Re: OT - Stomach pain question

June 12, 2010

Holly

The

pain might be coming from just below the stomach, in the Sphincter of Oddi

area, as you mention mid-back pain along with front upper abdominal pain. When

my common bile duct and Sphincter of Oddi act up, I’ll get pain in both

places. Mid-back pain is common with biliary tree and also pancreatic tree problems.

Could be the milk fat in yogurt is too much for your upper GI. I get similar

symptoms when I eat something too high in fat, along with some other issues I

have with fiber and seasonings.

When

I first tried eating yogurt, back when I started SCD, I had similar reactions

to the fat content, along with immune responses (hives, respiratory distress)

that were alleviated somewhat by my dripping the yogurt. I still had to be

careful with the amount of yogurt because of the fat content; I eventually

managed to tolerate less than ¼ c. once a day every other day, for about 6

months. Unfortunately by then my immune reactions became severe when I had

even a spoonful of yogurt, so now I can’t touch dairy. I don’t

miss it, as it was a challenge dealing with the fat content. I take a legal

Acidophilus supplement.

The

pain connected to my Sphincter of Oddi going into spasms is just below the

stomach, slightly off to the right, about 6” above my waistline, just

under the lower edge of my right ribs. So just below the stomach to the right,

below the gallbladder (or where it would be if I still had it). The pain

varies in intensity, there’s considerable pressure as if I’m being

squeezed from the inside-out and outside-in, and I often feel the muscles

twitching. The mid-back pain is between my shoulder blades, and it fluctuates

in intensity as well. I usually have to lie down to keep the pain minimal,

even at work. My coworkers are now accustomed to seeing my lie down on my

office floor for 30 minutes after lunch several times a week [grin].

Once

I develop biliary dyskinesia, which often occurs when my Sphincter of Oddi

flares (and my gastroparesis worsens), it will take 3 to 5 days for it to

recover. I usually know what food or “new” recipe triggered the

problem, so I stop eating it, and fall back to my safe foods, those that are

easiest for my digestion. If my symptoms don’t improve, I fall back to

clear liquids. If they still don’t improve, then I head for my

gastroenterologist, as I may or may not need intervention to get my common bile

duct emptying normally again…

Hopefully

you’re not dealing with a full-blown case of Sphincter of Oddi

dysfunction, but I would pay attention to this episode because it may indicate

you are dealing with a cranky upper GI which can’t handle foods high in

fat. Fiber may also be an issue for you for the same reason.

Kim M.

SCD 6 years

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction 6+ years

neurological & spinal deterioration 3+ years

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Last

night I had my usual before bed snack of yogurt (typically a very safe food for

me). Shortly thereafter I started getting stomach pain. All night and all day

I've had the contraction-like pain of a blockage (the pain gets intense, and

then eases up and goes away for a short time, rinse and repeat), except that a.

my intestines seem fine, and I had a normal BM today, and b. the intensity and

frequency of the pain has not increased over time like a bowel obstruction

does. I also have had mid-back pain this whole time as well. I haven't eaten

anything in 24 hours now, but my stomach still hurts as much as it did last

night. I also feel no hunger yet. Has anyone had something like this happen to

them? I was thinking it was maybe something like gastroparesis, but it seems

like the pain should have gone away by now. Thankfully, I skipped the LDN last

night, because I had to break down and take a pain pill this afternoon. I'm

going to have to break down and take another one tonight.

June 12, 2010

Boy, I thought that after I had surgery last fall that I'd have it made it the shade. But my second year of SCD has been infinitely harder then the first :-(.Aww =( I don't have any advice for you, unfortunately, but I pray you feel better soon! Maybe you should go to the doctor. Cheers!Alyssa 16 yo UC April 2008, dx Sept 2008SCD June 2009 (restarted)Azathioprine 75 mg 1x per dayPrednisone 20 mg 1x per day

June 12, 2010

Hi Kim,

The thought of having SoO is a scary one! I'm really getting concerned that I

might have a problem there :-(. I see my GI this Friday, and will bring all of

this up to her. It's odd, I used to be able to tolerate quite a lot of fat, even

without my gallbladder.

Today most of the sharp pains are gone. They only have come back when I drank

some water, and when I tried to sleep on my right side. My stomach area now just

feels aggravated and achy, and my back still aches (the back feels a little

better when I lay flat). I even feel like it aches a bit in my chest. I've never

had stomach pain last like this before. Two days of nothing but a little water

and honey, and the rest of my body is getting angry at me as well.

I don't know how you manage with all that you have to deal with Kim. You are

truly Superwoman!

And Alyssa, the well wishes are greatly appreciated :-)

Holly

Crohn's

SCD 12/01/08

>

> Holly

>

> The pain might be coming from just below the stomach, in the Sphincter of

> Oddi area, as you mention mid-back pain along with front upper abdominal

> pain. When my common bile duct and Sphincter of Oddi act up, I'll get pain

> in both places. Mid-back pain is common with biliary tree and also

> pancreatic tree problems. Could be the milk fat in yogurt is too much for

> your upper GI. I get similar symptoms when I eat something too high in fat,

> along with some other issues I have with fiber and seasonings.

>

> When I first tried eating yogurt, back when I started SCD, I had similar

> reactions to the fat content, along with immune responses (hives,

> respiratory distress) that were alleviated somewhat by my dripping the

> yogurt. I still had to be careful with the amount of yogurt because of the

> fat content; I eventually managed to tolerate less than ¼ c. once a day

> every other day, for about 6 months. Unfortunately by then my immune

> reactions became severe when I had even a spoonful of yogurt, so now I can't

> touch dairy. I don't miss it, as it was a challenge dealing with the fat

> content. I take a legal Acidophilus supplement.

