So I'm pretty sure I'm extremely sick

Kyzen

Judging by the extreme stomach pains, the pain that seems to be coming from my liver sometimes, the orange/gold urine, and the difficulty in taking a crap (I feel like I have to, but I can sit on the can for an hour and not even fart).

I know that seeing a doctor should be the first thing on my list, and it is... after the new year, because unfortunately my insurance doesn't kick in till then, and right now I can barely afford groceries, let alone a full priced doctor visit.

The pain started a few days ago. Friday to be exact. Wednesday night I drank a lot with a friend, downed about 2/3rds a bottle of Skyy (so around 500 mL). Puked that night. Felt fine Thursday. Friday I felt fine for the first half of the day, ordered a pizza around lunch and downed half of it. Later that afternoon I started feeling a little queasy, then around the time I went to be I was in so much pain I couldn't stand it.

Saturday was a little better at first, but come evening I was in pain again, that time it seemed to originate from around my liver, and my stomach felt kind of hollow in a painful way. It kept me from sleeping, I think at most I got 5 hours of sleep. Somewhere in the early morning hours of Sunday I drank enough water to make myself vomit.

Sunday I felt better in the morning, again, but once more my feeling of well-being deteriorated throughout the day, and by night I was in pain (though not as much as before).

Monday I woke up feeling queasy, the thought of food or drink made me sick. Oddly enough, throughout the day I felt steadily better, and went to sleep really early (before 9), feeling decent. Still not 100% well, but better.

At the moment, I'm sitting in work, and that nagging pain is back, can't tell if it's coming from the area of my stomach or liver though.

So, the point of this all. Does anybody have any idea what might be wrong with me? Online searches point to way too many things - dehydration (I'd be OK with this), hepatitis (I would not be OK with this), various liver diseases (I would also not be OK with these), food poisoning (likely from the pizza), and various other things. Is there anything I should be doing to expedite my recovery?

I'm just hoping it's not something life-changing such as the aforementioned hepatitis and liver diseases. I've never been in this much pain from an illness in my life (that I can remember).

Other info that may or may not be relevant to any aspiring e-doctors:
-I'm 22
-Male
-Don't drink often (though when I do it's a LOT)
-I've had these kinds of painful stomach aches three times before late last month, though there weren't lasting, and no liver pain

Rohaq

Extreme pains in internal organs that do not go away usually involve a trip to see a doc, fast, even if it means going to the ER, since it could potentially be an emergency.

fforde

Diahrea and nausia are two symptoms of food poisoning. If you can't drop one you probably don't have food poisoning. And if you have had stomach pains before like this it is probably not on the level of extremely minor. If I were you I would check my symptoms at WebMD and get to the doctor as fast as possible. Possibly if you have a family friend or a freind of a friend who is a doctor, get him to give you some advise on what to do based on your symptoms.

Thanatos

Like everyone else says, this could be really serious. Getting in to see a doctor, at least, would be a really good idea. I don't want to freak you out unnecessarily, but the first thing that popped into my mind when you listed your symptoms was appendicitis. You didn't mention whether or not you're running a fever; if you are, you really, really should get to a doctor/the emergency room. A few days can be the difference between a relatively minor appendectomy, and a burst appendix, which can kill you.

Organ pain is nothing to fuck around with.

Munacra

I'm really leaning toward food infection, judging by the extreme stomach pains and the fact that pain started somewhere around the time you ate that pizza. In which case, all you can do is hope and ride it out.

That weird color of your urine though...well, keep on the lookout for your skin/nail/eyes yellowing. Maybe it's not hepatitis, but you have to keep on the lookout.

Still, go seek a doctor. Any doctor. A public clinic, social services, the friend of a friend, whatever. Someone that knows about medicine. There's one thing you can't dick around with, and that's your health.

Thanatos

Also, have you been getting better or worse since Friday?

Kyzen

Thanatos wrote:

Also, have you been getting better or worse since Friday?

Better. If I felt like I did Friday, I wouldn't be posting this from work.

And no, no fever.

A co-worker here in her first year of nursing school suggested I get more food and liquids in me, as I've been skimping on those while feeling ill. Ironically the company is providing free pizza for lunch, so I think it's time to raid the vending machines, or go get a sandwich.

nexuscrawler

If you're not seeing a dcotor hydrate yourself as much as possible. Eat lighter unprocessed foods(avoid sugar and dairy).

