Severe abdominal pain radiating to the back

by Phyllis
(Ada, OK, USA)

I am a 69 year old white female with severe pain which started in the right side of the abdomen under the ribs.

I thought at first I had a bowel blockage because I had not had a bowel movement for about 7 days.

I was seen in the ER a week ago where a CAT scan, blood work, EKG and chest x-ray were performed. Everything came back normal.

I was placed on pain medication.

I then went to see an internal medicine specialist who thought it was muscular pain and prescribed a muscle relaxant.

A week later the pain has gone into my right hip and lower back. I can't sleep, sit, or bend down without having severe pain. I have had kidney stones in the past and although this pain is similar in severity I do not feel this is what I now have.

I have a lot of bloating with gas and diarrhea and the pain is somewhat relieved by the release of gas.

The Dr. has scheduled a colonoscopy for next Friday because I have not had one for 10 years.

My gallbladder has been taken out already due to gall stones. I have had a hysterectomy 30 years ago due to cystic fibrosis of the uterus. This included an appendectomy and removal of tubes and ovaries.

Medications I am currently taking are:
Hydrochlorot 25 mg daily in AM - a diuretic
Lisinopril 2.5 mg daily in AM for high blood pressure
Crestor 40 mg daily in AM for high cholesterol
Effexor 150 mg daily in AM for depression and PTSD
Levothyroxin 25 mcg daily in AM for low thyroid
Lyrica 225 mg daily at night for neuropathy of the feet (Hx of poor circulation)
Seroquel 25 mg daily at HS for sleep
Aspirin 81 mg daily for history of stroke and CAD with heart attack.

Over the counter meds prescribed by physician due to low test results:
Vitamin D3 1000 IU daily in AM
Potassium one capsule daily in AM (plus a banana daily)
Optimized Folate 1000 mcg daily in AM
Magnesium 250 mg daily in AM for history of IBS
Fiber supplement daily in AM for bowel consistency taken with extra water
(I have found that Centrum Silver for Women have all the vitamins I am taking in them and I can reduce the number of pills I take by 3 which I plan to do).

I do not like taking this many medications but it prevents disease and problems that I have had in the past.

I am allergic to Morphine, Codeine and Darvon. I was given too much morphine when I had a kidney stone and it caused a heart attack. They inadvertently gave me more morphine and I coded in the operating room. I had 2 stents placed at that time.

It is hard to find a pain medication that is not morphine based so I do not take them often. I do not use over the counter pain meds at all.

I have a physical exam and blood and urine tests done every six months and have been in pretty good health up until now.

I was in Europe the week before the symptoms started. Is it possible that I have some kind of bacterial infection from there?

My present pain is so intense that I can not sleep even with my bedtime medication. I can not get comfortable.

A heating pad helps some but when I move the pain becomes worse.

I have diarrhea about every 30 minutes. The stools are not runny but elongated and thin. I can walk without pain but when I sit or bend the pain becomes unbearable somewhat like a broken bone (which I have had many including both arms, both legs (one has a Titanium rod), broken ribs (one was removed because it was poking me in the intestines), broken collar bone, and shattered heel and ankle due to falling out of a tree. (I was getting the web worms out).

The symptoms are similar to IBS, which I have had in the past, but more severe.

Pancreatitis was ruled out in the ER because of the tests performed. I am out of pain medication (Ketorolac 10 mg) given to me in the ER and the muscle relaxant (Zanaflex 4 mg) does not seem to help much.

Please help! (as soon as possible)!!


....................................................................Dear Phyllis,

We are really sorry that it has taken us 12 days from when you posted your request before we could work our way up there.

Hope you are much better now, and the cause of this severe right side abdominal pain radiating to your back must have been found from your colonoscopy. Was it from a diverticular disease of your ascending colon or a colitis?

Kidney stones, ruptured right ovarian cyst – I suppose your ovaries were not removed with your hysterectomy, and rare conditions like porphyria are possible causes of this pain you described.

Thank you for using our free online service. Though we are always happy to provide quick services where possible via our free online consultation platform, paid consults are faster as we can deploy the services of a physician who is then paid to provide answers.

Many thanks again for visiting us and we hope to be of service to you in the future.

Dr Omatseye Edema MD MSc MRCGP CCFP DRCOG
Family Physician, Emergency Medicine Practitioner and WebMD
Abdopain.com.

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