Stomach, Esophagus, and Intestinal Pain for about 2.5 years

[ariotti]

Here is my saga. Male, 28 years old, exercise, 6'2" 160lbs.  It all started in late fall 2003(25 years old) .

I have been expeirencing gastric pains which include Nausea, bloated, fullness, satiety, Cramping, Burning, Borborygmi, growling, turning, and tenderness (sternum area) for about 2 years (off and on). My stools have changed they are broken and sometimes very mushy and sometimes like a pulp. No blood that I can see, no dark stools. I sometimes have diarreha, I sometimes can only muster a bowel movement once a day in the morning, sometimes none the whole day. My most frequent symptom is intestinal noise (borborygmi) and mild cramp/burn upon waking up and throughout the day. It sounds like popcorn. I also have a burning sensation frequently in my sternum and stomach.

My symptoms are best described as flare ups. The flare ups appear to last for about 2 months then subside for 2 months. During the downtime I still have mild symptoms most notibly the intestinal noise. It has been this way for 2 years. I notice that while playing hockey I can feel a burn in my esophogus or stomach area?  Here is a chronological layout of my medical visits and symptoms since this all started:

Fall 03' symptoms started, New to me and I thought I was having heart problems. My pain was upper left flank.

Jan 2004 first ever anxiety attack. Went to ER and had Chest Xray, blood testes, ecg. etc..

July 2004  Visited Gastro Doctor while on work leave in NJ. Told him about the symptoms and he did an Upper Edoscopy and blood tests. Test revealed evidence of nonerosive gastritis in my stomach. Esophogus and duodendum appeared normal. He prescribed Protonix which I did not follow. Blood tests were all normal

Symptoms came and went throught 2004 and into spring of 2005.

March 2005 Went to another gastric doctor in my hometown in FL. I told him of my symptoms and he ordered an MRI of my Kidneys, Spleen, Gallbladder, and Liver. Result Normal Abdominal Ultra Sound Everything was fine. Also ordered blood tests which came out ok this included all the enzyme tests and HP Bacteria (negative). Diagnosis IBS or Celiac possibly.

November 2005 Had a bad flare up in late 2005 so I went to yet another GI docter. He ordered a small bowel series, multitude of blood tests, and Endoscopy. Small bowel and blood tests came out ok. Chicked out of the Endoscopy. Blood tests were totally complete. IBS was diagnosis

Symptoms subsided until march of 2006
This spring I started expeirencing heartburn pretty bad. Went to my General Doctor who feels that it is over acidity in my stomach. He prescribed Achipex which I have been taking for a month. Aciphex has helped the heartburn but I still have cramps and noises and stools that are broken, sink, and kind of mushy.

Could I have Stomach or gastric Cancer, in the early stages? Doctors think it is IBS or Acid Reflux. I read that it takes years for it to develop? I am concerned about the burn I feel when exercising.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

The upper endoscopy would make gastric cancer less likely.  You also have had a pretty comprehensive evaluation that would rule out many of the major causes of your symptoms.  

If GERD is still suspected, you can consider a 24-hr pH study to give a more definitive diagnosis.  If acid-reducers like Protonix is not helping, you may want to consider surgical therapy.  

Another consideration would be gastroparesis or delayed gastric emptying.  A gastric emptying scan can be considered if this is suspected.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_

[Nate2]

Hi Everyone,

   I have been suffering with what the doctor's believed waw IBS for more than 5 years now. I have had every test imaginable. My symptoms are pain in abdomen, swelling of abdomen, dirreah, nausea and vomiting, swelling of the hands and feet, drastic weight gain, and sometimes migraine headaches.  Recently I began going to a gastrologist who repeated the stool work up and found that I was unable to break down fat. After being put on bentyl and phenergan to try and regulate the pain and nausea he finally decied to test me for Celiac. This test was done through blood that was sent away to a lab in California, the results came back 99.5% possitave! This is very uncommon in an afro american but never the less it is true and I now have to follow a gluten free diet and on top of that I am also lactose intolerant. I have suffered many flair ups especially in the past two weeks, dirreah which caused dehydration and required IV fluids at the emergency room. I am scheduled to have a Hida Scann with CCK on wednesday of this week so that they can find out if my gall bladder is working properly. I'm a bit concerned because they stated that they did not want me to drive after the procedure and they are planning on doing a complete abdominal test.

[ariotti]

Thanks but that burn I feel when I play hockey? That really concerns me. Can streneous activity exacerbate a stomach irritation? Also I have tons of gas.