Intense stomach pain PLEASE HELP

[Rose559]

My fiancé has been ill for as long as we remember, probably the last 5-6 years. He has had so many tests and they cannot find a cause, we have another doctor’s appointment today and I was wondering if anyone had experienced similar and if there’s anything specific to ask for. He can’t go on like this much longer, it’s obviously getting to him and affecting us as a couple/family too because he’s snappy and angry because he’s in pain.

He has intense pain in his stomach constantly, he cannot have any weight put on his stomach and he’s in excruciating pain, he feels sick from the moment he wakes up in the morning, he’s gassy/bloated, has a really low immune system and catches everything so constantly has coughs/colds.

He’s had gullbladder scans, camera into his stomach, various blood tests (although not testing for anything specifically). Toilet habits are completely normal so they haven’t tested anything related to bowels.

He had appendicitis a year ago and had his appendix out and ended up with blood clots on both lungs a year ago. Hasn’t really recovered from that.

I’m hoping there’s someone that’s experienced similar, just an idea of what to ask for as the doctors today? I’m going with him just to help advocate as he feels he’s not being taken seriously.

Reflux and HH are enough to cause significant pain. Maybe he needs the HH fixed?

Are you trying to be incredibly nosey and spectacularly unhelpful or is it an unfortunate obliviousness?

He already has diagnoses that explain the pain and aren't being treated. He has clearly been extensively investigated (from what you describe, endoscopy etc)

Thank you. He tried a 2 day fast this Sunday - Monday and has tried a 16:8 fast for a week but this has been it in the last 5 or so years. I’ll advise him to not try it again.

He had a tube test for 24 hours to see if the hiatus hernia needed operated on and it “seemed OK” apparently.

Thank you. I’m happy to answer any questions if it can help him!🤷🏼‍♀️

Fasting will achieve nothing. If it's a food trigger, he needs to identify it.

With FODMAP it takes you through all the common allergens and intolerances from wheat to onions, tomatoes, sugar, alcohol, milk.... Then you add each thing back in one at a time over a period of weeks and look to see whether it changes anything in your gut.

It's a very basic diet but it helps see whether something it causing you distress.

The doctor obviously hasn't experienced severe reflux. I agree with pp about NOT fasting and starting a suitable diet. Look up diet for ulcer/ reflux and follow it for at least 2 weeks. Ditto sleeping propped up.

Does he not look into his condition for himself? Why are you having to do this for him? I have significant gastric issues including severe reflux, and I’m the one who takes responsibility for helping myself in all the ways I can - it’s my body. Anyone who has acid issues knows an empty stomach is the very worst thing you can have. Does he like being able to complain about his pain? Has he looked into his own diet and tried eating differently to see what feels better? I can’t help thinking there is some psychological element to this, either in how he is responding to the pain or his attitude towards getting better.

As others have said, has he been tested to se that h pylori has cleared. A friend has recently had this and it’s taken a couple of tough courses of antibiotics to clear, he’s working through recovery and gradually the pain is easing.

He hasn’t been retested no! Will ask them too! Thank you.

Has he tried going gluten free? Grain free?

Thank you. Will mention it!

I think he has too, although he’s only had one blood test and no stool/bowel checks so wanted to find out if there was anything specific we could ask today.

We’ll try exactly this. Thank you.

Surely needs to take his PPI if recommended by the medics. They might want to try that first before going back to Gastro.
If it continues it would be Gastro and probably another gastroscopy to see what's going on as most likely from the reflux and ulcer

He really should take them. Constant acid reflux carries the risk of damaging the oesophagus and can ultimately lead to cancer, so neutralising the acid helps to prevent that.

He does. He’s always watching videos/searching/trying different things but he doesn’t advocate for himself when it comes to doctors. I am quite frankly fed up of him moaning about it, I have post natal depression myself and this is all getting to me so much. But I feel guilty that it is because what if it’s something severe. It drives me mad that I try to help him with diet, cook from scratch etc then he tries things for days/weeks and gives up. It’s getting to all of us.

He hasn’t! I think we’ll try the FODMAP diet and go from there. Thank you.

I will get him to bring this up today. Thank you.

Cut out all dairy and gluten and see what happens. I had all of what you've described, including clear MRI and gastro/endo scopes. I decided to cut out dairy and gluten as a trial, and the pain, reflux and inflammation went away within the first 72 hours. This was 6 years ago. I have never looked back

Just a note on gluten free - he shouldn’t do that before the coeliac test (which he should have) as to see the antibodies, should they be there, he will have to have been eating it.

Don’t stop eating gluten if he is anticipating a coeliac test - he needs to have been eating gluten normally in order for the test to be accurate.

This scatter gun approach of taking every suggestion on this thread and asking for those tests isn’t going to get you anywhere, I’m afraid. An investigation needs to be sensibly structured to avoid these sorts of issues.

He could certainly try introducing pre and probiotics to help rebuild the gut biome after his antibiotics though - all his research must surely have told him this,

I developed stomach pain a year ago and other gut symptoms, I tried eliminating gluten and bingo! All symptoms cleared in a matter of days. Crazy. Then I reintroduced foods one at a time and never had any more issues. I would never have guessed it because I'd been OK for years with gluten. You just never know. I hope your DH gets to the root of the problem because it really is miserable.

Oh yes the PP who mentioned coeliac testing, yes do that before eliminating gluten. You can do a blood antibody test for it.