Saw GI Specialist

So i went and saw the GI specialist on Friday. Glad I did and wish i had sooner. He was able to give me some answers that made some sense. He had me tell him my entire series of events that started way back in December. Not only is he a GI specialist, but he works closely with collegiate weight lifting teams. Since my symptoms started in the weight room, this helped. I was diagnosed with ...

1) a torn or severely strained abdominal sheath
2) diastisis recti
3) acid reflux symptoms
4) possible gallbladder issues maybe caused by drastic weight loss (although he isn't sure about either of these)
5) anxiety from not knowing what was wrong making all of this worse

So the top one is why i have been hurting so much at different times throughout the day. I have gotten zero treatment for this so the healing as been much slower than it could have been if I had known. It explains random pains in my abs and through my back. I went back into the weight room Friday following the appointment and tried to go light the last few days, and it was definitely still painful. Even swinging the golf club yesterday was painful.

The acid reflux which again I'm not sure is chronic or not (and still not sure if GERD/LPR) started about a 5 days after torn ab occurred and after a incredible stressful/anxiety attack type of event at work. I'm hoping it was caused by stress and will subside. He changed me from Protonix to Dexilant (60 mg).

No. 4 he isn't 100 percent of. My previous two doctors (a GP and general surgeon) were both leaning towards this being the cause although my tests showed nothing definitive and the food diary showed no pattern. Plus, again, I think the vast majority of my pain has been due to No. 1 (it's amazing how EVERYTHING you do involves your abs). He did say drastic weight loss (i've lost 25 pounds in five months ... 17 of it on purpose to get back into shape and the last 7-8 during this ordeal) can cause the gallbladder to act up.

And finally our friend Mr. Anxiety. In addition to the anxiety from work that i mentioned, i have been very stressed about not knowing what was going on with me health wise. Just a bad combination.

I do have two questions. Could the torn or severely pulled abdominal sheath muscle affect the LES or UES? And can an individual have a flair up of acid reflux type symptoms that are triggered by anxiety and then disappear once things settle down?

The GI mentioned doing the 24-hour Ph test depending on how i feel the next month. My only real symptoms right now are the occasional globous sensation and sometimes a scratchy feeling in my throat when i wake up (nothing bad). Of course I've been on Protonix for four weeks now (and Dexilant for 2 days).

Hey Lawchick. I know all about what stress can do. about 5 years ago, i was bed ridden for two weeks with awful headaches stemming from my left eye. Doctor couldn't find anything wrong. I never mentioned the unbelievable stress/anxiety i was feeling from work/relationship.

I finally got some resolution in both areas of my life and the headaches disappeared. I mentioned it to him in passing afterwards and he was very upset i hadn't told him. He truly believes that is what was causing it.

I had an endoscopy done three weeks ago. It showed nothing except for a small small hiatal hernia and some redness in my stomach (biopsy was negative).

They say 60 percent of people 45 or older have hiatal hernia's but the vast majority (80-90 percent) don't have symptoms. So you would think small ones shouldn't exhibit symptoms.

Malcolm,
I'm glad you're getting some information from your GI doc. I wonder about a connection between your ab tear and small hernia and lifting. Having a hernia of any size means that the top of your stomach has managed to push its way through your diaphragm, usually by stretching or tearing it a little bit. Perhaps your weightlifting is putting to much pressure and causing some tearing in the diaphragm. Has your doc cleared you to lift? I'd pull back on that for a little while and give your ab time to heal more. And while many people with hernias are asymtomatic, some with small ones experience pain and reflux.