Help….stressed and worried
Good afternoon guys,
Let me start be giving you a bit of a background on myself. I’m a 33 year old male. I’ve always been very healthy. I always go to the gym and have always been very fit. I’ve never had any health issues in the past.
I started a diet back in May that was basically a 30% calorie deficient for 8 weeks and I was training extremely hard. I lost about 6kg in 7 weeks. About 7 weeks in I got Influenza A and became very sick. I got some back pain when I coughed and the Dr seemed concerned so he sent me for a CT scan on my upper chest lung region. When the dr became concerned so did I. I googled all the symptoms and I got scared because all the google results said cancer etc etc. The results of the CT scan didn’t come back for five days so I was extremely extremely stressed waiting for them to come back. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. When the results came back they were all good but then I started getting the stomach issues. In particular pain under my ribs and under my sternum that felt like I was full. My stool changed consistency to mostly solid but very wet and there is undigested food like seeds visible in the stool itself. There is also a little mucus that looks a little slimmy (sorry for the mental imagine). Sometimes I go to the toilet and then not long after I need to go again but there really isn’t much stool passed the second time.
I went to the Dr and he got me to have a ultra sound and some bloods. They all came back fine but the feeling of fullness and pain in my upper stomach continued for another week so he sent me for a endoscopy. I had the endoscopy and besides some gastritis that came back fine too. The gastroenterologist prescribed anti acids and I’ve been on them for a month now. I was still experiencing the same stomach issues a week after having the endoscopy so I went back to my Dr and demanded a CT scan on my stomach and another round of bloods. I was so stressed waiting for the results which took 4 days but they too came back all fine.
Basically the bowel movements don’t concern me as much as the discomfort in the upper stomach rib region. All up I’ve had this ongoing for about 9 weeks now and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Some of the drs I’ve spoken to have said IBS.
Has anyone experienced similar type symptoms in the sternum and rib area with IBS? I’ve done just about every test you can do and they have all come back fine which is a relief but is there something else I could be doing?
The whole experience for the last 9 weeks has been really hard. My life has been put on hold waiting for results to come back and I’m really not feeling that well mentally.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I am sorry you have been going through this for 9 weeks. It's good you had the tests though, to be sure nothing obviously clinical is going on.
You mentioned they found you had some degree of gastritis? Did they test you (breath test I believe) for Helicobacter Pylori? also called H. Pylori. If so, there is an antibiotic treatment which may help.
The PPI's may relieve any indigestion type symptoms, sure, but can sometimes make IBS worse. They lower stomach acid which may give time for your stomach to heal, but ask the doctor about it because if you stay on those too long they affect digestion, and that might be why you are getting undigested food in your stool?
Stress is a major trigger for tummy problems!
I didn't have much stress as such, but did have bereavements which were hard on me. My IBS developed after that, so I think that all did a number on my gut.
Mental stress, pain, deep chronic sadness, anxiety and depression can all affect the gut (and vice-versa!)
I get mostly lower abdominal issues so can't help much with any experience or advice regarding your upper stomach/rib pains. But it makes sense if you have some level of stomach inflammation you might get that.
I hope this heals and gets better for you. There is hope yet of it doing just that as 9 weeks isn't so long for your symptoms, even though you have felt pretty rotten for 9 weeks. My kind thoughts and wishes for healing.Thank you for your reply.
I did get tested for Helicobacter Pylori during my endoscopy which came back negative.
All the stuff I read about IBS seems to suggest lower stomach issues but not much in the upper stomach under the ribs and sternum. That's what is concerning me most. I have had a CT scan on my upper chest including lungs, a CT scan on my stomach, an ultrasound on my stomach, a endoscopy and multiple bloods taken and apart from the gastritis everything has been completely normal which is comforting I suppose.
I just want some answer about what it could be.
Well, from what I have heard at times from other IBS sufferers, upper stomach pain and symptoms such as acid reflux, stomach discomfort etc definitely do happen. So, the fact that it affects only your upper stomach area doesn't rule out IBS.
IBS can be so different for each person with it.
You have had a whole lot of tests which come back normal, so that is good to know at least.I had upper stomach pains too. I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy. I had such loose stools that it was causing such irritation from it that my doctor put me on 1/2 tablet of Imodium that I take every night. That definitely helped. My primary doctor also put me on omeprazole once a day in the morning, 1/2 hour before breakfast. My stomach makes too much acid. I also take a good probiotic for gut health. These small changes really helped my IBS. Try these after speaking with your doctor and hopefully it will help you too. 
Thank you so much for sharing what has worked for you! How are you feeling at the moment?
Karina (team member)
still have my days if under stress but mostly good! I had my gallbladder removed and feel better all around!
I'm so glad to hear that! It must be such a relief to finally feel better. Hugs, Karina (team member)