>

> The pain connected to my Sphincter of Oddi going into spasms is just below

> the stomach, slightly off to the right, about 6 " above my waistline, just

> under the lower edge of my right ribs. So just below the stomach to the

> right, below the gallbladder (or where it would be if I still had it). The

> pain varies in intensity, there's considerable pressure as if I'm being

> squeezed from the inside-out and outside-in, and I often feel the muscles

> twitching. The mid-back pain is between my shoulder blades, and it

> fluctuates in intensity as well. I usually have to lie down to keep the

> pain minimal, even at work. My coworkers are now accustomed to seeing my

> lie down on my office floor for 30 minutes after lunch several times a week

> [grin].

>

> Once I develop biliary dyskinesia, which often occurs when my Sphincter of

> Oddi flares (and my gastroparesis worsens), it will take 3 to 5 days for it

> to recover. I usually know what food or " new " recipe triggered the problem,

> so I stop eating it, and fall back to my safe foods, those that are easiest

> for my digestion. If my symptoms don't improve, I fall back to clear

> liquids. If they still don't improve, then I head for my

> gastroenterologist, as I may or may not need intervention to get my common

> bile duct emptying normally again…

>

> Hopefully you're not dealing with a full-blown case of Sphincter of Oddi

> dysfunction, but I would pay attention to this episode because it may

> indicate you are dealing with a cranky upper GI which can't handle foods

> high in fat. Fiber may also be an issue for you for the same reason.

>

> Kim M.

>

> SCD 6 years

>

> Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction 6+ years

>

> neurological & spinal deterioration 3+ years

>

> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>

> Last night I had my usual before bed snack of yogurt (typically a very safe

> food for me). Shortly thereafter I started getting stomach pain. All night

> and all day I've had the contraction-like pain of a blockage (the pain gets

> intense, and then eases up and goes away for a short time, rinse and

> repeat), except that a. my intestines seem fine, and I had a normal BM

> today, and b. the intensity and frequency of the pain has not increased over

> time like a bowel obstruction does. I also have had mid-back pain this whole

> time as well. I haven't eaten anything in 24 hours now, but my stomach still

> hurts as much as it did last night. I also feel no hunger yet. Has anyone

> had something like this happen to them? I was thinking it was maybe

> something like gastroparesis, but it seems like the pain should have gone

> away by now. Thankfully, I skipped the LDN last night, because I had to

> break down and take a pain pill this afternoon. I'm going to have to break

> down and take another one tonight.

>

June 12, 2010

I don't know how you manage with all that you have to deal with Kim. You are truly Superwoman!I second this! Kim, you really do have to deal with SO much, and it never stops you from coming here to help others with THEIR problems! Cheers!Alyssa 16 yo UC April 2008, dx Sept 2008SCD June 2009 (restarted)Azathioprine 75 mg 1x per dayPrednisone 20 mg 1x per day

June 13, 2010

Glad

you’re feeling better, but it might be something of a confirmation that

you are dealing with a upper GI dysfunction of some sort. But maybe not,

or so I hope.

When

my upper GI is flaring badly, I fall back to clear liquids for a day or

two. It usually makes all the difference. If I still have symptoms after

a day of clear liquids, then I head for my gastroenterologist, as I know I’ll

need some help. That was the case when I was diagnosed, and ended up needing a

sphincterotomy. I can keep my chronic upper GI symptoms minimal most of

the time, but since I’m dealing with a functional disorder, there are

going to be bad days despite my best efforts. Then I fall back to clear

liquids and hope my upper GI recovers on its own so I don’t have to go

through another risky ERCP and sphincterotomy. So far, so good – I’m

beating the odds, thanks to SCD.

Hopefully

your gastroenterologist will be able to help you. Many doctors are

unfamiliar with some of the more uncommon upper GI problems, so you may find

you need to seek other opinions. And not all hospitals offer all of the

tests.

Lying

on my back always helps with my upper GI symptoms. I can lie on my right

side, but not my left except for a short time when I haven’t eaten for 8

hours or so, and definitely never on my stomach. But I’ve talked

with others who are also dealing with Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, or chronic

pancreatitis, and about half can lie on their left side but not their right,

and the other half on their right but not their left. All of us can

happily lie on our backs; none on our stomach. We also have to wear

clothes that are loose, and have to be careful with exercises that involve

bending and working the abdominals. And all of us have had a struggle to

get a diagnosis; some have endured years of pain and nausea before they finally

found a doctor who could help.

Don’t

mean to scare you. Just ask questions and seek other opinions.

There are gastroenterologists out there who know enough to look for more

uncommon upper GI conditions. If you are dealing with an upper GI disorder,

food choices are usually the best treatment option, so being on SCD is a big

step already accomplished.

Kim M.

SCD 6 years

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction 6+ years

neurological & spinal deterioration 3+ years

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Today

most of the sharp pains are gone. They only have come back when I drank some

water, and when I tried to sleep on my right side. My stomach area now just

feels aggravated and achy, and my back still aches (the back feels a little

better when I lay flat). I even feel like it aches a bit in my chest. I've

never had stomach pain last like this before. Two days of nothing but a little

water and honey, and the rest of my body is getting angry at me as well.

June 13, 2010

Thanks for this. I've been having soreness (right below my tummy) after eating

yogurt (during the overnight hours too). I just thought that the bacteria was

irritating it or something. I guess this is something to watch.