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.

If its something like Omeprazole he needs to take it on a regular basis for it to have effect.

5-6 years is a long time for this to be going on - has he done any sensitivity testing or it may be worth going for digestive health testing

I’ve just spoken to him and apparently the manomety came back normal so he was advised not to take the tablets.

He's being silly not taking anti acid tablets which take weeks to work. His lunch diet is awful.

My son same age suffers like this has had cameras up and down privately.

He is very strict with diet 90% of the time. Eats gluten free, dairy free. Eats probiotics as in kefir products.

He needs to eat and drink carefully at every meal. He'll have to take in a packed lunch. No more pasties, pot noodles.

OH and take the PPIs for two months at least.

does he drink a lot of sugar free drinks? I am senstive to certain sweetners and if i drink a can of sugar free pop I get really awful intense stomach cramps and feel sick. Lasts a couple of days. So if he is drinking some each day then it be continuous.

Like others have said, I would request an urgent coeliac test xx

If that comes back negative I would look at the WHOLE30 diet. You cut a whole load of stuff out for 30 days, dairy, grain, gluten etc and then you had it back one by one. It's a lot easier to follow than it sounds! And it could help him work out what is causing the issues. But he MUST follow it strictly xxx

I had very similar symptoms last year. Tests revealed HH and widespread inflammation, gastritis. I was told to take omeprazole at a high dose for a month then a lower dose for 3 more months.
I wasn't given a special diet but essentially put myself on a very bland diet. Nothing spicy or fried, no alcohol etc.
It did clear up but it took months.
I stopped the PPIs as instructed after 4 months and it flares up occasionally and I take the PPIs for a week or so. I also take gaviscon which I actually think is more helpful than omeprazole.

It sounds to me like he might struggle with a very specific fodmap diet, perhaps just cutting obvious irritants would be a start.
Does he drink alcohol? Wine in particular was the worst thing for me.

When I had an endoscopy they tested for hpylori and coeliac. I think they do it routinely so it may well be that it's already been ruled out for your partner

This makes no sense.

With reflux he should be taking a daily ppi like omeprazole to control the acid. He probably needs a higher dose for a month then to drop down to a maintenance does. I think he might have misunderstood because they're usually one of the first time hints docs give you for stomach pain.

If he's taking them, he shouldn't also supplement his b12 because they can stop you absorbing it from food.

Apparently he doesn’t have reflux (??) but I’m completely unsure of this as this was initial diagnosis and one of the main things. He told me the test they did ruled out reflux🤷🏼‍♀️

has he had helicobacter pylori test?

He has and had it and had antibiotics.

Is his pain up near his ribs or low down around his bellybutton? My dh had some low down pains which were excruciating and he was eventually diagnosed with diverticulitis but it took several gp appointments and eventually a call to 111 got him an appointment with an investigation ward. He had an mri and they saw his lower intestine was inflamed. He had antibiotics and the pain went within a day or so. He has since had two flare ups but so far so good.
Of course, if your dhs is higher up, it wouldn't be this. I really hope he gets help soon. It was hard enough my dh not being listened to for a short amount of time, so I can imagine how hard he and you are finding this.

Thank you I’ll get doctors to check.

He had an oesophageal ph test which apparently “came back fine” and ruled out reflux. I have no idea at this point.

Sounds like your other half is either a bit of a fanny or you're not getting all the facts in the correct order.

One minute he's got this. The next he's got that. And the first ones ruled out.

All very confusing. I can understand why he's a bit confused also but doctors have ten minute appointment times so the gp won't have much time to go over all the past history of this and that and find out what he still could have and what's been ruled out. So his complex history could be confusing fir them too

Whatever happens, he needs to stop trying to solve the problem himself while not following doctors advice.

Diet is crucial. I really think it's that. He needs to do what we are all saying.

Keep a food diary and work out what his triggers are. It can take three days for them to show. Hence you need to eat the same bland food for three days to try and reduce the pain. And once it reduces then work out what makes it worse.

No more pot noodle pish.
No alcohol or curry or diet drinks.
No more fasting (the stomach still produced acid so it's got no food in there to dilute it so it'll actually make him worse).

He needs to get referred to somewhere but in the meantime he needs to eat differently to you and the children. Bland only. No cream or tomato based sauces. No chips. Bland bland bland.

I had stomach ache for years it ended up being helicobactor pylori
Week if any biotics sorted it

Instead of FOODMAP you could try one of the blood test available online that are designed to find out food intolerance that might give you an idea if it is related to food. I know someone who did one for a skin complaint.

I think he’d be better to go to the doctor by himself, he’s an adult and it might be better for him to talk to them himself.

I had this kind of thing for years, though not as seriously, and various investigations.

Eventually realised it was eating wheat that did it! I cut that out, and almost immediately the pain went. I don't think I'm coeliac, as can eat other gluten without incident, but by the sounds of his diet he eats a lot of processed wheat, which I found to be the killer.

See if he can cut it out for a week and what happens.

Please don't waste your money on this OP, most of these tests are utter bunkum.

https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/food-allergy-intolerance-testing.html

These companies sell you IgG blood tests which have insufficient evidence to support them. If they worked, the NHS would use them as they are not expensive to run and could solve a lot of issues!

These tests don't actually work. They're complete rubbish unfortunately.

I think it would be better if you went with him OP as there may be a lot of info to be covered and he may misunderstand.

I was thinking that. If he's still scarfing pasties and pot noodles. He's not listening

Might be silent reflux/Gerd.

but he eats things like pot noodles, pasties etc for lunches at work and I’d say a fair bit of processed meat and white carbs

Incredibly selfish of him
Causing family issues with his stomach issues
Wasting NHS time and money

and he eats like this

pathetic