Does this sound like gastroenteritis to you?

[LadyFatCat]

Late last year I had2 stomach ulcers which were diagnosed after a endoscopy. I was tested for H Pylori but didn’t have it, was prescribed omeprazole and the pain mostly went away.

It has still been niggling since then though. I’ve seen gp about it a couple of times, they've seemed unconcerned as pain is relieved when eating and with omeprazole.

For about 6 weeks now the pain has been getting steadily worse. I doubled my dose of omeprazole and it doesn’t seem to alleviate the pain at all any more, the pain also gets worse at night to the point I can’t sleep and I’m often just wandering the house whimpering in pain. In the last month I have lost over a stone. For the last week I have had bloody diarrhoea and last night I started vomiting which was also blood streaked.

I finally spoke to gp this morning (long story but I’m going through a divorce and have sole care of 2 dc’s so simply haven’t had chance to go before now). He seemed completely unconcerned, said it was almost certainly gastroenteritis and that I didn’t need to be seen. I started crying on the phone and asked what I should do about the pain and vomiting blood. He said as it was bright red blood it’s nothing to be worried about and I should take paracetamol but make sure I don’t take ibuprofen.

I don’t know what to do. I’m in so much pain that I can’t eat or sleep. I can’t stand up straight so can barely shuffle up the road to collect dc from school. I’ve had gastroenteritis before and it was absolutely nothing like this. It lasted a few days and then I was better. This has been getting worse and worse for months and I am just in so much pain all the time. It feels like something is clawing at the lining of my stomach.

[Stickyuptail]

No it doesn’t sound like gastroenteritis. It sounds awful and you need urgent attention. That amount of pain along with bloody diarrhoea and vomiting could be anything from crohns to gallbladder inflammation and lots of other things too. I think this is a case for A&E. you poor thing. I hope you get some answers and appropriate treatment ASAP. Do not be fobbed off.

[Footle]

No it doesn't. Please go to A&E. and then get a new GP.

[Phoebesfleas]

Did you go to a&e and how are you feeling op?

[LadyFatCat]

I phoned the surgery back and spoke to another GP. I’m having a blood test tomorrow, they’ve arranged for me to see a gastro consultant as a priority and they’ve given me some strong co-codamol for the pain.

GP that I saw seemed fairly concerned that the guy I spoke to this morning didn’t want to see me - kept asking if I was sure I mentioned the blood in vomit and stools and whether I definitely told them the pain was constant and increased after eating. She was doing a lot of disapproving ‘hmm’ing when I told her I had definitely let him know these thing. She said she wouldn’t want to diagnose anything as she’s not a specialist but she thinks I’ll almost certainly need and endoscopy and that it could beCrohn’s but confined to my stomach and duodenum. Hopefully it will be sorted soonish, proper painkillers are a life saver though.

[Stickyuptail]

Thank goodness you’ve been able to speak to a GP who seems clued up and has sorted out urgent blood tests and referral. Can’t believe the first said it sounds like gastroenteritis. From what you’ve described it sounds nothing like it whatsoever. I hope you will soon be on the way to getting a diagnosis and some appropriate treatment. Glad the painkillers are making things more bearable in the meantime.