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Can't Eat Anything and have Upper Abdomen Pain

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Posted 6/23/2010 9:12 PM (GMT 0)

I'm new to this forum.  I'm 46 and I've had UC for 3 years.  It started out as Ulcerative Proctitis, but was diagnosed with Pancolitis in April.  My GI has me on 20mg of Prednisone for the past 6 weeks (was at 40mg) and has me on Azathioprine (175mg) and 4 Asacal 3x a day.    My symptoms have not improved.  I did have fewer times bathroom runs (was a 12 to 14 a day),  but I still go 6-8x a day and now I'm getting very bad cramps.  about a week ago I started getting what seemed like severe indigestion right after I eat (no matter what I ate, even crackers) followed by bad cramps, and a lot of blood and mucus.  In some ways if feels like really bad constipation.   My UC has never been this bad before and never has eating caused pain in my upper abdomen and so quickly, less than 15 minutes after eating.

 

Has anyone had a similar experience?  Is it UC or maybe something else?

 

I stopped eating food and so I can function (just pedalite and fluids and I’m meeting with my primary tomorrow and my GI tomorrow to go over my stool sample and blood work results, which so far looked OK. 

 

Any advice would be helpful. 

 

Thanks

Posted 6/23/2010 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
 

Welcome to the forum, but sorry you're dealing with this.

Hmmmm, I too get upper abdominal pains with my UC. I have had lots of blood work done and even an abdominal ultrasound regarding my upper pain. I also had a recent ( May )colonoscopy. I have mild-mod. inflammation on my left side but the other tests showed nothing?...So, I am thinking its referred pain from my UC flaring. I was told in the past to take Zantac for it and I did but not consistently so I dont know if it really helped but I am again going to start zantac to see. Also, my pain (upper) did go away on its own for a few weeks recently but last week I felt it again.
So, I guess I really didnt answer your question but could it be acid? I hear predisone can cause that?

Posted 6/23/2010 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your input. I'm at a loss as well, but the referred pain makes sense . My Dr had me take Pepcid Complete but it doesn't seem to help and the blood work doesn't show I have an infection. I hope my Dr. will have some insight, maybe the meds, I'm only 6 weeks on the Pred. and AZA. I never had a really bad flair before (or I did know how bad they can be), so this may be how it is.

Did you get the pain right after eating?
Posted 6/23/2010 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
There is always a chance you could be allergic to Asacol or 5-ASA drugs in general, it can make you worse off instead of helping. Just an idea, as some of us don't respond well to Asacol etc.
Posted 6/24/2010 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
     MY GI had me take Nexium when I was on a higher dosage of prednisone last year.  Prednisone could cause stomach ulcers.
Posted 6/24/2010 1:03 AM (GMT 0)
what about gallstones? that can cause upper stomach pain and can hit while your still eating
Posted 6/24/2010 7:23 AM (GMT 0)
Aza takes a while to kick in. For me it was three weeks but other people say six months. So try to hang out a little. You get indigestion? During my flare I got an upper endoscopy and they said there was damage from acid reflux (guess I didn't notice it happening because the other end hurt so bad) and gave me Prilosec. Please keep eating. Just eat gentle foods. If it makes you feel better, just eat when you're at home and know you have a potty. Also you can ask for Bentyl for cramps.
Posted 6/25/2010 3:25 AM (GMT 0)

Met with my Dr today and he agreed and thought the Prednisone might be causing the stomach pain since I’ve only been on it for 6 week and I’ve been on Asacol for almost 3 years. He put me on Omeprazole to address stomach problems and ulcers.  I ate for the first time in 2 days and had pain, but not as bad.  I guess I need to give it a few days.  I it doesn’t get better they need to look under the hood and run more test.

My Dr put me on more Prednisone and Azathioprine because my UC is bad right now.  I hope this works, otherwise they want to discuss Biologics, I guess Remicade

I follow with the Dr next week, sooner if my stomach doesn’t get better. He is surprised how quickly my UC got worse from a mild case to severe.  I also learn not to blow things off and ignore symptoms.  I waited too long and paid the price.

Thanks again everyone for their input

Posted 7/14/2010 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
I know this is really late but I'm having the exact same problem.

I'm 19 and everytime I eat I get super sick and sharp upper stomach pains.

Even stomach hardning.  It is scary and I have no idea what it could be.

If you have found out anything let me know!

Sorry I can't help.

