Constant Lower left abdominal pain

[Cheryl37]

I am trying to find someone who may have similar symptoms to my own and has had success with some type of therapy/medication. I have had constant pain in my lower left abdomen for over a year and intermittent pain in that area before that for several years. I was diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction (possible nerve or muscle spasms). I think mainly due to the fact that every other diagnostic test came back negative. I have had CT scan, MRI, ultrasounds, colonoscopy and this summer while having ovaries removed for a different reason the surgeon did a visual examination of my entire abdomen with laparoscopy. Every test comes back normal. I have had trigger point injections into my abdomen but the pain is deep, not in the superficial muscles, so it has been unsuccessful. I do have a history of endometriosis and IBS but this is different. I have had a full hysterectomy and wonder if my muscles are in spasm or if it is nerve pain. I currently take gabapentin and Effexor to try and block nerve pain but it has been unsuccessful. I, like many of you am extremely depressed about my situation. It affects every waking moment of my day, and unfortunately most of my night as well. I literally live day to day and can't think to the future because if causes me anxiety and depression to try and picture a future with this pain. I have been doing Amy Stein's physical therapy at home daily for the last 3 months. Not seeing much help from it. I will be seeing a pelvic physical therapist in 3 weeks for initial eval. Any thoughts anyone has would be appreciated. Thank You.

[Pepper1977]

Maybe ilioinguinal iliohypogastric and genitofemoral nerve

[Cheryl37 in reply to Pepper1977]

Thanks. I wondered the same thing. Wondering if a superior hypogastric nerve block might be helpful. I'm willing to try anything at this point.

[Pepper1977 in reply to Cheryl37]

I had a nerve block done and it helped but the pain came back. Google Dr Lee Dellon and read his free chapter online about pain.

[blondeedlebug10]

I found out recently that my 1999 hernia surgery was a bomb, it literally entrapped the nerve in the illiolingual area and my symptoms are getting very ugly from the pubis to the coxxyx area..Where is yours?

[Cheryl37]

I haven't had a hernia diagnosis. Every test comes back completely normal. I have excruciating constant pain in my lower left abdomen. It radiates from where my descending colon is to my groin area and inner thigh on the left side. I am seeing a physical therapist next week and was just referred to a pain management clinic for possible ilioinguinal/hypogastric nerve blocks. I have been living with the constant pain for far too long and am starting to lose hope in a diagnosis and treatment.

[SRPI]

Cheryl,

I completely understand what you are going through. I have had fairly constant abdominal pain (right hand side) for about 3 or 4 years now. Had several uterine fibroids removed, which helped a lot, but did not take care of the whole problem. Am now on a combination of Pelvic PT and nerve blocks (to the genitofemoral nerve) every 2 or 3 months. It keeps me out of really bad pain, but I still struggle with anything that engages my "core muscles" (which is a lot of things, since these muscles support your whole body). Each day I tell myself that someday there will be a cure for this problem!

I hope and pray that your situation improves . . . sometimes it takes a while to find the right combination of doctors, therapists, exercise, and medications. But in the meantime, it is hard to be patient while everything gets sorted out!!