Waking With Upper Abdominal Pain And Cold Sweat ?

[ravenwoodglass]

I have been thinking about asking this all day. I don't know if I am concerned needlessly or if I should be more concerned than I am, if you all can understand that.

At about 4 am this morning I woke suddenly in a cold sweat with severe pain under my right ribcage. It basically immobolized me for a few minutes and then went away. I haven't been feeling real great lately, nothing specific just tired and not able to sleep more than 5 or so hours at a shot. As if some of you couldn't guess from the very early hours I post. This has happened once before in the last month. Has anything like this happened to others? It couldn't possibly be a heart problem could it? I mean something like a heart attack wouldn't occur when you were sleeping and not even dreaming would it? Since both times it went away relatively soon do you think am I safe to ignore it unless it starts happening more often?

[Phyllis28]

If you still have your gallbladder it might be the source of your pain.

[jerseyangel]

Ravenwood,

Please have that checked out. The cold sweat, not sleeping well and the "just not feeling well" could be early indicators of a heart problem. Those symptoms tend to occur in women as opposed to the more typical things we hear about that are more common in men.

I don't want to scare you, I went through a similar thing last year. I ended up having a echo-stress test and my heart turned out to be fine. That's when I read up on the symptoms in women.

Chnces are, it's nothing serious, but since it's happened more than once, I would mention it to the doctor.

[ravenwoodglass]

Ravenwood,

Please have that checked out. The cold sweat, not sleeping well and the "just not feeling well" could be early indicators of a heart problem. Those symptoms tend to occur in women as opposed to the more typical things we hear about that are more common in men.

I don't want to scare you, I went through a similar thing last year. I ended up having a echo-stress test and my heart turned out to be fine. That's when I read up on the symptoms in women.

Chnces are, it's nothing serious, but since it's happened more than once, I would mention it to the doctor.

Yea I guess I know I need to get off my skinny butt and get to a doctor. I am just in a doctor limbo right now. It seems they always make me sicker, but I know I am not alone there. I think I'll see if anyone in the doctor section can recommend one in my area.

I had the echo stress test a couple years ago and while my stress part of the test was fine my heart did have some damage from the years of inflammation. The tech remarked about it but my regular doctor didn't mention it on the return visit. He was too busy trying to convince me that I was diabetic.

When you were having problems were you waking up with chest pain? Did they ever find out what was causing it or did it just go away on it's own?

[GlutenWrangler]

Krista

Usually pain occurs on the left side with heart problems. I would guess that it has something to do with your gallbladder. If you have gallstones you will feel severe pain on your right side under your ribcage. The cold sweat could indicate a fever caused by cholecystitis, which is an infected gallbladder. The infection would most likely be caused by a blockage in the bile duct.

Keep in mind that you can have all of these symptoms and problems WITHOUT gallstones as well. I had chronic cholecystitis, but no gallstones. It's call acalculus cholecystitis. So even if the tests come out negative, you can definitely still have a gallbladder problem. I hope you feel better soon.

-Brian

[YoloGx]

I have been thinking about asking this all day. I don't know if I am concerned needlessly or if I should be more concerned than I am, if you all can understand that.

At about 4 am this morning I woke suddenly in a cold sweat with severe pain under my right ribcage. It basically immobolized me for a few minutes and then went away. I haven't been feeling real great lately, nothing specific just tired and not able to sleep more than 5 or so hours at a shot. As if some of you couldn't guess from the very early hours I post. This has happened once before in the last month. Has anything like this happened to others? It couldn't possibly be a heart problem could it? I mean something like a heart attack wouldn't occur when you were sleeping and not even dreaming would it? Since both times it went away relatively soon do you think am I safe to ignore it unless it starts happening more often?

This happend to me a lot for years. Eventually the pain led to palpitations which started happening during the day too if I exerted myself even slightly even though I have low blood pressure and low cholesterol. I eventually discovered that I was low on vitamin B-1 (needed for basic carbohydrate and protein absorption!) and had basically Beri Beri symptoms despite not being an alcoholic and eating well. I had also been following an essentially gluten free diet for years. I discovered the covering on my nerves (the myelin sheath) in fact was down 50%!! I was told later it was lucky I didn't get Parkinsons.

The thing is is that I was already taking B complex. But it wasn't sufficient. I needed a more absorbable kind of B vitamin but not one with yeast since I can't tolerate any yeast at all. Finally I found Country Life makes a good low cost co-enzyme B complex without weird additives like sorbitol etc.. It stopped the transinent pain and heart palpitations within 2 weeks. It also has helped against the insomnia (though old patterns die hard--it now being 1:30 A.M.) and a variety of other symptoms. Try it and see what happens. Its not a magic bullet since one also needs to do other things healing wise but I found it sure helps.

