# Annoying *unexplained* stomach pain/gurgling



## stormyuk

Hi,This is my first post so please be gentle, I am not 100% sure what my issue is yet and my GP seems to be a bit laid back about the whole deal.I have been suffering with stomach pain and gurgling since the New Year, the pain is usually when I have not eaten for some hours and is dulled if I have eaten. It started like indigestion, pain / gurgling / chest pain (as in reflux although no actual regurgitation/or acid taste).Basically I don't have any diarrhoea or constipation, although last week for one day I did feel nauseas (I was never actually sick). It seems the *less* I eat the worse the pain, and the more prolonged it is. I noticed this due to me trying to cut down on food in the New Year.However, I have now resumed eating normally in an effort to get over this problem. I am awaiting test results for H. Pylori checking to see if I have an infected ulcer but I don't seem to have many of the symptoms of it, except the gurgling / pain on an empty stomach. No vomiting, no blood in stool etc. Although the empty stomach = pain does seem to fit. Update: Just called the surgery and the test is negative. Hmmm...







I have made a follow up appointment with my GP.The chest pains have pretty much gone, and now I am just left with every morning or in the night being woken up with gurgling noises and pain. The pain is not even that severe, prolly only 4 out of 10 but it's enough to wake me and I am obviously not happy about it, I dream of a full nights sleep!I wake between 1am and 6am (I normally get up around 6.30am) so its usually starting 3-7 hours since I last ate. If I take Kolanticon Gel (antacid, antispasmodic, antiflatulent) when I get the symptoms they are relieved for a few hours (almost completely, where as eating only dulls the symptoms).I have had trouble with my stomach before, unexplained pain etc but its never lasted this long. Its been 2 weeks now.It's really starting to affect my daily life and work routine, because I can't concentrate as well as I used to.I would appreciate any advice at all. For reference I am 33.Thanks,Mike


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## Cherrie

Hi Mike welcome to the siteWhat you've described sounds very much like my reflux problem before I was diagnosed. For some, reflux is not that acidic (i.e., you won't feel acid or anything at all coming up), but stomach pain, sometimes gurgling, nausea, easily feeling hunger or having hunger pain, feeling painful when not full, being woken up in the middle of the night and/or in early in the morning by the above sounds pretty classic -- although you do need a diagnosis from a dr. Diet changes and/or stress can trigger GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) symptoms -- like new year, cutting on food intake, work being extra busy/stressful, etc. And esp if you have had unexplained pain that went away before, it does sound like GERD.So, it's good that you've made an appt wtih your GI -- with your test results and whatever data s/he has, they can make a diagnosis and provide good treatment. Mean while you might want to read into the GERD forum on this site if you're insterested: http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showforum=25Welcome again and hope you feel better soonCherrie


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## stormyuk

Thanks for the reply Cherrie. The pain is indeed very much like hunger pains, but I can't be that hungry hehe as its pretty much there all the time a few hours after medication or food.







. I notice if I make myself burp it relieves the pain for a second or two, wish I could hold that feeling. Its only been 2 weeks but seems like a lifetime away when my stomach was fine. Its strange, the doc has mentioned cutting down on fatty foods, spicy foods, alchohol, and citrus fruits etc which I have done. Its even more bizare because in the past I have been able to eat anything (I love mexican and indian food) and before this pain drank gallons of fresh orange juice. So I am still not 100% convinced its a diet issue or something underlying.It seems to me I can still eat anything and as long as my belly is full I could avoid the pains, but I can't obviously eat constantly or through the night.I'll see what the doc has to day on Thursday, he didnt seem a whole lot interested the last time I went. Its hard to judge how bad it is or if I am just getting used to it. Looking on the site, it seems a bit depressing with everyone fighting symptoms and not eliminating the causes (which I know might be impossible). It makes me think of the fire brigage constantly fighting fires when ideally the causes of fires needs to be tackled. People talk about "trigger foods" for GERD but my diet doesnt change greatly, Christmas and New Year was a big change (it usually is, visiting my parents for mums super cooking







) but I am back to my routine again. I would have thought my body would have adjusted back to normality after the New Year.I don't like taking medication for symptoms. It just always seems wrong, and if there is a problem with my digestive system surely when there is pain, some damage is being done somewhere.I do not feel stressed but its not always easy to know what the subconcious is doing, there is some uncertainty at work but have not been dwelling on it or anything. Hmmm..Thanks again,Mike


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## Kathleen M.

Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) that is not a full blown ulcer can cause hunger-like stomach pains. A number of things can set that off.http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastritis/ has some infDo you take any over the counter pain medications? A lot of them (the NSAIDs like asprin or ibuprophen) can irritated the stomach lining. Did you drink more over the holidays than usual? That can set if off as well.Most of the treatments for gastritis are similar to the ones for ulcers which is to reduce the acid until the lining has a chance to heal.Calcium Carbonate can be used, here we have a chewable tablet called Tums that may be not-a-drug enough for you. It is a dietary supplement.When I have gastritis I feel hungry pretty much all the time except for a little while just after a meal. I'm on acid reducers, used to be just when that flared up after I needed a bunch of NSAID's after surgery, or after an injury, but I've got a hiatal hernia that is now giving be reflux so it looks like I'm on the acid reducer for the long term.


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## stormyuk

Hi Kathleen, thanks for the reply.That looks pretty plausible, I took ibuprofen for a week just after Christmas because I strained my shoulder (I hated taking it, as I mentioned I try to avoid as much as I can although I am not sure 4 or 5 days can be classed as pro-longed use but it may have been a contributing factor, along with my diet change and increased intake of Alchohol over the Christmas period.I have tested negative for H. Pylori but the doc did mention acid reducing drugs (although I don't really want to be taking something like that long term if I can avoid it).Thanks for the comments,I'll be back when I have been to see my doc again and see if he can shed some more light.Mike


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## thered

Hi, google brought me here. If I may relate my story and ask whether it could be IBS 'm suffering with.I've been feeling ill since the middle of November. At times I really felt poorly, nausea, dry wretching and loss of appetite. Loads of acid reflux(although I've had that to a lesser extent for years)First blood test showed Helicobacter pylori and I did the 3 prescription bit - but I didn't feel any better, in fact I think some days Iwas worse., Returned to my GP who suggested that it might get better once I stopped taking the omeprazole PPI. It didn't and after a few days the acid reflux started again in earnest so I went back to my GP again. I had H. Pylori a few years ago.she's arranged an endoscopy which will be carried out on Tuesday 22 Jan. I also started the omeprozole again which obviously stopped the acid reflux. Unfortunately I've had to stop taking them prior to endoscopy.I feel Ok some days, others I have a nagging pain in my stomach, sometimes eased by drinking lots of fluids - I have a lousy taste in my mouth especially at night if I wake and first thing in the morning. My stomach gurgles ALL the time. If I workout, I feel really ill after 30mins - nauseous and stomoch ache.Obviously I'll learn more after Tuesday but wondered whether anyone on here can offer any solution or diagnosis.TIA


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## stormyuk

Is the H.pylori cleared up? Also don't forget that even if the bacterial infection is cured then the damage done, or the stomach or duodenal ulcers might still not be healed. It sounds to me as though you are not fully healed yet. Uclers can take a pretty long time to heal, sometimes months the doc told me. I'll leave the IBS diagnosis to someone else because I really don't know.Back to my story, since I was tested negative for H.pylori the doc has put me on lansoprazole which he says will give my stomach and duodenum time to heal if there is any inflamation there. I have 28 days supply and I am pleased to say after about 5 days taking the stuff I have no longer woke in the night with any pain, I did wake once with the gurgling in my belly but no pain thankfully.Hopefully after the full dose it will have settled down completely! If not the doc says he will send me for an endoscopy.Thanks for all the advice, will check back after the course of medicine is done.Cheers,Mike


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## thered

Best of luck stormyuk.I thought I'd return and tell you all my problems aren't IBSHad the gastroscopy today and they found the following:*Diagnosis:* Erosive reflux oesophagitis, grade B. ?Short segment Barrett oesophagus. Hiatus hernia. Haemorrhagic erosive antral gastritis. *Further Investigation/Therapeutical Advice:* Lifestyle and dietary precautions, maintain twice daily PPI for at least 3 months then as required. Metoclopramide in addition would be helpful. Endoscopy follow up depending on clinical features under sedation with oesophageal biopsies.So I'm back on the omeprazole for 3 months and back on the wagon too







Hopefully that will sort the problem out. I've been told because of the Barrett's I'll have to be monitored and have follow endoscopies every year/2 years.Thanks to all who read this and my other posting.


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