Stomach spasms
cmchandler74
Posts: 507 Member
So I landed myself in the ER yesterday with what they could only guess was some type of stomach spasms. Basically, it felt like a sharp stabbing pain just underneath my left rib cage that was steady at first but then eventually started coming in cycles. I have a pretty high threshold for pain, and while it wasn't the worst pain I've ever experienced, it was seriously bad. They did a chest x-ray and an EKG to make sure it wasn't my lungs or heart (it wasn't) and gave me a GI cocktail that had a smooth muscle relaxer (Bentyl, I think?) and lidocaine that made things calm down. They decided to hold off on a CT unless it starts happening again, in which case they want me to come back in ASAP. They also asked me to schedule an appointment with my surgeon (I'm due for my yearly checkup anyway) so I have an appointment on Monday.
Has anyone experienced this before? They gave me a prescription for Levsin (looks like this is something they normally use to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome) in case it happens again, but given the instructions on it say "MAY CAUSE BLURRED VISION," I'm really not keen on taking it unless I absolutely have to.
Has anyone experienced this before? They gave me a prescription for Levsin (looks like this is something they normally use to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome) in case it happens again, but given the instructions on it say "MAY CAUSE BLURRED VISION," I'm really not keen on taking it unless I absolutely have to.
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Yikes, that is scary. Glad you are OK.0
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eek that sounds rough! Hope the pain has subsided. Let us know how you get on with the surgeon.0
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Ask about pancreatitis; though I think it usually manifests closer to surgery. I had a wicked case about 10 days after surgery...and had hospital acquired pneumonia. Good times. My pain was almost exactly as you describe it. I'm no pansy; my labor and delivery with my first baby lasted 19 hours...completely unmedicated. The pancreatitis, on the other hand, left me a whimpering, crying, begging for morphine mess.0
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amandacanales wrote: »Ask about pancreatitis; though I think it usually manifests closer to surgery. I had a wicked case about 10 days after surgery...and had hospital acquired pneumonia. Good times. My pain was almost exactly as you describe it. I'm no pansy; my labor and delivery with my first baby lasted 19 hours...completely unmedicated. The pancreatitis, on the other hand, left me a whimpering, crying, begging for morphine mess.
Thanks, I will. I first went to see our onsite clinic and the PA was concerned exactly about that, which is why she sent me to the ER. I haven't had any flare-ups since it initially happened, but I will definitely get my doctor to run me through the paces because I don't want that EVER to come back.
What fixed yours, if you don't mind me asking? Is it usually just a one-time thing like that?0 -
To be honest, they were more concerned about the pneumonia because I wasn't responding to treatment. It was mostly just pain management and anti-inflammatories. My surgeon suspects my pancreas just got irritated during my surgery.
From what I understood, long term, diet can play a part in whether or not it reoccurs. I've had a couple of times in the past months when I thought it was happening again, but it was short lived. I call them phantom gall bladder attacks (since mine is gone a couple of years now).0 -
I also had a pretty involved surgery...RNY, hiatal hernia repair, partial esophagus removal, and an attempted repair of a damaged umbilical hernia.0
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You still have your gallbladder? But generally that is under your right ribcage. Could be a pinched nerve or something? Though Bentyl wouldn't do much for that. Bentyl didn't do much for my gallbladder pain either though. Any chance you are preggo? Those are my only thoughts. Hope it was just random and doesn't come back!0
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IBS can be extremely painful. People tend to think it can't be that awful. I have had pains worse than when I was in labor. They do come and go just like labor pains. Fortunately I've only dealt with it a handful of times. I have family members that get them frequently. That may be what you experienced. Hopefully it was just a one time thing. Good thing you have a doctors appointment to follow up on it.0
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My gallbladder was removed several years ago, so it's not that. And no in pregnancy -they ran a test on me just to be sure. But thank everyone for all of the advice. I definitely have some things to keep an eye on now.0
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My thoughts would be either adhesions (scar tissue from the surgery), or potentially an internal hernia (this would have to be diagnosed with cat scan). Both can cause intermittent pain. I would insist on the CT if it returns! Hope it doesn't though!0
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