extreme rib cage and stomach pain starts out like butterflie

Amanda, Concerned Wife · Newbie Joined: 25 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

My husband has extreme pain in his rib cage and stomach area. It normally starts to bother him when he lays down for bed or wakes him in the night. If it starts while he is still awake he says that it starts out like butterflies in his stomach like a nervous type of feeling, then it moves upward to his rib cage area and says it feels like someone stabbing him with a knife. He says it causes his stomach to be really tight. He is unable to sleep when he has these spells he paces, sits, stands, lays and can not get any ease from the pain. He takes tylenol, motrin, real pain killers, even midol and nothing helps he takes prilosec once a day and when this happens he take 1 or 2 more to see if it will help. He drinks milk and no relife. He is in really bad pain when he has these spells and there is nothing I can do to try and help him. He has no insurance and is unable to have numerous test ran. Does anyone know of what this maybe of how to prevent or treat this. Any suggestions would be great!!
TKS Amanda, Concerned Wife

Guest · Guest

I would be doing anything to get some kind of insurance and visit doctor. I feel sorry that your husband is not able to get insurance while we are busy rebuilding other nations worldwide. Please visit a doctor ..I think he should receive good medical care right now. Had it been GERD symptoms, it must have been over with Prilosec (unless it is prilosec itself which is giving reaction)...so if he feels acidity, for few days he could shift to other OTC drugs like zantec/Pepsid etc....and give prilosec a break for 1-2 weeks...also ..Milk is really bad when you have stomach related problems....having that will only increase the symptoms...I do hope that your husband will soon get good medical care and nothing will turn out serius with other vital organs like liver etc...

IBS SUFFERER · Newbie Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

Hi Amanda,
Sounds like your husband really should be seen. I know you said you have no insurance, but hospitals have financial aid, and he should just go to the ER and get looked at. I suffer from GERD and I know first hand that reflux can cause all kinds of symptoms like you are describing. But my suggestion is a trip to the ER and apply for financial aid through the hospital. Loading up on Prilosec is not a good idea.Prilosec is a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) which will reduce the amount of acid in the stomach. Taking too much is going to wreck havoc with the acid production in his stomach. I would suggest if the Prilosec is not working that the Dr may put him on something like Nexium that may be stronger.
Other things that can cause severe stomach pain (and the stabbing pain you are describing) is H-Pylori (a spiral parasite that bores into the stomach lining) although not life threatening, it can create alot of pain. There is treatment for that as well.
Hope any of this info helps....but get him to the ER and see the financial aid dept with help paying the bill. It is worth saving your husbands stomach from developing ulcers or a hiatal hernia (another possibility)...

GOOD LUCK, keep us posted.....IBS SUFFERER

Guest · Guest

This could also be as simple as panic attacks, which are even more prevalent than numerous postmodern syndromes and can manifest in various and sometimes debilitating forms of pressure and pain...potentially anywhere in the body, but usually in the chest or upper abdominal region.

Western medical systems typically don't attribute as much as they should to underlying or even subconscious psychological turbulence, which may or may not be the only cause, but can certainly exacerbate symptoms of distress or dis-ease.

Some people with no specific prognosis benefit from the application of relaxation techniques and alternative methods. Infrared saunas are gaining popularity; reiki (energy healing) can be helpful whether you believe in it or not; massage, yoic breathing practice, or any other form of deep relaxation technique can help surface any psychosomatic correspondence...at least temporarily.

Situations like this (I have a plethora of varying personal experience) often do resolve themselves, no matter how painful or terrifying they seem. Without medical insurance, you probably can't follow lines of typical recourse...so maybe these suggestions will be helpful. If things worsen or persist, however, even as you try major destress or psychological 'detoxing' methods, then medical help will be necessary under the circumstances...perhaps even life-saving.

Sorry I found this thread so late...just wanted to add my two cents.

Guest · Guest

this is a little late and you have probably already figured it out...but have you tried checking to see if he has chostocondritis? it's an inflamation in the cartilage. i have it and some of the symptoms sound very similar. i know other people are saying GERD and my mother has that. it can be either but from personal experience i would suggest looking for chostocondritis.

Guest · Guest

I had similar symptoms to your husband and went to the ER. The tests they ran were EKG, blood test, and blood pressure and heart rate; then sent me home. I decided to treat myself with gasX, which worked for me but I am worried about the stomach knots. Goodluck and God bless.

extreme rib cage and stomach pain starts out like butterflie

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