meanwhile, the fever is still the same - hovered around 100.5 yesterday and was noted by the nurse before the endoscopy. abdomen is still tender when pressed (mainly in epigastric area and a little to the right and left). still very tired. what could this be?
edited to add that the dr prescribed hyoscyamine in the meantime. the info that came with it says it is for peptic ulcers, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, colitis, or pancreatitis, bed-wetting, frequent urination, motion sickness, alcohol withdrawl symptoms, parkinson's disease, or poisonings due to certain insecticides and poisons. i have none of these problems. why would he give me this?
the prevacid he gave me before only made me feel twice as bad so i stopped taking it after the first pill. i don't want to take medicine i don't need.
and why am i needing a CT scan of my abdomen? wouldn't the ultrasound suffice? what can a CT scan find that an u/s couldn't?
[This message has been edited by teresa26 (edited 09-09-2003).]
teresa26
09-11-2003, 01:58 PM
i'm having my CT scan tomorrow. i'm not too nervous about it since i had one when i was 11 or so. i'm just nervous about the IV. (i hate IVs and people somehow always have trouble "sticking" me.) and i hope that whatever i have to drink is not too horrible.
but is this test a waste of time? wouldn't the u/s have found anything wrong in there?
but is this test a waste of time? wouldn't the u/s have found anything wrong in there?
projapoti
09-11-2003, 06:32 PM
Originally posted by teresa26:
to the right and left). still very tired. what could this be?
I'm getting really puzzled too.
edited to add that the dr prescribed hyoscyamine in the meantime. the info that came with it says it is for peptic ulcers, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, colitis, or pancreatitis, bed-wetting, frequent urination, motion sickness, alcohol withdrawl symptoms, parkinson's disease, or poisonings due to certain insecticides and poisons. i have none of these problems. why would he give me this?
Well, it sounds like the drug you've been given is an anticholinergic which can affect many different processes and conditions in your body aside from the ones you mentioned above. It was probably given to you because it has an effect on calming and regulating the GI tract somewhat which could probably help your abdominal pain.
the prevacid he gave me before only made me feel twice as bad so i stopped taking it after the first pill. i don't want to take medicine i don't need.
Well, don't assume that you don't need the hyocyamine...it might end up helping you...when you say that the prevacid has been making you feel even worse, what do you mean? How are you feeling worse?
and why am i needing a CT scan of my abdomen? wouldn't the ultrasound suffice? what can a CT scan find that an u/s couldn't?
Well, there are a lot of things that the CT scan can do that the u/s can, and the biggest thing about the CT scan is that it can visualize things much clearer than the ultrasound. It can also see a lot of structures that the u/s can't see as clearly, such as structures which are in the retroperitoneal cavity (like parts of the colon, the ovaries, the pancreas etc. etc.)
to the right and left). still very tired. what could this be?
I'm getting really puzzled too.
edited to add that the dr prescribed hyoscyamine in the meantime. the info that came with it says it is for peptic ulcers, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, colitis, or pancreatitis, bed-wetting, frequent urination, motion sickness, alcohol withdrawl symptoms, parkinson's disease, or poisonings due to certain insecticides and poisons. i have none of these problems. why would he give me this?
Well, it sounds like the drug you've been given is an anticholinergic which can affect many different processes and conditions in your body aside from the ones you mentioned above. It was probably given to you because it has an effect on calming and regulating the GI tract somewhat which could probably help your abdominal pain.
the prevacid he gave me before only made me feel twice as bad so i stopped taking it after the first pill. i don't want to take medicine i don't need.
Well, don't assume that you don't need the hyocyamine...it might end up helping you...when you say that the prevacid has been making you feel even worse, what do you mean? How are you feeling worse?
and why am i needing a CT scan of my abdomen? wouldn't the ultrasound suffice? what can a CT scan find that an u/s couldn't?
