You couldn't script this. Or, when I laugh!

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
I have just spent a week in hospital because I woke up with a pain (really stabbing excruciating pain) so obviously I phoned the emergency services and then got sent to emergency department and a time when I would be seen. And I was, well about five minutes late.
Of course we all presumed it was definitely appendicitis. It wasn't! My question is has anyone any idea of what it could be?
After an examination, I was then took up to emergency surgery unit.
I was given a bed, a covid test, a wrist strap, a cup of black tea, another covid test, a blood glucose finger prick test, 4.2. And a nurse who gave me another cup of black tea, paracetamol and took my vitals and went through my medical history. She had no idea about Hypoglycaemia. Nothing has changed!

So after an hour or so getting comfortable and getting my overnight bag delivered to the hospital ward, the surgeon/consultant, poked, prodded and questioned me about my pain. By the time he was finished my upper abdominal area was really sore, so a couple more paracetamol appeared with a jug of water.

By now, it was well past teatime and I hadn't ate all day, so I enquired about something suitable from the kitchen.
The answer was either toast or cereal or a sandwich. I rejected the offer. By this time the nurses had been in conversation and a salad box appeared, but as usual, it had kinds of dressings and mayo, salad cream and so on, so I once declined again. I told them that I would do without, until the next morning.
So the nurses got together and within fifteen minutes, there was a plain old salad and I never asked but it was one of the best meals I have ever had, I believe it was from mackies.
I read and listened to my music (no television) until I fell asleep. I woke up about two hours later in complete agony. So after pressing the alarm and more paracetamol, a cup of tea, my nurse and I had a long conversation about how I had been diagnosed and the tests and more importantly my diet.
I fell asleep again and was told I was nil by mouth because I was having an ultrasound in the morning and depending on what they found, I would be likely to have surgery. My anxiety increased. I had been shaking on and off all the time I was stuck there.
A cup of tea and more paracetamol, because I was in pain, though nothing like it was overnight.
My ultrasound happened and to my surprise they were waiting for me as soon as I had booked in.
I went back to my ward and my bed, and for some reason, I felt tired and I fell asleep, no food or as such no results.
I was awakened by a posse of doctors, nurses and anybody else who could get in the ward. I was poked, prodded and assessed. BP and pulse, another covid test, They told me my blood results were good except a marker showed and further tests, but my ultrasound was clear. I still had the pain despite being Easter.
Easter Sunday was a really quiet day, I saw the consultant again and I asked him if I could go home. He said that because of the pain and they couldn't find anything conclusive for a diagnosis, but as the pain was debilitating, they recommended for me to stay in. I was going to have further blood tests and a ct scan either the next day if possible, as it was Easter Monday or the day after.
It happened the day after Easter Monday!
Every time there was shift change, the diet, the 'you are diabetic?' Question, the question of more pain killers, why didn't it hurt when someone pressed on the source of the pain, and of course why I kept asking for tea.
The fact that I was asked so many times about what I was going to have to eat, was the worst thing other than the pain. Worrying about the wife was also up there, having my phone was a blessing. And the shower was just what the doctor ordered.
By Tuesday and nil by mouth again, I became focused of where and how this pain was developing, I think that because the pain was worse in the early morning as the pain woke me up. Also the pain happened when I put something on it that was quite light, such as an open sore would be.
The ct scan was interesting and not without incident. The dye that was injected through my cannula, didn't all go through my blood vessels, it leaked into my upper arm, but there was enough to complete the scan.
Again, no waiting around, no queuing up, no fuss and plenty of staff.
Back to the ward, my new home and hoping that at last, they got the message that my dietary needs were met.
And they were. Sausage and egg, when I got the o.k.to eat. And a lovely piece of ham and salad for tea.
The next morning and I for once had a good sleep, I was awakened by the pain and the noise of staff doing their morning duties including tea, again I was nil by mouth, this definitely had me thinking that surgery was gonna happen or some other invasive procedure would occur.
No need to worry, as my final talk with the consultant was baffling. The scan showed that there was no indication of any health problems, nothing, nowt, zilch, nil, totally clear, no evidence of anything abnormal.
But why am I still in pain? My latest blood panel results were clear as well!
He said, he didn't know, he told me that for my age, my scan showed that I was really healthy.
He also said that I needed to eat more vegetables and fruits. I nodded and suggested that my dietary intake was as close to a good balance that I needed to stay healthy.
He then said to keep taking pain killers as long as I need to. It should diminish over time or I still might get a chance to have a look around your abdomen!
So I was sent packing, with no reason for the pain I'm still getting.
Does anyone have an explanation for the pain that wouldn't show up on scans or blood tests? Possibly muscular or stomach issues, which were ruled out. But it must be something?
Again, the hospital stay was really good. I do believe that the care of patients has improved since covid started and as the hospital's catch up with other than covid patients. Even though I'm still in pain, they did everything possible to get to the answer.

