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What Causes Abdominal And Chest Pain And Inflammation Of Entire Body?
Question: Hello Doctor,
I have been suffering from an unknown abdominal and chest pain for many years now - I have seen many doctors and to date I have spent over $160,000 trying to solve the problem, it is progressively worsening to dangerous levels.
As No Doctor has been able to work it out I started doing my own research which led me to a pancreatic possibility.
My Symptoms are
1/ Inflammation in the entire body - possibly systemic
2/ Heamoptasis (spelling) - blood on pillow in mornings
3/ GERD - Have had a Nissen Fundiplication which I am pretty sure went wrong - 3hr op and my heart stopped maybe it damaged the pancreas
4/ Left Upper Quadrant pain
5/ Popping sound/feeling and then the sound of fluid moving from one chamber to another
6/ Swallowing Motility Failures on Studies
7/ LOWERING 02 Saturation (Prime problem) - getting worse every month, down to 90 now
8/ Arterial Blood Gas studies that show very low O2 and especially P02 = 32 - DE-saturation only happens at rest - I am fine on excercise stress tests
9/ Immuno Deficiency and Lung Infections
10/ Sqaumous metaplasia in the bottom of lungs - scans suggest local inflamation in bottom of airways- no Lung Pathology to support it
11/ Yellow stool - but this may be from Plaquinal
12/ Feeling of Fullness in the stomach - like I have just been punched there
13/ Gas with very odd burps
14/ Enlarged Spleen
15/ High Uric acid (could the kidneys be compensating)
16/ Nuetrophillia - without infections
17/ High Triglycerides
18/ Abnormal LDH
19/ Abnormal (only recent) blood sugar
20/ Abnormal Albumin
21/ Dehydration found on blood tests
22/ Small signs of lower lung colapse without a reason
23/ Alectasis (spelling)
24/ Dark and smelly urine
25/ Increased and unstable heart rate
26/ Joint pain (more likely Psoriatic Arthritus)
27/ Clunking feeling in chest when breathing deep - like fluid is around the Diagphragm
I have not had any dramatic weight loss - in fact I find it hard to lose weight, even though i am very active and play indoor football 3 times a week.
I have had the following meds in the past that may affect the pancreas;
1/ Methotrexate (used for Psoriatic Arthritus) - Chemotherapy family of drugs
2/ Prednisone - on and off for last 8 years
3/ Statin Drugs for high Cholesterol - Tryglicerides
4/ Anti Retroviral Prophylactic drug (I was exposed to a girl who had HIV - took 3 week course) I am not XXXXXXX or a Drug User and I do not have HIV
5/ Immunoglubulan replacement therapy for Immunodeficiency IgG 1 and IgG 3
6/ Nexium
7/ Allopurinol
My O2 saturation in my arteries and lack of PO2 pressure is the prime concern here - it seems to only happen at rest - which is the opposite of cardiac and pulmonary complications - however with the constant abdominal ache I wonder if when i am at rest my subconscious takes over and perhaps I shallow breathe - My ABG's are quite severe and now I sleep with O2 - they will soon put me on O2 permenantly, I have lost everything and finding the solution on my own is the only choice as Doctors will not listen.
I have recenty had an MRI abdo/chest, looking at the acruate ligament in case my arterial supply was being cut off - they noted nothing special on the pancreas, I have had liver MRI's which are unremarkable - other than Fatty Liver - My Bronchoscopy's always find inflammation and sometimes blood and Gastroscopies just finds chronic stomach inflammation Gastritis (spelling).
I may be clutching at straws trying to find the answer, but can you tell me if a normal looking Pancreas could still have problems - as I believe some (a lot) of my symptoms above describe Pancreatitis / Pancreatic Cancer - My Liver has no Cirrhosis (fibroscan) - I am considering getting blood tests for the digestive enzymes etc - But I have heard these are not accurate, and I want to ensure that if I go for an ultrasound I am looking at the right things, Ie ducts vs organ etc.
I hope this all makes sense
PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS
Kindest Possible Regards,
XXXXXXX
I have been suffering from an unknown abdominal and chest pain for many years now - I have seen many doctors and to date I have spent over $160,000 trying to solve the problem, it is progressively worsening to dangerous levels.
As No Doctor has been able to work it out I started doing my own research which led me to a pancreatic possibility.
My Symptoms are
1/ Inflammation in the entire body - possibly systemic
2/ Heamoptasis (spelling) - blood on pillow in mornings
3/ GERD - Have had a Nissen Fundiplication which I am pretty sure went wrong - 3hr op and my heart stopped maybe it damaged the pancreas
4/ Left Upper Quadrant pain
5/ Popping sound/feeling and then the sound of fluid moving from one chamber to another
6/ Swallowing Motility Failures on Studies
7/ LOWERING 02 Saturation (Prime problem) - getting worse every month, down to 90 now
8/ Arterial Blood Gas studies that show very low O2 and especially P02 = 32 - DE-saturation only happens at rest - I am fine on excercise stress tests
9/ Immuno Deficiency and Lung Infections
10/ Sqaumous metaplasia in the bottom of lungs - scans suggest local inflamation in bottom of airways- no Lung Pathology to support it
11/ Yellow stool - but this may be from Plaquinal
12/ Feeling of Fullness in the stomach - like I have just been punched there
13/ Gas with very odd burps
14/ Enlarged Spleen
15/ High Uric acid (could the kidneys be compensating)
16/ Nuetrophillia - without infections
17/ High Triglycerides
18/ Abnormal LDH
19/ Abnormal (only recent) blood sugar
20/ Abnormal Albumin
21/ Dehydration found on blood tests
22/ Small signs of lower lung colapse without a reason
23/ Alectasis (spelling)
24/ Dark and smelly urine
25/ Increased and unstable heart rate
26/ Joint pain (more likely Psoriatic Arthritus)
27/ Clunking feeling in chest when breathing deep - like fluid is around the Diagphragm
I have not had any dramatic weight loss - in fact I find it hard to lose weight, even though i am very active and play indoor football 3 times a week.
