3 year long stomach ache - I'm out of options, please help

[tmt731]

Hi. I'm a 19 year old female, 5 foot 11 inches, 140 pounds. I am in general good, healthy shape, except for these plaguing stomach aches that have been occuring for years now. The pain is generally on each side of my lower abdomen (more left side than right). Accompanying it is a gnawing stomach pain that generally creates a lot of belching and nausea. Also, I'll have episodes of diarrhea for days. I never really have a "normal" bowel movement - instead, I'll be constipated or have diarrhea. I've tried a high fiber diet. I've had 3 ulcers - all from overdoing advil to relieve pain. To discover the ulcers, I had an endoscopy done. As well as ulcers, the doctor found a small hiatial hernia but said it shouldn't be causing me pain. A month later, I had a colonoscopy done to look at the pain in my lower abdomen. The biopsies found no Chron's or Colitis but did find Chronic Inflammation. The doctor decided it was probably IBS. I was recently put on Kapidex, but it doesn't seem to be helping. The pain seems to be getting worse and is making me very dizzy to the point where I'm blacking out and sweating. I don't know what to do. My doctor isn't really helping me all that much and I think he thinks I'm making it all up. I'm really not doing well and am tired of all this pain and light-headedness. Is there anything else it can be besides the obvious? What tests should I ask for next? I just feel I'm at the end of the line. Thanks for your help.

[Milo99]

Well i'm not a doctor but 3 ulcers and chronic inflammation will probably cause every symptom you have mentioned. Are you on PPI's (Nexium) or at least Zantac for the ulcers? Use Tylenol for pain.  

[Suzie49]

Have a HIDA Scan done by competent professionals.  It will show how your gallbladder is working.  Get a different doctor as well.  You need medical assistance from someone who will continue to pursue the causation of your problem.  God bless you.

[CalGal]

Chronic inflammation is not a feature of IBS. I'd like to suggest you go back to that doc, or find another one, and find out what is causing that inflammatory state. You may not have Crohn's or U.C., but there are other causes of inflammation such as microscopic colitis. You need a good doc and you may have to do a bit of 'doctor shopping' until you can find one who will follow-up and give you a hand with this.