To be considering going to A&E?

[leopardprintlover88]

Woke up at 4am this morning with pain high in the middle of my stomach. Thought maybe trapped wind, took buscopan and windeeze , went to loo twice and no better.
I've not eaten all day cos of this pain. It's like an intense stitch or wind type pain?
I don't know if I should go to a&e or if I should just wait. It's probably a 6 on the pain scale, I can walk around kind of but it's always there. It's about here (see photo)
I don't know what to do.

@Schools2023 I'm fair, a size 14, 34 and female so I'm not too far of those.
I had a baby 6 months ago but that's probably irrelevant.

Also sounds like pancreatitis / gastritis / duodenitis / early appendicitis at this moment- we shouldn't actually say its x y or z as she needs ideally a doctor to see her !

Don't take ibuprofen if it is a suspected ulcer. You need to give the medication from the Dr time to work. I had an ulcer after a c section birth with my second (from the painkillers). It felt like my stomach was being pulled out through my back and would be worst in the middle of the night. The doctor advised that I eat before bedtime or at least have a heavy milky drink - apparently the worst pain will happen when your stomach is empty and the acid can start to attack the ulcer. Try and keep your stomach full until the medication has a chance to work.

Mumsnet is not the place to ask about A&E. People don't like you going unless your head is hanging off and paracetamol isn't helping.

No one can tell you what it is. Not even your GP over the phone. Phone 111 and follow their advice.

It's been a few years since my last one, but I think it was a constant pain high up where you are pointing in the photo, with some very intense waves especially after eating. So I'd avoid eating, but I think this can make it worse as the acid attacks the stomach lining rather than digesting food.

Wow, your GP responded quickly! It's a shame you weren't examined, but she must be quite confident in the diagnosis.

Hopefully after a few doses, you should notice it start to ease off.

I’ve had pain like that from aspirin and from ibuprofen.

Having had a baby is not irrelevant. It's connected to gallstones after pregnancy because of the hormonal changes.

None of us can be sure but I wouldn't be convinced it's an ulcer. That's what a doctor told me and it turned out to be gallstones which caused pancreatitis. Also a lasagne is fatty with the meat and the rich bechemel sauce. The thing is you need to have an ultrasound to be sure.

Also everyone I know who had appendicitis felt really ill with it, not just the pain.

@YourUserNameMustBeAtLeast3Characters really? How long did it last for? x

Op why didn’t you mention the lanzaprole in your op. I’d ring gp. If pain goes up then 111 possibly. Hope you feel better soon.

@hedgehoglurker that's what I'm wondering, I haven't eaten all day as I've felt too nauseous from the pain and it obviously started on an empty stomach so I'm wondering if not eating is making it worse.
Yes the GP was quite good give them their due. But I don't know if I maybe should have laid how bad the pain is on a bit thicker! X

Agree with others though too risky to get diagnosed by internet posters.

I think at only a 6

That depends so much on the person though.
Ds was nearly sent home with appendicitis because his pain was varying between a 2 and 4. He also finished a PE lesson with a broken wrist because he told the teacher "it didn't hurt much".
I have another dc who would say 6 for a minorly scraped knee.

I would call 111. This could (possibly) be appendicitis and my doctor missed it when this happened to me. They will ask you the right questions.

Did you have food with the ibuprofen? You should always have food with ibuprofen or you risk ulcers That’s possibly the problem

I have gallstones and had a baby 15 weeks ago, doc said it's probably related as very common after pregnancy. It does sound like the same pain I experience. Unfortunately I have no advice as I cannot manage the flare ups or pain no matter what I do.

Called 111 and got through quickly to a lovely lady. She booked me an appointment at the urgent treatment centre (I didn't know this was a thing) at 7pm x

I'd phone 111 because it's come on suddenly, it's so bad you cannot eat and painkillers aren't touching it. I have had similar before and it was absolutely agony, sounds like you've tried the at home type stuff, they might be able to do a call back at least. Just because the GP dismissed it as maybe an ulcer I wouldn't take that as read.

Sounds like acid reflux

have you had an antacid? Won’t do any harm and will fix it very rapidly if it is.

lansoprasole also reduces acid, but by reducing it’s secretion, so takes a while to work. An antacid will neutralise immediately.

Don’t take ibuprofen, it will make an ulcer worse. It could definitely have triggered this episode. Taking the lanzaprozole will take a little while to heal an ulcer. Give it a day or so.
I had an ulcer that presented as chest pains, so my GP sent me to A&E. They did an ecg and a couple of other tests, then prescribed a high dose of omeprazole for a few weeks. I remember it took a couple of days for the pain to ease

Glad you're being seen tonight. Quite impressed by your GP.

An ulcer..in that place? 🤔🤨

Do you think I'm doing right even though I spoke to a GP this morning? I'm quite impressed by both my GP and 111 really. X

Why? She’s not had an accident, and it’s not an emergency.

It does sound a bit like your gallbladder rumbling, and lasagne would be classic for causing a problem. You say you didn’t eat much fat but you ate a lasagne… was it a low-fat, low-calorie lasagne? Otherwise, a lasagne is a ton of cheese, meat, and often acidic tomato sauce. Many of them have stats with as much fat as eating chips, or something from McDonald’s. Your gallbladder won’t care whether it’s saturated or unsaturated fat. I see someone else has mentioned the 4Fs of gallbladders going bad - “40s, female, fair, and fat.” But you don’t have to have them all, and you personally don’t. It seems with most of my friends, post-30, female, fair, and over size 6, is enough, which I definitely wouldn’t call “fat.” You’re going to probably want to watch things like the lasagne for your stomach for the next few months and your IBS (which could be gallbladder rumbles now, too, especially if you feel nauseous).

With that said, I do agree your symptoms are pretty vague. It could be your gallbladder, or your appendix, or a problem in your intestines. If you start vomiting, if you develop a fever, if you’re crying from pain, seek help. Then they’ll be able to tell you for sure what’s going on, I hope, and especially rule out appendicitis. If no other symptoms develop except this pain, do NOT take ibuprofen - it’s the hardest on your stomach of the NSAIDs; I’m not even allowed to take it. Take some paracetamol, and make sure nothing you eat for the next 24 hours has more than 5 grams of fat in the entire meal (look at the labels). So when you combine crackers and a cup of tea and something, it should still only have 5g of fat. If it’s your gallbladder, this will give it time to recover.

Drink lots of water, stay off caffeine and alcohol.
Go to the pharmacist now ( find the one that’s open out of hours in your area) and ask for private consul - they’ll take you to their private room ( if they don’t ask them to) and talk to them. They have 5 years training to do their job, and they have more knowledge on medication than a gp.
take their advice, which might yet be see gp, or even go to A and E.

much better advice than MN ( except those that are in health services 😉).