Hello, I went to the Gastroenterologist this past week. He is stumped. Cannot find the reason for my abdominal swelling and pain. I told him of my constant lightheadedness and terrible back pain in my entire spine and he shrugged his shoulders. It seems that when you mention a symptom that is not gastrointestinal, or whatever that doctors specialty, they shrug you off instead of tying symptoms together. I read on the internet that nerve inpingement in the thoracic spine can give many gastrointestinal pains and chest pains as well but he just didn't want to listen. I told him about the terrible back pain and in certain postions my breathing is laboured and I get lightheaded when the back pain gets real bad and nothing. He is sending me to a larger facility in a major city. He said he will get on it as soon as he returns from vacation. Can you believe that? One phone call or fax and I am in, and he wants to wait till he returns from vacation. He said my bloodtests came back fairly ok, but I got copies and read them and was stunned. The lab tells you if something is low, hi, abnormal or critical. I CAN read. My Albumin was hi, my bilirubin was hi, my calcium was hi, my protein in the blood was way too hi, my insulin was hi, but he didn't even review those things with me. He figured I would never see the results. Also the lower number on the blood pressure was over 90. It consistantly runs over 90. I was healthy as a horse prior to that virus in the middle of November and now I am a shell of a 38 year old man feeling about 90 years old and sick. As soon as I eat my belly swells. I think it all stems from that virus and is centered in my spinal cord but cannot get anyone to listen. He said the more you think about little pains and sprains you develop a kind of phobia. PHOBIA THIS! I lost over 60 pounds since the end of 2007 and starting in 2008 I began to gradually lose weight about 1-3 pounds a week all without dieting. I lost 6-8 pounds in the last month alone and that is with eating. They say I am not malabsorbtive so then what is it? I know a Pet Scan would tell us the answers but they refuse to order it. Supposedly the USA has the best medicine but unless you are rich or have a clear cut diagnosis immediately, doctors just don't want to take the time to research and diagnose. They just want to see colds and and sinus infections and the rest of us are left to waste away.
This just goes on and on...But I will continue to believe that you will find answers. A first suggestion is for you to bug that doctor's office for the referral to the Mayo Clinic, immediately! They will get tired of your calls and will contact him. I'm sure they will know how to reach him. Start with those calls today. He is on the right track with sending you to a larger hospital. I hope he means a teaching hospital with a reputation for their work in this area. Don't give up...you are moving closer to healing. Please keep me "posted" as you move along, starting with the calls to the md.
I haven't heard back from you. Are you doing ok? You problem seemed so critical. Have you gotten any answers? Were you able to find a hospital as I advised in my previous post? I really hope that you haven't given up. There is an answer. Have your symptoms gotten better? If so, what have you changed or what do you think the problem is/was? I sincerely hope that something is better since your last post. Please post an update. I'd like to know that you are doing ok. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Hey Brad, I'm Will. I was wondering if you could tell me something about my concern. My cousin is feeling sharp pain on his right side, he says it hurts him beneath the ribs. My question is what can it possibly be? And is this serious enough to go to hospital, because we are living on our own, just the two of us, without parents? If we did go to hospital, we would have to call them to pick us up. Is this a serious matter? I read somewhere that it be an indicator of inflamed appendix. All I know that he has slightly swollen stomach.