“What is wrong with my abdomen?”
I have had abdominal pain for two months, and it has just gotten severely worse. I have had countless doctor and hospital visits, and they failed to give me any answers. I was wondering if you could possibly give me any answers?
Female | 18 years old
Complaint duration: 57 days
Medications: n/a
Conditions: n/a
3 Answers
Dr. Arundathi Rao
Sarasota, FL
My recommendation would be to keep a food journal to see if you can identify if there is a food trigger. Along the same lines, I would recommend seeing an allergist and and a gastroenterologist. Upper and lower endoscopy (camera's used to look in your stomach and colon)may prove helpful. There are a number of GI conditions that can cause chronic abdominal pain including H.pylori, Celiac disease, SIBO and even ulcers/inflammation of the intestinal tract. I had similar issues at your age and these pains were directly related to stress.
I had irritable bowel syndrom (IBS) and I was also lactose intolerant. Your brain is the most powerful thing you have and it can cause all sorts of things to happen as a result of stress and worry. Don't neglect that aspect as you search for answers (and no, it's not all in your head). :)
I had irritable bowel syndrom (IBS) and I was also lactose intolerant. Your brain is the most powerful thing you have and it can cause all sorts of things to happen as a result of stress and worry. Don't neglect that aspect as you search for answers (and no, it's not all in your head). :)
Abdominal pain can be caused by a wide variety of problems. The location of the pain (upper vs. lower abdomen vs. pelvis; right vs. left), quality of the pain (stabbing, burning, throbbing), intensity (dull vs. severe), and duration (comes and goes through the day or week or constant) can help guide your care team to establish a diagnosis. Other concerns are if the pain is related to food intake, fasting, physical activity, sexual activity, or your menstrual cycle.
Evaluation should include a thorough history, physical exam, and adjuncts such as labs, X-rays, ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI. Very rarely, a laparoscopy (a surgical procedure where a camera is inserted into the abdomen to evaluate for problems) is required to help establish a diagnosis. In spite of all this, sometimes a definitive diagnosis for abdominal pain cannot be established and is related to a "functional" problem.
Hope this helps at least a little. Unfortunately, without more information, it is hard to guide any further. Sorry you are having so much difficulty.
Evaluation should include a thorough history, physical exam, and adjuncts such as labs, X-rays, ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI. Very rarely, a laparoscopy (a surgical procedure where a camera is inserted into the abdomen to evaluate for problems) is required to help establish a diagnosis. In spite of all this, sometimes a definitive diagnosis for abdominal pain cannot be established and is related to a "functional" problem.
Hope this helps at least a little. Unfortunately, without more information, it is hard to guide any further. Sorry you are having so much difficulty.
Start with vaginal and pelvic US. If those are negative, then consult GI. Plan for EGD, Colonoscopy and possible CT scan of abdomen and pelvis.