The fever symptoms I have found go away once you heal the lining of the gut. Its a kind of inflammatory responce I have been told. Please check out some of my other posts on how to deal with this with bromelain/papain, slippery elm, marshmallow root, dandelion root, yellow dock and the rest.

Yolo

[ravenwoodglass]

Thank you all for your replies. It seems it may have been a kidney stone moving. I passed a small one last night. I am going to get throughly checked out by a doctor, and if nothing else this has shown me I need to get over my fear of them and find one.

I have gone through so many useless tests that I don't get very good treatment with the doctors at my local group. My last bout the techs left me hooked up to a heart machine that was off and then left me there for over 3 hours while everyone took thier lunch. This was right after I had been yelled at by a pulmonary tech for 'wasting everyone's time and money' at the lung function tests my doctor had ordered done also. I think my reluctance for more testing is understandable.

I have gotten to the point where I really am tired of trying to make doctors understand and the thought of driving sick through snow to see another useless one really is a heck of a stressor.

[jerseyangel]

Ravenwood,

Sorry I'm just getting back to you--we had a lot going on here last evening.

I had the echo stress in July--I never went back to the doctor who ordered it....frankly, he was not only narrow minded but rude

I contacted the specialty center where I had the test done, and spoke with the cardiologist who was in the room during, and reviewed the results. He said my heart was "fine"--that the palpitations and the sense of being aware of my heartbeat was most likely anxiety (which I do have). They called the result "negative".

I did have pain--it was sometimes more of a pressure and at times searing. It would be in the center area of my chest, and at times would go up into the upper right and into my throat. I don't have that anymore, I'm guessing it was food intolerance, as cutting out legumes and citrus seemed to stop it.

I also saw my gastroenterologist for the chest pain and he said it was "gas" and to take Phazyme. The Phyzyme did not help. (gee, what a surprise)

Believe me, I really didn't want to say to you, of all people, that I thought you should see a doctor The one symptom I did not have was the cold sweats and I know that sweating is a red flag. (not the hot-flash kind, which I do get often).

This stuff is so hard to decipher, given all the past damage and that symptoms seem to always overlap. I so understand being sicker after seeing the doctor--I've been there, too.

Hopefully, it was a stone and that passing it is the end of the symptoms.

[Judyin Philly]

Thank you all for your replies. It seems it may have been a kidney stone moving. I think my reluctance for more testing is understandable.

I have gotten to the point where I really am tired of trying to make doctors understand and the thought of driving sick through snow to see another useless one really is a heck of a stressor.

Ravenwood

I'm so sorry your going through more issues...........like you need more of these.

I'm glad you posted to share this.

Maybe it was the kidney stone and let's hope it's over

If i happens again, maybe gallbladder issue?

i sure know how you feel about the drs. I can so relate to this kind of threament.

I'll sure keep you in my thoughts and prayers and you can write me anytime. you sure have been there for me.

hugs judy

[ravenwoodglass]

Ravenwood,

Believe me, I really didn't want to say to you, of all people, that I thought you should see a doctor

Yea I know, Whenever I step back and say to myself 'now what would you tell someone else to do' that is always the response I give myself. I interviewed a dentist today and found something in his office with references to a med team that combines an internist, an acupuncturist and chinese herbalist all in one place. They are only about 20 minutes away, yay. I WILL call them tommorrow, I promise.

[ravenwoodglass]

Krista

Usually pain occurs on the left side with heart problems. I would guess that it has something to do with your gallbladder. If you have gallstones you will feel severe pain on your right side under your ribcage. The cold sweat could indicate a fever caused by cholecystitis, which is an infected gallbladder. The infection would most likely be caused by a blockage in the bile duct.

Keep in mind that you can have all of these symptoms and problems WITHOUT gallstones as well. I had chronic cholecystitis, but no gallstones. It's call acalculus cholecystitis. So even if the tests come out negative, you can definitely still have a gallbladder problem. I hope you feel better soon.

-Brian

Thanks Brian, I had considered that as a possibility but I eat so low fat.... but I am going to get off my butt and see a doctor ASAP. If it happens again I may make my first ever call for a ride in that big white van. Just to be safe.

[jerseyangel]

I interviewed a dentist today and found something in his office with references to a med team that combines an internist, an acupuncturist and chinese herbalist all in one place. They are only about 20 minutes away, yay.

Now that sounds promising!

Definately keep me posted.