Fed Up - exhausted Drs - turning to MN!

[horsesforcourses]

Just wondering if anyone can help? For over a year, I have had somethin wrong with stomach - basically for about a week at a time (not related to periods etc) my stomach 'loses it' - either very painful (think sharp stabbing pain like period pain but higher up) and nausea or just feeling very sick - worse after eating but not resolved by not eating. Have been to drs and had blood tests, samples, abdominal ultrasound scan etc, all show nothing, referred to gastroenterologist (sp?!) who gave me IBS drugs (dont help) and referred for endoscopy which agin showed nothing. Was referred to allergy specialist and followed strict diet, candida diet and drugs etc but not helpe either. Its flared up again this pm and just really fed up. Wonder if anyone can help, had anything like this. (No am not pg again before anyone asks although the amount of time I've had this.... !!!) Sorry this is long but am tring to distract myself and get better!! Tanks in advamce for any help/ suggestions

Sorry can't help you but will bump this up.

pancreatitis????

Have you had the coeliac blood test?

or gallstones??? I know nothing about either, but sounds the right general area iyswim.

Neither gallstones nor pancreatitis I don't think as I have had both. Sorry that doesn't help you. Does the pain come midcycle? Could it be ovulation pain?

Just a thought, have you had stomach acid checked for over/under acidity? Or for h/pylori or any other bad bacteria?

Sometimes the acids damage the part of gullet near the stomach, this might explain the pain?

Try observing what the triggers are, could be a few hours after eating, what type of food. Maybe you have inadequate stomch enzymes to digest foods, then the body would try to reject it. If the food starts coming up, it would be damaging to the gullet..

I'd say to experiment with the diet..

Ooh than you all for your comments/ suggestions - Dotty; havent had blood test for coeliac but have cut everything wheat containing out of siet for a month and no improvement so ruled that one out. They scanned for stones of ny sort and nothing showed up, pain comes whenevr it feels like it, before, during or after ovulation so dont think ts anything in that department! Dr gave me tablets to reduce stomach acid but they didnt help at all, and we both felt i'd start to rattle if I took any more tablets than I need to! Also tested neg for Pylori - guess I'll just have to play around with diet a bit more - just starting to get grumpy with feeling yuk and want that invisible instant solution we all crave!

Gallstones? If you aren't overweight they don't often check for this

how about a scan?

Did abdominal scan for stones as mum had these when she was younger etc - but nothing. Now I've posted I've reminded myself how fantastic you all are with your thoughts and suggestions and ideas! (In a couple of hours youve come up with things its taken 2 Drs, a consultant a radiologist, blood tests a scan and lots of drugs to think of over 12 months!) Thanks again for your thoughts - going to try and sleep through it tonight then ring consultant in the morning and get appointment.

Can you post a foood diary? I have 2 children with intolerances, and am expert at spotting suspect foods (check for aspatme, MSG/flavour enhancer, sorbitol initially). Alternatiely how about phenols? Some people have problems with those, - in coloured fruits- red apples, tomatoes etc.

stomach ulcers?

MSG a strong candidate i would think gess, agree.

Sounds like it would be a good idea to keep a detailed food diary - everything you've eaten and drunk - and then also note down when you've suffered and what the symptoms were.

You might be able to spot a link, or someone like gess could help you if they're particularly expert here.

Hope you had a good night's sleep!

horsesfor courses....coeliac disease is also affected by rye oats and barley, so cutting out wheat alone may not improve your symptoms. Mine were intermittent for lots and lots of years and I had alll the IBS drugs etc to no avail.

Ask for a blood test to rule it out, you've got nothing to lose.

Are you sure it's not IBS? Definitely worth keeping a food diary over a few weeks to track your stomach upsets.

Hope you find an answer it's so frustrating when Doctors can't help. Oh, I don't think it's pancreatitis, I've had this and it was absolutely excruciating, the worst pain I have ever experienced. Nah, you'd definitely know if it was that!

Sorry I havent posted recently - but have been keeping notes! DH boycotted computer for OU stuff .... Have been thinking about what you have suggested, Daisy, I havemade appointment with Dr and am going to ask for blood test to rule out coeliac (least I can rule it out if thats doesnt solve it) Maisym - apparently scan ruled out ulcers etc. I had wondered about MSG briefly (but this has never been mentioned by Drs) I think once you start to think of something and are keen to know whats wrong you start to try and solve probems with what you think was wrong (if that makes any sesnse at all?!!) Gess - I think keep ing a food diary and symptoms would be (and is) a good idea - its something that I have started on more than one occasion but seem to tail off after a week or so, must try harder ... (will see if anything looks obvious but might post bits up here if I get stuck/ cant see pattern (and am still feeling rough) - perhaps you could cast your eye over it if this happens? It seems that stomach outbursts happen for about a week at a time every 4 - 6 weeks, do suspect its smething food related myself but just need to work out what especially as medical tests have ruled out most things. (Already eat dairy free, avoid tomatoes, oranges, (intollerance - are these phenols - just know they dont agree), and allergic to blackcurrant and parmasan cheese of all things! ) Thanks again

Describe your symptoms during these outbursts. Low pain, high up pain, colicky, continuous pain, diarrhoea, etc.

Well, similar with each one. Usually low, stabby pain (higher up than period pain) but similar feeling, draging downwards, also on left hand side, similar, short, jabby pain. (different to stomach ache etc) - this can be mixed with nausea or without, or sometimes just feel very very sick but most often am not actually sick. (Every once in a while, say every 3 months am actually sick for no apparent reason) pain usually worse after eating but often there when I havent recently eaten. No diarrohea, often quite bloated after eating but this happens when I just eat meat, fruit and veg (ie not just when eated cereals etc) ..... thanks

If you don't have gallstones or a high alchohol intake pancreatitus can most likely be fuled out as these are usually the only causes. High lipids (such as cholesterol) is a rarer cause and it can also rarely flare up in pregnancy.

IBS is a funny one. It is common, causes a lot of pain and problems and yet relatively little is known about it. Don't feel you are being fobbed off when diagnosed with that. Was it buscopan you tried?

Thanks Flossalump - yes, to be honest was a bit dissapointed whn we got to the IBS bit - ruled out this and that cant be this or that, need to consder IBS - have these tablets and let me know if it gets any better - either way it'll tell me something. Yes, consultant gave me Buscopan - cant quite work out if they help or not though - yes when I'm in pain and I mix them wth prescription Co-Comadol the pain reduces, but they are no use when nausea and pain combine - is this nausea a cmmon symptom of IBS? Just suppose I worry that theres something that could be missed (ie tablets dont always help) and dont want to just 'take the tablets' when it hurts too much - especially as they seem to make my legs go to jelly, give me headaches and make me very sleepy - or is that just motherhood?!!!

found this here, which might be helpful to you www.ibsnetwork.org.uk/portal/WhatisIBS/HowIBSAffectsMe/tabid/85/Default.aspx. Nausea and sickness can be a symptom.

Thanks Flossalump - going to keep a very strict food diary and try and see what triggers it as I tick alot of the IBS boxes (its just one of those things to initially think off as a 'write off' diagnosis. Thanks for your help

failing that,
was it an ultrasound scan?
an mri or ct would pick up more.. if they would agree