Caffeine triggered abdominal pain

Question

I have suffer from frequent abdominal discomfort and sometimes severe pain. I've seen a gastroenterologist and was treated with Nexium and then tried Previcid, but they never got rid of the pain. Also had many different types of tests performed. It started about 7 years ago and I eventually figured out what was triggering it. I found that if I consumed caffeine (coffee, tee, and even chocolate) I would get the pain in my upper right quadrant below the rib cage and the pain would last for about 4 solid hours. A gallbladder function test showed that I had a low functioning gall bladder and so my doctor recommended a cholestectomy which I did about 3 years ago. I still avoid coffee and chocolate, but I do sometimes feel the pain in the same spot. Some have said it might be the Sphyncter of the Oddi valve. Does anyone know what this might be and why does caffeine seem to trigger pain? I miss my coffee!

Soddi · Answer

Thanks very much for your guidance.  I had an endoscopy and ultrasound and the dr said there was some reddness in the duodenum and started me on Nexxium, then Prevacid, but that didn't help. I eat spicy foods and it doesn't seem to bother me as much as coffee or drinks and foods that have caffeine.  

I actually had my gallbladder removed because after a gallbladder function test, it showed I had a low functioning gallbladder. So, the Dr. and I thought that by removing it, it would help alleviate the pain in that area, but it hasn't.  I'll ask him about digestive enzymes.

cnoevl21 · Answer

What tests did they run? endoscopy? Ultrasound? The pain you feel could be gallstones. I don't know if it caffeine that is causing the problem as it is what the caffeine is in. If you have any type of stomach sensitivity, things like coffee, tea, chocolate are all going to irritate the stomach, its the high level of acidity. While nexium will help with gerd, it wont do anything for gallbladder issues. 
I know you said you stopped coffee, but do you consume anything else like tea, tomato sauce, garlic, onions, spicy foods, greasy foods, fatty foods? If so, eliminate all of these things and see if the pain goes away. If the gallbladder isnt working right, you are going to have trouble digesting things like this. A digestive enzyme may help.