Hoping someone can help... - Bowel Disorders Message Board

Eliza79 · 07-23-2004, 10:53 AM

Hi! I am hoping someone can give me their opinion on my situation. About once every two months, maybe a little more frequent than that even, I wake up with a horrible pain right under where my breast bone is...not under my breast bone, right below it, like where your ribs split apart...I am guessing this is about where your stomach is. It will last several hours and nothing seems to help make it go away. It is like a knawing pain and the pain is so bad it goes through to my back. I have been to the doctor for this several times to no avail. They told me to take Prilosec which did nothing...I tried to explain that this is most definitley not heart burn or acid refulx, I know what that feels like. This pain is so bad that it puts me in tears and literally keeps me awake for a good 3 to 4 hours before subsiding. I am at my wits end with it. I don't know what else to think. I just dread thinking of it happening again. Another thing I mentioned to my doctor is that a lot of times when I eat, my stomach becomes very bloated. I mean like I look like I am nine months pregnant bloated, and it is so uncomfortable! He said that this is because I am skinny! I am not that skinny, I weight 122 and I am 5'4", which is normal, I am not skinny. Does anyone know what this could be? It almost feels as though my stomach will burst or something. I hate it and cannot figure out what to do. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

tooolgrl · 07-23-2004, 05:17 PM

I get the same pain, in fact my whole family gets it and has for several generations, when I have an episode it is gas, I guess some form of colic for lack of a better term. I know its gas because my mother gets it and she used to gag herself and would bring up huge amounts of air, I drink club soda when I have it and try taking a gas product with simethicone, although I have had it so bad nothing helps. I read on these boards that taking magnesium supplements helps and I started and have had only a couple episodes since and not nearly as painful. I had an endoscopy and was told I had a small hiatal hernia, am having a colonoscopy next week for IBS but I am telling my GI doc that he needs to get to the bottom of this horrible chest pain. Please keep me informed of your condition, maybe you will find some solutions that work for you that you can share and vice versa.

Good luck and I hope you feel better

Sunlover · 07-25-2004, 01:20 PM

Does it feel like someone is wringing your stomach? A twisting pain?? if so, my daughter and friend get that when they eat lettuce (and raw carrots!) We think it's some kind of allergic reaction. It does last 3 or 4 hours too. Do you notice if it does this after eating certain foods? And my daughter and friend are not skinny either! (daughter 5'4" - 155 pounds, friend 5'2" - 145 pounds)

Eliza79 · 07-26-2004, 10:29 AM

I can't really say that it is any certain food. Everytime it happens I have had something different to eat. And it never happens soon after I eat. I usually eat dinner at 5-6 at night and this happens around midnight to 1 in the morning. And it has never happened during the day, only when I am sleeping at night. I am not regular either...sometimes won't go for three days or so, and then in one day I can go three times...so who knows. It doesn't happen that frequently I guess. Like I said, it's about once every two months, maybe a little more often. I just sucks and I hate to think of it happening again. I wish I could get to the bottom of it. Is there a reason why some one would get gas trapped like that, more than another person. It's just that out of everyone I know, no one has ever had that problem. My soon to be mother in law had her GB out last October and she thought that maybe that is what I was having problems with, but the doctor didn't really look into that. All I know is that it is not a pleasurable experience and if at all possible I would like to prevent it from happening again. Thanks for your replies!

Harry · 07-26-2004, 01:12 PM

Hi Eliza,
It sounds like you have a Hiatal Hernia that goes into spasms or cramping!!

The best remedy I know of is a Homeopathic remedy --Magnesia Phos-- It is excellent for all types of muscle cramping and spasms. It is safe and you can buy it at a health food store. Take it when needed every half hour--- your response will be almost miraculus!! My wife has the problem and has carried it around in her purse for 22 years and used in sorta painful times.
I assure you it will get worse with time and you will eventually have the attacks during the day and at odd times.

The problem occurs where your esophagus,stomach and diaphragm of your chest cavity all meet and it becomes weakened but no one knows why but it can go into spasms that hurts alot but you already know that.

You probably lack magnesium in your diet!!
Also, taking a magnesium supplement 3 or 4 times daily helps the aborption of this or any mineral from 2 to 8% increased to 35 --40%. You need it anyway to prevent osteoporosis along with calcium and vitamin D. Magnesium is in every cell of your body and 67% is used in the bones.You can get a blood test of your magnesium level but we have found that the blood level does not always indicate the cellular level and you still can get spasms/ cramping.

It is believed that about 70% of the population lacks magnesium that is needed for calcium absorption and enzyme production. THere are about 6700 enzymes in our bodies.

The daily amount needed is 400 mgrams. Also, I think the best kind is the chelated type that is bonded to an amino acid(protein) and does not need digestion. I like and have used Doctor's Best, Carlson, Kal, Solgar and some others. The international patent is held by Albion Labs in Utah that sells it to many more companies.

I wish you well---Harry