Irritable bowel, Gerd and Back pain.

[kitkat31625]

Hi,  I am 36 years old. I was diagnosed with Gerd and IBS approx 6 years ago. My gerd and IBS has been acting up for the past 3-4 months pretty badly. Worse than I ever remember.  I have been having episodes where I have been having alot of tenderness in my stomach. It hurts to the touch.  I feel like I have to have a bowel movement. When I go it is just a small,soft amount. I still feel like I have to go however I can't.  I have heartburn stomach aches, terrible bloating and gas. I have had trouble sleeping at night due to my middle to lower back hurting me. It is relieve after I am up for awhile.  Eventually, I have an episode where I will get intense intestinal cramping. Feel tingling in my legs even. I will have a big bowel movement. The cramping and feeling I have to go more will continue,I can't go anymore so I give up trying. The feeling I have to go more and cramps will go away.  I will be okay then a few hours later it will come on again. Up to 3 times in one day. I will feel a little better not much. The whole cycle will repeat itself. I have been to my regular doctor who had me take prevacid twice a day. Gave me antispasmatic medication. It has not helped. Crohn's disease and colitis runs in my family.  My question is do you think that my (Gerd/IBS) has Possibly developed into something else? If so, Like what? Would these problems be causing the back pain?  I have tried Ibruprophen and it does nothing. The usual stomach medicine I have taken in the past which helped are not working.  I am getting worried.      Thank you!!

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Further evaluation is necessary to answer the concerns.  The stomach pain can be caused by an ulcer, uncontrolled GERD, or inflammation of the upper digestive tract.  

If there are problems with the bowel movements, things like inflammatory bowel disease (either Crohn's or ulcerative colitis), infectious colitis, or gastroenteritis are all possible.

You may want to consider both an upper and lower endoscopy for a thorough evaluation.  

More specialized testing, such as a 24-hr pH study, can be considered if the initial endoscopies are negative.

You can discuss these options 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.
http://www.straightfromthedoc.com

[TUBZ]

Hello,my names Tubz,and i have been havin problems with my stomach.I am 29 years of age 5''10 215 lbs.I have been having ongoing pain in my stomach for a very long time cramps at times out of nowhere,bloated feelings,and sharp pains that come out of nowhere like lighting bolts. I can see that at times my fecies looks black to a dark gray/charcoal at times. And at other times has stool in it,as i think its called,which looks like little peices of dark mushrooms inside,which is kind of intimidating.
I seem to have alot of Quesyness goin on in stomach, from below the ribs in front of chest to sharp pain just under the belly button and i sometimes feel my throat want to gag like if i want to throw up,but cant, also at times i get a warm feeling   and sensation on the right side of my waist.And of course passing gas has increased!!!i've been smoking for about 10 years and i drink alchohol and i know i have high blood pressure and never been treated for it, im thinkin maybe ulcer ??peptic mixed with high untreated blood pressure???i'm gettin worried,can u please help?? Thank You.....TUBZ

[breeze111]

kitkat31625 they told my mom that over and over at her doctors office .. that was one of the things they came up with .. and the back pain .. when a person goes from 230 pounds and starts loseing weight 12 pounds a week and it started out 5 to 6 pounds sence may but right before she went to the er in knoxville she seen her doctor a interninal med doctor heart and lung doctor for years said Hitial herinia and ibs and its good your loseing weight and she had in her last visit lost 12 pounds and the something cloged in her throat when she would eat.. you get sec and third opions if you have to .. do what you have to do now we wish we were not glad for my moms weight loss .. and we hated the fact when the doctors came in and told her she had lung cancer in both lungs and in the back!! doctors do make mistakes and so do the hospitals!! good luck

[jboy]

TBuz, if you have tarry black stools, you should get checked for an  ulcer.  That can be an indication  of blood in the stool, which is caused by gastrointestinal bleeding somewhere in the digestive track.  The only other main cause for black stool is taking iron supplementation, so if you arent doing that, get it checked out.