Unexplainable stomach pains

[julian2008]

From the age of 11, I have been getting severe stomach pains just under the ribs which last for one to two hours. The pains have never been predictalble and I have no idea what sets them off. I am 23 now and I'm getting sick and tired of the problem. The pain is on the left one time and the right at other times. The only thing I can link to it is sometimes if I skip a meal I'll get hungry and then straight afterwards it hits. The pains are quite severe and I cant to much other than wait for them to pass. Their frequency is also odd. Sometimes I'll get it ever week for 2 months and then it wont show for a few months. I've been to doctors and specialists. Had course after course of reflux medication, had a gastroscopy and no one can give me any answers. I dont know what else to do and if the pain wasn't bad I'd deal with it. Can anyone please give me some options?
All replies greatly appreciated.

[boron]

Pains you experience may be called "hunger pains". Duodenal ulcer is one typical reason, releaving of pain after eating and heartburn also both speak for it. If it is ulcer, you'd have some blood in the stool, not necessary seen with a naked eye, but with a (1) hemoccult stool test. Another test you might want to have is a (2) breath test for H. pylori - this causes ulcers and heart burn. (3) X-ray with barium (also called upper GI) may show ulcerations in duodenum or further in the small intestine. (4) Capsule endoscopy would clearly show any inflammation or ulcers.

You can have tests one after one. I think you should confirm/rule out this duodenal ulcer first.

I don't think this is a gallbladder pain. This would be only on the right side and would appear *after the meal. *Pancreatic pain or intestinal spasm would also more likely occur after eating.

You can also search for "hunger pain" to see, if something other resembles your pain.

[julian2008]

There are no other symptoms I can think of but I think that eating something does make the pain go away faster than if I dont eat. It still takes a while after eating though for the pain to go. Sometimes the pain starts with some slight heartburn before it hurts in my stomach. I wouldn't say its a burning pain. More of a cramping pain. Not that I have been stabbed before but I would say it feels like someone is driving a BBQ skewer or a knife into me.

[boron]

Few suggestions:

1. Duodenal ulcer. Worse on empty stomach, after acidic meal (fruits, vit C, wine, vinegar) or aspirin; pain may appear at night. Pain is relieved by eating or antacids. In Zollinger-Ellison syndrome these ulcers may appear deeper in the smal intestine, where they are not reached by the gastroscope. Barium x-ray or capsule endoscopy would show ulcerations. I doubt you would have this for 12 years though.

What kind of pain is it: burning or like a cramp? Any other symptom - black or bloody stool, bloating, constipation...?