Also if you get a fever of sharp stabbing pains in your stomach GO TO A DOCTOR. It could be E Coli poisoning or your appendix.

Thanatos

Kyzen wrote:

Thanatos wrote:

Also, have you been getting better or worse since Friday?

Better. If I felt like I did Friday, I wouldn't be posting this from work.

And no, no fever.

A co-worker here in her first year of nursing school suggested I get more food and liquids in me, as I've been skimping on those while feeling ill. Ironically the company is providing free pizza for lunch, so I think it's time to raid the vending machines, or go get a sandwich.

Well, then, to be perfectly honest, in your situation, considering there's no fever and you've been getting better, and that your insurance kicks in in six days, I wouldn't go to a doctor.

You can definitely still get fucked by not going, but personally, I'd take the risk, if only because if it's something major, and you get it diagnosed now, it becomes a "pre-existing condition," and your insurance could very well not cover it, which means getting fucked.

Listen to Nexus. Hydrate, and stop eating so much pizza. Get yourself some chicken and some vegetables. If you still can't poop at all, take a laxative.

Knob

you sure it isn't actually your kidneys hurting?


because it mainly sounds like you're really goddamned dehydrated, which is a possibility given how hard you drank/puked, especially if you don't drink much water or only drink soda or whatever

Demerdar

It could be a lot of things. Maybe you're getting these intense pains because you're constipated?

Kyzen

Knob wrote:

you sure it isn't actually your kidneys hurting?


because it mainly sounds like you're really goddamned dehydrated, which is a possibility given how hard you drank/puked, especially if you don't drink much water or only drink soda or whatever

Pretty sure it's not my kidney's, those are lower in ones abdomen than their livers right? Plus it's only one side of my abdomen that hurts sometimes.

Guess I'm going to pick up a laxative on the way home. That should be interesting, never done that before. Can I expect to be on the john all night?

Also, after eating a bit (a few cups of water, a bag of sunchips, and a turkey sandwich) I'm starting to feel a bit worse (I'm begining to notice a trend - I feel bad when there's food in me, decent otherwise).

Rohaq

Kyzen wrote:

Knob wrote:

you sure it isn't actually your kidneys hurting?


because it mainly sounds like you're really goddamned dehydrated, which is a possibility given how hard you drank/puked, especially if you don't drink much water or only drink soda or whatever

Pretty sure it's not my kidney's, those are lower in ones abdomen than their livers right? Plus it's only one side of my abdomen that hurts sometimes.

Guess I'm going to pick up a laxative on the way home. That should be interesting, never done that before. Can I expect to be on the john all night?

Also, after eating a bit (a few cups of water, a bag of sunchips, and a turkey sandwich) I'm starting to feel a bit worse (I'm begining to notice a trend - I feel bad when there's food in me, decent otherwise).

Whoa, whoa, why laxatives? If something is being irritated in your bowel, laxatives are NOT a good idea.

redimpulse

Judging by skimming this thread, I'd offer this advice:

Drink a TON of water. Like a gallon or two. More if you can handle it. This'll replace the liquid you've depleted by drinking heavily and puking and whatnot. It'll also help your bowel movements.

Also, if you can afford it, eat fresh. Not Subway Eat Fresh, but take a trip to your local Whole Foods Market or the like. Pick up a good amount of fresh leafy greens (for the fiber), some fresh peanut butter (an EXCELLENT source of Protein and other necessary nutrients), fresh meats and the like. Cook for yourself. The more processed/preserved/partially hydrogenated foods you put in your body, the more you pack it into your colon. The human body just isn't designed to process that food correctly.

Also while you're at the Whole Foods Market, look at some decent pro-biotics. Acidophilus does a great job of clearing out your system and retaining the natural order of things. Also fresh yogurts can help a ton as well.

homeobocks

I've been dehydrated before, to the extent of convulsion. You may not want to drink (I didn't), but do it. FORCE YOURSELF TO DRINK (but don't overdo it). Slowly, but constantly. Try to drink salt-water (Gatorade/Pedialyte/home-made), but avoid refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol, etc.

Demerdar

Pain in one side?

Sounds like a your appendix. I'd get that checked out.

Regina Fong

No one has drawn the nost important distinction yet for abdominal pain:

Is there pain on palpation? (when you press gently but firmly into your abdomen).

