Anyone else suffer from bloat? **Update - post 21**

[SarahFair]

I know I havent posted in awhile. During the time Ive been absent Ive been sick-like.

Over the past week I can hardley get out of bed. Last tuesday I started getting sulfer burps, then the pain under the right ribs kicked in.
Its always been there but the intensity comes and goes.
I finally almost completely quit eating friday to get them to go away. The pain stayed and I just ended up hungry.
Sunday I went to the hospital and spent 5 hours in there. They took blood, urine, and an ultrasound.

No gallstones and nothing they can see wrong with my gallbladder.


They said its gastritis vs ulcers and prescribed me zantac and another strong anti-acid. These are caused by excessive smoking, drinking, eating of anti-inflammatory
I want to cry. Its not my stomach that hurts! its from my right side (like under my arm almost) to the spot where the rib cage starts bending upwards in the middle.
Honestly I felt like they just wanted to know what was wrong with me then and there. They wouldnt listen to ALL my symptoms.


I go for a check up in 2 weeks (to a different Dr) and I plan on making a list of my diet and symptoms.



When all this started I began having the WORST nightmares, the kind that rattles you out of your sleep. Once I wake from these its an hour or more for me to fall back asleep.
Usually its due to pain or nausea



I guess I have GOT to change my diet. Thing is... I feel like all Im allowed to eat is crackers and water (blah!)
No fats, oils, acids, flavor, dairy, carbs, etc etc



anyone have any ideas on what I can eat?

 

[suzettex5]

Have you looked up 'Celiac Disease'? It manifests in soooo many different ways. It does sound like you have some kind of ulcers though. But it also sounds like Celiac. Many Dr's miss a Celiac diagnosis since it has so many symptoms similar to other ailments.

Have you been tested for all forms of hepatitis? I know one of them causes stomach pain and sulphurous smelling burping.

I hope you find relief soon and I am glad you are seeking medical help.

 

[SourRoses]

I know how you feel about the folks at the ER! Sometimes they just don't seem to care other than to get your butt of their bed.
I had the same experience at the ER a few months back. "Nope, it's not this, not that, you're healthy as a horse, now go away" .... but pain is there for a reason, to tell you that something is, in fact, wrong!

Next time I am NOT going to the emergency room... I am going to call a regular doctor and wait for a regular appointment, no matter what anyone else says to me. Putting my foot down.

I have had the similar rib-type side pains... one doc "guessed" it might be a chest wall infection, whatever thats about.

My actual guess is that maybe all of the hunching and stressing you have done over your painful tummy, has stressed the muscles in your side somehow.


I still kind of agree with the other folks about the Gall Bladder. My mother had to have hers taken out at a very early age, and her mother before her (I'm on the lookout for mine).... but she went YEARS with docs telling her there was nothing wrong with her GB... while she had daily vommiting and pain... before she finally saw a doc who said "OMG, we are taking that thing out ASAP".

My point is... go to an office dr. Ask again about the Gall Bladder. Ask again about the other things. I hope you will have a better experience.

 

[SarahFair]

Thanks. Im going for a check-up in 2 weeks.
Im just going to try and find foods that calm it and take my meds to see if it calms down.
Id almost rather it be my gallbladder (you can take that out!) than be a life long problem with my stomach.


My dad thinks its because Im too skinny and dont eat enough but I LOVE food. I eat almost all day.
He thinks if I just eat a hardy meal everything will be okay. It makes me want to cry!
Im almost too scared to eat cause I dont know whats going to set off the crippling pain Ive started getting. He just doesnt seem to understand that.

 

[Godsgrl]

Quote:
Have you been tested for an H. Pylori infection? My dd had that, and she would get sick if she ate anything. It took us 6 months to get diagnosed, and our regular dr was no help whatsoever. We finally found a great GI dr, who found the infection. A round of abx, and she was feeling a lot better very soon. I hope you get to feeling better.

 

[MamaRoo]

Quote:
Seriously.

Check out Celiac.com and post your symptoms on the forum and see what answers you get.

 

[sfw2]

Sarah, while you're looking up all the other good suggestions you've received here, look up "costochondritis". The right-side rib pain you've described sounds a lot like the problem I was having, a few years back. I had ultrasounds, scans, gallbladder tests - the works. My gastroenterologist finally suggested that I was suffering from costochondritis, which is an inflamation of the cartilege in your ribs. It can be caused by an injury, or you might, like me, never know the exact cause. Mine got worse when I was under stress. A combination of anti-inflamatory drugs, along with a an anti-anxiety/antidepression medication made all the difference for me.

I'm not saying this is what you have, but it's something else to consider. I hope you get to the bottom of this, soon. I know how it feels to live in chronic pain, with no apparent cause. With every "negative" test result, I started to wonder if I was imagining the pain. Then I'd have another attack, and I knew it was real.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Quote:

My friend in college had this and it took doctors 12 YEARS to diagnose it. She couldn't even eat without throwing up. Very sad. After they cured it she was like a new person.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

I have had similar attacks caused by acid reflux. I was put on Nexium and it fixed me right up! I am better now and no longer on it. It took a couple of years for them to diagnose what was wrong with me. I'd been diagnosed with IBS and had my gall bladder checked out a couple of times. I didn't/don't have IBS -- not sure why the doctor thought it was that. Needless, to say I only took those meds for a week and it didn't help. It finally got worse -- to the point of these types of attacks that ended in vomitting while I was pregnant with my first. My OB diagnosed me with acid reflux. Gave me some suggestions on how to avoid the attacks. I followed her advice diligently. No, my stomach never actually hurt, but there was this pain that started high (at the top of the rib cage) and as the attack was settling down it would end up in the lower abdominal area. I was put on medicine after the birth of my daughter and I was much better. Unfortunately, after the birth of my second I had to go back on Nexium due to acid reflux again. After the birth of my children, my family doctor prescribed Nexium and, obviously, agreed with the diagnosis of the OB. I was glad to finally have two docs on the same page.

I have had a few attacks since then, but are very far and few between (maybe 3 times in the past 4 years) -- only when I have had really extreme stress does one show up now, although, I am 19.5 weeks pregnant with baby #3 so we shall see (ex. daughter under going open heart surgery or having some pretty upsetting extended family issues). So far so good with this baby.

I, guess, my point is to be diligent. Keep going to the doctor until they can really find what's wrong with you. Narrowing it down can be a bit of a challenge. Best wishes! Take care!

 

[Godsgrl]

Quote:

My friend in college had this and it took doctors 12 YEARS to diagnose it. She couldn't even eat without throwing up. Very sad. After they cured it she was like a new person.

That is very sad. I'm glad she was finally diagnosed, but it is ridiculous that a proper diagnosis took that long.