Stay safe.
 

searley

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
1,880
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Diabetes, not having Jaffa Cake
I phoned the doctor with heavy chest pain they said call an ambulance it’s a heart attack.. I said no it’s not just want to see gp

Went to gp.. stuck me on ecg and again said not right you’ve ha a heart attack

So ambulance to hospital.. xrays scans ecgs stress tests & blood tests all confirmed no heart attack

Still unknown what it was

Just have to accept that answer
 

ert

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,588
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
diabetes
fasting
Did they test for a urinary tract infection?

Testing that may be performed to evaluate your abdominal pain includes:
Blood tests (tick), urinalysis, abdominal x-ray and ct scan (tick)
 
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hankjam

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,270
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Spent all of yesterday in Acute Medicine following an arrhythmia on monday.... ECG sounding like a sick Geiger counter. Bloods and X-ray all good. Seems I have a heart that beats differently...
Going to be called in for further investigations.... nurses and docs were great.... just took for ever, though I suspect they were waiting on the blood results.
@Lamont D surely hope you are feeling better and will be able to put on some weight after all the missed meals.
I did wonder if I was kept in what I would do for food.... the last time I was in hospital it was not great and as a diabetic had my BGs done and the nurse who did them was very happy with the 9.6 she recorded......
I was not.
 

Riva_Roxaban

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,020
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I did wonder if I was kept in what I would do for food.... the last time I was in hospital it was not great and as a diabetic had my BGs done and the nurse who did them was very happy with the 9.6 she recorded......
I was not.
I got a mixed salad and sandwich lunch when I was in hospital a while back.

I managed to eat most of it before they realised I was a T2 and salt free diet. :bigtears:

DrGIuv4.jpg
 
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MrsA2

Expert
Messages
5,574
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@Lamont D
Not a medic... but bowels open? Did they check for kidney stones, irritable bowel, diverticulitis?
Was pain low down, high, worse before or after eating? Left or right?
 
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Oldvatr

Expert
Messages
8,470
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Surprised they did not use a camera on a stick to take internal selfies from both ends. Happened to my daughter, and even then it was No Fault Found (NFF). Maybe a twisted gut? that can be painful but difficult to diagnose from the outside. I have heard that the Vagus nerve can play up and seem to be of abdominal origin. The other culprits that spring to mind are bile duct and gall bladder probs (but these are quite common so they should know how to DX them by now)

Hope you get a resolution soon.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
My gallbladder was misdiagnosed twice in hospital (unknown pain the first time and then torn rotator cuff with referred pain!!..) and over 3 yrs and numerous gp visits, mostly as reflux and stuck on omeprazole that did nothing and pain so debilitating I would rock on the floor in tears for hours waiting on the ambulance. I eventually self diagnosed to a locum who finally sent me for a scan and found a gazillions stones. Now I’m minus a gallbladder and zero pains ever since.

If the pain doesn’t stop keep going back and keep asking questions.
 

zand

Master
Messages
10,784
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Forgive me, brain asleep again. I expect you said in your post, but I can't retain stuff very well today.
Where exactly is the pain? I had gallstones last week and felt pain on my right side, right shoulder and central chest.
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
@Lamont D, gosh, what a scary time for you. I just wanted to say I hope you get to the bottom of it and also to give a shout out to the NHS! I know we spend inordinate amounts of time complaining about them but I for one actually think they are great. It's good to know that they went all out to find you something suitable to eat, I meet up with a lot of them in my job and in the main they really DO care. x
 
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Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Did they test for a urinary tract infection?

Testing that may be performed to evaluate your abdominal pain includes:
Blood tests (tick), urinalysis, abdominal x-ray and ct scan (tick)

Oh yeah!
Every conceivable diagnostic test was done.
It feels like I have a knife next to my abdomen.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
@Lamont D
Not a medic... but bowels open? Did they check for kidney stones, irritable bowel, diverticulitis?
Was pain low down, high, worse before or after eating? Left or right?

All of the above, hence the stay in hospital.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
My gallbladder was misdiagnosed twice in hospital (unknown pain the first time and then torn rotator cuff with referred pain!!..) and over 3 yrs and numerous gp visits, mostly as reflux and stuck on omeprazole that did nothing and pain so debilitating I would rock on the floor in tears for hours waiting on the ambulance. I eventually self diagnosed to a locum who finally sent me for a scan and found a gazillions stones. Now I’m minus a gallbladder and zero pains ever since.

If the pain doesn’t stop keep going back and keep asking questions.

