Woken up with awful pain in upper stomach - Digestive Disorders Message Board

dna99 · 12-07-2003, 09:47 PM

This started recently out of nowhere, I never had any problems with my stomach before. I get this awful pain, like something is squeezing my stomach constantly, in the center of my upper stomach with an upset/sour stomach, lots of gurgling sounds, and a feverish-achy feeling (but no fever). It lasts for hours where I am writhing in pain and can't sleep. It only happens when I'm trying to sleep, it often wakes me up in the middle of the night, or it's there when I wake up in the morning. It goes away by itself eventually. I don't get it every night, but lately it's been happening more frequently.

What I don't have: no problems with eating, no problems in the bathroom, I don't get acid reflux. Some nauseousness, but not always, and vomiting doesn't help at all. But my stomach contents are very bitter and sour. Mylanta and Maalox doesn't help. Pepcid Complete helped only once when I took it before I got the pain - I think it helped stop the acid in my stomach, but it didn't work last night. I just bought Tagamet, so I will try this next time it happens.

Anyone else experience something similar to this? Any clue what it could be??? The closest thing I could find for my symptoms was an ulcer or non-ulcer dyspepsia, but I'm not so sure if that's what this is. I don't get it after I eat and I don't feel hungry when it happens either. I'm planning to see a Gastro. dr. this week, but I don't have insurance and I'm not working at the moment, so I'm a bit worried about the cost of the tests. How expensive are they?

Stigma · 12-08-2003, 12:29 AM

Hey.

Sorry to hear you're having troubles. Our problems are probably different, but the way you described the pain sounds very similar. Every once in a while, I get a terrible pain in my upper stomach - like there is a hand on the inside trying to rip through. Along with that, I also experience a lot of gurgling noises. One of my biggest problems is that whenever this happens I feel like I really need to burp but I can't.

Have you tried taking anything for hearburn to see if it helps? I've tried Zantac, Eno, Gax X... Eno helps the burping problem, but a few times, things like Zantac have stoped the pain. I also have to be really careful for a few days about my diet - no coffee, nothing heavy to eat, light soups, etc.

I really hope neither one of us has a ulcer, b/c I've heard it's a nasty problem. It wouldn't surprise me if I get it, though, considering that my diet has been very messed up over the past five or six years (all sorts of eating disorders, going from one extreme to the other, etc.), and that I stress a lot about everything.

What do you think about seeing a doctor and having it checked out just in case? I think I'll consider that if this persists.

Hope you're feeling better. Take care.

Stigma.

dna99 · 12-08-2003, 12:33 PM

Hi Stigma,

I'm sorry you're suffering with the same kind of stomach pain. Does yours happen soon after you eat or hours later? Has it ever woken you up at night?

I don't get heartburn (no belching either). I have tried Mylanta and Maalox, which didn't help. Pepcid Complete worked for me once when I took it BEFORE the pain started, when my stomach started getting aggitated. I was so glad that something worked, but then the next time I took it AFTER the pain started, it didn't work at all and I suffered for hours with no relief.

A friend told me Tagamet used to be prescription-only for ulcers, but now it's over the counter, so I'm going to try this next. You may want to try it also. Definitely go to the dr. if it keeps happening (I will too). I hope you get some relief and feel better soon.

-Dna