Mystery diagnosis

[leigh455]

Dr, Choi, I have the following symptoms, but have had mixed opinions from my doctors. My family doc thinks I have GERDS, while my Gastro believes I may have chronic pancreatitis. Here are my symptoms:

Nearly constant central, upper abdominal pain since August 6, 2010.

Pain is gnawing, burning, like heartburn or severe hunger pains.

Pain is entirely absent at night while sleeping, and absent first thing in the morning. I sleep well.

Pain begins with discomfort when anything is ingested, even water or medication.

Weight loss: approximately 20 pounds between August 6th and November 16th.

Pain feels strongest 2-3 hours after eating.

Pain feels somewhat less immediately after eating.

Sometimes feel nauseous, usually when pain is most severe or sometimes after eating. On a few occasions, I was nauseous all day long.

Sometimes taste acid, usually when nauseous.

Mostly yellow stools (no diarrhea).

Louder than normal digestive noises.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[patient915]

You can have acid reflux where a medication doesn't help so you need to try another one.  It might be gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying) so that test sounds like a good idea.

[leigh455]

Hi all. Thank you very much for responding; much appreciated.

I have had a variety of tests, all normal: Upper G.I., middle series, upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, and a variety of blood tests--all showing normal levels. This has been very aggravating, because for 4 months now I continue to experience upper abdominal pain and sometimes nausea all day long.

My Gastroenterologist has just scheduled me to have a "gastric emptying" test, thinking that slow stomach emptying might be the cause of my nausea.

As for why he suspected pancreatitis earlier:

Even though my tests were normal, he says that sometimes tests can miss pancreatitis, plus, the proton-pump inhibitors he has prescribed seem to do little or nothing. He says that if my pain was caused by acid reflux, the proton-pump inhibitors should fix the problem (same with ulcers). He feels that pancreatitis might be the only other explanation for my pain.

The lack of any definitive diagnosis, however, is driving my nuts.

Thanks in advance for any additional comments and suggestions from readers.

[patient915]

This is the community forum so there are no doctor on here.  To ask a doctor you have to go to the expert forum but there are currently no doctors answering questions there now.  What did your blood tests show to make your doctor think you have chronic pancreatitis?

[rajshree327]

Dear , I 'll suggest you to go for an endoscopy to rule out peptic ulcers.thanks.