unbearable stomach

[t2006]

I have been having stomach problems for about 2 years and i cant take it anymore.  It is just getting worse.  i had my gall bladder taken out 1.5 years ago and am still not better.  Now i am vomitting up stomach acid and have diahhrea.  I feel like i can't eat anything and i don't know what is wrong with me.  Sometimes if feels like someone is reaching in my stomach and squeezing really hard for about 10 seconds and then letting go.  I also feel like my intestines hurt and i can't possiblly get rid of anymore stomach acid.  it is very painful.  About 6 months ago i was diagnose with acid reflux but medication is not helping.  i dont know what to do.  Could it be something else?  i have tried some symptom finders and came up wiht Crohns disease, diverticulitis, and celiacs disease.

[Ratnakar Kini]

Hi t2006,
The details provided by you is not adequate to give any opinion.
I would like to know -
1.Whether you get any relief from pain after passing motion
2. Any blood or mucus in stools
3. Have you lost weight?
4. Is your sleep disturbed by your symptoms

What is your upper GI endo  and colonoscopy findings?

If yes for the first question  and no for the rest, you probably have IBS along with GERD.

Discuss with your gastro regarding endoscopy for further evaluation.
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The information provided is for patients’ education only and is not a medical advice. Always consult your personal physician for complete evaluation of your health problem.

- Ratnakar Kini M.D.

[t2006]

Thank you so much for the info!!!.  That is something i have never heard of.  I will definately check it out.  I am going to ask my doctor about the PH test.  I was not like this until i got my gall bladder removed.  I though eventually it would go away but it doesn't.  Does you daughter get better sometimes for days or weeks and then get sick again for days or weeks like i do?  It sounds like she is in a lot of pain all the time.  good luck! I hope she gets better.

[Ratnakar Kini]

Hi t2006,
A simple pH monitoring test can find out whether it is acid reflux or alkaline (bile) reflux. Not all cases of bile reflux needs surgery.
Consult your gastro regarding pH monitoring test.
==================================================
The information provided is for patients’ education only and is not a medical advice. Always consult your personal physician for complete evaluation of your health problem.

- Ratnakar Kini M.D.

[roberta12]

My 12 year old daughter also had her gallbladder out about a year ago, and has never been the same.  Instead of relief from her pains, she has new and worse pains as you describe.  We have been fighting with doctors in two states to get answers.  Finally between my own research and our hometown Gastro, we finally have an answer.

Instead of acid reflux,  She is suffering from Bile REFLUX.   Several endoscopies have revelead that her stomach and throat are continuously coated with BILE, not acid.  

She has tried every PPI on the books, NEXIUM, Achipex, Zantax, protonix...ect... none work,  she was diagnosed with accute pain syndrom and they put her on CELEXA,  did nothing.

She sees a pain management specialist.  This helps with relaxation techniques etc.. but she cannot go on like this.

I REALLY feel your pain.  My daughter suffers to no end.  Her stomach always feels full, She is nauseated 24 hours a day,  ZOFRAN does not even help any more.   She coughs and vomits up bile.  She gets dizzy and is in so much pain, she can barely stand it.  She misses so much school, we are considering home study.

We finally hope with the diagnosis we can get some help.  There are procedures that have been relatively succesful in correcting the BILE REFLUX, ( that you may or may not have)

The Roux- en-y biliary diversion and a total doudenal diversion surgery.

They are major procedures but we are ready to take the chance,  she cannot function or stand the pain for one more day.

Bile is different from Acid reflux.  Bile is a BASE not an acid. That is why none of the acid inhibitors work.  It will cause gastritis and eventually esophogitis, just the same as acid does.  

if you want to research more..look on google for ALKALINE BILIARY REFLUX, or biliary reflux.  

Look in particular at one medical journal article under "
" Managing failed antireflux Therapy"  

GOOD LUCK  , keep pushing your doctors, and ask for another endoscopy, see what they see. I know you must be miserable.  

[t2006]

Here are the answers to your questions.
1. no
2. no
3. yes, sometimes i cannot eat.  The only way to feel better is if i go a couple days with eating as little as possible and then i start to feel better once i am totally cleaned out.
4. yes.
I went to the ER a couple of months ago.  I though i was having a heart attack.  The dr. said my esophagus was proabably having spasms from the acid reflux and it can feel like a heart attack.  I have been sick since dec 22 and now i am starting to feel better but have not eaten well since.  The only test i have had is the one you drink chalk like liquid and they take pictures of your stomach.  I told my doctor i was still sick and she has not done any other tests.  I told her the over the counter antacids do not work and she will just give me a couple samples of prevacid or nexium and thats it.