Upper middle abdominal pain..need help.

After seeing doctor after doctor, I'm coming to the experts!!

about five years ago, I started having sporadic upper middle abdominal discomfort. It was a gnawing pain sometimes accompanied with bloating that typically came on after eating but would also appear in stressful situations. It would usually come around every couple of weeks with an occasional few bad days of gnawing and bloating. I had several endoscopies (sp?) and all they could find was a small hiatal hernia and slight, chronic gastritis. A barium swallow also detected GERD, but this was never an issue for me.

After doctors couldn't remedy my symptoms with meds, they suggested a nissen fundo to take care of the hernia and GERD and see what happens. I was so desperate to get this better that I agreed to the surgery after my doctor made it sound like it wasn't a big deal. LIES!! A few days after the surgery, I started having breathing problems (anxiety??). Although my stomach pain wasn't rearing it's ugly head, I did start noticing that my upper middle abdominal area was tight, especially right below the end of my sternum. My doctor thought it might be swelling and told me to take Aleve to bring it down. I took several Aleve a day. I was never a meds taker. I also started having anxiety attacks. I am very thin and lost alot of weight in a very short amount of time. I also noticed that my back muscles were getting tired (posture change?). As I started eating again, the upper middle abdominal pain started back up but this time it was daily and it was bad. It got very scary as I wondered if I would ever be normal again.

Cut to two years since surgery. I still have the daily discomfort. I have stomach pain even if I don't eat anything. The area between my sternum and belly button really hurts when pressed on. I get alot more bloating, even tough it's much better than after the surgery. The bloating sometimes feels like it's just in the upper abdominal region, hard to explain. I can burp like a sailor. My breathing is better. I can take full breaths, but it still feels like work sometimes. My stomach pain gets worse when I go walking or exercise. My upper abdominal pain can also radiate to my back. I still get the tightness in the area. I actually feel it tighten up when I'm laughing or crying(watched Marley and me last nite, boo hoo!) I also now feel out of breath when I talk. Strange stuff!

I've seen three Gastros (two small town and one in San Francisco) and they seem lost. One test did tell me I had rapid gastric emptying and a "stiff stomach". Ever heard of that? I think that's common after stomach surgery. I've had my gallbladder checked. Ultrasounds (before surgery) saw nothing. Any advice would be appreciated as I don't know what's going on and I'm anxious about it. I'm a mom and I need my life back so I can be 100% for my family. Thank you for reading my mini book!!!

Hi Joy!

Thank you for responding! Before the surgery, I did have a manometry test that came out normal. I didn't have the stomach emptying test until after the surgery. I also had a barium swallow after the surgery and the fundo looked great. I did have another endoscopy after surgery and all looked great with the exception of that chronic, slight gastritis. I'm at a loss.

Hi Kitt!

Yes, I did have a Hida scan. It also came back normal. Several years ago, I had an ultrasound right after my pain started and it was normal too. Could they have missed something? I don't have pain in my right side but, sometimes, if I press on my right it affects the pain in my middle. I will definitely check back with my dr regarding this. Thank you!

BTW, did you have similar symptoms when you had gallstones, Kitt?

nate930 said...
After seeing doctor after doctor, I'm coming to the experts!!

about five years ago, I started having sporadic upper middle abdominal discomfort. It was a gnawing pain sometimes accompanied with bloating that typically came on after eating but would also appear in stressful situations. It would usually come around every couple of weeks with an occasional few bad days of gnawing and bloating. I had several endoscopies (sp?) and all they could find was a small hiatal hernia and slight, chronic gastritis. A barium swallow also detected GERD, but this was never an issue for me.

