What Is Wrong With Me? Gynae or Gastro?

[RanchoRelaxoWithoutRelax]

Please advise me what might be wrong with me (I know strangers online can only help so much, but honestly, I’m fed up and confused so all ears).

A couple of weeks ago I went into hospital with suspected biliary colic. Terrible upper abdominal pain. Scan showed no concerns with gallbladder so that was that. No ongoing advice or appointments so I guess they were content that I’m okay. They did give me some Omeprazole. I took some today after quite bad pain after dinner, however I’m very uncomfortable again so not sure they worked.

Since this happened, I’ve had almost constant lower abdominal pain over the last 2 weeks which feels like period pain. I also get occasional pain higher up in my abdomen when I eat or drink anything. Not always, but sometimes. I also quite often experience bloating and burping after eating.

I’ve never had any gastro issues so this is all new. I’m 41 so could it be perimenopause which I hear can mess with indigestion etc.

I can’t work out if this period pain could actually be a gastro issue, or whether it’s totally separate to the bloating and burping, but does indigestion pain go that low down? Sometimes I feel the pain in my back too.

I think I need to go back to the GP but I can’t work out if this is a gynae issue with the cramping, or an indigestion issue. It’s so difficult getting an appointment I can’t imagine I’ll get one quickly so any advice or insight is welcome!

Take the meds daily. Omeprazole isn't an as and when drug

Omeprazole are for prevention not cure , taking them after the bile acid has been generated will not help at all

I've just been to the GP for something fairly similar (although without the upper abdominal pain). A full raft of tests was ordered - blood tests and stool samples, then abdominal, renal and vaginal scans. To rule out bowel and ovarian cancer as well as to see what else was going on.

If the Omeprazole doesn't help when you've taken it properly for a few days, I'd go back and ask for more investigations.

I would want an H Pylori test (and a giardia test, given the state of our water companies atm). Meanwhile, root ginger tea is helpful for abdominal gas, and a hot water bottle on your abdomen can be soothing. Definitely go back to your GP though. If you don't go back your GP will assume you are better.

In the past I've had similar, lots of tests and scans all negative. Had a gastroscopy and had severely inflamed gastritis. Omeprazole morning and night daily. I'm much better. I did have renal, blood test for ovarian cancer, and ultrasound all clear first. Keep asking, I'm sure they will find the answer in the end.

Yes, you must take omeprazole daily. Can take a month or so to have full effect if acid is the issue.

How did you get on at the doctors @QueenAnn?

I’ve been referred for a BA125 (?) blood test and scan to rule out OC. I’ve also been asked to do a stool sample to rule out BC.

My vote is diverticulitis. It's very common to develop pockets ( diverticular)in our intestines as we age.
I think diverticulitis is when the pockets get inflamed/ infected and diverticulosis is when you have the pockets but they are not inflamed.
But either condition can cause bloating , pain etc .

A CT scan with contrast showed mine.

I’ve just googled it. It could well be as my pain is mostly on the lower left.

The nausea and fatigue is what’s bugging me the most at the moment. I just want to get to the bottom (!) of it all.

@RanchoRelaxoWithoutRelax Hi, name changed, was "QueenAnne". I had a stool test for hpylori which I haven't yet had results for, but I've had it before and don't think it's that. I'm having a full set of bloods including the CA125 to check ovaries and then a smear and an ultrasound and transvaginal probe. I'm absolutely terrified, not about the procedures themselves (although I'm not exactly looking forward to them), I'm scared of the results, but I do feel better for going to the GP and "getting the ball rolling", how are you doing?

I'd already had a BC postal test recently which, thankfully, came back clear.

I’m not too bad thanks, just pretty fed up and concerned about it being something serious. I’m also concerned that we might never find out what it is and this is just my life now. That’s very unlikely, but I’m tired and fed up of being unwell so can spiral a bit.

@RanchoRelaxoWithoutRelax Have you been tested for Hpylori? I had it a couple of years ago and was convinced I had stomach cancer but it all cleared up with antibiotics and lansoprazole. It's so worrying isn't it? I know exactly how you feel. I'm trying to stay positive but it's hard to think of the future, plan stuff, get excited about stuff when you feel so bad. I'm just trying to take things one day and one test at a time.

No, I haven’t. The doctor said that there were some other tests they’ll do if the OC and BC screenings are negative. Maybe that’s one of them.

Im off to google that now.

@RanchoRelaxoWithoutRelax Im surprised they haven't done that first, maybe there was something about your symptoms that didn't point to that?. I thought I had it again last year and bought a self test kit from Amazon, it was about a fiver and arrived the next day. It was very simple to use and put my mind at rest that I didn't have it again. It was called "One Step". It turned out I was having a hiatus hernia flare up. Although, if you do have hpylori it's very easily treatable even though it can make you feel terrible, I was exhausted when I had it and had terrible aches and pains all over my abdomen.

ill look into buying one off Amazon. I’m so keen to find out what this is.

@RanchoRelaxoWithoutRelax It certainly can't do any harm to do it yourself. Let us know how you go on.

Wow, that sounds really frustrating! I'm not a doctor by any stretch, so this isn't a diagnosis, but I can share my experience that might be similar. For a few years, I had this weird on-again, off-again cramping pain in my lower abdomen that felt a lot like period cramps, but...well, I wasn't having periods anymore. Turns out, I ended up having IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

I know, not exactly what you want to hear, but some IBS symptoms can mimic cramps, and bloating and burping after eating are definitely on the list. The pain can also move around your abdomen sometimes, even go up into your back. It's definitely worth mentioning to your GP though, especially since you mentioned this is all new for you.

In the meantime, you might want to keep a food diary to see if there are certain things that trigger the pain or bloating more often. Certain foods can be real culprits for IBS sufferers. Also, I found that taking probiotics helped a lot to calm things down. Again, this isn't a magic bullet, but it might be worth asking your doctor about.

I know getting an appointment can be a pain, but honestly, it sounds like it's worth pushing for one. They can do a better job of figuring out what's going on and get you the right treatment. Hang in there!

H.Pylori test was negative.

I’ve given a stool sample to test for BC but I’m now questioning whether it’ll be inaccurate as I did it shortly after I’d just had the doctor examine me “up there” 🫣 so might have got lube on the sample and messed it up.

Ive had some bleeding in my bowel movements since giving the sample.

FIT test was negative. However since doing the test, I’ve had blood in my poo a couple of times. Bright red, but a fair amount. I think bright red means not BC but I should update the GP about this shouldn’t I? I feel a bit silly contacting them AGAIN, I don’t want to seem like a hypochondriac!

Yes you must - blood in your poo is something that should always be checked out.

Bright red blood sounds like piles so back to doctor

I’ve got an appointment back with the GP next week about the bleeding.

@RanchoRelaxoWithoutRelax You've done the right thing getting an appointment to see the GP about the blood, sounds like maybe piles have been disturbed during the internal. You are being very brave, let us know how you go on.