Prayers for answers for my mom

FOr a month now she has been in pain.

They ruled out her heart
She had a CT scan and MRI of her chest, chest xray was clear

She went to (what I think is a quack of a dr) and he diagnosed Degenerative Disc Disease, and he put her on Mobic for that. Let me say I call this guy a quack because he missed my PawPaw's leukemia

Two weeks with the mobic and she's still in pain. SHe came to visit a few weeks ago and had a scary episode at the mall. Scared me, probably scared the heck out of her. I convinced her THAT was not arthritis.

She's going to another doctor, this time a Gastroentologist. She has a CT scan of her abdomen and a EGD test scheduled tomorrow. We get the results on Thurs.

I personally feel it's Gallbladder and I"m not sure why no one has looked there with a sonogram, but I'm not a doctor. But all her symptoms point that direction and I got her some Nutrition books / herbal remedies.

Hopefully they figure out what is the issue and that it's not serious.

Cancer is a biggie in my family (if it's not the heart) So I'm VERY scared at the moment, but she doesn't want to talk about it and she doesn't want me to hover......what can I say, she's independent. It's where I got my "don't tell me what to do" attitude in the first place.

Anyhoo......prayers please :) Thanks!!

Yes, you have my prayers!

Just wanted to throw in that my FIL went through all this with the back pain, tests, etc. The testing, pain, etc. went on for at least 6 mos. It was horrible acid reflux that was coming up in the night and burning, and also it had been going on long enough that he had ulcers. So maybe the Gastro doc will find something.

Julia -

She's in my prayers.

Couple of things - if your gut is telling you it's one thing but the docs are saying it's another, speak up. If you think a sono needs to be done, tell them...no demand it. If they blow you off, say "please note in the chart that you are refusing to perform a sono" and look at the chart to be sure they've put it in there. Yes, they are docs and are highly trained,etc., etcl, but they can also be wrong sometimes. During the day I'm a paralegal in a med-mal firm (defense) and let me tell you....documentation is HUGE. One other thing...what facility is she going to?

Couple of things - if your gut is telling you it's one thing but the docs are saying it's another, speak up. If you think a sono needs to be done, tell them...no demand it. If they blow you off, say "please note in the chart that you are refusing to perform a sono" and look at the chart to be sure they've put it in there. Yes, they are docs and are highly trained,etc., etcl, but they can also be wrong sometimes. During the day I'm a paralegal in a med-mal firm (defense) and let me tell you....documentation is HUGE. One other thing...what facility is she going to?

FIrst of all my mom is the patient, so she speaks for herself. I yell at her sure when I disagree sure :) My mother is 53 and very coherent and agile. I don't "take care" of her just yet. KWIM?

Maybe I should mention too, she's the director of nursing at a hospital and is very knowlegable about how things work. She is seeing physicians in the OKC area. The GI doc is one of the best in the city. But her being a nurse brings about a diplomacy issues - she works with these physicians. So when she disagrees she goes to see another one rather than get up in his face and tell him He sucks.

Oh also the medical community in OKC is a small tight one, not like Dallas - so these docs all know each other so it's not a good idea to bad mouth them to each other.

But as for what should happen/when and how and what the results mean - she understands in medical and layman terms.

Julia,

I am continueing my prayers for your Mom .. same name as my Mom :heartbeat Please call me if you need me, come over if you need. Let me know how things are going.

:hug

Oh good...sounds like ya'll got it under control!!
I'll keep her in my prayers.

Julia, I'm so sorry your mom is not doing well. I will certainly pray. Hang in there :hug.

We will be praying for your mom and your family.

I will keep your Mom & family in my thoughts & prayers...

We will also be keeping your family in our prayers.

Julia,
She is in my thoughts and prayers. What are her exact symptoms? Are you thinking it is gallstones in regards to her gallbladder?

That must be so scary NOT KNOWING what it is. I will be praying for her! Hopefully she find some answers soon, and a dr. that knows what he's doing.

I will pray for answers and for relief for your mother. :hug

Julia- I'll be keeping you guys in my thoughts and prayers as well. Hugs. :)

What are her exact symptoms?

