Mild Spasms below rib cage

Sorry, long post.

I went to my primary care physician a couple of weeks ago for a spasm that I started feeling right below my rib cage near the xyphoid process in the middle of my abdomen that was waking me up around 3 am or so. I remembered feeling something similar a couple of years ago, and since it woke me up at night for almost 3 days in a row this time, I decided to see a doctor.

My spasms were pretty mild - it didn't even make me wince really. It just felt like a mild squeezing right below my sternum that would come and go. On for about 5 seconds, returning like every 30 seconds for a varying period of time, sometimes an hour, sometimes just a couple of minutes. Drinking some water seemed to calm things down and I could go back to sleep. It is worse at night than during the day - I hardly feel any squeezing during the day.

The PCP thought it was my gall bladder and ordered an ultrasound. The ultrasound report came clear for gall bladder and gall stones, but said my pancreas had an abnormal appearance! They tested my pancreatic enzyme levels 14 days after onset of symptoms, and it was normal. The PCP asked me if I had a history of pancreatitis, which I do not.

So, all this scared me enough into visiting my husband's GI. I saw him today, and he thinks the ultrasound was just wrong. He said the ultrasound cannot image the pancreas well enough. His opinion is that I am suffering from acid reflux spasms. He gave me a script for levsin and told me to come back and see him in 6 weeks. He also scheduled me for a CT with contrast to look at my pancreas to make sure there are no abnormalities.

I don't have normal symptoms of acid reflux - I do have some burping and belching, but no burn. Also, I don't get aches after eating. It seems to happen mostly at night when I'm asleep around 3 am. The spasms are not in my chest area, it is below the rib cage in the upper part of my abdomen along the center line.

Does this sound like it could be acid reflux? Are there others who have experienced this? What do you do to alleviate it?

Thanks for your help.

PV