Well, there are a lot of things that the CT scan can do that the u/s can, and the biggest thing about the CT scan is that it can visualize things much clearer than the ultrasound. It can also see a lot of structures that the u/s can't see as clearly, such as structures which are in the retroperitoneal cavity (like parts of the colon, the ovaries, the pancreas etc. etc.)
teresa26
09-11-2003, 07:22 PM
thank you so much for replying. i really appreciate your insight.
well, the prevacid made me nauseated and my stomach hurt way more than usual. when i lied down (which usually helps), it didn't get any better. it went on for hours that night. that was the last time i took the prevacid.
today the pain is back to just being in the center (epigastric) and to the right (under the rib cage). still very tender when i press on those areas. the left side hurt for a few days but isn't bothering me much today.
i took the levsin (hyoscyamine) one night and didn't notice any difference. i will start taking it again tomorrow night just to see if it starts working eventually. it really freaks me out, though, to take meds that i don't need. especially since the prevacid made me feel worse, i'm just very wary. whatever is going on with me, i don't want to make it worse.
i wish that they would look at my ovaries while i am in there, but i have a feeling that they are only going to do the upper abdomen (i think he's leaving the ovaries to the Gyn).
my upper back (right side) and upper chest (right side) are hurting now as well. i just want them to find something, anything, at this point. i'm tired of being sick. i'm tired of not having any energy. i just feel like crying sometimes because i really thought that by now they'd have found out what is going on and i'd be feeling better. i just hope they find something tomorrow so this can start to be over.
thanks again for reading and taking the time to answer my questions.
well, the prevacid made me nauseated and my stomach hurt way more than usual. when i lied down (which usually helps), it didn't get any better. it went on for hours that night. that was the last time i took the prevacid.
today the pain is back to just being in the center (epigastric) and to the right (under the rib cage). still very tender when i press on those areas. the left side hurt for a few days but isn't bothering me much today.
i took the levsin (hyoscyamine) one night and didn't notice any difference. i will start taking it again tomorrow night just to see if it starts working eventually. it really freaks me out, though, to take meds that i don't need. especially since the prevacid made me feel worse, i'm just very wary. whatever is going on with me, i don't want to make it worse.
i wish that they would look at my ovaries while i am in there, but i have a feeling that they are only going to do the upper abdomen (i think he's leaving the ovaries to the Gyn).
my upper back (right side) and upper chest (right side) are hurting now as well. i just want them to find something, anything, at this point. i'm tired of being sick. i'm tired of not having any energy. i just feel like crying sometimes because i really thought that by now they'd have found out what is going on and i'd be feeling better. i just hope they find something tomorrow so this can start to be over.
thanks again for reading and taking the time to answer my questions.
teresa26
09-15-2003, 04:32 PM
the CT scan came back normal. kind of relieved, kind of disappointed. i'm tired of all these tests and just want them to find something at this point -- anything that will explain the way i've been feeling. :( so, next step is a HIDA scan. and then what? if that comes back fine, what do i do?
oh, and my fever is up to 100.7 now.
[This message has been edited by teresa26 (edited 09-15-2003).]
oh, and my fever is up to 100.7 now.
[This message has been edited by teresa26 (edited 09-15-2003).]
teresa26
09-16-2003, 02:39 PM
oh, and now i can add chills and sweating to my list of complaints. but i would think that this is because of the fever, right? the sweating usually happens when i am sleeping. i wake up very damp. and the chills are getting worse. before, i would just get goosebumps now and then; but in the last week, i've had two very bad cases of shivering. serious violent shaking that i was unable to control. once was at the hosp and when the nurse took my temp, it was 100.3.
i'm at the point now where i am hardly eating anything because of the discomfort in my stomach. when is this going to end?
[This message has been edited by teresa26 (edited 09-16-2003).]
i'm at the point now where i am hardly eating anything because of the discomfort in my stomach. when is this going to end?
