severe upper abdominal pain that radiates to back and throat

Wow, I'm not alone. I'll go months without having the pain, then it kicks in with a vengeance. Having my gallbladder yanked (8 years ago) unfortunately didn't fix it. Walking around is about the only thing that helps short of waiting it out. Heck, it's why I'm awake at midnight typing this post.

Hope your luck is better than mine with getting an answer other than "IBS."

I was diagnosed years ago with IBS and never had the pain in the upper abdomen, only lower left abdominal pain near my hip.

The pain I am getting is under the sternum right in the center and that pain is so severe it moves up into my throat and I feel as if Im choking. My back feels like a load of weights are on it. I find that going into a fetal position helps a little, but there is little I can do to make it subside.

Im afraid it could happen while I am driving!

The problem is the pain is so bad I wouldn't be able to go to the hospital and if I could the pain may have already gone.
So what do you do? I'm still wondering if it has to do with my Aorta.

I was diagnosed years ago with IBS and never had the pain in the upper abdomen, only lower left abdominal pain near my hip.

The pain I am getting is under the sternum right in the center and that pain is so severe it moves up into my throat and I feel as if Im choking. My back feels like a load of weights are on it. I find that going into a fetal position helps a little, but there is little I can do to make it subside.

Im afraid it could happen while I am driving!

The problem is the pain is so bad I wouldn't be able to go to the hospital and if I could the pain may have already gone.
So what do you do? I'm still wondering if it has to do with my Aorta.


joanie

Hi Joanie,
You said it was near your hip. On what side of the body, left or right? If it is right have you consider that pain might come from appendix?

Did your doctor maybe checked this already?

It took me almost 10 years to figure out these symptoms. The first time I experienced it was when waking up after gall bladder surgery. As it turns out, they are severe stomach spasms. When you feel the pain coming on, try taking a muscle relaxer (like Flexeral). If that works, then you are probably having stomach spasms. Sobbing, jumping (i.e. on a trampoline), a lot of repetative arm motion (i.e. painting), certain positions - especially flat on my back with arms extended above my head, and some foods trigger these "attacks" with me. Almost every narcotic pain killer will trigger the pain, almost instantly (even when given via IV). In fact, I underwent major surgery recently and was unable to receive real pain relievers... the pain from surgery did not even come close from that of stomach spasms!! Good luck to all who experience this... you will have tremendous trouble obtaining a correct diagnosis, so do what you can for youself!!

Wow that is exactly what I am dealing with. I had pains and they found out that my galbladder had died. This was 10 years ago and they removed it. Since then, I get the pains in the same place and they are 100 times worse. I cannot take any narcotics without bringing one on. Food triggers them as well as stress. I find the only thing that even remotely helps in curling up on myself and rocking or laying back with arms over my head. They tried giving me Nitro but after a while it stopped helping and just brought the nausea on faster. Sometimes the pains are so severe they induce vomiting right away. I have been through every test imaginable and no solution. They keep saying I need to get to the hospital during an attack for xrays and blood work but they can't seem to understand that I can barely walk when having one and they rarely last more than 20-25 minutes at a time so I can't even get seen by then. The hospital is 20 minutes away. I'm at the end of my rope with this!!!!

I have this problem, except I have dry mouth instead of throat pain. The nausea is intense but the pain is minimal. I've also started passing undigested vegetable matter in my stools. All blood work, physical exams, and a CAT scan have been unremarkable, except for slightly elevated lipids. With pepto-bismol and Tums, I feel like I' fighting an uphill battle.

Your pain sounds like splinter of the oddi. I know several people that have that problem after gallbladder removal. Or pancreatitis.

I'm experiencing the same thing. I had my Gall Bladder out two years ago. My attacks seem to occur with my Menstrual cycle? Not sure why. No one seems to be able to help me and I feel like i'm going crazy. You posted this 10 months ago and I'm hoping that you got it figured out by now??

Endometriosis is a possible cause if it comes with menstrual cycle.

Holy smokes...  It is so great to know I am not the only one going through this.  I had my gallbladder out nearly 19 years ago and it happens all the time, and funny thing is that pain killers intesify and cause it to happen instantly.  I have always called it gallbladder phantom pain.  Not sure what else to do.  I have had test, after test, after test.  CT Scan, Pelvic Scan, Ultrasound, Endoscopy, diagnosed with IBS, had Helicobactorpylori and other irrtants.  However, the pain happened recently and it was so severe it caused me to sweat terribly and vomit and nothing would take the edge off the pain, not even the strongest of pain meds.  It lasted 3 hours, my husband wanted to take me to the ER but all I could do was get out of the hot bath, which I was in for an hour and throw the robe over me and lie down, I could not get up to go to the hospital, I didn't want to move. I've been back at the docs for a gazzillion more tests and they are now giving me some kind of a antacid medication.  As if that is going to help.  I know it won't, been there done that.  What do you do?   Why is this so complicated to diagnose.  3 hours was far too long to endure the pain, I've never had to take it that long in my past, ever.  Why so long and why after so many years????  Thanks for all the info, glad to know I'm not alone with this.  I will keep you all in my prayers.  Good luck and god bless

I get the same pain yall are describing. I get the most intense & severe pain I have ever felt in my entire life. I can always tell when it's voming on because I will start to get a dull pain around my mid abdomen and then witin a few minutes I am in a full blown "attack/spasm" whatever you wanna call this pain. The only thing that gives me a little relief is to curl up in the fetal position with a fan on me cuz I immediately start sweating and get pale as a ghost and put a pillow against my stomach. It hurts to even breathe. It's really scary & like others have said I am afraid by the time I get to the hospital it will be gone & also I can barely move much less get in the car and go somewhere. It has only made me vomit a few times and after the pain subsides I am so drained and wore  out that I can't keep my eyes open. I wish I could figure out what is causing this so I can take care of it and get on some meds but no one can figure it out. I've also had my gallbladder out in 2009 and it started for the 1st time 3 days after my surgery.

I have been battling this for 2 yrs now. Mine started on a weekend I woke-up one moring with it coming out both ends. Went to the doctors they said I had an infection " somewhere in my body" my left side bothered me but so did my upper abdominal ( where your gallbladder is) needless, to say 2 yrs later I'm still in pain However, my pain does not go away only time its gone is when i eat nothing at all period. I have had GI test, ultrasound, gallbladder checked and even a EKG and all my results are normal. My naturopathic Doctor and the GI doctor both settled on IBS howerver, I don not have any problems going to the bathroom. My throat has a pain in it as well.I changed my eating habits right after this started i eat nothing but orangic food and even eat "whats right for your blood type" which has helped a little. I fogot to mention that i have tried about 5 differant heart burn meds as well. Sometimes it kinda feels like heartburn, but I belive there is something more going on. I will say this the lower abdominal does get worse around that time of month. And before I got sick i was stressed. But I truly belive there is something going on and I wish they could figure it out I'm in pain daily I do take a pain med but it doesnt bother me it helps a little. I did lose about 30 pounds and I find that eating a smoothie is more tolerable on my stomach. Foods that bother me are fatty foods spicy chocolate so its confusing you would think its heart burn however, its not the meds I've taken does not help like for example all the ones you can buy over the counter taking a 40 mg O! Well I guess I will have to live with this c**p. I am going to see a GI naturalpathic who specialize here pretty soon they have a waiting list.

Hi! At first I though this was a myocardial infaraction. But it sounds like a Gall Bladder Attack, what are your symptoms?