Any doctors on here? Severe abdominal pains.

romanigypsyeyes · 04-12-2012, 12:51 AM

Hi all. I'm posting here because I frequent here and I've seen health threads before. I just need some advice.

I'm away at college and don't really have time to go see my regular doctor right now. My insurance won't let me go to an out-of-network doctor so I'd have to go home or pay ridiculous fees. Never been a problem and I have a regular appointment set for less than a month from now after finals (May 7th).

About a month ago, I started waking up every once in a while (maybe once a week) with severe upper abdominal pain (right below the rib cage) and pain on the same spot on my back (the middle of my back). It only ever occurs while I'm sleeping and always in the same spot. The pain is so severe that it wakes me up and it takes me about an hour to go back to sleep. I've tried sleeping on different beds, the couch, etc. Doesn't make a difference. When I woke up in the morning, the pain would be gone.

Around the same time, I started noticing that I was having a rather immediate and gross reaction to lettuce. Sometimes, within an hour of eating it, I vomit more than once. I'm a vegetarian and I've NEVER had this problem before. I've been a vegetarian for around 7 years and lettuce has always been a staple of my diet. I've also got a strong stomach and rarely, if ever, vomit from anything.

Last night, the pain happened again and now the pain in my back has stayed with me all day which is a new development. I don't have much of an appetite, nor have I for a few weeks, and I'm almost afraid to eat lettuce. It's getting worse and I'm not sure what to do.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? I've tried googling but I haven't found much. I really can't afford to take a day off of school/work right now as there's less than 4 weeks left but obviously I don't want to put my health off either.

Sorry guys, I'm just stressed and a bit scared. If this isn't appropriate for here, feel free to shut it down.

IloveLA · 04-12-2012, 01:04 AM

Does your insurance have a number you can call to speak with a nurse? That might offer some reassurance.

emeraldkity4 · 04-12-2012, 01:04 AM

My first thought would be digestive issues . They can be pretty severe. Are you hydrated? Eating plenty of fiber & getting exercise?
Is there a health clinic at your school?
I think the lettuce is a separate issue but you may be sensitive to pesticides. There are several fruit & vegetables that I can only tolerate if I eat organic.

The List | EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides | Environmental Working Group | EWG.org

romanigypsyeyes · 04-12-2012, 01:10 AM

There is a health center at my school but the're notoriously terrible. I've been there ONCE. They gave me a pregnancy test when I knew I had a sinus infection (they give EVERYONE a pregnancy test). They told me it was from lack of sleep and didn't bother to test me for anything other than a pregnancy. It's a running joke, unfortunately. I'd rather drive home than go there.

EK, I've tried different types of lettuce with the same results, but I'll definitely take a look at that list!

Ilove- I'm not sure, actually. I'll get ahold of my mom tomorrow. She knows the ins and outs of our insurance.

I've been trying to avoid talking to my parents about this issue. They freak out about medical things because I tend to not tell anyone that something is wrong until it gets really bad (for example, when I had to be rushed the ER with a ruptured cyst or the last time I had to go to the hospital with a nasty kidney infection).

romanigypsyeyes · 04-12-2012, 01:16 AM

I looked at that list. I eat a lot of apples and blueberries, too. I wonder if there's a connection there.

Perhaps I'll start cutting things out and see if I can find a trigger.

LasMa · 04-12-2012, 02:12 AM

romani, I agree about not messing around with the student health center. But I'm uncomfortable with self-diagnosis for something that's persistent and getting worse. My experience with on-call nurses is that for anything more serious than a hangnail, they usually end up telling you to go to the doctor anyway.

IMO your best bet is an urgent care center so that an MD can take a look at you. They usually have evening and weekend hours, so hopefully it wouldn't interfere with your schedule too much. Call ahead to make sure they take your insurance.

I hope you feel better very soon.

poetsheart · 04-12-2012, 02:47 AM

Romani, please understand that I am not attempting to diagnose your ailment, as I am not any sort of medical professional. However, when you mentioned the location and severity of your pain, I was reminded of a warning the maker of one of my prescription drugs issued to users:

Quote:

Stop taking XXXX and call your doctor right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe and will not go away. The pain may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back. The pain may happen with or without vomiting. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis.

