View Full Version : upper central stomach ache, pains in left side and reflux
I have had IBS fr many years. I have now had high central discomfort - feeling like I have some kind of obstruction. I have fairly constant pains in my left side and gurlgings in my throat. It is not my usual IBS. I am very frightened. Can all these symptoms together just be GERD and not something more sinister? Moving towards Christmas and I can see yet another holiday ruined by fear and worry. please help
No replies . panic more. just doesn't stop. goes round and round. No response to me makes me feel like no one can believe it is just GERD either.
Anxious_Sam
13-12-17, 21:59
Hi susie,
I have the same thing :-( am terrified i have some sort of cancer...
Been told its gerd as well.
How are you feeling now?
Sam
---------- Post added at 21:59 ---------- Previous post was at 21:58 ----------
The symptms of gerd sound like the symptoms you’ve described.
I had issues with some discomfort on the left side of my abdomen which sparked my cancer fears. I went to the doctor and they did a bunch of blood tests (CBC, lipase test, metabolic test, fecal occult test, and urine test) as well as an ultrasound and they said cancer was highly unlikely.
Deepest Blue
13-12-17, 22:24
Hi Susie,
I am sorry you have been feeling this way this evening, I can see you're in a lot of discomfort & concerned.
I suffer from bad reflux, heartburn and I also have a hiatus hernia in which if acid happens to interact with it, I can be in a lot of pain. Sometimes this sensation reaches to my throat, this happens to me usually when I am asleep though and wake up with this horrid feeling. I get other symptoms as well and in the past the symptoms were just continuous and I thought the chest pains I was getting was heart related, but the dr's sent me for all the tests possible, endoscopy etc.. and in the end they found nothing thankfully. They started me on Omeprazole and they have been a god send to me, although I still get symptoms they are no way as bad and much more bearable.
Have you taken these before? Or if so, maybe a higher dose might be required.
I don't think its anything sinister because I think you'd be pretty poorly if it was and you'd probably have many other symptoms that are weird along with it. I believed for so long that I thought I had something sinister developing and it made me worse, in the end I was almost waiting for it to happen because I was so convinced.
I'm sorry this is not much help but I hope you feel better soon.
Take Care. x
Hi Thankyou for your replies. I was getting paranoid that no replies meant that everyone who read my post thought it was cancer too and couldn't reply.
I have started lanzaprozole 3 2 days ago. My main symptom at the moment is pain under my left rib. It feel likes everything is twisted behind it and I think it is worse when I eat. I also get an acid taste in my throat after eating I am just so scared. I teach and am due to finish on Wednesday As always it looks like Christmas will be endured rather than enjoyed as I fall further and further into fear. That sounds so melodramatic but how it feels. Does anyone else relate to any of this?
---------- Post added at 17:13 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------
That was meant to sat 2 days ago
I was getting paranoid that no replies meant that everyone who read my post thought it was cancer too and couldn't reply.
Perhaps as the replies and reassurance suggests, it's obvious that your digestive issues are the usual anxiety sufferers suspects and deep down you're aware of that as well. A lack of response has nothing to do with good or bad but you know that too.
Hope you feel better soon and have a nice holiday.
Positive thoughts
Thankyou ,
Fishmanpa.You are very wise. I know deep down it could be my HA but also have that 'what if it's not this time' this time. Rib pain, bloating, stomach ache, acid - I'm just scared and in that spiral
Acid reflux can take quite a while to settle down and can also mean taking higher dosage of ppis initially (obviously on doctor's recommendation) or even a change of type of ppi before things settle down. I.started on Omneprazole, which did not help, went to Lanzaprazole which worked well but gave me awful diahorrea and am now on Esomeprazole which works well for me. Also, anxiety can make it harder for things to settle as, like my Dr said, somebody could be on a tripe dose of a PPI but if they are extremely anxious, yiur stomach will continue over pumping out acid making your symptoms worse.
