Possible stomach ulcer, radiates to back, help! - Acid Reflux / GERD Message Board

RememberingMama · 07-06-2009, 08:51 PM

My father has had a ulcer for years due to aspirins and such. Now since the death of my mother this past march (due to a surgical error at our local hospital, sent her home to die we believe they did after she had ROUTINE gallbladder surgery) he's been sicker only in the last two months and it has gotten worse. He has burning, radiating stomach pain/upset that goes to his back. He's been to gi docs for years, three years ago wanted to go a uper gi scope and the doc who was going to do it cussed him out before the procedure! so he left. Within the past two weeks he's been to see a gi doc and she prescribed a barium gi NOT small bowel which was what he wanted in the first place due to the radiating in the lower back!
Oh dad's on nexium 40 mg, zegerid packet 40mg(zegerid worked WELL for years), and carafate liquid.
He really can't take anything else right?
He hurts been nothing on stomach or even when food is in stomach. He eats this concoction of baby brussels sprouts with promise active butter and fat free kraft cheese slices all melted together and it soothes his belly - I don't like the way it tastes. He uses No-Salt salt subsitute which is salt free used that for years.
But here is the kicker today of all days today his new gi doc told him to hit the road because his problem is TOO much he's frustrated, as we all are, and we need sugestions.
want to go to get barium gi test but have to drive to Good Samaritan Hospital in cincinnati and its a far drive for us and our car isn't in the best of shape and with mama gone we have less income and i'm disabled as well as my father and i have three other siblings at home as well.
any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. : )

Beeb · 07-07-2009, 08:36 AM

The barium test will look at his small bowels! When you drink the barium liquid the night before, it will reach and coat your small and large intestines. Just before the test you drink some more which coats your stomach. Then when they do the cat scan, it highlights all of your digestive tract.

I would also suggest he get the upper endoscopy. They knock you out before the test if he has any fears of something being shoved down his throat.

Look into food allergies, you can get them as you age even though you were never allergic before. There is a lactose intolerant hydrogen breath test that may be worth checking out.

RememberingMama · 07-07-2009, 06:47 PM

Thanks for your input, I am at my wits ends.
It was a upper barium gi that the Cincinnati doc ordered but not the small bowel, which is what dad wanted to have due to his pain went from the front of his stomach (that he had for a few years now) to his lower left back.
Dad has pretty good intuition and I trust his opinion. He worked in law enforcement for years so he knows when something isn't quite right.
I don't know if it was a cat scan dad got a month ago at Bethesda North hospital in Cincinnati because they thought he had kidney stones but he didn't.
It's pretty bad when you WONT GO to our local hospital, becase two inches of Mama's med records say it was surgical error during Mama's gall bladder surgery that killed her so we travel to cincy a hours drive.