Stomach Problems Please Help

Hi

I am a 38 year woman and I am suffering from stomach cramps (lower abs) every time that I eat now.  It feels like gas pains.  It has happened before quite frequently but now it is every time that I eat.  I no longer have much of an appetite so I don't eat much.  I have just started B12 shots and my Doctor has also put me on an iron supplement.  Over the past I have tried elimination diets to see if different foods were the cause but with no success.  I also suffer from chronic constipation (for the last 15 years).  My gall bladder was removed 18 years ago.  I see a Dietitian on a regular basis so my diet is healthy and well balanced.  I am not overweight and have no other known health issues.  If any one has ideas, please help.  It would be greatly appreciated!

[Banned1]

Hi there:

I'm so sorry to hear you are suffering!  If your pain is always post-pradial (after a meal) and since you are without a gallbladder, your pain could be a number of things.  I'm going to paste from a previous post.  I hope you don't mind.  It could be post-cholecystectomy syndrome, sphincter of oddi dysfunction, pancreatitis or any of dozens of other diseases or disorders.

One thing I've heard that helps A LOT OF PEOPLE is digestive enzymes.  You can get them over the counter at many drug stores or a safer bet is to speak with your doctor about trying them.  Ask your Doc for some samples.  The other suggestions I have are fairly generic but, again, they've helped me.  If you think you may have pancreatitis, pancreatic enzymes might help.  

Since you mentioned that you have tried elimination diets to eliminate a food source and are seeing a Dietician regularly, I'm sure you are already taking Metamucil or a similar daily fibre product.  This is a great help for MANY people and might eliminate your symptoms within a week.

It helps to keep a journal or a blog and your welcome to read mine if you want but I write a lot (can you tell).  :)  It's a great way to review your situation objectively and identify patterns in your symptoms, medications and pain level.  Hindsight is 20/20 and keeping a log might help you look at things more objectively over the longer term.  Also, when you do go into Emergency, you can say, this has been the pattern...

You are not alone!  Try to stay positive and reach out for support when you need it.  Talk to your Doctor, family, friends, co-workers, church or social service volunteers or anyone you feel safe with.  

Search the web for Yahoo! groups.  Once you have the page where you can search the Yahoo! groups, search or "sphincter".  There are about five of them.  Only two of them are really worth joining.  Michele's is by far the best as she is a registered nurse and an uncommonly kind, empathetic and supportive woman.  Maddi's is wonderful, too.  Just put in a request to join and within a day or two, they'll let you know that you've been accepted.  Hopefully, if you join, you'll say "Hi" to me there.

When you do find answers, it would be wonderful if you could let us know the root cause(s) and how you got rid of your pain.  It gives people on this site hope to hear success stories.

Take care of yourself.  Good luck and Godspeed.  All the best,

Sam