Abdomen pain - Mainly after eating

hambo_12 · Newbie Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 4

OK, Heres the story from start till now:

I am a 22 y/o male, slightly overweight, and have had swallowing difficulties since around the age of 13. Endoscopy was performed at age 14 and nothing found. They wanted to have another look, but I stupidly never went back. The food actually gets stuck in the middle of my throat, and I have to wait until it moves on its own or I make myself vomit it up. Some foods are worse than others, and size of bites makes little difference.

I have been having some problems for the past month or so and would really like them sorted, however my doctor just writes them off to reflux symptoms.

I have made a list of the symptoms I have had:

Pain in chest
- Pain in left breast and shoulder
- Pain around length of rib cage, feels like pain underneath rib cage
- Pain in upper back
- Occasional difficulty breathing, with shortness of breath

ECG normal
Blood tests normal for:
Kidney
Liver
Heart Problems
Cell Blood count
Diabetes
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol
Pancreas

Pain in back
- Pain along spine
- Pressure type pain
- Pain in sides as well on occasions

Pain in abdomen
- Sensitive to touch
- Pain when pushed all over abdomen
- Loss of appetite
- Cant eat as much (this seems to have gotten better, but still get bloated)
- Nausea on occasions
- Undigested food in stool
- Diarrhea, gas
- Pain in chest and stomach made worse by Alcohol
- 2 mouth ulcers on one occasion
- Occasional fatigue, tiredness and dizziness
- Blood in stool on rare occasions, dark red in stool, sometimes but rarely bright red on toilet paper
- Stool mostly light brown and watery

Pain in lower back
- Pain in centre of lower back (Base of spine)
- Pain / burning in left hip and left buttock
- Occasional pain in right hip
- Pain in groin both sides which is getting worse, but still bearable
- Pain / ache in legs, mostly upper left

Now, the doctor has said this is all (or mostly) symptoms of reflux problems. He booked a colonoscopy for precautionary measures to do with the blood in the stool. Colonoscopy revealed only a small hemarrhoid. He put me on Nexium 40mg after the first chest symptoms started, and the other symptoms may have started at this time. Could these all be symptoms of reflux problems? Or Nexium side effects?

I have been booked for a celiacs blood test and stool culture, which I will go for this week.

The most uncomfortable pains are the stomach pains. All these problems are REALLY getting me depressed too, please help!... Sad

hambo_12 · Newbie Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 4

I must also say that I have just stopped taking Nexium 40mg 3 days ago, and my diarrhea has dissapeared, but my stool is now normal shape and consistency, but blackish in colour! This is worrying me so much, I am freaking out1 Crying or Very sad

hambo_12 · Newbie Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 4

OK, heres an update on how Ive been feeling for the past couple of days:

- I have been feeling fairly lethargic and tired, even after a decent sleep.
- I have been having well formed, normal, but dark dark brown bowel movements (not black), which worries me of blood. Previously this was light diarrhea.
- I still get abdominal pain, in the stomach and middle of my abdomen. This flares up slightly while and directly after eating.
- I still have an unusual amount of undigested food in my stool. I assume it is undigested food, the chunks are hard and different colours.
- Slight mid back pain on occasions.

Does anyone have an idea of what it could be, im going out of my mind??

Guest · Guest

Its funny to see everything you describe because I am having all the same problems. I have not been to the doctor yet I was hoping to research it first I am a 26 /m and have been having these problems going on 3 years but it is getting worse at a faster rate. I have also noticed my food seems to go through my digestive tract in about 2 hours undigested. Also doesnt really seem to matter how much or little I eat at a setting I have got to get to a bathroom like within 20 min. If you find anything else out on your situation please post it could be helpful.

Guest · Guest

You might want to get checked for celiac disease or gluten intolerance (found in wheat, barley, rye). Blood tests aren't always enough to verify this (may need upper GI to verify). Also, alchohol might be aiding the problem, depending on how much you drink it.

Guest · Guest

Sounds very familiar. I had a pancreatic attack about 8 years ago and was suffering from almost all of the same symptoms. Spent a week in the hospital and was diagnosed with pancreatitis. My triglycerides were through the roof due to family history and poor diet. I had to give up beef and fried foods. I had to incorporate more fruits and vegetables. They put me on Lipitor, but found out I was pregnant soon after so I had to stop. I never resumed taking the Lipitor and my triglycerides are borderline. I will tell you the bloating was just the beginning. I've had two kids and the pain that resulted from this was way worse. I literally would have reached in and taken out my pancreas myself in order to relieve myself of the pain that resulted from my saturated pancreas. I would have them look at your levels again because I was misdiagnosed for 5 years before my final hospital stay. Hope this helps!

Guest1001 · Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

Are you on any blood pressure medications? There's a relatively rare but documented side effect of ACE inhibitors (Lisinopril, etc.) called angioedema of the small intestine - symptoms are similar to those you describe: pain under the ribcage, diarrhea, nausea & vomiting. Also can cause swelling of the facial tissue and esophagus. Good news is, if you switch a different antihypertensive med, the condition goes away.

Ask your doctor about splenic flexure syndrome, too - it's a condition where a pocket of gas gets trapped in the 'elbows' of the large intestine - the corners between the ascending & transverse colon and/or between the transverse and descending colon. Anti-gas medications such as cimetidine are usually prescribed, but if it's severe, surgery may be recommended.

Hope this helps.

Abdomen pain - Mainly after eating

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