Posted 7/14/2010 5:33 AM (GMT 0)
I started feeling some of those symptoms recently too after I started on Asacol. I'm also on pred but a higher dose right now. Also seeing a lot of blood and mucus and not much else and it also feels like constipation at times. Something def changed when my doc made the switch to asacol. I already called him about it they told me to wait it out a few more days. I took some prilosec today and it seemed to help some.
Posted 7/14/2010 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
Picard, that could be referred pain from your UC as well. I always have it when I was on flare. What surprises me, you are on Pred so your inflammation should have subsided yet you claim to have abdominal pain. (and this is the first time I heard Pred causing stomach pain to someone, I am not a doctor though)
Posted 7/16/2010 3:35 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks for your input.  I just got back from a business trip to Vegas from the East Coast (flew out Wed afternoon and got back last night) flying with UC is not fun, but I’m recovering today

 

I’m meeting with my GI team next Friday and a new IBD specialist who is an expert with Biologic therapy.  I’m better overall, but not great and still having problems.  They are not sure if it is the Prednisone or Azathioprine that is causing the stomach pain.  I have a friend who has Lupus and she has stomach issues from the Pred.  I know the Asacol can cause stomuch issues as well, but I've been on it for two years, so they don't think it was that.  I was also not eating, especially when flying for business, but still taking all my meds and that's hard on your stomach.  However, my doctor is also thinking it might be what you mentioned, referred pain from the UC.  Whatever the issue, the meds I’m on barely keep it in check.

 

I will follow up on how the meeting goes, I hope they have some good ideas.

 

Have a good weekend

Posted 7/16/2010 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
If I miss taking my sulfasalazine for a while, I tend to get upper stomach like cramping feeling. I am suspicious of it maybe being Crohn's and not just UC for that reason. Just a thought Picard.
Posted 7/16/2010 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
I can bring it up with my doctor, the new doctors at the appointment I guess is looking to take new and fresh look at my treatment and I know they want to do another colonoscopy. Maybe they just need to rework some of my meds. We I was first diagnosed I was on Sulfasalazine, but has stomoach issues, so they put me on Asacol instead

Thanks
Posted 7/16/2010 7:53 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like a tough situation. I had a lot of pain when my UC was very active. It has since calmed because I've been on prednisone and I am now taking 6mp as well. I am not 100% but I am slowly getting there (i hope). If you're still having so many problems, you probably shouldn't have lowered your dose of Prednisone. Did you ever have major improvement in your condition while on a high dose of prednisone? When you were on 40, how long were you at that dose and did you begin to taper before your symptoms where controlled? I stayed at 40mg until I had no symptoms, then went to 35, then 30... Being on prednisone is the worst but it may be the only thing that can get your symptoms under control. Biologics are another good option but better off if you can avoid going that route for as long as possible in my opinon.
Posted 7/16/2010 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
I'm back on 40mg for Pred and when I went to 30mg they started to come back. The 40mg help the firdt time, but I still have active UC, especially proc*** after my trip.  I hope not to go on biologics, but looking at all options.  Maybe I need to be on Pred longer, just don't know if 40mg is enough and hate being on more, but will do it if it works

 

Posted 7/16/2010 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
I had to take 40mg for probably 10days this last time I relapsed. I thouht I would never improve after 7 days of still seeing severe symptoms at 40mg! Try not to get discouraged, you will get back on track, you just need to give yourself time. If you're dealing with proctitis, you should definitely be on some rectal medications along with the oral meds. The enemas, steroid or 5asa, can really help improve rectal symptoms. Usually the cramping and pain comes from further up I think but inflammation anywhere doesn't help the situation. I hope you get some relief soon. I haven't had to go over 40mg of prednisone, I can't imagine how much a higher dose must tax your body. I am still struggling with getting off from 40. Maybe you should try a smaller taper, 35/30/25 instead of 10mg drops?
Posted 7/18/2010 6:40 PM (GMT 0)
Get your pancreatic enzymes and pancreas checked out...just to make sure.

I got medication induced pancreatitis (from Lialda, which I still take...) last August and I couldn't eat anything without having totally debilitating upper stomach pain (radiated to my back, and I eventually couldn't sleep). I went away on its own, for some reason...but that's a pain I will never forget! I had an endoscopy to confirm pancreas inflammation and my labs showed incredibly high pancreatic enzymes.

Just because no one brought that up, I figured I'd chime in.
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