If the pain doesn't increase on palpation then it is very likely some sort of food poisoning. If your pain increases on palpation then you simply must go to an ER.

Kyzen

jeepguy wrote:

No one has drawn the nost important distinction yet for abdominal pain:

Is there pain on palpation? (when you press gently but firmly into your abdomen).

If the pain doesn't increase on palpation then it is very likely some sort of food poisoning. If your pain increases on palpation then you simply must go to an ER.

After poking all over my stomach there's no real change in the pain.

Raneados

this definitely sounds like food poisoning to me


I'm gonna bet that pizza wasn't too well amde

Kyzen

But would food poisoning last this painfully long?

Hallucinogen

It could. I've had food poisoning, my syptoms were a little different. I puked for most of a day, until I ran out of stuff to puke, then I just had dry convulsions for the rest of the day, all night, and the next day was not much better. Then I felt pretty much fine by the third day, but very dehydrated and hungry.

I'm not convinced this is food poisoning though. It doesn't sound right. I didn't have intense pain so much as intense discomfort in my gut and the constant sensation of needing to vomit. Periods of not feeling the need to puke were very brief and few.

Lucky Cynic

I've had a few similiar symptoms, and then about an hour later I either would throw up or sit on the john for an hour or so. Doesn't usually last this long though... just make sure you are hydrated well.

redimpulse

Food poisoning (depending on the poison) can last from a day to a few weeks. I had a bout that lasted 2 weeks straight.

But it does sound like you just ate some bad pizza - as far as the pain goes.

Thanatos

redimpulse wrote:

Food poisoning (depending on the poison) can last from a day to a few weeks. I had a bout that lasted 2 weeks straight.

But it does sound like you just ate some bad pizza - as far as the pain goes.

Yeah, WebMD said that it can last over a week.

Kyzen

Food poisoning would be good (albeit crappy). At this point I was starting to convice myself that it was in fact hepatitis. (Dark Urine, pale crap (When I manage to), stomach pains)). Still waiting for access to a mirror to check for yellowing eyes.

Chief1138

I think this problem sounds a little too serious to diagnosis with a combination of WebMD and an internet forum. Seriously, it sucks that you can't really afford a doctor visit right now, but potentially being in debt is a lot better than potentially being dead.

Rohaq

Hold up, you're constipated too? Could be Crohn's Disease/ulcerative colitis, in which case the docs would be a most excellent idea.

Kyzen

I'm starting to feel even worse again. Spent an Xmas gift card for the grocery store entirely on soup, gatorade, bread, and saltines. I'm planning to call the doctor tomorrow morning and schedule an appointment for as early next week as possible. Couple questions:

a) Will they ask me for symptoms over the phone? Will they insist I come in sooner?

b) How likely are they to ask for my insurance information in advance? Will they be OK with it if I explain that I won't have insurance till the first?

Iconoclysm

I cant answer questions concerning the US health insurance system, but they will almost certainly ask you your symptoms, and depending on what they hear may or may not ask to see you ASAP.

It sounds to me like you're suffering from some nasty intestinal bug and were initially suffering with dehydration judging by the coloration of your urine. Gold/Orange urine is not in and of itself abnormal. Urine gets this colour when you're dehydrated.

Hepatitis gives really quite dark brown urine along with clay/gray/white colored poop, followed quickly by jaundice which initially appears under the nail beds and in the entire white of the eyes. ( Beware: LOTS of people have a slight yellow color to the outer parts of the whites of the eyes, these are just fatty deposits and nothing to worry about. Also, people of African descent can also quite naturally have markedly yellow eyes, again nothing to worry about.)
Pain from an enflamed liver is a subcostal (within the ribcage) on your right hand side by the way.

I think you're probably working yourself up and need some reassurance, so yes, go to the doc as soon as you can, if for no other reason than getting a stomach infection dealt with.

If you are really worried and want immediate reassurance, head down to a pharmacy and see if they have urine dip stick test strips in stock. Ask for ones that test for multiple abnormalities of the urine, and specifically make sure they contain a colour band that tests for bilirubin presence(This is the stuff that turns you yellow when jaundiced). Make sure you follow the instructions on the box EXACTLY concerning the time you have to wait before checking for colour change.

Also, don't go overboard on drinking plain water, get some sachets of re-hydration powder that you can mix with water(diaoralyte is a known brand in the UK but I dont know about the US) and DON'T take any laxatives until you see the doc. They may want urine/stool samples.

