Undiagnosed Illness - Sick of Being Sick

My Medical Conditions

Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction
Sphincter of Oddi
Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is a medical problem where the sphincter doesn’t contract and relax normally. It then obstructs the flow of bile from the gallbladder into the intestine, thereby causing the same pain as in gallbladder disease, and it also obstructs the flow of pancreas juice into the intestine, which can lead to pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). This explains why people with a sphincter of Oddi problem have symptoms such as recurrent attacks of abdominal pain that are often aggravated by meals, particularly by fatty foods. It also explains why sphincter of Oddi dysfunction may be diagnosed as gallbladder disease, and why these patients continue to experience pain after the gallbladder has been removed.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS
Pain and discomfort may occur in different parts of the abdomen. Pain usually comes and goes. The length of each bout of pain can vary greatly. The pain often eases when you pass stools or wind. Many people with IBS describe the pain as a spasm or colic. The severity of the pain can vary from mild to severe, both from person to person, and from time to time in the same person. Bloating and swelling of your abdomen may develop from time to time.

Endometriosis
Endometriosis Symptoms
The most common sign of endometriosis is severe pelvic (lower abdominal) pain. It may occur occasionally or constantly, and it may be associated with a women's period. Although slight cramps for a couple of days before or during a menstrual period are normal, lasting or intense pain that disrupts a person's day is not. The symptoms of endometriosis:

Pelvic pain that gets worse after sex, or after a pelvic exam

A very heavy period

Lower back pain

Constipation, diarrhea, or feeling pain or seeing blood when going to the bathroom (endometrial implants can press on some of the organs involved in getting waste out of the body, such as the bladder, intestines, and rectum) .

Costochondritis
Also Called Tietze's Syndrome
Costochondritis is a condition that causes chest pain due to inflammation of the cartilage and bones in the chest wall. Also called Tietze's Syndrome, costochondritis occurs when there is inflammation at the junction of the rib bone and breastbone (sternum). At this junction, there is cartilage joining these bones. This cartilage can become irritated and inflamed. Depending on the extent of the inflammation, costochondritis can be quite painful.

Adenomyosis
Benign Condition
Adenomyosis is the growth of uterine tissue from one particular layer of the uterus (the endometrial glands) into the wrong layer (the muscle layer, called the myometrium). It is a benign condition, but it can enlarge the uterus presenting as a growth.

Splenic Flexure Syndrome
Very Painful
Splenic flexure syndrome refers to the trapping of gas at the splenic flexure causing distension and bloating.

Anal Sphincter Dysfunction
Constipation
I suffer extreme bouts of Constipation. Daily doses of Movicol and Normacol.

Neuropathic Pain
Damaged Nerves
Neuropathic pain is a complex, chronic pain state that usually is accompanied by tissue injury. With neuropathic pain, the nerve fibers themselves may be damaged, dysfunctional or injured. These damaged nerve fibers send incorrect signals to other pain centers. The impact of nerve fiber injury includes a change in nerve function both at the site of injury and areas around the injury. Symptoms may include shooting and burning pain, tingling and numbness or electrical pain.

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Cause of Constipation
Pelvic floor dysfunction, or obstructed defecation, results when the external anal sphincter and/or puborectalis muscles do not relax appropriately when defecation is initiated. People with pelvic floor dysfunction strain excessively in a feeble attempt to eliminate stool from the rectum.

Undiagnosed Illness

Sick of Being Sick

Over the past three years friends of friends of friends have mentioned specialist who I should go see. They will fix you

I can't recall every one of them, but as history has shown no one could help, and the constant it's all in you head really started to pi-- me off.

I made an appointment with a Professor of Gastroenterology, and he took an interest but only briefly. He helped with areas he could help in but mentioned my left sided rib pain needed a closer look at my someone in that area of expertise. After a few procedures and tests, that all showed something unusual. It was suggested I try Biofeedback Therapy.

I made the appointment and discussed my opinions, the course would be once a week for 7 weeks, and the drive would take around 2 hours, usually more because of peek hour traffic. The doctor I spoke with to get the biofeedback going was not impressed with the medication I'm on tramadol which can slow down the bowel, so I was advised if I want to start this course I need to stop this medication.

Arrrrrggggggggg

After three years this has been the only medication to relieve my pain, get me back to work, even for a few hours a day, and enable me to live some sort of life. I refused to stop because of the above mentioned. I said if I can find another pain medication that won't interfer with this course, and help ease my pain I would gladly come off tramadol and do the course, so Biofeedback is on the TO DO LIST when I can manage my pain with other methods.

I have found a lovely Lady who does lymphatic massage, so that is a weekly pain relief for me, although just 3 days ago I resigned from work due to the past three years of absolute agony, so I'm not going to be able to continue with my weekly sessions.

