Can't sleep, low back pain/pressure, constipation, freq urination, more...

[roseasharn]

Maybe not all are related,

Started last month with low back pain/pressure, felt like constipation so I self treated for that with stoll softeners. BM's improved but pain did not.

Went to DR. says I have UTI, treated with antibiotics, UTI cleared up but still have back pain, now also hyper sensetive sense of taste, salt is REALLY salt, spicey is REALLY spicey. BMs now are very small and infrequent. I of course tell Dr. all of this.

Went to chiro, (maybe back pain is just back pain,) no change.

Last week did a catscan found am extreamly constipated and am back to square one, laxitives and stool softeners.

With out medication the pain is dibilitating, I use ibuprophine and tylenol during the day, vicodine at night.

I am so sick of this, on the one hand I am pretty sure it is not life threatening, on the other it is life altering. Am still able to work but all else is slipping away.

Any ideas?

[autograf1]

Have you been checked for kidney stones and also gall bladder stones.
Kidney stones can be checked by xray if large, of smaller may need a dye test. Gall bladder test, have a bile test run. Meanwhile drink a lot @64 oz day of water, the vicodin is causing the constipation. Oh. yeah and try another doctor. Good Luck.

[rad-skw]

Fiber, water, fruits and veggies. Fiber, water, fruits and veggies. Walk a lot. A LOT! Wean yourself off the laxatives.

[Tsvety]

Went to DR. says I have UTI, treated with antibiotics, UTI cleared up but still have back pain, now also hyper sensetive sense of taste, salt is REALLY salt, spicey is REALLY spicey. BMs now are very small and infrequent. I of course tell Dr. all of this.

I don't know what UTI is but i have small phielonefritis (kidneys), apendix removed and gastroesophageal reflux (stomach,acid) problems for now...(last two weeks),so i suggest -go to nefrologist and some specialist to look at your abdomen and stomach. I also have this salty/spicey thing,but i don't know what of the above may be causing it.

I think you should look first at the symptoms of these problems i had, the ones i mentioned above, and see if you match most of them for one medical problem, and go to that doctor first.

Also i suppose these things you wrote as symptoms are the ones that trouble you most. Write a list of all things that trouble you physically no matter what you think - are they connected to anything, with eachother, or just a one timer.Write in detail. Back pain can be different things. Is it on the right, the left, is it like a small needle ***** just for seconds or is it heavy and lasting.
Why can't u sleep? Is it the back pain?The constipation or freq urination? How do u feel after eating?If u feel heaviness/uneasiness after that even when eating small amounts-check the gastro things first.Is the back pain-just the back?How is ur neck? I had no abodominal complaints, only other symptoms of gastro problems, so do your homework and check even if you have no complaints from your stomach/abdomen.(I didn't have pain for the apendix either,only symptoms)

http://www.medicinenet.com/gastroeso...gerd/page3.htm

ts.antova@gmail.com
write to me if you feel there are more things you need to ask me...

[Unregistered]

I do have a gall stone, but I was already treating for that and the back pain does not seem related to it. The few gall bladder attacks I have had have been very mild (thank goodness!) My DH had misdiagnosed gallstones for over 20 years, so I know what to watch for there.

The UTI was probably a red hearing but I am glad it is cleared up.

I was not taking anything when this all started. I know the vicodin can cause constipation, but I constipated before I started taking it. I take as little as possible and only as a break from the Tylenol and ibuprofen (otherwise I would be taking way too much of both) I can not function at all with out the pain medicine and even with it I am very uncomfortable most of the time.

I have not slept more the three hours at a stretch since this started over a month ago. I think I am getting up because of the urge to urinate, and can't get back to sleep because of the pain, but it could be all because of the pain.

I drink enough water to float a boat and am being very careful about what I eat. I have lost about ten lbs, and only eat because I know I have to, I am never hungry any more and no longer enjoy food. Trying for lots of fruit and veggies, almost no meat any more,

I am going to get referral to a gastroenterologist (sp) and hope that next week life will start to improve.

[rad-skw]

Why don't they remove your gallstones. Is you gallbladder diseased?

[roseasharn]

"rad-skw Why don't they remove your gallstones. Is you gallbladder diseased?"

They would remove the gall bladder not just the stones. I prefer to desolve the stones if I can.

I have now had 2 cat scans, a colonoscopy and mri. The problem is not my colon or my back.

I can now add wieght loss to my list of symptoms, 20 lbs so far. I am a bit on the heavy side so there is room for weight loss, but not much more.

I read about something called levators syndrome, which may be what I am experiancing. Some of it fits.

Have a gastro and gp appointment this week, but am planning on changing gps. (he does not listen to me)

Am being seen by a pain management clinic but no success there yet.

Have found that I am not a good canidate for sleep aids, I become dillusional and walk around, or antidepressants, racing heart and generally feel yucky.

[fauve]

Make sure you see a gynecologist too. I was found to have adenomyosis (a cousin to endometriosis) which gives me really bad back pain and constipation -and, I also lost a lot of weight. Like you, I went on the path of back MRIs, a colonoscopy, etc where nothing was found to be causing the pain - it's always a good idea to have a vaginal ultrasound time and again anyway.

[fauve]

Oh, and more info - I also have had severe trouble sleeping - I believe due to hormones being out of whack (which is what is causing the adenomyosis). Are you in your mid to late 40's? If so, read:

35 Symptoms of Menopause

[roseasharn]

Make sure you see a gynecologist too. I was found to have adenomyosis (a cousin to endometriosis) which gives me really bad back pain and constipation -and, I also lost a lot of weight. Like you, I went on the path of back MRIs, a colonoscopy, etc where nothing was found to be causing the pain - it's always a good idea to have a vaginal ultrasound time and again anyway.

That is my next step.

I wasted today finding out that I do not have a fractured tail bone (duh) and finally getting a digital rectal exam. (although I thick the gastro guy may have done this.)

I don't know if I have mentioned before, but I feel as though there is something the size of a ping pong ball up there, though obviously there is not.

In the mean time, I am be seen at pain management clinic and am changing GPs.