Abdomenal, chest and back pain

Does anyone have extreme pain in these areas?  For the past year, my biggest problems come from these areas and they are getting worse.  I have had constant abdomenal pain for over a year.  This pain has also been in my upper back for longer.  It now feels like it is in my entire back, extreme down my spine, my ribs or between my ribs.  It is hard to tell which it is.  Maybe both.  This also is in my chest and now my pelvic region.

I do not have a gallbladder as it was removed in 2004.  I have had CT scans of my abdomen and pelvic region both with and without contrast.  I have had an ultrasound inside and out.  I have had x-rays of my chest and back.  Also an upper GI with follow through.  All come back negative for any abnormalities.  I take a good amount of probiotics and really have no gut issues that I know of.  My bowels work better since I have been on antibiotics (just over one year) as they ever have in my life because of my healthier diet, eating proper three meals per day and the probiotics.  My MD is stumped and my LLND thinks it may be polymyositis.  The pain really stings and burns.  It feels like there are knives pushed between my vertabrae and everything else stings and is on fire.  Very uncomfortable to sit or lay down.  I know my lymphatic system is not draining properly and I have been having massages for that, but wondered if some of it could be because of the swelling of my glands.  When I put pressure on my sore areas, I feel the pressure go right to my head (which has major pressure pain issues) and I can feel it into my sore spine and all over my torsoe.  I am taking numerous suppliments and chinese remedies to support my liver, adrenals, reduce inflammation and to give me energy.

Wouldn't it be nice to actually have a test that actually gave us a black and white answers as to what is going on.  I hate to just keep on pushing through my days and nights thinking it's just the lyme, when in actuallity it could be something else quite serious.  The not knowing is not helping my healing process.

Any comments would be GREATLY appreciated.  Thanks again to everyone who posts on this site.  Don't know what I would do without all of you.  You are all so much appreciated.

 

My neck, back and spine are constantly hurting. Especially my neck and back. I am sore all over with muscle, joint and bone pain. It would be great to get black and white answers. I am having my 1st LLMD appointment next week and I am praying to get better answers. The thought of the unknown is terrifying for me. I'm sure for all of us.

I hope you can feel better soon.

Extreme pain was the first and still most common symptom for me. It's generally back and other musculoskeletal pain, but I had general abdominal inflamation and pain for years as well.

It was severe enough where it put me the ER this summer. They seemed to think I was exaggerating the pain because I was calm and composed, but when I fainted from pain everytime they started pressing on my gut they got the idea- I tend to get more quiet, not louder, when pain gets extreme. The ultrasound was one of the most agonizing things I've ever had done and I was pretty heavily medicated by then... no fun. Everything also looked fine for me, ultrasound, CT, endoscopy, etc. They had no ideas, but it has totally cleared within the first few months of treatment.

The musculoskeletal pain is much more persistent and can be at once stabbing, knifelike, burning while also being overwhelmingly achy and sore. I developed a bunch of myofascial trigger points across my back, which are basically thick knots of muscle and connective tissue that are impossible to put pressure on without blacking out in pain. These areas get almost no blood flow due to all the constriction, so consequently, they don't get much antibiotics and don't get what little antibodies I may be making to combat the infections inside. I'm pretty sure these will be among the last symptoms to fade for me.

If yours is caused by polymyositis its something they can confirm with testing, though treatment would likely involve immunosuppressive drugs, which would obviously be bad if you still have infections active. I went on a few trials of prednisone and had a steroid injection directly into one of the trigger points years ago because they suspected something like polymyositis, which only made my symptoms worse.

If you are really in that much pain, you should consider getting put on narcotic pain meds. There's a stigma attached to it, but if you can't function, then whats the point? You can go on very small doses of extended release medication that could provide quite a bit of pain relief with almost no mental effects. Even at higher doses, if you take your medication exactly as directed for months you'll be almost immune to the mental slowing and drugged feeling, but won't gain a tolerance to the pain reduction effects.

Unfortunately, all of this pain in not unusual for people infected with Lyme and co-infections. I wish it were different! It's been said that people infected with Lyme deal with pain as intense as post-op patients!!

I too have lived/do live with this kind of extreme pain. I can remember being in so much pain along my spine that it hurt to move, then I would get these muscle spasms in the muscles that run right along both sides of the spine. I've also had the in between the rib bones pain/spasms, and still live with lots of joint pain. For me the joints most affected are my hips, knees, hands, low back, upper back/neck areas.

Using a heating pad, a warm (non-detox) bath, or even ice when the pain gets real intense and I know there is swelling has helped me often, although I have had to use plenty of the narcotic pain meds before as well.

Please remember that we don't get any extra "points" for pushing through this kind of pain - talk to your LLMD's, LLND's or whatever practitioner you are seeing about it.

I have been on various chinese remedies for inflammation, and so far, with no results. Today I saw my GP just to see about getting some labs done to make sure there isn't anything serious going on that can be tested via blood work. He suggested I try Baclofen (muscle relaxant). He thinks that if I can get my muscles to relax a bit, my pain will improve and my lyphatic system will be able to work better. Who knows. I have tried other muscle relaxants without any relief, but at this point, I will try just about anything. I take a lot of epsom salt baths, use my dear friend the heating pad, and at times, even have found that ice works better than heat. Tylenol or ibuphrofen (sp) do nothing for me.
My LLND wants me to ask my GP about trying Cesamet. I am a little leary, but wonder if anyone has used it and had any relief from it.
Thank you everyone for you comments.