Has anyone ever experienced these symptoms before?

[jessjess]

Hi! I'm new to this forum and I joined specifically because I am dealing with intense health anxiety. I get something in my head, believe I have it, go to the doctor, am told it is nothing or nothing serious and then I find another disease to worry about. It's a feral cycle I can't seem to get out of.

Anyway, my current problem is with my abdomen. I am having sharp pains in my lower abdomen and groin area as well as some pain inside my pelvis. Sometimes I think it is related to constipation which I sometimes suffer from and at other times I think it is something more serious like something wrong with my female parts. I've just been to the doctor and he suggested eating more fiber (although he said he could find nothing wrong with my bowels) and drinking more water. He also suggested I come back if the pain continues and I might have to get an ultrasound on my ovaries - something I did two years ago and found nothing (this is how long I've been convinced there's something wrong with my female parts). So my question is: has anyone felt this type of pain before? Pain in the lower abdomen and groin and pelvis? Sharp pain? If so, has it been anxiety related or something more sinister?

[contikitiki]

Hi! I'm new to this forum and I joined specifically because I am dealing with intense health anxiety. I get something in my head, believe I have it, go to the doctor, am told it is nothing or nothing serious and then I find another disease to worry about. It's a feral cycle I can't seem to get out of.

Anyway, my current problem is with my abdomen. I am having sharp pains in my lower abdomen and groin area as well as some pain inside my pelvis. Sometimes I think it is related to constipation which I sometimes suffer from and at other times I think it is something more serious like something wrong with my female parts. I've just been to the doctor and he suggested eating more fiber (although he said he could find nothing wrong with my bowels) and drinking more water. He also suggested I come back if the pain continues and I might have to get an ultrasound on my ovaries - something I did two years ago and found nothing (this is how long I've been convinced there's something wrong with my female parts). So my question is: has anyone felt this type of pain before? Pain in the lower abdomen and groin and pelvis? Sharp pain? If so, has it been anxiety related or something more sinister?

Jess,
I am sorry for your condition. I dare to say that you have a very tough time, because I also experience a severe hypochondria / health anxiety this past 2 years. Have you ever heard that your gut is your second brain? I got an IBS like symptom since last august until end of year. Feeling weird in my abdomen, and it also make me very anxious. I went to ER several times because of it, I also have hemorrhoid, and I was afraid that I may have some "C" thing, alongside with those symptom. Now I am in episode of another serious disease.

It is not my place, since I am not healed yet. But trust me that what yesterday is what we worried today.
Hopefully we can get better soon.

[Snakeadelic]

I suffered with IBS for NINE YEARS before a doctor was willing to listen to me! Lower abdominal pain, pelvic pain, and sometimes even pain up the right side of my abdomen, constantly swapping between constipation and diarrhea, advancing gradually to include copious cold sweats (I've nearly slid off the toilet a couple of times during really bad episodes) and the despicably uncomfortable sensation of my large intestine fluttering in very painful spasm mode. I'm lucky; in my case it responds very well to a smooth-muscle relaxer drug that gives me no side effects.

There are a LOT of complicated muscle and nerve structures in and around the pelvis. If nothing else shows up, ask them to check your bladder (which may be spasming) and the whole mess of bone, nerve, and muscle that forms the lumbar-sacroiliac joint AND neighboring sacroiliac junction areas. Possibilities I've had, helped someone who had, or knew someone who had include minor bone deformities (me and mom), bulging or slipped laminar (spinal) cartilage discs pressuring nerves (mom, 2nd stepdad, my own 2nd husband, biker neighbor downstairs...), misplaced lumbar vertebrae, misplaced sacral (tailbone) vertebrae, arthritis, and "non-specific soft tissue inflammation". Also, consider asking to have your thyroid levels tested. Your symptoms don't scream "thyroid", but it is a very important part of the endocrine (hormone-producing gland) system, to which ovaries also belong, and I had 11 years of miserable experience in how badly those two can mess with each other.

One caveat: do NOT agree to any tests until they are explained to you in detail! There are exactly 2 medical tests that have ever made me cry, and one was trying to diagnose a nerve problem in my legs (which is how I found out about the minor bone deformities I have). Electromyelograms, also called EMGs, are not for the faint of heart or stomach--they involve needles, electricity, and prohibition on taking tranquilizers because that'll botch the results.

I also have serious "lady bits" issues that have caused sudden and severe pain in the past...I may have to skip rockhounding field trip season, about all that kept me sane last summer, because I may be having major surgery too late this spring :(. I get to have a minor procedure first--which requires me to be knocked out. I'm calling my MD today because if they have to inflate me with carbon dioxide (very common in abdominal surgery, which would be the 2nd one I do this year) I will need help with excruciating pain afterward because every time they inflate me the gas remnants park themselves under my shoulderblades exactly they way they're supposed to. Every time it's worse, and after my gallbladder had to come out like 5 yeas ago, I cried and barfed for 3 days just from that pain! Surgery site, nothing. Shoulders, (sooooo many unladylike words here...).

I hope you can get yours isolated and treated, and soon. Nobody benefits from the combination of anxiety and mystery pain!

[jessjess]

Thanks for the reply guys!

Contikitiki, I have heard that my gut is my second brain and at the moment it won't shut up lol. Have you got any strategies that you like for dealing with it?

Snakeadelic, goodness that's a lot to worry about! I don't think I could cope with that much going on in my life to be honest. You're inspirational. I've been told by the doctors that there's nothing wrong with me. Most don't believe I need any tests besides the usual. I really like your explanation on the pelvis and found this:

pelvicpainhelp.com/why-stress-triggers-and-perpetuates-male-and-female-pelvic-pain/

I'm going to try and work on my anxiety and I figure if my anxiety eases up, then so should my pelvic pain. If my anxiety doesn't ease up and I still have pelvic pain, maybe that's when I should really get worried.

[contikitiki]

Jess.
Mine was due xanax withdrawal, so what I have to do is waiting until this medicine wear off. In that case, you may check yourself to GI specialist to rule out your doubt first. I heard that IBS & Anxiety is a common combination. Anxiety cause IBS or vice versa, but I agree with the first one (I am not a doctor though). What I did when I got this symptom is increase my fiber intake by eating soluble fiber source. Another one, I found out what kind of food that become tolerant for me such as diary product and coffee, they are a big no no.

[Snakeadelic]

Jess

One thing I find incredibly helpful for all KINDS of things it's usually not associated with is hydrotherapy--physical therapy done in water. I had to skip a chunk last year, but essentially I've been in PT for five years. It helps ease my anxiety, lower my overall pain levels, improve my muscle strength not only on load-bearing joints but in my abdominal core area as well, and keep my weight manageable. I'm very lucky in that most of the local PT facilities are owned by the same couple (both physical therapists who work at their assorted locations) and they have a long-standing policy that once a patient completes a prescription, for small fees they can then come in and use the equipment any time an active prescription patient does not have that time set aside. If there's anything like that around where you are, and you have insurance coverage, it might be worth looking into. The big pool that I can no longer use because the manufacturer ruined it is equipped with a paddlewheel-driven swimming current that works aerobic wonders even in only 4 feet of water, and the little pool I use now (in the next town up the road, talk about scheduling hassles...) has a treadmill. If you have tight, painful pelvic muscles, a heated pool with either a swimming current option or a treadmill might do worlds of good provided you're comfortable working out in water. I know my PMS cramps are always a lot milder when I keep up the water work. We tried having me work out on land, but after a year of light work the repetitive stress injuries were worse than the original problem, so it's hydro or nothing for me.