# pain above belly button



## careena (Nov 3, 2001)

Hi everyone. My IBShubby has been using questran for his constant, unrelenting diarrhea for a long time now with great success. He's never had any other problems except the diarrhea. Now he says he's experiencing mild/moderate constant pain (not stabbing pain, more like gnawing) in one area. If you take your fist and put it right where your ribcage ends and above the belly button is where it's occuring. No nausea, no fever, no reflux. Eating doesn't hurt or help. It doesn't change. He said he seems to belch more. This has been going on since thursday with no change. He's getting a little worried about this. Do any of you folks with IBS get pain here or have experienced anything like this with another condition? Thanks in advance.


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## Stace (Sep 20, 2000)

I experienced pain in a similar location (above the navel, under ribcage) when I had an ulcer. I also had excessive belching, which is common with ulcers. It took my dr. a while to properly diagnose me, because eating often helps ulcer pain. In my case, the pain was constant and eating had no effect. Stacey


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

If your husband is having a change of symptoms or new symptoms, it is a good idea to go back to the doctor to have it checked out.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Ditto on the checking with the doctor.The colon runs up the right across the top and down the left of the abdomen. So pain just under where the stomach is (which is up against the diaphram) or at/under the ribs on the left and right is seen in IBS when that is where the colon spasms.It runs right under the stomach so it can be hard to differentiate between stomach pain and colon pain. Usually with gastritis and ulcers eating does help with pain, but not always in every person.New and unusal symptoms need to be checked out as having IBS doesn't keep other things from happening.


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## careena (Nov 3, 2001)

Thanks. He's not so good at keeping track of what makes him feel better or not.... So today I had him eat breakfast, just a small packet of oatmeal with brown sugar. Then I asked him a little later if he felt better or worse or the same. He said maybe a little better. He just ate lunch and says it feels better. He never eats breakfast or lunch. So I'm thinking either gastritis (irritated stomach lining) or IBS. He's been under unusual stress at work and either of those things would react to stress. He's a doctor hater.







If it gets bad, he starts to worry and will go though, so that's good. If it last another week without getting any better or gets worse, I'll make him go.







He's got some librax and has been taking that today also so it could very well be the librax instead of the food that's making him feel better. IBS rearing it's ugly head. Hopefully it's just one of those things that goes away on it's own. Thanks everyone.


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## Deborah35us (Sep 28, 2002)

Hi there,I had that same upper ab pain you mention and I did go to my GI dr. He told me to take 2 zantac in the morning and 2 at nite. [I buy the store brand, I guess 2 otc is equal to the prescription dose] He's treating me for a stomach ulcer and said to take the zantac for 4 weeks then stop for 2 weeks. If the pain comes back he wants to scope me







It also seems to help if I don't let my stomach get empty and eat small snacks between meals like crackers, toast etc.However, I agree with the others that he should be checked out by his doc since this is something new.Good luckdeborah


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## briland23 (Sep 11, 2002)

I occasionally experience the same pain. I have had it for the past three months in a very cyclic pattern. I now have most of my gnawing pressure like pain on the left side under my ribcage. I had an ultrasound, upper GI series with small bowel follow through and blood tests for the mid stomach pain. All normal. Since I have been told by the dr. that my colon spasms and that is what causes my pain in my lower left pelvic region, I (and the dr.) are assuming for now that the upper mid and left discomfort/ache are due to my colon which passes through that area. I have lost 15 pounds becuase of the discomfort, but we can't seem to find anything else wrong. My dr. doesn't want to go in with a scope or colonoscopy since he says i am too young (25) and that my symptoms are not that severe (how would he know what it is like to live like this!!). I wish you luck in finding out what is wrong. If they don't go away I would see the dr.


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## careena (Nov 3, 2001)

Well something AMAZINGLY weird has happened since I posted this. His pain has went away. BUT he's CONSTIPATED!!I'm telling you it's the biggest shock ever. He's hasn't been consipated for YEARS and doesn't even know how to act







He only took the librax that one day so I don't really think it's that. I think it's the oatmeal. I've had him eating it since that post since the pain went away. He's been constipated for 2 days now. He's been eating the oatmeal since the 29th, so 6 days...I had him take half a dose of the Questran today. Of course he's scared to stop taking it all toghether as he can't do his job with constant diarrhea (mailman that walks).Now sure this can be IBS. I know it can be ever-changing with new or different symptoms popping up all the time. But wow, to have constipation after the unrelenting diarrhea is sure amazing. Of course, my hope for him is maybe fiber was a problem. I know that neither of us get any fiber in our diet at all. I've lost 30 pounds and used the Fitday site to assist me. During that time, fitday tells you how much fiber you're getting in your diet. We are getting 3% of the RDA. So I know he lacks it too as we eat the same diet(but he eats candy like it's going out of style the lucky sod). Anyway, lets hope my oatmeal theory hold up for awhile. My question is, I've been wanting him to try a fiber supplement. Since this oatmeal seems to be working well (hopefully) what kind of fiber would closely resemble oatmeal? I know there are different kinds of fiber. Is there a post somewhere that I can read about them? Thanks. (Who's wife get's excited when her husband gets constipated...I'm NUTS!!







)PS-We've tried nearly everything for the diarrhea but never fiber as I thought fiber was for people who are constipated. Does it normally work for people who have diarrhea?


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