Constant Pain

I'm new on here but I thought it would be worth a try to see if I can find any answers on my own. A little background on myself....I'm 27 years old. I am a first time mother and my daughter is in her "terrible two's" phase! My chronic pain journey started almost 9 years ago now. When the pain first began it was not severe. But as time went on it became worse and worse. The pain took a turn for the worst after I had my daughter 2 years ago. I have complained of lower right sided abdomen pain that wraps around my right side to the right side of my spine. I have had countless procedures done, and many many pictures taken of my body. Everyone is just as baffled today as we were when this all started. I have had my appendix out, gall bladder removed, several colonoscopies, and upper endoscopies. The result has been the same. I have recently started seeing a Pain Management doc. I am very skeptical of doctors these days so I really don't know if I like him yet or not. We are currently trying steriod injections in a couple different locations in my spine. After the 1st injection, I felt like a new person with little to no pain for 3 days and then I was almost worst than before the shots! The 2nd injection he did lower and it hurt a lot worse while he was giving the injection and my pain has not changed since. I have a very hard time understanding why the doctors can't find anything. I was a completely normal person before all this started. I'm very frustrated, overwhelmed, and just barely hanging on by a thread at times. It's hard to get up and face the day when I can barely move at times. I know I have to for my daughter but at my low points it's hard to deal with feeling like a tremendous failure, both as a mother and as a girlfriend. If anyone has ANY thoughts or advice I would GREATLY appreciate it. I just really don't know how much more of this I will be able to take. Thank you in advance!

hello and welcome, Straydog gave you great advice, I cant think of anything to add.  Just keep going until someone finds out whats going on.  In the meantime, this forum is  a great place for you, you will get tons of support and advice.  Just hand in there, we are all here for you.

Take care and good luck,

Kathy

For some reason I posted a reply last night but it didn't show up today. So forgive me if this is repetitive.

To answer some of the questions... I have seen a gyno doc (several actually). All have said there is a strong possibility that I have endometriosis but the only way of knowing that for sure is to have an exploratory surgery. After discussing it with my family we all thought that for my age I have had enough surgeries and didn't think it was worth it. My family doctor and I have since put a stop to my periods with birth control, which definately helps some since the pain is ALWAYS worse during my periods. Myself and my doctor both agree that my female organs are not the cause of the pain though. The pain is worse because my body is already dealing with so much that even the slightest headache or anything else seems unbearable.

I have had a full work up from the GI docs. All of them always seem to come back to the same conclusion..."you must have irritable bowel syndrome and that is what is causing all of your pain!" Although I do believe I have some symptoms which are consistant with IBS none of the IBS medications do anything for me. I believe that all the medications that I'm on the for the pain is messing with my digestive tract. Although, I'm not a doctor...I do know my body and I do have a medical background. So I feel like I know a little about what's going on.

So far to date everything that they have found has been located on the right side of my body. I have a Tarlov cyst on the right side of my sacrum. My right kidney continuously produces stones, some of which pass with little to no pain and others are very painful. I have had H pylori stomach ulcers which have been taken care of. I seem to be the one in our family that gets sick with a cold or the flu more frequently. I have had liver functioning tests, been tested for Celiac disease, and have had tests done to check for deep varicose veins. All of my tests seem to come back normal.

To answer your question about depression...yes I am most definately depressed. It's hard to not be when you don't feel good most of the time. I feel like life is passing me by while I'm laying around on the couch. There are so many things that I would like to be doing with my daughter, boyfriend, and friends but I know physically I just can't. As of now, I am not taking anything for depression. I guess I feel like I'm taking enough drugs and I need to just learn to self-soothe.

I will definately look into teaching hospitals close by. I thank you so much for the words of encouragement and all the advice. I really do appreciate it. It is nice to know I'm not alone because I have felt that way. :)

Well, I know what you said about surgery and all but if there is a remote chance of having endometriosis, having a laproscopy surgery done can rule that out. That is one disease that can be absolutely wicked for some ladies, to the point of being disabling-so you may want to do some more research there. It is unbelievable the problems that disease can cause when it spreads and wraps around organs. No female should ever have to go through that agny.

Yes, you are far too young to be laying around on a couch all day because of pain. People with pain have to keep moving. Frustration is something we all go through when dealing with drs and chronic pain. I hope you can find a teaching hospital close to where you live because that may be your best resource. Just know you are not alone and come here and talk it out, don't keep things bottled up. Take care......Susie

Dear abdpain,
It would seem that the pain doc might have a handle on the pain, since the T10-11 injection did work for a while. I have slipping ribs (disconnected) on the right, and intercostal injections at 9,10, and 11 numb the nerves to the ribs and stop the pain for a few months.

My rib pain seemed like liver or gallbladder or abdominal problems after the wreck that broke them. I had several CTs and X-rays that showed the cortical breaks. It's fairly common for people to get "costochrondritis" or other pain from the area where the ribs are connected to each other in front of the abdomen and chest. It's hard to figure out exactly where the pain is coming from. I had 3 gallbladder tests, all negative.

Straydog...thanks! I keep telling myself it's not in my head. When you hear snide comments though it's hard to not think about. But I do know that something is going on. I may not have my answer as to what yet but hopefully soon we will have some answers. I go back to the PM doc in a couple weeks and I'll be sure to tell him that the 1st injection was waaaay better than the second. We will see where we go from here. I'm sure he is a good, caring doctor. We are just beginning to get to know each other and just barely scraping the surface of what is going on with me. I'm just worried he will do what so many other doctors have done to me... say "I don't think there is anything I can do to help you, sorry!" I have heard those words far too often!

My problem is I need to learn how to be strong and stand up for myself and not take no for an answer. Too many times when someone gives up on me I lose all my strength and want to give up myself. I can't be that way or I will never solve this problem!

In my low moments I do think this website will help lift me up and inspire me. *Positive thinking*

I think I will also start a journal about my pain and jot things down everyday about what my symptoms were that day, whether good or bad. Maybe then someone will take me a little more seriously! :)