Constant upper abdominal pain

Posted by tj @tjanet, Jun 1 4:19pm

I have Short Bowel Syndrome. I am having constant abdominal pain above my belly button and to the left of my abdomen and I also have constant nausea. Doctors don't know how to treat my constant abdominal pain and constant nausea. Abdominal pain doesn't change with what I eat, doesn't change with bowel movements and doesn't change with moving around/walking etc. Resting doesn't change my constant abdominal pain and constant nausea.

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kayraymat | @kayraymat | Jul 12 11:41am

In reply to @tjanet "@kayraymat Still waiting to talk to the social worker." + (show)

@tjanet
Do you have to make an appt with the Social Worker?
I worked as one for awhile & we went out to clients.
Unless the worker is a therapist, then you would make an appt.
Glad you found out "ileus".... don't know what that is, but understand
about the doctor.

tj | @tjanet | Jul 12 12:48pm

In reply to @kayraymat "@tjanet Do you have to make an appt with the Social Worker? I worked as one..." + (show)

@kayraymat
I have to make a appointment to see the social worker. Ileus means that my small intestines are going to sleep, so somehow I have to find away to wake them up. Doctors still don't want to treat me for ileus,so I continue to suffer with constant abdominal pain and nausea.

tj | @tjanet | Jul 20 4:10pm

GI doctor thinks it's ileus caused by SIBO. I can't be tested for SIBO because of my Short Bowel Syndrome, so my GI doctor prescribed me Xifaxan (antibiotics) to see if that helps. GI doctor isn't treating me for ileus just the Xifaxan to see if it's from SIBO.
I don't have bloating, No gas,No indigestion, No cramps/ spasms. Just constant abdominal pain and constant nausea.
I have been on Xifaxan for about 5 days and still no change in how I feel.

invisiblepain2 | @invisiblepain2 | Jul 21 10:00am

Have you heard about central abdominal pain syndrome (CAPS)? I have 24/7 abdominal pain and I’m wondering if I have it.

tj | @tjanet | Jul 21 10:35am

In reply to @invisiblepain2 "Have you heard about central abdominal pain syndrome (CAPS)? I have 24/7 abdominal pain and I’m..." + (show)

@invisiblepain2
I have researched it but doesn't sound like what I have. My symptoms are more related to my Short Bowel Syndrome condition not being treated.

chx | @chx | Jul 26 9:32am

Ive been experiencing abdominal pain for about 7 years now. I all started when I was about 13.

The pain comes about once or twice a month. When I eat a certain meal (there are no patterns), I can feel a small deep pain within the centre of my abdomen. I know I am getting my usual episodic pain, then within half an hour my entire abdomen is hurting me including tender, bloated, and sore and a deep pain.

I cannot get comfortable because of the pain. Laying down on my stomach, back or left side makes the pain unbearable. The pain wakes me up from my sleep and it gets too painful. The pain goes through to my back, and just hurts everywhere. The pain lasts for many hours (around 8, but the intensity varies).

Once I felt the pain coming along, so I made myself throw up the food, just to avoid a whole night of agony. The next day I my abdomen is very sore. The pain is usually triggered when I fast, and then eat a large meal.

Ive done every test including
- Blood test (positive for h-pylori, but took antibiotics then it was gone)
- Breath test (clear)
- endoscopy (clear)
- colonoscopy (clear)
- capsule endoscopy (clear)
- MRCP with no contrast (clear, just a small cyst in left kidney)
- Gastric emptying study (clear)
- Faeces test (clear)
- Coeliac disease blood test (clear)
What could this be?

frouke | @frouke | Jul 26 1:18pm

In reply to @chx "Ive been experiencing abdominal pain for about 7 years now. I all started when I was..." + (show)

Hi, I’m just wondering if you recorded what you’re eating when this pain comes back, if you had an ailment it would probably trouble you ongoing. Perhaps you should try this out and see what happens, you’ve had numerous tests done which didn’t show anything and the H-Pylori was treated with antibiotics. It might just be a reaction to something you’re eating, maybe an allergy.

chx | @chx | Jul 26 9:02pm

In reply to @frouke "Hi, I’m just wondering if you recorded what you’re eating when this pain comes back, if..." + (show)

@frouke Thanks for responding. There have been no connections to what I am eating. I feel like its more whats happening inside when I'm fasting.
When I get a flare up, I stop eating that food that triggers it, but the flare ups are still ongoing. A friend of mine has pancreatitis, and has similar symptoms, and I was told to maybe check the gallbladder etc.

Ingegerd Enscoe, Alumni Mentor | @astaingegerdm | Jul 27 9:28am

In reply to @chx "Ive been experiencing abdominal pain for about 7 years now. I all started when I was..." + (show)

@chx
Welcome to Mayo Connect!
I recognize the pain that you are describing.
I get similar pain lasting about 8 hrs after eating certain foods. Mine is related to my bile ducts. I don’t have a gallbladder but the reaction feels like when my gallbladder was full of stones.
There could be tiny stones in the common bile duct. The pancreatic duct and bile duct enter the small intestine through the same opening - that why blockage of the common bile duct can cause blockage of the pancreatic duct, at times leading to pancreatitis.
The pain of either can be felt in the back.
There are specific tests that evaluate the gallbladder function. Do you think that you had any such test? The MRCP can also detect problems in the area where the two ducts enter the intestine.

chx | @chx | Jul 27 11:26am

In reply to @astaingegerdm "@chx Welcome to Mayo Connect! I recognize the pain that you are describing. I get similar..." + (show)

@astaingegerdm
Thanks for your insight. I was looking into doing a HIDA scan to assess the function of the gallbladder. I've done an MRCP with no contrast, and it was clear. I am just worried that if my pain is not flared up, then nothing will be shown in the scans.