Help My Wife Please - Pain in Lower Chest - Abdomen

[bob6831]

Hi.
I am on this forum to hopefully find some information that can help my wife's health problem. I love her and need to do what I can to help her resolve the problem. Basically her problem is one of pain from about her breast area to just above her belly button. Has been there for about 4-6 months in varying amounts from about a 3 to some days of 10+ level.
Has had variety of tests done (scans, MRIs, blood work, bone biopsy, etc. etc.). Her primary doctor at this point believes it most likely is some variation of fibromyalgia that she was diagnosed as having before. Another doctor she saw few days ago (followup for ulcerated esophagus problem), basically said might be a chronic pain problem...... need to pursue pain management/alternative medicine path. Last few days since then she has been in pain, and depressed.
....... this whole thing started with her having giant hives back in March, which finally were resolved when she took prednisone which cleared up the hives but left her bloated, and soon after the pain in her chest-abdomen started...... never did find the cause of the hives.
Her current list of medicine includes: Effexor, Nadolol, Protonix, Ambien, Levothyroxine, Clonazepam, Neurotin and Hydrocod for pain. Was taking Percaset? before for pain...... neither seem to help much. She also just stopped taking Diazepam (replaces Valium) to help her sleep.

Please give me your input.............
Thx.
Bob

[Marie55]

Considering the medications your wife is on, it would be a good idea to take her to a diagnostic hospital such as Mayo Clinic, Scott & White Clinic or other. Getting a second opinion is a must.

The medications she is taking are heavy stuff and she needs a doctor who will be able to properly diagnose the problem and manage the meds.

It could be the esophagus problem still giving her trouble.

[Soulcatcher]

I have to agree her meds to not sound appropriate a few of them are about the same exact drug. To me personally sounds like an overdose. Be careful of Neurotin, my husband said that drug really messed him up. Sounds like the doctor is treating her for MAJOR anxiety or depression. He may think she has alot of tension or anxiety but all those meds are hazardous. Have they done an ultra sound? The reason I ask is because she could have gas building up or her organs inside may be shutting down due to too many medications all at once. I would highly recommend a second opinion. Have you even asked your pharmacist about all these drugs combined? He should be able to tell you that some of these drugs are similar or if there is a reaction if mixed. Please keep us posted. I will be worrying with you. Prayers to you.

[MafiaKiddo]

I agree that it sounds like the doc is treating her for anxiety depression. I'd also say be careful with the effexor. That medication really messed me up for a long time. I'm still not fully recovered from it. It works fine for some but always best to know if something is potentially dangerous.

[bob6831]

Hi.
Thanks for all the input.
My wife had 3 good days (max pain level about 5), so I was hoping that things were getting better and didn't look at forum.
Unfortunately yesterday was not a good day........ besides her abdomen-chest pain, she seemed to have flu type symptoms and was tired/weak all day long. Maybe an aftereffect of pneumonia shot she got last week?
Today, she seems little less flu-ish, but woke up with higher level (5) of pain.
To answer some of the questions:
Yes, she has had ultrasounds too.... some of these and/or other tests showed a ovary mass/cysc and liver nodules, but these were determined later to be no big deal!
Also, they did do an exploratory laporascopy about 2 months ago, found a lot of adhesions which they removed............
She has been taking Effexor for about 4 years, started when she had neck pain (fibromyalgia/Lyme disease?). The neck pain finally did go away.
Yes, I think doctor is strongly treating her for depression...... constant pain has gotten her down.
She is only taking Neurotin 1/day (300 MG) now, because her primary doctor (after consulting with neurologist) decided to go with a different medicine (forgot name, and wife sent prescription away to our Medical plan people), and she thought he said to stop that.......... and another doctor said some danger in stopping suddenly!

Thx.
Bob