Stomach pain after eating

24

Replies

  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 653 Member
    Well the H pylori test came back negative. Does that rule out an ulcer? Today I felt worse, but I did manage 1200 calories.

    My gastric ulcers were from the overuse of aspirin. So there are a number of things that can cause ulcers. You will probably have to have an endoscopy if they suspect that is what you have.

    I really hope you get some answers soon. Sorry you feel so bad.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    Well the H pylori test came back negative. Does that rule out an ulcer? Today I felt worse, but I did manage 1200 calories.

    I didn't have H. pylori either - but after the endoscopy I had a diagnosis of chronic gastritis and a duodenal ulcer. The treatment was 2 months on a PPI and since then, a histamine 2 blocker (used to be generic Zantac until that was taken off the market and now it's generic Pepcid). Eating doesn't usually cause pain any longer except sometimes - weirdly, yogurt can be a problem from time to time.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Well the H pylori test came back negative. Does that rule out an ulcer? Today I felt worse, but I did manage 1200 calories.

    Sounds like it is time for some tests. Have they done x-rays or ultrasound yet?

    Is the pain dull or sharp? Where on the abdomen does it hurt? Upper left can be kidney, upper right can be gallbladder, upper center can be hiatal hernia, lower can be duodenal ulcer. There are just so many possibilities. Your doctor is going about this the right way: eliminate what is easy to eliminate first, then go onward to the expensive/time consuming/invasive tests.

    It is good you are working with your medical team to solve this problem. I had a hiatal hernia which acted up occasionally (maybe once or twice a year for 20 years). I lost over 100 lb. and suddenly I had major pain whenever I ate. Turns out all that fat squished my insides to where the opening in the hiatus got enlarged. When I lost the fat, there was more room for my organs to move around inside and 3/4 of the stomach decided to move up into my chest cavity. Surgically repaired and I have had no problems in the last 4 years. I hope your issue is an easier one that can be fixed with medication or food choices but if not, it should be repaired as soon as possible.

    Wow, that’s crazy! I’m glad you’re better now.

    My GI appt is still a month away, so no other testing yet. The pain is dull and to the right a bit. My GP didn’t think it seemed like gallbladder. This came on so suddenly, it’s hard to believe it would be an ulcer, but I don’t know.

    Does anyone know much about gastroparesis? That’s what my sister thinks it sounds like, and the symptoms do fit.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    Well the H pylori test came back negative. Does that rule out an ulcer? Today I felt worse, but I did manage 1200 calories.

    My gastric ulcers were from the overuse of aspirin. So there are a number of things that can cause ulcers. You will probably have to have an endoscopy if they suspect that is what you have.

    I really hope you get some answers soon. Sorry you feel so bad.

    Thank you! I do use ibuprofen fairly often, and sometimes acetaminophen, but no aspirin. I only drink black coffee for breakfast, and I often wonder if that’s bad for my stomach.

    Did your ulcer pain come on suddenly or over time?
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    Well the H pylori test came back negative. Does that rule out an ulcer? Today I felt worse, but I did manage 1200 calories.

    I didn't have H. pylori either - but after the endoscopy I had a diagnosis of chronic gastritis and a duodenal ulcer. The treatment was 2 months on a PPI and since then, a histamine 2 blocker (used to be generic Zantac until that was taken off the market and now it's generic Pepcid). Eating doesn't usually cause pain any longer except sometimes - weirdly, yogurt can be a problem from time to time.

    Did your pain come on suddenly or over time? Yogurt has been my staple for an afternoon snack, but recently has been making my stomach hurt (before everything made it hurt). Thanks!
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    They checked your appendix right?
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    They checked your appendix right?

    It’s been removed already
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    I have gastroparesis if you have any questions.


    I would stop taking ibuprofen if I were you. It can cause gastritis.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    edited February 2020
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    Well the H pylori test came back negative. Does that rule out an ulcer? Today I felt worse, but I did manage 1200 calories.

    I didn't have H. pylori either - but after the endoscopy I had a diagnosis of chronic gastritis and a duodenal ulcer. The treatment was 2 months on a PPI and since then, a histamine 2 blocker (used to be generic Zantac until that was taken off the market and now it's generic Pepcid). Eating doesn't usually cause pain any longer except sometimes - weirdly, yogurt can be a problem from time to time.

    Did your pain come on suddenly or over time? Yogurt has been my staple for an afternoon snack, but recently has been making my stomach hurt (before everything made it hurt). Thanks!

    It was strange - I never really identified it as "pain" until I'd had months of what felt like hunger pangs after eating and even then probably wouldn't have sought treatment (I grew up in a "this, too, shall pass" family), but it turned into a bleeding emergency event. I don't know what it is about the yogurt - the sensitivity goes away if I just stop eating it for a short time, and kefir for some reason is totally fine.

    Edited to add - I never took ibuprofen regularly but it's now totally off the table. Definitely stop using it until you've been fully checked out.
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
    edited February 2020
    I sometimes have post-viral gastroparesis type symptoms, which manifest as severe griping pains that come in waves across my upper abdomen. Typically, I’ll wake in the early hours with the pains and also get them after eating any food.

    My doctor explained that sometimes a virus (any virus - not just stomach related) can cause ‘smooth gut syndrome’ temporarily. This means that the usual squeeze release process (peristalsis) that moves food through the gut is suppressed. This causes pain, especially if your diet is high in fibre, as mine is as a vegetarian.

