Tap Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I woke up in the middle of the night with a pain in my abdomen, unlike anything I have had before. It is still hurting 12 hours later. It is a sharp pain, just at the front/side edge of my right rib cage and sometimes it hurts across the front of my ribs over to the left side. It hurts to cough or move too much. It hurts if I press on it, feels better when I let go. Over the day, my stomach seems to be getting bloated but I haven't had any trouble going to the bathroom. The oddest symptom seems to be bugging me. Since last night (before the pain started) I have had chills, no fever. I usually have the furnace at 68-70. Today, I have had it at 72 and I am under a comforter and the one blanket I usually sleep under. At first, I thought it may have just been a touch of lactose intolerance pain (sometime I get a bit queasy from fresh milk). I had a scoop of ice cream last night and I don't usually eat that anymore. For dinner, I ordered a fajita to go, and when I opened it, it has sour cream on it. I ate a few bites around the sc, but I didn't finish it (I don't like sc). Later in the night, I had 2 pieces of cheese and pretzels. That is a common snack for me. With the ice cream and sour cream, my first instinct was to suspect Lactose, but when the pain didn't subside yet today, I started thinking maybe it is something else. The other thing I ate yesterday and today was some homemade beef vegetable soup. If I stay laying flat it doesn't really hurt, but if I try to sit up, it really hurts. I have been on the couch all day. I really doesn't feel like a strained muscle. My insurance has a high deductible, so it will cost around $200 to go to urgent care. If it gets worse, get a fever or if I hurt tomorrow, I will go in. I took a hot Epsom salts bath, but all it did was warm me up for 30 minutes and then I had chills again. I haven't had issues before but it just sticks in my mind that this seems 'gallbladderish' to me. Any other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I had a bad attack after eating some mayo on a sandwich about 9 years ago. I did not have chills like you mentioned. I had terrible pain that mimicked really bad heartburn, but also radiated to back pain. The pain in the front was right in the middle, but below my rib cage, nothing on my ribs hurt. I basically had a sack full of stones, not a real functioning gall bladder. I also had a stone come loose and get stuck near the main duct from my liver which they told me is why I had the back pain too. Now I do get terrible pain and bloating feelings but that is due to having a hiatal hernia (about 3" of my stomach will poke through the hole in my diaphram) It stinks but there isn't anything I can do about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Hmm...not sure. I had my first even gallbladder attack this past Christmas night (yeah, fun in the ER on Christmas!) It came on suddenly...I had never had any sort of gallbladder issues before. However, I've heard that it can occur postpartum and I was only 7 weeks postpartum. It began in the evening as a slight pain in my upper abdomen, right between my rib cage, under the breastbone (epigastric pain). At first I thought it was gas pain, since I'm prone to that. But it began to get more and more intense. I was finally in such pain that I was rolling around, changing position constantly, trying to find some sort of comfortable way to lay. No matter what I did, the pain would not east up AT ALL. There was no relief....constant horrible pain. It would wrap around my entire midsection, right at the bottom of my ribs. The back pain was horrible as well. I ended up using the bathroom, thinking that would help. It didn't though. And I finally threw up due to the pain, but it only eased for about 5 minutes. After about 3 hours of it, I finally went to the ER. I had a feeling it was my gallbladder. Sure enough....gallstones. It only went away after an IV dose of Fentanyl and two Vicodin. I was in horrible pain from 9 PM until about 5 AM. I had it removed at the end of January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtoamiracle Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 you could have an infection in the gallbladder or pancreas, that would cause chills. If you're still in pain tomorrow, definetly go to the hospital. Or if you get worse tonight. My dad had an attack and the inflammation was so bad they said if he wouldn't have come in when he did it would have burst and he would have died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 That sounds identical to my pain....right before my appendix had to come out. Started out up high, and I felt sick (I think chills/fever--hard to remember now since this was a few years ago.) Then it eventually moved down and localized in my lower right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 With severe abdominal pain, I would definitely go to the ER. With the chills even more so IMO. :grouphug: I am sorry about the high deductible but your health and life are more important. I had my gallbladder out and I am glad I did. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 With severe abdominal pain, I would definitely go to the ER. With the chills even more so IMO. :grouphug: I am sorry about the high deductible but your health and life are more important. I had my gallbladder out and I am glad I did. :grouphug: I agree. I keep telling myself that if it were my child, I would have taken them already. Thennnnn.....the pain fades a bit........and I think "oh, I am getting better......and then I move. LOL My pain has faded a bit, and I am going to try to eat a bit of chicken soup. I will see how food affects it and go from there. Everyone has been gone today, so I would have to drive myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 That sounds identical to my pain....right before my appendix had to come out. Started out up high, and I felt sick (I think chills/fever--hard to remember now since this was a few years ago.) Then it eventually moved down and localized in my lower right. :iagree: Sounds like your appendix! Get yourself to the hospital! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I'm an RN and I think you should go to the hospital. If it indeed is your appendix and you wait, you could be dealing with a much different scenario in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Please go in. It sounds like gallbladder or pancreatic issues. Possibly appendix. Waiting can create a more serious issue. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Did you go in? Are you better? Please keep us posted! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I'm just seeing this and wondered if you went in? I agree with the others that this sounds like appendix. My ds had his out last summer and these were his exact symptoms. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 About an hour after I posted, the chills went away and I the pain started to disapate. I never did have a fever. I still hurt, but not like I did. The area is still tender, but nothing like what it was yesterday. I don't think it is the appendix, the pain was higher than that and didn't follow the traditional path. Ds had a 'hot' appendix growing up (one that flares and then goes back to normal repeatedly), so I am pretty well versed in those symptoms. Of anything I researched, I am wondering if it is maybe something with my ascending colon. The pain follows that path pretty distinctly. I was on soft/light foods yesterday and I will do the same today (except my cup of Joe this morning :) ). If the chills return, I will head in ASAP and I will contact my primary doc tomorrow just to make sure she doesn't want to see me still. Thanks for helping me think it though last night, I really appreciate it. ~ Tap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.