I have been having this stomach trouble and the docs have not figured it out so i thought some of you might have had similar symptoms and may have some ideas.
I have this dull pain in my stomach - center upper abdomen. It is there all the time and goes to my back. The doc first thought it was acid reflux and gave me 2 meds to reduce acid- has not worked. I had my gallbladder out in May. I have had 5 attacks just like a gallbladder attack with extreme pain, vomiting, pain goes to my back and i go to the ER and they give me shots of pain meds and send me home. This is gross but may be relevent - i have had clay coloured stools a few times latley. My kidneys were ok a couple months ago, my liver ensymes have been high in the past but not recently.
I am desperate to get this problem figured out and would appreciate any advise you might have.
It is still possible to get a blockage of the bile duct after gallbladder surgery, and that would account for the pale stools. You should see your gastroenterologist/hepatologist as soon as possible.... I'll be praying that you feel better soon!
That actually is what made me go to the doctor in the first place. I had my gallbladder out in 2003, and had sharp pains in my upper abdomin quadrant that radiated to my back. I havent had the pain since I was diagnosed and started the Plaquenil. Good luck. And yes I would go see a GI dr asap.
Hi Meg, i think i have replied about this already. It could be a number of things. I did think of another thing though, which the doctor has dismissed and also you have had the meds to reduce acid, and they didnt work so its probably not that. Now you have mentioned the clay coloured stools, this could be a sign of some malabsorption going on, as that is one of the symptoms of that. Alot of people do have malabsorption and dont even realise it. I have malabsorption and get the same symptoms sometimes, but like i said it could be anything. Do you eat enough fibre, and drink enough throughout the day, water is best, if you want to flavour it if you dont like the taste. If you are wondering about what malabsorption, google it as it will tell you more about the stools etc, and see if any of the other symptoms are similar to any of yours, its worth a look. Go for a reputable site though. Dont ever be embarrassed or worried about offending anyone with anything that is abit yucky or not what you would usually talk about, as thats what everyone is here for to get help with things, and be supported through the tougher times, no matter what the ailments are, that could be Lupus related. Anyway take care, bye for now, love and hugs Astrid40xoxo
Hi Meg, just another thought, have you ever been referred to a gastroenterologist, it might be worth asking if you can be refferred and to talk to them about your symtoms as well. They are the best for the stomach areas. I had an endoscopy, not very nice but it helps them to see whats going on inside your stomach and the areas which lead into and out of. I was then told i had alot of inflammation, and that i had malabsorption and dont absorb everything i need from when i eat, so now i have to have injections for all the things like Vitamens and Minerals. I had a vitamen injection last week of Vitamen B12 and B6. I have Vitamen D injections as well, they have to give me injections of all these things so they get in via the bloodstream rather than the usual absorption way. Anyway i wish you luck, take care, i am thinking of you, love and hugs Astrid40xoxo
I had these same symptoms for about a year after having my gall bladder out, but no one ever figured out why. I chalk it up to lupus inflammation, and that the bile fuct attached to the liver, and if that gets inflammed, less bile is secreted, which is what makes your stools dark, so with less, your stools are light. I was given a powder called cholestramine which helped a lot but not 100%. Hoping you can get relief soon,
Hi Meglupus Newbie,this is concidential that you would post this message, because I too have been having dull pains in the upper middle part of my abdomen, and was wondering what it could be. I have had nothing like this in my life until I was diagnosed with lupus in 2008, I do still have my gallbladder, and when I hold my water it makes the pain more intense, and using the bathroom makes it a wee bit better. I haven't paid much attention to the color of my stool, but I will keep check on it. I go to my Rheumy on 02/02 and I will definitely mention this and ask to be referred to a gastro. I wish you luck and I will keep in touch to let you know my diagnosis. Many blessings and hugs xoxoxox
Hi Fighter- have you had vomiting and the intese pain "attacks"? With yours feeling better after you pee it might be your kidneys- I have read they are close to the same place and can cause similar pain.
If your gallbladder is the problem it will hurt a lot if you eat a really fattening meal.
have you tried taking stool softeners? and /or are you eating a lot of fresh fruit and veggies....if not at least eat some prunes daily and make sure your water is enough...so you are never really thirsty.
I am glad you brought this up because so many of us are afraid to speak of bowel movement etc.....but like dr oz it really is clear sign how healthy you are...if you do not know. Should be 's' shape , 'c' is okay but s is excellent!.
many of our drugs constipate us.... especially if you are taking any pain pills/ medication.
but i agree you might want to see doc to find out. i had mine out too...i have severe pain off and on same place but think mine is from shoveling too much snow. aggh. sorry i do not like it.
Thanks for everyone's advice and help with this problem. I have got a refferal to the only gastro doc in my area and the wait is 9 months! So my family doc is trying to figure this out. I hope he does becuase it will be a long wait otherwise. I will ask about that powder- I hope i won't need more surgery.
Good MeglupusNewbie, I see my Rheumy tomorrow and I will mention the problem to him as well, cause my hurts off and on as well, but I never had any issues with my abdomen until I got Lupus. I never has a problem with alot of things until I was diagnosed with Lupus (Lol)
Have you thought about going to a GI specialist? I had bad stomach pains and severe vomiting I lost 10 pounds in two weeks! I went to a GI doc and he scoped me and gave me some meds and suggested I change my diet and my stomach is better now. Where your pain is maybe you have a stomach ulcer I take a med named carafate maybe this will help you too.