[This message has been edited by teresa26 (edited 09-16-2003).]
teresa26
09-26-2003, 06:45 AM
HIDA scan was normal. and i got to actually look at the CT scan pics. i was surprised that they did the scan from neck to thigh. i thought it was just going to be upper abdomen.
so, with everything coming back normal, i guess whatever this is can't be too serious, right?
i've lost 5 lbs in the last few weeks which is a bit of a bummer as i was underweight to begin with. coupled with the fact that not a single person during this whole thing has been able to stick me with an IV on the first try, i'm not only too thin, but now i find myself full of needle marks on my arms. so basically i'm starting to look a wee bit like a junkie. which might have been tolerable if heroin chic were still en vogue, but it went out a few years ago. (i'm still trying to keep my sense of humor about things. don't mind me.)
so, with everything coming back normal, i guess whatever this is can't be too serious, right?
i've lost 5 lbs in the last few weeks which is a bit of a bummer as i was underweight to begin with. coupled with the fact that not a single person during this whole thing has been able to stick me with an IV on the first try, i'm not only too thin, but now i find myself full of needle marks on my arms. so basically i'm starting to look a wee bit like a junkie. which might have been tolerable if heroin chic were still en vogue, but it went out a few years ago. (i'm still trying to keep my sense of humor about things. don't mind me.)
bella67
09-26-2003, 10:45 PM
Hi Theresa,
Your post caught my eye after reading some of your symptoms. I have been struggling with similiar ones, as well as numerous tests and doc visits to figure it all out. Still no answers and I after a certain point I actually took a break from it all cuz I thought it was just in my head. Over the past year I've had abdominal pain, I get the chills,fatigued, dizzy, feel nauseous, and I too have ovarian pain. Mine is pretty severe and was once told by my GYNy that it is probably just adhesions from a past c-section surgery. All I know is that I've never felt this lousey before. I even had a biopsy last Nov to have 3 lymph nodes removed. Along with 2 needle biopsies. I'm about to give up on it all. Tomorrow I see my ENT because I've neglected to keep up with my visits. Well, actually the fact that I have another swollen node in the same area as my surgery kinda freaked me out. I've been having chest pain and a shortness of breath too. I also found a pea sized lump on my collarbone. I'm hoping that's nothing, but I know I'll be sent for numerous tests again with no conclusive diagnosis. :(
Anyways, I did have a weird question for you. Did you ever have a pregnancy test?? Because my temp is usually really low like yours, but when I was pregnant I did have a rise in temp and it stayed there throughout my pregnancy, as well as the stomach problems. Just a shot in the dark here ;)
Your post caught my eye after reading some of your symptoms. I have been struggling with similiar ones, as well as numerous tests and doc visits to figure it all out. Still no answers and I after a certain point I actually took a break from it all cuz I thought it was just in my head. Over the past year I've had abdominal pain, I get the chills,fatigued, dizzy, feel nauseous, and I too have ovarian pain. Mine is pretty severe and was once told by my GYNy that it is probably just adhesions from a past c-section surgery. All I know is that I've never felt this lousey before. I even had a biopsy last Nov to have 3 lymph nodes removed. Along with 2 needle biopsies. I'm about to give up on it all. Tomorrow I see my ENT because I've neglected to keep up with my visits. Well, actually the fact that I have another swollen node in the same area as my surgery kinda freaked me out. I've been having chest pain and a shortness of breath too. I also found a pea sized lump on my collarbone. I'm hoping that's nothing, but I know I'll be sent for numerous tests again with no conclusive diagnosis. :(
Anyways, I did have a weird question for you. Did you ever have a pregnancy test?? Because my temp is usually really low like yours, but when I was pregnant I did have a rise in temp and it stayed there throughout my pregnancy, as well as the stomach problems. Just a shot in the dark here ;)
teresa26
09-27-2003, 09:02 AM
Originally posted by bella67:
Hi Theresa,
Your post caught my eye after reading some of your symptoms. I have been struggling with similiar ones, as well as numerous tests and doc visits to figure it all out. Still no answers and I after a certain point I actually took a break from it all cuz I thought it was just in my head. Over the past year I've had abdominal pain, I get the chills,fatigued, dizzy, feel nauseous, and I too have ovarian pain. Mine is pretty severe and was once told by my GYNy that it is probably just adhesions from a past c-section surgery. All I know is that I've never felt this lousey before. I even had a biopsy last Nov to have 3 lymph nodes removed. Along with 2 needle biopsies. I'm about to give up on it all. Tomorrow I see my ENT because I've neglected to keep up with my visits. Well, actually the fact that I have another swollen node in the same area as my surgery kinda freaked me out. I've been having chest pain and a shortness of breath too. I also found a pea sized lump on my collarbone. I'm hoping that's nothing, but I know I'll be sent for numerous tests again with no conclusive diagnosis. :(
Anyways, I did have a weird question for you. Did you ever have a pregnancy test?? Because my temp is usually really low like yours, but when I was pregnant I did have a rise in temp and it stayed there throughout my pregnancy, as well as the stomach problems. Just a shot in the dark here ;)
i'm sorry to hear you are feeling under the weather, too. so, were your lymph nodes benign? what have the drs told you? do they just have absolutely no idea what is going on with you?
