Abdominal Paid/ Digestive Issues

Posted by dbordner @dbordner, Jan 9, 2023

I am a 57 year old white male. In September 2018 I had a paraesphagial Hiatal Hernia repaired. Since the surgery, I have had a lot of abodnminal pain on both the left and right side, and almost constant diahrea, and nasuea.

They have done CT scans (with and without contrast), MRIs, Barium Swallow tests, Colonoscopies, endescopeies, Gastric Empting studies, breath tests for bacterial over growth, food alergies tests, Thyrodi Tests, Caridac tests, and neorologica tests. So far they have not been able to figure out what is going on from any of these tests.

They keep redoing the tests to try to figure it out but nothing. I have been working with specialists in the motility department at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles for the past 4 years and they have not been able to figure it out. In 2019 they they found my pyloris valve was spasaming. They thought that was causing the diaharea, nausea, and the pain. They then gave me botox injections into the Pyloris Valve. This worked ok for a couple of months, then stopped working. I then had surgery to repair the Pyloris Valve. Unfortunately this did not solve the problem, I still had abdominal pain, nausea and diahrea after I ate anything. They also have tried many types of medications that have not worked, including Pancreatice Enzyme pills. They have also tested for bacterial over grouth

I have been in the hospital at least 7 times in the last 3 months. They have been trying different medications and nothing has worked. In June I went on a Vega diet and cut out all meet, dairy, bread etc and started drinking protein smoothies to try to reduct the weight loss. This helped but I still had pain, anusea and diahrea when ever I ate anything solid. Theyran more tests and nothing.

Most recently I have been in the hospital at least 7 times in the last 3 months. Once for a blockage from another barioum swallow test, twice for infections in the intestines, one of which was for sepsis and possible internal bleading, that they were not able to determine the cause. I was also hospitalized multiple times for galstone attacks and the eventual emergency removal of my galbladder I was hoping that the galbladder removal would help with the issue, but it has not.

Now the pain in my abdomen on the lower left side is constant. It is mild now all of the time, at time a very sharp pain. It worse if I eat or drink anything. I am also getting pain on the lower right side of the abdomen. The pain is also now going up the left side of my body under my ribcage and and a little up the back. It now hurts if I get out of a chair or stand up. At times it is a shooting pain. I am going to be going in for another CT with Contrast in about 3 weeks and I am wondering if there is a test that my doctors are missing. I feel like the doctors are not taking this serious, and they are just guessing now. The pain, nausea, and diarahea is detroying my ability to live a normal life. My mother, and at least one her aunts died from pancreatic cancer which is making me even more concerned. IAny suggestions on what my doctors should be looking at or for, or additional tests that might possibly be usefull would be appreciated. Thank you everyone.

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Do you have access to a good naturopath? They may be able to help symptom management?
Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic targeting diarrhea. Candibactin-BR may help as well. Ginger for nausea. But with all your issues I would speak to a naturopath before trying. If you had no such issues prior it seems the surgery set something off.

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did you seacrch dumping syndrome?

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Could you tell me what doctors you see at UCLA? I have been to 5 GI doctors and am now going to UCLA. They are just repeating all the test and procedures I had done at Cedars and in OC area. Are you going to continue seeing the doctors there or try going somewhere else?

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Have you had a stool elastase test? You may have EPI (Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) or Chronic Pancreatitis. Good luck!

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