Take care and please let me know how you are doing.
I am on a waiting list to see the GI specialist- but it is going to be months before i get an appointment. What did the specialist say was wrong with your stomach and how did you have to change your diet? I already eat low fat, gluten free, white sugar and flour free, low acid ect.
9 months! oh my! you must live somewhere like i do where there is either no specialists or one and the can get booked up. But usually all doctors have room for urgent patients.....if your doctor could move you in to urgent area you most likely see the stomach doc sooner.
If that does not help....might try just a different internist in your area...not GP but Internist. Their speciality is understanding better than average GP about what goes on internaly including your GI track . I think it is like as my Internist Doc said, she could not decide on just one so she studied all of them...meaning all the organs etc that makes our bodies work.
Sometimes you get lucky with 2nd opinion too...we often forget how important that is...because we do not feel well and do not want to go sit in some waiting room.
Good luck i really feel bad that you feel so sick and not much is being done...oh also are your stools always that color or just after you went to emerg and got pain shots...did that stop it too?
I had an ultrasound of my liver, bilary duct, pancreis (sp?) ect today. The tech knows me becuase I am a regular at the hospital - LOL. Anyways she told me that my duct is very "thick". She did not see any stones in the duct. Of course this will be read by the radiologist and she is not supposed to tell me anything. Anyways I started looking this up and I think i might have primary bilary cirrosis. I have had really high liver ensymes in blood tests and the other thing i read is that it is autoimmune and often seen in people with sjogrens (I have this and lupus). There is also a blood test AMA- not sure if i have had this one I have a high ANA. Anyways I will see my family doc and will bring some info with me.
The clay colour only happens after one of the attacks - otherwise they are normal.
Do any of you have a liver problem caused by autoimmune issues?
I have had issues with my liver when I was taking "aleve" for pain, but after I discontinued the medicine it was fine. But I also went to the doctor, and my bloodwork results came back and I have high muscles enzymes, and that is why I am having so much pain in my muscles all over my body, so they increased my prednisone from 5mg. to 40mg. My bone density test came back and I have osteopenia (this is know as the level before osteoporosis) so the doctor insisted that I start on calcium with vitamin D. I am aslo having some breathing problems off and on, so they scheduled me for a chest x-ray since the ekg was good. Oh yeah I also have a urinary tract infection, which seems to be there everytime I do a urine specimen every three months and it is was also present when I did my well woman check up in 6 months ago, and they treated me for it then. I don't understand why I got it or why it wont go away, I never use public restrooms or any other restrooms besides mine, and I clean my bathroom with clorox daily.
I will keep everyone updated on my visit with the gastroenterolist for the stomach issue, but I think it was from the urninary tract infection. Many blessings and hugs xoxox
Hi Fighter- I read that sometimes the test for a urinary tract infection comes back positive but that the problem is actually kidney disease. I guess your doc has considered this? I hope your stomach problems get sorted and you feel better soon.
I have autoimmune hepatitis, I was diagnosed with AIH plus RA and celiac disease in 2008, then dx with SLE in 2009. I knew that I had Hashimoto's thyroiditis since I was a teenager, and the celiac disease had probably been around since childhood, but I was always told it was "IBS". I also have psoriasis and Sjogren's disease. I think that AIH and SLE are frequently found together. AIH and primary biliary cirrhosis are both autoimmune diseases but not identical.
You know I kinda feel like it may be a problem with the kidneys as well. But I will hope for the best, and prepare for whatever the outcome will be. Good luck with your appointment and your health. Many blessings and hugs xoxox
MegLupusNewbie said:
Hi Fighter- I read that sometimes the test for a urinary tract infection comes back positive but that the problem is actually kidney disease. I guess your doc has considered this? I hope your stomach problems get sorted and you feel better soon.
Hi MegLupusNewbit, i am pleased you have had all the tests now, i hope things start to get sorted for you soon. Its not nice not knowing exactly what is going on with a particular area, its good to look things up, but it doesnt always tell you everything usually. I have liver problems, and alkaline bone phosphotase, which makes me at risk from other diseases, which is quite frightening, but i tend not to think about it unless something crops up. If i note down everything that is wrong with me, say when i have to fill in some form or other, it can be quite depressing seeing just how many things are wrong with us, so i tend to block them until i have to deal with something. Its like the 26 different meds i am on now, they keep going up in number lately. I know you cant block this out of your mind, as its worrying until you know exactly what is it, and whats going to be done to help you. I wish you luck, and i am thinking of you, take care, love and hugs Astrid40xoxo
MegLupusNewbie said:
Hi Everyone,
I had an ultrasound of my liver, bilary duct, pancreis (sp?) ect today. The tech knows me becuase I am a regular at the hospital - LOL. Anyways she told me that my duct is very "thick". She did not see any stones in the duct. Of course this will be read by the radiologist and she is not supposed to tell me anything. Anyways I started looking this up and I think i might have primary bilary cirrosis. I have had really high liver ensymes in blood tests and the other thing i read is that it is autoimmune and often seen in people with sjogrens (I have this and lupus). There is also a blood test AMA- not sure if i have had this one I have a high ANA. Anyways I will see my family doc and will bring some info with me.
The clay colour only happens after one of the attacks - otherwise they are normal.
Do any of you have a liver problem caused by autoimmune issues?