i have had several pregnancy tests. all have been negative. (thank goodness!) i'm on bcp and will be having my tubes tied in a couple of weeks. the dr is going to look for endo and adhesions in that area while he is in there. as for the other stuff (fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, etc), i will be seeing my GI dr again next week. so far, they don't think that the ovarian pain is related to the other symptoms.
i had the same change in temp as you did when i was pregnant with my son. that's one of the first things i thought of when i noticed my fever. definitely not a weird question. :)
at this point, i'd settle for just about any diagnosis. as long as it has a name and a treatment, i'd be happy. this not knowing stuff combined with endless tests and people poking me with needles is just too much for me to take.
good luck at the ENT. please tell me what they say. and let me know how you are doing. take care.
Hi Theresa,
Your post caught my eye after reading some of your symptoms. I have been struggling with similiar ones, as well as numerous tests and doc visits to figure it all out. Still no answers and I after a certain point I actually took a break from it all cuz I thought it was just in my head. Over the past year I've had abdominal pain, I get the chills,fatigued, dizzy, feel nauseous, and I too have ovarian pain. Mine is pretty severe and was once told by my GYNy that it is probably just adhesions from a past c-section surgery. All I know is that I've never felt this lousey before. I even had a biopsy last Nov to have 3 lymph nodes removed. Along with 2 needle biopsies. I'm about to give up on it all. Tomorrow I see my ENT because I've neglected to keep up with my visits. Well, actually the fact that I have another swollen node in the same area as my surgery kinda freaked me out. I've been having chest pain and a shortness of breath too. I also found a pea sized lump on my collarbone. I'm hoping that's nothing, but I know I'll be sent for numerous tests again with no conclusive diagnosis. :(
Anyways, I did have a weird question for you. Did you ever have a pregnancy test?? Because my temp is usually really low like yours, but when I was pregnant I did have a rise in temp and it stayed there throughout my pregnancy, as well as the stomach problems. Just a shot in the dark here ;)
i'm sorry to hear you are feeling under the weather, too. so, were your lymph nodes benign? what have the drs told you? do they just have absolutely no idea what is going on with you?
i have had several pregnancy tests. all have been negative. (thank goodness!) i'm on bcp and will be having my tubes tied in a couple of weeks. the dr is going to look for endo and adhesions in that area while he is in there. as for the other stuff (fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, etc), i will be seeing my GI dr again next week. so far, they don't think that the ovarian pain is related to the other symptoms.
i had the same change in temp as you did when i was pregnant with my son. that's one of the first things i thought of when i noticed my fever. definitely not a weird question. :)
at this point, i'd settle for just about any diagnosis. as long as it has a name and a treatment, i'd be happy. this not knowing stuff combined with endless tests and people poking me with needles is just too much for me to take.
good luck at the ENT. please tell me what they say. and let me know how you are doing. take care.