    I was advised to just eat plain boiled white rice or plain white pasta for 5 days and whilst that’s soul destroying it does allow the gut to rest and recover. Hasn’t failed me yet.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    I have gastroparesis if you have any questions.


    I would stop taking ibuprofen if I were you. It can cause gastritis.

    So what do you take for pain, fever, cramps, etc? Thanks!

    I have plenty of questions! Did you have pain with eating? That and loss of appetite (with weight loss) are literally my only symptoms. Today I’ve felt better because I’ve eaten less. I just ate dinner and have more stomach pain again. What is the treatment? Thanks!
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
    For now you could switch to Tylenol. It's not great, but it won't eat a hole in your stomach.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Before/during my fibromyalgia diagnosis as a teenager I was taking high doses of ibuprofen quite often due to joint and muscle pain. I had MAJOR GI issues by 18, they said it had pretty much eaten away the lining of my stomach and I was no longer allowed to take it. And now I am allergic to Tylenol soooo, I take low doses of ibuprofen only when it’s unbearable and make sure I eat before hand giving it time to dissolve before laying down at night. A family friend almost died when a prescribed 800mg Motrin ate through his stomach and a major blood vessel. It’s no joke when they say to take it with food!
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 653 Member
    edited February 2020
    Well the H pylori test came back negative. Does that rule out an ulcer? Today I felt worse, but I did manage 1200 calories.

    My gastric ulcers were from the overuse of aspirin. So there are a number of things that can cause ulcers. You will probably have to have an endoscopy if they suspect that is what you have.

    I really hope you get some answers soon. Sorry you feel so bad.

    Thank you! I do use ibuprofen fairly often, and sometimes acetaminophen, but no aspirin. I only drink black coffee for breakfast, and I often wonder if that’s bad for my stomach.

    Did your ulcer pain come on suddenly or over time?

    The pain came on literally overnight. One morning I tried eating toast and there was this really dull ache, and for the rest of that day, every time I would try to eat something I would have that type of pain in my stomach. They very next day, I tried to drink a cup of coffee and I guess with all the acid in that, I nearly doubled over in pain.

    Obvioulsy I'm not saying you have an ulcer or gastritis, but I would stop taking your ibuprophen maybe switch to tylenol for now, and maybe stay away from things that are acidic like juices and coffee. Just until you get some answers.
  • klrenn
    klrenn Posts: 245 Member
    A few years ago I had pain like this. I had an endoscopy and they found gastritis.

    I forget which OTC med they put me on, but it was weeks before I could eat anything but white rice and bananas.

    The doc thought it was from alcohol, but I was actually drinking a *ton* of coffee at the time. I dropped both coffee and alcohol for a while and got completely better. I was able to start drinking alcohol again with no issue. Every once in a while I start drinking coffee again, and if I don’t switch back to tea in time my stomach starts acting up, but I haven’t had a full flare up since.

    I hope you get it figured out soon! My primary care doctor was the one that ordered the endoscopy, so I didn’t have to wait for a GI appointment.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    klrenn wrote: »
    A few years ago I had pain like this. I had an endoscopy and they found gastritis.

    I forget which OTC med they put me on, but it was weeks before I could eat anything but white rice and bananas.

    The doc thought it was from alcohol, but I was actually drinking a *ton* of coffee at the time. I dropped both coffee and alcohol for a while and got completely better. I was able to start drinking alcohol again with no issue. Every once in a while I start drinking coffee again, and if I don’t switch back to tea in time my stomach starts acting up, but I haven’t had a full flare up since.

    I hope you get it figured out soon! My primary care doctor was the one that ordered the endoscopy, so I didn’t have to wait for a GI appointment.

    Ok, thank you! I do drink a lot of decaf coffee on an empty stomach, and I’ve wondered if that’s bad. I drink alcohol too. I have a genetic heart condition, just diagnosed last year, and there are a lot of meds I’m not supposed to take because of it. We’ll see I guess.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    So update--My TDEE is about 2100 calories. My BMR is around 1250. I’ve averaged about 1160 per day for the past 2 weeks. I could only get an appt with a gastroenterologist for 3/18—one month out from now, so I'm a bit worried about barely eating at BMR for that long.

    My GP knows I'm losing extra weight from this, and suggested Prilosec until I can get into the gastro doc. I've taken the Prilosec for 3 days but so far it hasn't changed much. Should I continue eating like this for that long (I’m about 10-15 lbs from goal)? Should I really try to force eating more and feeling worse? Or should I push my doctor to try to get me in sooner? I actually have tried the latter, and I’m still waiting to hear back. I called another gastro office on my own and they also said mid-March. I don't think it's necessarily an emergency, I've just never eaten this little for this long.

    Regarding eating a bland food diet--I've done that somewhat. My usual spicy foods don't appeal now, so I'm definitely avoiding spicy. We were on the Yorktown aircraft carrier overnight for the weekend (Boy Scout event), and limited to the food they served. It was bland, but I think protein is bothering me more (seems like a volume/fullness issue?). On the other hand, crackers and pasta have still caused the pain/fullness, so I don't know that it's just protein. I'm planning to try white rice tonight. Oh, and avoiding ibuprofen and *trying* to limit coffee.