I have had the following meds in the past that may affect the pancreas;
1/ Methotrexate (used for Psoriatic Arthritus) - Chemotherapy family of drugs
2/ Prednisone - on and off for last 8 years
3/ Statin Drugs for high Cholesterol - Tryglicerides
4/ Anti Retroviral Prophylactic drug (I was exposed to a girl who had HIV - took 3 week course) I am not XXXXXXX or a Drug User and I do not have HIV
5/ Immunoglubulan replacement therapy for Immunodeficiency IgG 1 and IgG 3
6/ Nexium
7/ Allopurinol
My O2 saturation in my arteries and lack of PO2 pressure is the prime concern here - it seems to only happen at rest - which is the opposite of cardiac and pulmonary complications - however with the constant abdominal ache I wonder if when i am at rest my subconscious takes over and perhaps I shallow breathe - My ABG's are quite severe and now I sleep with O2 - they will soon put me on O2 permenantly, I have lost everything and finding the solution on my own is the only choice as Doctors will not listen.
I have recenty had an MRI abdo/chest, looking at the acruate ligament in case my arterial supply was being cut off - they noted nothing special on the pancreas, I have had liver MRI's which are unremarkable - other than Fatty Liver - My Bronchoscopy's always find inflammation and sometimes blood and Gastroscopies just finds chronic stomach inflammation Gastritis (spelling).
I may be clutching at straws trying to find the answer, but can you tell me if a normal looking Pancreas could still have problems - as I believe some (a lot) of my symptoms above describe Pancreatitis / Pancreatic Cancer - My Liver has no Cirrhosis (fibroscan) - I am considering getting blood tests for the digestive enzymes etc - But I have heard these are not accurate, and I want to ensure that if I go for an ultrasound I am looking at the right things, Ie ducts vs organ etc.
I hope this all makes sense
PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS
Kindest Possible Regards,
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Hello
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Good day. Your question is popping up in the forum for the last few days and no one was daring to take it I suppose. This is because of the complexity of the issue and the problems just don't confine to a single specialty. Being a physician first and then an endocrinologist, this is my humble attempt to answer your question. I have analysed your problems and these are my thoughts.
Going through the symptoms and history which you provided, it seems that you have some kind of inflammatory disease in lungs which could be a primary event or secondary to disease like psoriasis. Due to all these you tend to develop pulmonary hypertension. In this case you tend to develop blood in sputum due to breakage of lung or bronchial blood vessels . This is a possibility.
The other possibility may be due to gastrointestinal problems as you mentioned that you underwent fundoplication before.
The third possibility is drug induced. methotrexate and allopurinol can reduce your platelet counts which also could result in blood in sputum.
Lung problems lead to congestive heart failure which can also cause blood stains in sputum.
The abdominal pain could be due to reflux disease or due to congestion in your gastrointestinal system due to lung disease. These lung pressure changes could have resulted in a condition called corpulmonale which cause blood pooling in liver , spleen and gastrointestinal tract. This cause enlargement of spleen a day liver and and abdominal pain.
Before going for any particular scan, I suggest you to meet a good physician in a teaching hospital who can guide you through. Your condition need a good discussion amongst different consultants and a multi disciplinary approach is required. Otherwise you may end up spending more money without an answer.
The low oxygen concentration in blood probably is due to pulmonary hypertension or the primary lung condition. If the oxygen level is so low, you need to be on oxygen. Has anyone suggested lung transplantation as an option?
Again, XXXXXXX this was a humble attempt to answer few of your questions. Please let me know if you need any clarifications. I am on a course in Italy and is not constantly in wifi zone. Probably will be able to answer flow up questions by tomorrow evening .
Regards
Binu
Hello
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Good day. Your question is popping up in the forum for the last few days and no one was daring to take it I suppose. This is because of the complexity of the issue and the problems just don't confine to a single specialty. Being a physician first and then an endocrinologist, this is my humble attempt to answer your question. I have analysed your problems and these are my thoughts.
Going through the symptoms and history which you provided, it seems that you have some kind of inflammatory disease in lungs which could be a primary event or secondary to disease like psoriasis. Due to all these you tend to develop pulmonary hypertension. In this case you tend to develop blood in sputum due to breakage of lung or bronchial blood vessels . This is a possibility.
The other possibility may be due to gastrointestinal problems as you mentioned that you underwent fundoplication before.
The third possibility is drug induced. methotrexate and allopurinol can reduce your platelet counts which also could result in blood in sputum.
Lung problems lead to congestive heart failure which can also cause blood stains in sputum.
The abdominal pain could be due to reflux disease or due to congestion in your gastrointestinal system due to lung disease. These lung pressure changes could have resulted in a condition called corpulmonale which cause blood pooling in liver , spleen and gastrointestinal tract. This cause enlargement of spleen a day liver and and abdominal pain.
Before going for any particular scan, I suggest you to meet a good physician in a teaching hospital who can guide you through. Your condition need a good discussion amongst different consultants and a multi disciplinary approach is required. Otherwise you may end up spending more money without an answer.
The low oxygen concentration in blood probably is due to pulmonary hypertension or the primary lung condition. If the oxygen level is so low, you need to be on oxygen. Has anyone suggested lung transplantation as an option?
Again, XXXXXXX this was a humble attempt to answer few of your questions. Please let me know if you need any clarifications. I am on a course in Italy and is not constantly in wifi zone. Probably will be able to answer flow up questions by tomorrow evening .
Regards
Binu
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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