It's like an attack. She feels pain in her shoulder blade, chest area (in the back). Her blood pressure goes up (high for her as hers runs very low normally) - she turns red from the surge. She sweats, she lost her bladder, she can't stand upward, she loses function of her legs for a couple minutes and well - you can just tell she's in a lot of pain. Her speech gets garbled from the pain - and she panics a bit.

Doesnt sound like Degenerative Disc Disease. Now I have no doubt she probably has DDD because she broke her butt seven years ago and was on bedrest for 6 months (but it didn't heal correctly)....she wasn't still enough that six months - and she's just so active. So she has constant pelvic pain from that injury which has probably led to compensation in her back etc... but I don't think that's what these episodes are. As for arthritis, I have no doubt we all have that in my family - but that doesn't come over you like an episode.

Family history is my Uncle died of a heart attack at 45 (he was brain dead due to lack of oxygen) - he was being treated for acid reflux. My Pawpaw had a massive heart attack at 60 which resulted in open heart surgery, but died of Leukemia at 82. My other uncle had a heart attack last year at 51 yo and 98 percent blockage in the artery (and this was after the "million dollar workup" where they kept telling him he was "fine"). The same artery was the culprit in all three of the men in the family. My uncle now has a stint in that artery. So you can imagine with chest pain and high BPressure she though - heart. So they admitted her (she was supervising that night at the hospital and just walked down to the E.R.). They did all kind of heart tests and sent her home after two heart doctors and three days. The third doctor she saw said DDD. I have faith this GI doc will find more answers. You have to have a doctor that 1. knows his "stuff" and 2. LISTENS.

I found a lot of gallbladder info at the site www.gallbladderattack.com (oops) and in symptoms it mentioned the pain in the shoulder blade......which leads me to believe gallbladder. Not to mention it's a common occurance nowadays with our american diets - 1. Fair complection 2. Overweight (even by 10 lbs) and 3. Forty/Fifty YO Female. They call it the 3 F's - Fair, Fat and Forty in the medical field. She meets the criteria.

IF they would do the sono they could see how the gallbladder looks and what stage of gallbladder disease she is in. SOmetimes it can be rejuvinated by diet / exercise and accupuncture - herbal remedies.
IF it's advanced, they remove the gallbladder. IT can be life threatening.

She was mortified when she lost her bladder at the mall - I took her to a restroom and bought her some new pants.....BUT she had been "holding it" and when your in pain.......well I know when I was in pain with childbirth I lost my bodily functions. So I dont' think her bladder is an "issue" I think it was just a one time result of the pain.

Anyhoo that's more of the progression. She's so worried about diplomacy and not telling these guys how to do their job. But I don't have a problem telling my doc " I want this , this and this done" but then again - I don't work with/for the guy. KWIM?

I think it's hard to be a nurse/patient.

I'm glad they are doing the EGD and the CT scan anyway.....it will help lead him to the gallbladder and why not get the entire workup while your there.

I'm just hoping the EGD/CT are negative like the EKG, the cardiac enzymes and the MRI/CT of the chest.

As for Cancer my Great grandma died of Ovarian cancer in her 60's, my Nannie died of Lung Cancer (non-smoker) at 65. So I'm worried. My mom has had a lump in her neck for a few years that they could not biopsy due to the location (arteries) they withdrew liquid and tested that - inconclusive. And she's had bone growths that were biopsied and found inconclusive (for 10 yrs). Lots of skin cancer in my family we have to stay on otop of.

I can tell she's been having severe pain. WIth my nannie she had severe pain - and they told her she had 2 weeks. She lived 2 months with chemo, but it was very painful for her as it went to the bones.

So my family history isn't too good.......therefore I worry. and worry.

Being an only child is rather scary at a time like this.

I know how worried you must be. Your mom is in my prayers. :hug

Your mom is in my prayers. I can only imagine how hard it is not knowing. I think that is one of the hardest things with anything. I will keep your mom in my prayers. Please keep us updated!

I am keeping you guys in my thoughts and prayers!:)

I'll keep you in my prayers too. I'm sorry your mom is hurting. :(

Thoughts & prayers here too...