My Doctor, who has been there for me, said some time ago, we need to concentrate on managing the pain, and stop searching for a diagnoses with all these tests, as they have shown in the past not to be of any benefit, so my frame of mind for some time was

Ok lets concentrate on that

It took me a while to stick with that idea, because I wanted to be diagnosed, but I new it was perhaps for the best at that stage.

So last week I need to refill my tramadol script, and he was not happy . Saying we need a different path, he's worried about the addictive factor of this medication, and the side effects it may produce. This drug was recommended by my pain management specialist, who advised the Doctor of drug options.

Arrrrrrgggggggggg

After all this time, he finally got me to agree we need to work on pain management, and not search for a diagnosis, which he doesn't realise how hard that was for me, and to now say we need a plan of action to diagnose me.

This just shi...ts me so much I could harm someone........ The Doctor is playing games with my mind. What else can you do at this stage? I completely agree about the additive factor tramadol could cause, from my research this drug can be highly addictive. But the issue for me now is, I pay the doctor to refer me for this, that and the other, referred for tests, procedures, etc that I research, I do the hard yards, he gets the money. I'm the doctor without a degree, if only I could refer myself.

So now I'm on the hunt again for what other procedures could be performed, relevant to my symptoms, then ask my doctor for a referral. I have many in mind, one's previously mentioned to the doctor, but told we need to work on pain management, NOT a DIAGNOSIS...NO MORE TESTS OR PRODEDURES......

I'm not coping too well at the moment, I resigned from work, I'm in agony, Doctor is playing games with my mind and I'm fed up again. I'm so tired of people saying But what are you going to do for money NOT I hope you feel better soon.

If my family and fiancée were not there for support and understanding, I don't know what I would do.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Verne, Mum, Dad, Robyn, Kelly, Leslie and Kathy. Hayley, Jerry-Lee, Natassja and little Keithy. I love you all so much, and you have no idea how much you mean to me.

I need to take a break from writing as I'm becoming a little emotional. I need to re-align so to speak, and stop thinking about all this for a while. Spend more time outside (in the freezing weather !) spend more time off the computer, and get outdoors in the garden. But I shall return to vent my frustrations, and will always keep the website up to date for anyone that has taken an interest in my story.

It's a rather boring and long saga.

I have read and re-read the story, and my god I am NOT a very good writer at all ! lol

My grammar is appalling, some parts will not make any sense to you, but they do for me !

Take care everyone, and never give up hope. It's NOT ALL IN YOUR HEAD

It Is Real

I have posted updates on my forum, so please come and visit. September I will be seeing a Neurosurgeon ! Undiagnosed Illness Forum If you have any suggestion's or comments I would love to hear from you.

Don't forget to and check back often for updates

Medical Tests So Far

I've had some of these procedures more then once

Ultrasound

CT Scan

MRI

X-Ray

Colonoscopy

Gastroscopy

Sigmoidoscopy

Sigmoidoscopy is a procedure in which a doctor looks in your large intestine. A length of flexible tube connected to a fiberoptic camera is used. A light is transmitted through the scope to the tip by a bundle of light fibers. The doctor uses this light to look at your intestine through an eyepiece or video screen.

Hida Scan

A hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan helps evaluate the function of the gallbladder and the bile ducts. Doctors also refer to this procedure as cholescintigraphy. In preparation for a HIDA scan, a dye or other chemical (radioactive tracer) is injected into your vein. The tracer travels to your liver and then into the bile ducts. A special scanner placed over your abdomen tracks the movement of the tracer through your biliary tract and makes images of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. A HIDA scan is used to diagnose:

Obstruction of the bile ducts, such as due to gallstones or rarely, tumors.

Diseases of the gallbladder.

Bile leaks.

Barium Meal Test

A barium meal is a type of X-ray investigation. Both a barium swallow and a barium meal test involve you swallowing a liquid suspension of barium sulphate before a series of X-rays are taken of your upper digestive tract. In a barium swallow test, X-ray images are taken of your pharynx (throat) and your oesophagus (the passageway that connects your throat to your stomach) sometimes called your gullet. In a barium meal test, X-ray images are taken of your stomach and the beginning of your duodenum (the beginning of your small intestine, the passageway that takes food away from your stomach). A barium meal test is often performed straight after a barium swallow test. Barium swallow and barium meal tests help doctors to diagnose inflammation, ulcers or tumours in the oesophagus, stomach or duodenum.

Laparoscopy

Ultrasound

I know alot of people can relate. I hope you all have close families because they really do make a difference.

Exhausted From Pain

It's been 3 years and 4 months, and yep still undiagnosed. I'm extremely exhausted.

Exhausted

Journal

This website is meant to be therapeutic.. A place for me to vent and express my feelings. Somedays I find it frustrating because it brings back memories when doctor's gave up, saying it was all in my head, nothing wrong with me, yet I pushed on with different doctor's and GUESS WHAT ? they found more medical conditions!

Undiagnosed