So, good luck and try not to worry to much, it probably IS just a case of the shits, but do seek reassurance from medical pros just in case. When your insurance kicks in, ask for a liver function test to put your mind at ease.

Hows the colour of your urine/stool now? Where exactly is the pain now and does it seem to move location? If so from where to where?

HTH

Regina Fong

I'm reassured by the lack of pain on palpation. That all but rules out appendicitis completely, as well as organ trauma. It doesn't rule out hep or renal failure, but those are so unlikely to begin with.

DrMichael

I am an experienced clinician in Pennsylvania. This is an alt, but I'm away from home and didn't remember my password - sorry.

I'm very concerned about the symptoms you've noted, but it would be ineffective to try to diagnose you without seeing you in person (I see some people, with some education, trying to do so in here...honestly, they should know enough not to). There are a lot of details to be elicited regarding a situation like yours and it cannot be properly done here.

I must emphasize that much of the advice you're getting here is, frankly, incorrect.

Suffice it to say that I have some ideas about what could be going on, none of which are benign enough to encourage you to tough it out. Light things like food poisoning are far from the top of my likelihood list. It could be moderately serious and require palliation, then time sensitive followup, or it could be very serious and require acute attention. This is not the time to play games.

Don't worry about insurance issues - they will treat you, and they will eat the bill if they have to. Almost every hospital has means of paying off a bill at your own pace, as well, and once your insurance kicks in you may be able to convince them to cover part of it. Hell, you may be able to convince the hospital to not even send the bill until your insurance gets in - don't be afraid to bargain with them if it's hard for you. But don't let that outweigh what's going on with you right now.

Bring a cell phone with you. Get someone to watch your place if you need to - but get up from your chair and get started as soon as you read this. I want you to go to the ER.

Slagmire

Bumping this so it gets seen by the OP. Get to the ER now!

Kyzen

Seen, thanks. I guess I'll gather up what insurance info I can and see what I can get done.

Woke up this morning with no stomach pains (yet). Downed most of a 64 oz bottle of gatorade last night and had half a can of chicken noodle soup. While going to sleep last night, and still this morning, I've had a dull headache. Not a throbbing pain, but more of a lasting dull ache that feels like my head is full or something. Not sure how to explain it, it's just not the normal sharp kind of headache. Not sure if this is a good development or not. Urine was still a nice gold color.

Kyzen

Anybody have any idea how much a doctor's visit (not ER) usually costs without insurance?

FyreWulff

don't worry about cost. You can work out a payment plan with the hospital and people checking your credit will usually not care about medical bills.

powerss

Go to the hospital.

My father most likely died because we didn't make him go to the hospital soon enough. Please, go - the money issues will come, but your health is worth so much more.

Corvus

Also, cost of a doctor's visit is bound to be much smaller than the cost of a serious medical condition that could have been mitigated if caught early.


Go to the damn doctor!

LondonBridge

Sounds like your body suffered severe dehydration so drink WATER!!! Drink till your urine is clear.

Kyzen

Going to the doc in an hour, will take his advice on proceeding to the hospital or merely my own bed.

I'll update this later with mroe info for anybody interested at this point in knowing if I'm going to die or not :P

Slapnuts

Kyzen wrote:

Going to the doc in an hour, will take his advice on proceeding to the hospital or merely my own bed.

I'll update this later with mroe info for anybody interested at this point in knowing if I'm going to die or not :P

I've been lurking your thread and I'd really appreciate it if I could get some closure.

Here's to hoping for the best.

Kyzen

Doc took some blood samples to get tested for hepatitis. Will know the results tomorrow. I'm determined to not freak myself out by researching hepatitis till I know for sure if I have it.

Funny thing is that I'm deathly afraid of needles. Some people are afraid of spiders, others of the dark, some of heights. I hate needles. So as soon as the doctor said he would be drawing blood, I kindly asked if I could have a sucker from the waiting room. Try to imagine a 22 year old guy crunching on a blue raspberry lollipop and staring at the wall, trying to remain calm for the 10 seconds or so I had to wait to get my blood drawn. I think that has been the worst part of this whole ordeal so far.

Well, here's hoping that if it is hepatitis, it's not one of the really bad strains. Thanks for all of the support thus far. I'll keep this updated while I learn more.