Also, remember, acid reflux can cause extreme symptoms. I have a small hiatus hernia and, along with post natal health anxiety, my symptoms felt extreme. I was sure something horrible was causing it. I could barely swallow, had a sore throat, loads of mucus coming up, acidic saliva, constant nausea, no appetite, lost over a stone in weight in a month. It was a small hiatus hernia and anxiety. I had a endoscopy through my private health insurance which showed this. My NHS Dr was not going to refer me through the NHS as they said bit was acid reflux probably caused by a small hiatus hernia. They were right. I've been on hiatus hernia forums and acid reflux forums where my symptoms seem to be on the mild end of the spectrum. Some people have a lot of abdomenal pain, coughing up/inhaling acid at night, vomiting etc. So, simple acid reflux, can cause symptoms you wouldn't imagine.
If you are still worried, definitely go back to see the Dr. However, I think a change of PPI type or dosage will probably do the trick. You've also only been on it a month, it often takes longer to see real results.
You could also take Gaviscon Advance as well. The UK ones. They can be taken regularly (I think the American ones are slightly different - Fishmanpa could probably advise on that). Also, elevate your bed head by 6 to 8 inches (books/wood) and don't eat 4 hours before bed.
Thankyou for your reply.
I know you are probably right. Can I reflux/gerd also cause the pain under my left rib which is pretty constant? It feels like everything is twisted. my husband has lived with my HA for years but is struggling to be supportive now - which I completely understand. it jsu feels so scary
Yes, especially if you have a small hiatus hernia. Most hiatus hernias are the sliding type (the hernia part slides up causing the reflux and down again). Many people report feeling discomforts in the abdominal area under the ribs. Hiatus hernias are very common, most people who have them don't have symptoms so don't even know they have one. Intense exercise, lifting weights, constipation, pregnancy, childbirth amongst other things can cause them. Mine was probably caused by giving birth to three big babies (I've just turned 40).
Thankyou for your reply. I know I just have to try and get on with this. I have a fantastic GP and I am going to try and get in and see her before Christmas - just scared in case she suggests tests - which will be after Christmas and it's the waiting that will send me into a spin. perhaps though I am jumping the gun and need to try and apply the strategies I've been taught. Can anything be done about the hernia other than surgery?
55. That's what scares me the most. all these years of HA and now I really am in the cancer age bracket
Good advice Poppy! One more thing. THE FODMAP DIET! (https://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/)
My wife and I both have reflux. We take Protonix and have followed the FODMAP for a couple of years now. We made a list of foods that aggravate it and avoid those as well.
Just as an example... Tomato sauce always messes with us. Last night, we made fresh sauce with the last of our home grown tomatoes. It was delish but I woke up at 1am with acid in my throat and had to swig some Mylanta. Same thing happens with pizza. It is what it is I'm afraid :shrug:
Positive thoughts
You probably have very simple acid reflux made worse by anxiety. Even if you have a small hiatus hernia, all that will generally be done is PPIs or another acid suppressant type like Zantac, lifestyle changes (such as weight loss advice if you carry too much weight, raising your bed head, cutting down on caffeine and alcohol which can relax the sphincter between the oesophegus and stomach, not eating close to bedtime etc). Only in extreme cases will they operate. But there is that option if necessary.
I think, you will find, that once you get the anxiety under control, along with the ppi, you will be back to normal in no time at all!
Definitely speak to your Dr though as he/she will have the best advice especially about controlling/managing the anxiety and the reflux.
---------- Post added at 20:41 ---------- Previous post was at 20:41 ----------
Too much tomato seems to mess with me as well!
Thankyou. Just you both replying helps me no end.
I have left side pain under my rib right now! Also worried it is cancer of course. I do suffer from crippling HA and had a gastroscope fairly recently which showed some gastritis. I'm not sa re if my symptoms are caused by this, hyper vigilance, or.... something much worse (this last option is the one my brain always wants to jump to!)
So - I do relate to you. Good luck managing your anxiety.
Enjoy christmas
Jojo, if you had a scope done recently and they said it was gastritis, that's what it will be. Things like stomach cancer are usually diagnosed in more progressed stages due to the fact that they usually have few symptoms earlier on. A scope would see these things clearly. Gastritis is usually dealt with a double dose of a PPI for a short while then reduced to a single dose and then off.
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