Here is a link to a website offering information on pancreatitis:

Pancreatitis Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, Tests

This information may or may not be useful. Regardless, you need to get to a doctor, or perhaps an Emergency Room or Urgent Care center immediately, even if your insurance will not cover the costs. Have you actually called the 1-800 patient information no. on your insurance card and confirmed they will not pay for an out-of-network visit? Most will pay for medical treatments of a emergency nature, even out-of-network. Please, please don't wait around. Get seen!

theduck · 04-12-2012, 03:25 AM

I agree with the guy above. Persistent abdominal pain that is steadily getting worse is not something you should ignore or take another month to see a Doctor for. I would either contact your insurance and get a appointment with someone in network, or just go to an emergency room.

Planestate · 04-12-2012, 06:38 AM

Not a medical professional here, but I agree with those who are urging you to get a professional evaluation soon. Your insurance should cover costs if the urgent care doctor determines that it may be an emergency.

VAMom2015 · 04-12-2012, 07:02 AM

Yes, go see a doctor. Emergency rooms are no fun but most insurance will cover emergency visits and this would qualify. Hope it you get answers soon.

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howsefrau32 · 04-12-2012, 07:35 AM

Agree with everyone telling you to go see a doctor. Was just going to share that when I was in my early 20's I had horrible pain as you described and had all sorts of tests to see if had an ulcer or what was going on, and after my detective work by myself, I learned that I was drinking 4-6 cups of coffee a day, and for me, that was what was causing my EXTREME pain. I'm in my 40's now and have learned that I can only have 2-3 cups of coffee a week or I suffer. I know many people who have this same sensitivity to caffeine. Not sure if you are a big coffee drinker, I just know it is something that is often overlooked, and I figured it out myself. I guess I could have had decaf but I can't stand the stuff, so even to this day I just get by with 2-3 cups a week. I hope you see a doctor soon if it doesn't improve.

romanigypsyeyes · 04-12-2012, 08:12 AM

Thanks everyone. No, I don't drink coffee but I do drink mountain dew.

I'm going to try to get an appointment for Monday as I woke up with pain again today, although much less pain than yesterday.

SteveMA · 04-12-2012, 08:15 AM

Have you called your insurance company to see if there are providers in your area? Often they will even have this information available online. You just put in your zip code and it finds doctors within X number of miles.

As for the student health center and pregnancy testing--I hear you on that. Way back when they did that at the school I attended too. I went ONE time to the student health center for a rash on my arm, they wanted to give me a pregnancy test. I refused because I knew, short of immaculate conception, that I was NOT pregnant...

Nrdsb4 · 04-12-2012, 08:44 AM

I thought I had pancreatitis, but it turned out to be the pro-dromal symptoms of shingles. Point being, it looked like a duck, quacked like a duck, but turned out to be a goat.

In other words, don't try to diagnose yourself and don't take anyone's word on a message board-see the doctor.

A poster on another thread complained of leg cramps and she received all kinds of well meaning advice that ranged from eating bananas, taking supplements, to drinking pickle juice. Several encouraged her to see a doctor. Turns out she had a blood clot (DVT) in her leg that without treatment could easily have traveled to her lungs and killed her while she ate her bananas.

People on here are smart, some are medical professionals, but none can diagnose you.

I hope you feel better soon!

milkandsugar · 04-12-2012, 08:55 AM

Romanigypseyes,
I agree that you should get some medical attention. Some questions to ask yourself: which side is the pain on, when was your last bowel movement, does it only occur at certain times like after eating, is it tender when you press on the area. Any Pain with urination. You should definitely be tested for H Pylori. The pain can worsen when the stomach is empty.( thus the nightime pain)
If it is happening only at night while reclining and in bed it could be a hiatal hernia. Is the pain radiating to your shoulder blade? Any nausea or vomitting? These answers can give some insight into the possible causes. These are just suggestions and in no way constitues a diagnosis.