Oh yeah, doctors appointment Monday.
Had the scans, full blood panel, no gallstones, nothing, tests all clear!
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Forgive me, brain asleep again. I expect you said in your post, but I can't retain stuff very well today.
Where exactly is the pain? I had gallstones last week and felt pain on my right side, right shoulder and central chest.

It's been a long week and only phone to keep in touch with family etc. Plus all the anxiety with the pain, I'm not surprised that I can remember distinctly everything.
The pain is just under the ribs, right side, down towards my hip.
Are you ok now? Maybe the pain is spreading like covid!

Get sorted. Keep safe.
 

zand

Master
Messages
10,784
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It's been a long week and only phone to keep in touch with family etc. Plus all the anxiety with the pain, I'm not surprised that I can remember distinctly everything.
The pain is just under the ribs, right side, down towards my hip.
Are you ok now? Maybe the pain is spreading like covid!

Get sorted. Keep safe.
How's your mobility? Trapped nerve? Yeh OK, my recent trapped nerve sent pain downwards on the right side, not upwards, I am grasping at straws here, but then so are your HCP's...:)

Edit. Well I made a phone appointment with the doc for Wednesday 7th, but since I had the long Easter weekend to wait, I decided to do an apple juice and water fast and flush the gallstones out. I realise you couldn't do that with your RH, but my BG's weren't substantially worse than their new normal. When I spoke to the doc and told him what I had done he agreed it probably had been a blocked bile duct. I have to phone again in 3 weeks if I still have symptoms.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
@Lamont D, gosh, what a scary time for you. I just wanted to say I hope you get to the bottom of it and also to give a shout out to the NHS! I know we spend inordinate amounts of time complaining about them but I for one actually think they are great. It's good to know that they went all out to find you something suitable to eat, I meet up with a lot of them in my job and in the main they really DO care. x

Totally agree, you just can't believe what has happened and the job the staff have done, has been incredible.
They deserve better than what has been offered by our government.

Keep safe
 
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Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
How's your mobility? Trapped nerve? Yeh OK, my recent trapped nerve sent pain downwards on the right side, not upwards, I am grasping at straws here, but then so are your HCP's...:)

The funny thing is @zand that the more I do, it eases, unless I twist, bend or lift something. Walking is fine. Doing the necessary chores is ok. Trying to man up when you are in pain is not recommended, ouch is now in my top ten of words used in the last week or so.
Last Saturday/Sunday night was so bad, even pain killers didn't touch it, I refused morphine, having seen the wife struggling even with the morphine, it is not something that I would like to be doped up even for a while.
You're going through the wringer yourself, look after yourself, if you need medical care, the hospital's are open and trying to get on top of the current situation.

Keep safe.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Spent all of yesterday in Acute Medicine following an arrhythmia on monday.... ECG sounding like a sick Geiger counter. Bloods and X-ray all good. Seems I have a heart that beats differently...
Going to be called in for further investigations.... nurses and docs were great.... just took for ever, though I suspect they were waiting on the blood results.
@Lamont D surely hope you are feeling better and will be able to put on some weight after all the missed meals.
I did wonder if I was kept in what I would do for food.... the last time I was in hospital it was not great and as a diabetic had my BGs done and the nurse who did them was very happy with the 9.6 she recorded......
I was not.

I was so anxious about how I would eat, and I knew that fasting was an option, as long as I got tea and water, but over the Easter weekend, nowt is open and the restrictions don't help, family can't bring themselves or food in and you cannot get food delivery of any sort.
But, in the end, they did feed me quite well.
I hope you are feeling better now and they sort you out.

Keep safe
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,798
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
I got a mixed salad and sandwich lunch when I was in hospital a while back.

I managed to eat most of it before they realised I was a T2 and salt free diet. :bigtears:

DrGIuv4.jpg
Where is the cereal?

They haven't got a clue have they?
 

zand

Master
Messages
10,784
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
The funny thing is @zand that the more I do, it eases, unless I twist, bend or lift something. Walking is fine. Doing the necessary chores is ok. Trying to man up when you are in pain is not recommended, ouch is now in my top ten of words used in the last week or so.
Last Saturday/Sunday night was so bad, even pain killers didn't touch it, I refused morphine, having seen the wife struggling even with the morphine, it is not something that I would like to be doped up even for a while.
You're going through the wringer yourself, look after yourself, if you need medical care, the hospital's are open and trying to get on top of the current situation.

Keep safe.
Hospital?!! Eeek, do you know how much courage it takes me to talk to a nurse or GP? lol I thought I was doing rather well speaking to a doctor on the phone this week. And agreeing to blood tests again in 3 months. And perhaps another phone call in 3 week's time...
I got a chiropractor to sort out my trapped nerve and I have exercises to help it heal, so I am off the painkillers now. :)