After doctors couldn't remedy my symptoms with meds, they suggested a nissen fundo to take care of the hernia and GERD and see what happens. I was so desperate to get this better that I agreed to the surgery after my doctor made it sound like it wasn't a big deal. LIES!! A few days after the surgery, I started having breathing problems (anxiety??). Although my stomach pain wasn't rearing it's ugly head, I did start noticing that my upper middle abdominal area was tight, especially right below the end of my sternum. My doctor thought it might be swelling and told me to take Aleve to bring it down. I took several Aleve a day. I was never a meds taker. I also started having anxiety attacks. I am very thin and lost alot of weight in a very short amount of time. I also noticed that my back muscles were getting tired (posture change?). As I started eating again, the upper middle abdominal pain started back up but this time it was daily and it was bad. It got very scary as I wondered if I would ever be normal again.

Cut to two years since surgery. I still have the daily discomfort. I have stomach pain even if I don't eat anything. The area between my sternum and belly button really hurts when pressed on. I get alot more bloating, even tough it's much better than after the surgery. The bloating sometimes feels like it's just in the upper abdominal region, hard to explain. I can burp like a sailor. My breathing is better. I can take full breaths, but it still feels like work sometimes. My stomach pain gets worse when I go walking or exercise. My upper abdominal pain can also radiate to my back. I still get the tightness in the area. I actually feel it tighten up when I'm laughing or crying(watched Marley and me last nite, boo hoo!) I also now feel out of breath when I talk. Strange stuff!

I've seen three Gastros (two small town and one in San Francisco) and they seem lost. One test did tell me I had rapid gastric emptying and a "stiff stomach". Ever heard of that? I think that's common after stomach surgery. I've had my gallbladder checked. Ultrasounds (before surgery) saw nothing. Any advice would be appreciated as I don't know what's going on and I'm anxious about it. I'm a mom and I need my life back so I can be 100% for my family. Thank you for reading my mini book!!!

Did you ever find out what it is?

I have had a very similar experience--I suffered nausea, loss of appetite, and constant pain under my left shoulder blade from June of 2011 until February 2012...During that time I had my gallbladder removed but it didn't solve my symptoms at all...I had all the tests too and nothing was found except slightly slow stomach emptying but still in the normal range...I felt awful, couldn't eat and went from 118 to 92 pounds...Finally, I got better, put the weight back on and lived life almost normally again but still had the left sided pain sometimes...Then every few months, I would get the pain again and then with feelings of GERD...it is awful when it happens and lasts weeks...I was taking Protonix and Zantac for a few days, but those meds give me too many undesirable effects.....Yesterday, my alternative doctor gave me a supplement called Zypan by Standard Process...he said because I don't have a gallbladder, I probably don' t have "enough" acid and that the liver just dumps too much all at once so I actually have too little acid and am experiencing bile reflux...I am a little afraid of taking a supplement with acid in it but oh well...I will let you know if it helps-just took my first tablet after breakfast...

I too had severe upper stomach distress. I thought I was going to have to live with it. Then, by chance we ate on the other side of town I went into a health store to get a healthy snack. This snake turned out to be the miracle I was looking for.
For me, flax seed meal pushes out all that bloating and discomfort.
I use a lot of it in my oatmeal. I add enough so I get 10 grams of fiber from the flax seed alone.
By the way, they had flax muffins which have 10 grams of fiber. So, I now make sure I get the 10 grams in my oatmeal.
Simple as that I now have little to no pain. When I do it's because I didn't eat my flax.
Side note, I also take probiotics. 50 billion per dose. The biffidus type.
I think it's called critical flora.
But, I can't give the flax seed meal in higher recommendations. It saved me. But, remember it's a lot of flax. 6 or more table spoons in my oatmeal. Then I have two more muffins spread out through the day. There is a lot of sugar in the muffins so I am hoping to make my own soon with the flax seed. But, check whole foods for their flax seed muffins. Carrot and arisen are my favorite. I think, in my case, I never ate enough fiber and was dehydrated. Remember, you must drink a lot of water with this much flaxseed. You'll start pooping twice a day too. Big ones. Very full. It cleans one out very well. I think the upper I stress might be due to bacteria build up from indigest steed food that gets stuck in my large intestins. Not anymore!! Probiotics, flax seed and lots of water.