Please help my husband is suffering

[tigger796]

My husband has been quite sick since February.  He had a burst appendix for twelve day before he was in the hospital but we were lucky enough it the poison localized in one area pretty much. Now about 6 weeks ago he finally had the appendix taken out it was rock hard an directly stuck on the bowel the surgeon said it was like using a jack hammer to get it off. Now 3 weeks ago the pain got more severe again and it has continued to get worse he can't do much more then lie on the couch.  If he takes pain meds he can do a bit more but lying down helps the most.  The doctors have done x-rays, blood work and a CT scan of the lower abdominal area but they can't find anything, now they want to send him to a GI specialist. They say maybe it it IBS. I don't buy it. He is in constant severe pain, his bowel movements are more or less fine, he says it hurts more in the upper abdominal area after he goes to the bathroom, but he still has normal stools. He gets the sweats also, he can't sleep, he is pretty much confined to the couch. My husband also has type 1 diabetes,wondering if could it be the pancreas.  I don't know what to do please do you have any suggestions on what this might be.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

A referral to a gastroenterologist is a reasonable option.  Possible causes can be irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, dyspepsia (i.e. GERD, an ulcer of inflammation of the upper digestive tract), or liver/gallbladder problems.  

Further evaluation can include an upper endoscopy as well as an abdominal ultrasound to evaluate the liver and gallbladder.  A colonoscopy can be considered to evaluate the lower GI tract.

The pancreas is a possibility - and can be evaluated with blood tests looking at the amylase and lipase.  The CT scan would appropriately evaluate for any calcifications that can be suggestive of chronic pancreatitis.  

These options can be discussed with your personal physician or gastroenterologist.

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

[MLWTR]

IBS does sound unlikely, but IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) may be a possibility. Sometimes Crohn's disease (a form of inflammatory bowel disease) appears in the appendix before it spreads anywhere else. If that is the case, his attack of appendicitis might well be related. In any case, a GI consultation sure sounds like a good idea. Good luck.

[Christie2004]

Here is a link:

http://www.digestivedistress.com/what_is_GP.html

Gastroparesis can be a complication of diabetes. That link has a lot of info on other things, too.

I'm sure Dr. Kevin will reply soon.