Burning Pain Under Rib Cage !!!!!!!!!!!!

[joedev51]

Every morning I wake up with a burning pain under my rib cage, it goes from one side to the other. I went to my PCP and he said, it was gas. But I don't think that it is, who has gas pains in the exact same spot every morning ? I went to my GI doctor and told him about it and he just told me to keep taking my Nexium 40mg. I told him that I take it everyday without fail. I showd him were the pain was and he just said, I think its your intestines. I had a endoscopy and he said, I had Barrett's esophagus and a Hiatal hernia and left it at that. I had to talk to a friend who said that I might have IBS. I have a normal bowel movement every morning and it seems fine, but this burning pain started out in the morning and now I have it all day and I'm starting to feel it in my back. My PCP told me my GI doctor should of given me something to ease the pain. I asked him for something and he said , call the GI doctor. He just said, your fine. If I am fine I would be having these pains. Does anyone know what I can take for IBS ? I have been trying not to eat anything spicy or fried, but the pain continues. Any help would be appreciated.

[joedev51]

I do have a medium size hiatal hernia along with barrett's esophagus and GERDS. Besides the nexium 40mg twice a day I also take Maalox, but I don't have any indigestion at all. I don't drink coffee, tea or soda. I may have a few beers with friends once a month. I have been staying away from spicy, fried and oily foods, but it dosen't seem to help with the pain. I don't eat anything for at least 4 hours before bedtime. I do have a elevation pillow that raises my head up and half of my upper body. I am at a loss, I don't know what else to do, I have even been taking the Bentyl 10mg that my doctor gave me, but I still have the burning pain. In the morning it feels like a lump of food stuck under my right rib cage. Someone told me to try Enteric peppermint oil capsules. They said it might help. Someone else told me its not my stomach is the Vegas nerve. Whatever that is ?

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the forum!
Well just Nexium may not be enough to control the symptoms of Hiatal hernia, which is probably what you have.
Please discuss with your doctor about trying a combination of medication. I am providing you a list of medications, in three groups, a mix and match from two groups could be tried to see what suits you most. The list is for GERD and holds good for hiatal hernia and Barret’s esophagus too.
“Common antacids include

    * Alka-Seltzer
    * Maalox
    * Mylanta
    * Pepto-Bismol
    * Riopan
    * Rolaids

Other drugs used to relieve GERD symptoms are anti-secretory drugs such as H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors. Common H2 blockers are

    * cimetidine (Tagamet HB)
    * famotidine (Pepcid AC)
    * nizatidine (Axid AR)
    * ranitidine (Zantac 75)

Common proton pump inhibitors are

    * esomeprazole (Nexium)
    * lansoprazole (Prevacid)
    * omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid)
    * pantoprazole (Protonix)
    * rabeprazole (Aciphex)”
Refer: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/barretts/index.htm
Symptomatically it does not look like IBS. Also you need to follow some life style changes. Avoid heavy meals. Avoid too much of caffeine, tea, fried food and drinks both alcoholic and non alcoholic fuzzy ones. Avoid heavy exercises within 4 hours of a heavy meal. Raise the head end of the bed by pillows to 30 degrees. Go to bed at least 2 hours after food.
Sometimes despite all these medications and lifestyle change, symptoms do not subside. In these cases surgery is the only answer.
It is difficult to comment beyond this at this stage. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[cjruz]

maybe parasitic such as strongyloidasis