Undiagnosed Illness - How It All Started

Medical History

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome IBS is a syndrome, meaning a group of symptoms. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort often reported as cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and or constipation. IBS affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool. IBS is not a disease. It’s a functional disorder, meaning that the bowel doesn’t work, or function, correctly.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis Symptoms Endometriosis is a common medical condition characterized by growth beyond or outside the uterus of tissue resembling endometrium, the tissue that normally lines the uterus. In endometriosis, the endometrium (from endo, inside, and metra, womb ) is found to be growing outside the uterus, most commonly in the pelvis.

Costochondritis

Also called Tietze's Syndrome
Costochondritis is a form of inflammation of the cartilage where ribs attach to the breastbone.

Pain caused by Costochondritis may mimic that of a heart attack or other heart condition.

Adenomyosis

Endometriosis of the Uterus
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.

Neuropathic Pain

Neuralgia
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.

Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction

(SOD)
Sphincter of oddi is situated in the upper intestine, or duodenum, at the site where the pancreatic and bile ducts enter. Normally, this sphincter functions as a one-way valve to allow bile and pancreatic secretions to enter the bowel, while preventing the contents of the bowel from backing up into these ducts. Sphincter of oddi

When the sphincter malfunctions, it becomes overly tight and does not allow adequate drainage of the pancreatic and bile ducts. The result is a pressure build-up in the ducts, leading to recurrent episodes of pancreatitis or biliary pain mimicking gallstone disease.

Splenic Flexure Syndrome

Muscle Spasms of the Colon
Splenic flexure syndrome refers to the trapping of gas at the splenic flexure causing distension and bloating. Pain can be felt up under the left ribs. When the pain is really bad, it can enter the left armpit.

Anal Sphincter Dysfunction
Significant Cause of Constipation

Anal Sphincter Dysfunction can result from nerve damage as well as from lacerations of the sphincter. Tears are an important risk factor for long-term anal sphincter dysfunction.

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Predominantly Affecting Females

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.

Mystery Diagnosis

Living With an Undiagnosed Illness

November 2005 I experienced very painful (electric shock is the best way I can describe it) pains in my vagina. I thought perhaps because of my weight gain (now I was not overly heavy) I'm 5.7 ft and at that stage 80kg.

Relatives and friends had mentioned when they gained weight they also experienced more period pain, so I put in down to that. Over a two month period my stomach ballooned in size. I was still having what I class as normal periods, lasting 5 days, but they steadily became heavier.

After some persuasion from my fiancée (we have been together 10 years so he knows about my aches and pains ) he convinced me to see a doctor. After 2 months of stomach growth and electric shock pains I ventured off to see a doctor (the first of many to come).

First Doctor Visit

The doctor ran some blood tests I had an internal exam and an ultrasound. I mentioned the possibility of pregnancy but the result was negative. I thought maybe a little too early to say. We agreed it was still possible, after all some women don't test positive to a pregnancy test until in the later stages, and sometimes not at all. I have heard about women who during pregnancy still have normal periods. My sister continued to have her normal period when pregnant with her first child, and her periods continued for at least 3 months.

The first ultrasound confirmed not pregnant, but I had some fluid in my Pouch of Douglas.

I continue to see this Doctor for a few months, not getting anywhere, blood results came back all normal, ultrasound nothing to worry about, apparently women can have fluid in their pouch of Douglas and it's no major concern. I continue to get a little bigger in the stomach (the only other parts of my body I put on weight are my breasts, which starting leaking a white milky substance, (I thought it was milk) and no complaints about getting bigger boobs!.

Sick Days My work started to suffer, it was hard dealing with customers when the pain hit. I was always in a constant state of pain or discomfort, I felt alot of pressure in my stomach, especially under my left rib cage, the electric shock type pains hit often. The pressure under my left rib cage just got worse and worse, it was so tender I could barely touch it (and still to this day it remains the same).

After having no luck with this Doctor, who also admitted being baffled by my illness, asked me to try Anti Depressants (apparently to help me sleep), I was then referred me to a gastroenterologist. Thinking the stomach bloating and pain may be bowel related.

The Story Continues ....... If you would like to continue reading: Gastroenterologist

Medical Procedures

Colonic Transit Study

CT Scan /Abdominal / Pelvis

MRI / Chest / Spine

X-Ray Lungs

Colonoscopy

Gastroscopy

Sigmoidscopy

Bone Scan

Hida Scan

Barium Meal

Laparoscopy x 3

Abdominal Ultrasound

Pelvic Ultrasound

Abdominal Wall Ultrasound

Infrared Imaging

Cholecystectomy

Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)

This website is therapeutic.. A place for me to vent and express my feelings. When problems bother you in real life your always advised to talk about it but with an undiagnosed illness your often told just live with it and carry on with your life. Easier said then done.

Undiagnosed Forum

Thank you to all members of the forum for your continued support, encouragement and guidance.

Mystery Diagnosis

Just over 5 years now and Im still undiagnosed. I'm extremely exhausted.