Constant gnawing, grinding pain in abdomen for 4 days. Ulcer? Gastritis? Pancreatitis?
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I have IBS and anxiety. Last week I was having a flare up, and over the weekend I was stressing about getting it dealt with and having panic attacks about the holidays. I've been taking low dose Xanax last week, up until this Monday. Over the weekend I was having thin, loose stools. I've been using wiitch hazel wipes for the past couple of weeks, if that's of any significance. Anyway..
On Sunday morning I went to the kitchen and made a bacon sandwich. After that I felt a bit queasy, and started having a panic attack about people coming over to the house, so I took a muscle relaxer and 1/4 of a 0.5mg Xanax and went to bed. Woke up fine again and got on with the day, although grumbling about IBS. At night I took a dicyclomine (Bentyl).
On Monday I woke up having a panic attack with IBS spasms in my colon at 5am. I fell back asleep eventually and woke up a few hours later feeling less panicked but with a bad stomach ache. I decided to barely eat that day, just having a slice of toast in the morning and a little bit of mashed potato and roast beef in the evening.
On Tuesday morning I woke up having another panic attack and colon spasms. I tried to calm down by eating a slice of toast. Ate a couple of bites and then puked green ick. Felt better after being sick but my stomach was aching and my palpitations were bad so I took another 1/4 Xanax to calm down. I made a doctors appointment for Wednesday. I perked up a bit over the day, although I had bad back ache, but I put that down to constipation as I hadn't gone all day and went to bed with a hot water bottle. All I ate that day was the bit of toast, some graham crackers, plain pasta and a banana.
On Wednesday I woke up and used the bathroom. My stools were solid, kinda "old" looking but not as thin. I ate a banana for breakfast and we set off to the doctors. All he would talk about is my anxiety. I told him about my stomach and that I'm in pain so he told me to go gluten free. We left the doctors to go pick up anxiety medication. The pain gradually got worse over the day. I've been eating bland foods, taking things to help (vitamin E, probiotics, Sucralfate, Antacid liquid and now DGL licorice root). Nothing helps. For dinner I ate rice with carrots, then I had oatmeal with some strawberries. I used the bathroom again and had very loose stools, but it was brown (no signs of blood or bile or anything), but then I became very nauseous and was "throwing up" although not actually getting anything up (probably because I'd used Sucralfate to coat my stomach).
I woke up this morning feeling a lot better than I felt when I went to bed. I got up, ate a banana and we went to the store. I could feel the discomfort coming on, and it has got worse as the day has gone on. At 2pm I took a Sucralfate tab. Around 5pm I decided to eat to see if that helped and made some plain rice. No difference. I've taken antacids and they seem to help since they make me burp, but the pain comes back after a minute or so. I used the bathroom and my stools were sloppy and a light brown/dark yellow color. I've put the color down to my banana & rice diet.
So far, symptoms:
Constant gnawing pain in middle to left of abdomen (under ribs).
Diarrhea and constipation.
Constant burping and regularly passing gas.
Back pain.
Heart palpitations.
Vomiting green ick (once).
I'll also add that I was diagnosed with esophagitis last year. Wasn't told anything in regards to my stomach, but I do have acid reflux due to diet which is likely what caused the esophagitis, so I've just been trying to cut out any trigger foods (milk is my biggest enemy).
0 likes, 17 replies
pippa58442 3lli3
Posted
Upper digestive problems such as acid reflux often goes with IBS. Imhave ziBS and upper GI problems. My IBS is now in remission.
pippa58442 3lli3
Posted
3lli3 pippa58442
Posted
Thanks, I hope you're right, but I've had IBS my entire life and have never been in this much pain. My stomach flips and gurgles every time I breathe out, and I can be in tears from the pain until I burp and get some temporary relief. I've tried walking, but just moving makes my stomach start to hurt and gurgle, but I've not had any BM urgency which is what I usually have with IBS.
pippa58442 3lli3
Posted
Try Nurofen with codeine combined to help with the pain; that helps me. Ask your doctor for a different antispasmodic. Once your antispasmodic controls your pain, try gentle deep breathing exercises which will relax you and reduce your symptoms.
Your anxiety and panic attacks will make your IBS much worse. My first IBS flare up lasted three and a half months because of panicking about not getting a diagnosis. Once I found out I had IBS, my panic disappeared and my symptoms went into remission.
The key is to try and control your anxiety.
3lli3 pippa58442
Posted
I've tried taking things for pain, but they just aggravate my stomach even more. My doctor doesn't want to prescribe antispasmodics for my IBS and said I just need to change my diet. I'm taking hydroxyzine for if I start panicking, but my intestines are not my focus at this point because the pain is higher up. I felt okay when I woke up this morning, other than the usual tenderness, but as soon as some food hit my stomach (banana and strawberries) it was immediate agony.
pippa58442 3lli3
Posted
Fodmap will also help you too. There are good OTC remedies for IBS; your chemist will be able to advise you. I find Buscopan very good. Others say Silicogel is very helpful. Upper GI problems also go along with IBS.
lisa45174 3lli3
Posted
3lli3 lisa45174
Posted
Oh yes I would be in so much pain during my period due to IBS and endometriosis, so I was put on a pill to stop my periods and haven't had a problem since. This pain I'm in now is on a whole other scale to that though. I'm about to give my doctor's office a call and see what they say.
3lli3 pippa58442
Posted
He told me to stop taking antispasmodics because I was struggling to go to the bathroom and he doesn't want me to end up with C. Diff again.
lisa45174 3lli3
Posted
3lli3 lisa45174
Posted
Norethindrone 35mg. Been on it for 4 years now and is the first pill I've tried that has worked and not given me any side effects.
pippa58442 3lli3
Posted
If you take lots of fruit or a laxative this will help the constipation. Some antispasmodics do cause constipation but there are others that don't. You will need to try several to find one that works. I take Buscopan which is mild, doesn't constipate and really helps with the pain. When I was badly constipated I was advised to take more fibre but I was not told to avoid antispasmodic.
Are you sure your doctor said antispasmodic rather than antibiotic? Antibiotics can disturb gut flora and cause bad bacteria to overgrow.
3lli3 pippa58442
Posted
I can't take laxatives as I dehydrate too quickly. I don't drink much water, and get unwell if I do, my family are just naturally dehydrated people for whatever reason, so anytime I take a laxative I have diarrhea for days and start being sick.
He definitely said antispasmodics. He said people get used to them and take them too often, so the intestines get lazy, and with me being constipated he doesn't want me to get blocked up for days and end up with C. Diff again. I'm eating plenty of fruit and yogurt etc., but so far the only thing that has made my stomach feel better (today) was taking DGL licorice. My stomach still hurts but it isn't severe like it has been for the past few days, and eating seems to make me feel better (temporarily) now too.
pippa58442 3lli3
Posted
3lli3 pippa58442
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Yeah I told him the Dicyclomine is from September LAST year and that I only took them when I really was in dire need (the one I took this week was the first time I'd used one since I was prescribed them), but he still refused. Oh well, at least I seem to be getting better with this licorice root. I had a sneezing fit and pulled some intestinal muscles again so the pain has returned in my lower abdomen, but my upper abdomen is much better, even if I'm still a bit queasy.
pippa58442 3lli3
Posted