# new to the site and looking for answers



## bronco66 (Dec 21, 2013)

Hey all,

So first off last spring I started having upper abdominal discomfort while i was in iraq. It would be your classic right upper quadrant gallbladder pain. I developed and infection and was on antibiotics for almost two weeks. After two weeks of trying different antibiotics,I got flown home and went to the gastro doctor. They did the endoscopy and colonoscopy and said all looked normal but could tell i had IBS. Still stumbed they did a HIDA scan which for the most part was normal. There was a little discomfort but nothing like the pain during an attack.

Surgeon felt very confident it was my gallbladder so we took out the gallbladder. He said everything else inside looked fine but that my gallbladder had been kinked on itself. Post surgery i would wake up sometimes in the middle of the night or early morning with and intense cramping aching feeling in my upper abdomen. The surgeon said that was my diaphragm spasming post surgery....the rest of the summer went pretty good. The upper abdomen pain left. The only thing that would sometimes still be present was brain fog, which was usually around from the beginning of this whole story.

I'm now in Africa. The upper abdominal pain is back with the cramping and aching feeling that occurs in the night or after I wake up. At times its like a stabbing paind and other times a burning pain. I have hypnotic jerks at times, i believe from the stress and anxiety of feeling bad again. And also a kind of shocking jolt feeling that will wake me. Again maybe stress. If I have to go home so be it I just want to get whatever is causing all of this taken care of. I don't know what tests they could do, theyve already done alot. Maybe abdominal CT scan. Again I'm new to all of this looking for answers. Has anyone had stuff like this? I'm trying not to worry and over analyze this because i know how much stress and anxiety plays a roll. Just concerned as this feels like it did last time i got sick last spring. Thank you all for your time.


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## BettyA (Dec 29, 2013)

I SO wish I could tell you something that would just instantly help you! But, please, do this. I don't know when you will be able to go back to the states, but when you do (hopefully soon!) please WRITE every single symptom down and take it with you to the dr's....omitting NO small detail, even if you only experience it one time... it may still be a key to some answer.

We both know that stress can do Anything...even though you seem to be doing your best to handle this.

I know you are not in a position to do this NOW... but keep a food diary and you might have to go through the tedious process of an allergic reaction elimination diet...

Also, there is a chance it could be parasites. Don't let that frighten you, many people live daily with them...but sometimes it can genuinely be debilitating. You can have the dr's check for that, too.

I wish you the best of luck with everything. Sometime...who knows when...you WILL find an answer and be well again!


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