severe stomach pains.. please help

Hello everyone,

 

For about the past week, I have been suffering from stomach pains.  They started out mild, but have increased to almost unbearable.  For the past four nights, I have gotten little sleep.  It all seems to flare up after I eat dinner and while I'm laying in bed.

 

Last evening, the pain was so intense that I decided to go to the emergency room.  The doctors did a urinalysis and took a blood sample, but all tests came back negative.  They told me to buy some Prilosec OTC, and that I should start seeing results within a week.  

 

A WEEK?!  I can't wait that long.  I asked the doctor what I could do for pain, and he said Maalox or Tylenol.  I don't think he understands the extent of it.  I'm so achey, tired, and I am so stressed out about school.  Do any of you guys have any remedies that could help soothe my acidic stomach?  Or are any of you aware of any odd illnesses that could be triggering this?

 

Thank you all.

Rather than waiting a week you should got to see your GP for another opinion. It could be acid reflux or heartburn, which seems to be what the ER doctors think but there are a lot of alternatives depending on where the pain is and what its characteristics are. Usual advice for a severely acid stomach are to avoid rich/fatty/spicy foods, not to smoke, not to drink alcohol, caffeinated or carbonated drinks or to eat heavily late in the evening (stop eating 3 or 4 hours before you go to bed). Being overweight will also put pressure on the stomach and cause stomach acids to leak back up. Common painkillers can often add to the problem... aspirin-based products will irritate the stomach.

But if you're prevented from sleep because of the pain I think you need to be checked out again...

Any pain that is keeping you up at night needs you to get a second opinion. As Jane has said, go to another GP. Whereabouts is your pain stemming from, if I can ask? Just your gut in general? Appendicitis usually begins with pains in the right of your abdomen. Still, go speak with another doctor.

The ER doc seems to think you just have acid reflux... did they check your gallbladder?

gi-jane has most of it if it is GERD - the only things I would add is that you should also try avoiding acidic foods (like tomatoes, citris fruits, etc) and try sleeping with your head somewhat elevated.

 

I've been on medication for my stomach for over a year and a half, and it was really not fun before I got on prilosec.  (Until recently I was actually on stuff that was the same strength as the OTC.)  I had pains in my chest, including ones that were nowhere near the esophagus, because the body gets confused.  But I had stomach pains that nearly made me cry, as well.  The acid problems were almost certainly started by stress.

BUT, you want to visit a regular doctor, even if it was really bad acid stomach, because chances are that two weeks of prilosec won't be enough, based on my experiences.

Thank you all so much for your replies (this is why I absolutely love CC!).  I think I'm going to get a second opinion.  The pains are all in my gut area.. the appendix was ruled out because I wasn't having pain on one specific side.  The doctors did not check my gallbladder, which is something I will bring up to them.

 

Today, I've tried to eat bland food, and I'm not going to eat anything after 6:00pm.  I'm hoping this will help.

 

Once again, thank you all so much.

Are you eating or drinking anything with inulin fibre in it?  It makes my stomach, and both my sister's stomach's unbearably painful for some reason (as in it wakes me up at night and I want to die it is so painful).  It is in lots of new things - Kashi cereal, Crystal Light (I don't know where you live but if it is in the US it is bound to be in alot of other things - I am in Canada).

The timing seems right - it is usually an hour or two after eating it.  Just an idea to check.....

OMG!!  I have these too!!!  After dinner...i start to feel a little stomach ache...and after I get out of the shower, I can't even move!!!  I just collapse in my bed and cry and moan.  :(  My mom gives me a cornsack (like a hot waterbottle, but a soft flannel bag filled with unpopped corn that will not pop when you heat it in the microwave that she made :) and some advil and then just holds my hand until I fall asleep.  But I almost always feel better in the morning. 

Does't it feel like (what i would imagine) birthing contractions must feel like?

I've had these stomach pains for about the last week too and my boyfriend keeps telling me it's just me overreacting. Mine happen in the middle of the afternoon, not just after dinner... it really sucks. thanks for these suggestions!