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Have High Cholesterol. Had Hysterectomy. Having Pain When I Laying Down In Bed. Suggestions
Question: Hi. I am a 47 year old female 5.4 and 69 kg. I am generally healthy and semi fit and take no medication except Krill oil for heart health and i have had high cholesterol but is now close to an acceptable range. I have constant nagging pain on the left side of my stomach. Sometimes it is higher just below my rib cage. It always appears to be wind. My bowel movements are regular most of the time. This has been going on for 5 years or so. I have had tests two years ago including a Colonoscopy and a CT scan. All the tests were good but I did have a small cyst on my right kidney and a small cyst on my left ovary. I had a hysterectomy when I was 31 based on terrible periods and I had a non-cancerous mass being my uterus that was not detected until the operation. I still have my ovaries. I have been back to the doctor once more last year and he did blood tests including the tumour marker blood test and it was fine. During this visit he didn’t examine me physically.
Family History - My mother died from cancer at the age of 60 with a rare kidney cancer that manifested in her liver. I have several aunts that have had breast cancer and I have 2 yearly mammograms.
Up until about 5 months ago, the pain seemed to be worse when I was lying down in bed and after I was up for a while I would pass a considerable amount of wind and be fine. In the past 5 months, it has gotten much worse and is nagging all day. It is very hard at work as I am uncomfortable and I have to get up from meetings and leave the room to pass wind. This is very distracting and not the way to want to spend my day.
I believe I am currently going through Menopause as I am having regular hot flushed and night sweats but managing fine.
I don’t like going to the doctor and I hate taking medication. I am really struggling with the bloating and wind problems I am having.
Family History - My mother died from cancer at the age of 60 with a rare kidney cancer that manifested in her liver. I have several aunts that have had breast cancer and I have 2 yearly mammograms.
Up until about 5 months ago, the pain seemed to be worse when I was lying down in bed and after I was up for a while I would pass a considerable amount of wind and be fine. In the past 5 months, it has gotten much worse and is nagging all day. It is very hard at work as I am uncomfortable and I have to get up from meetings and leave the room to pass wind. This is very distracting and not the way to want to spend my day.
I believe I am currently going through Menopause as I am having regular hot flushed and night sweats but managing fine.
I don’t like going to the doctor and I hate taking medication. I am really struggling with the bloating and wind problems I am having.
Hi XXXXXXX
I have read your query with diligence. You have written your concern thoroughly. I appreciate it.
You seem to have a family history of cancer and that you are taking good precautions against the same. Continue to do so.
Your current concern is about the bloating and the wind. Of course, one would be worried about some cancer somewhere in the body in view of the strong family history. However, your current symptoms do not seem like cancer related to me.
I understand it is embarrassing and awkward to feel that way in between meetings.
Your colonoscopy was normal 2 years ago. Therefore, the reason for your excessive bloating and gas and wind could be due to gastritis and your eating habits.
Have you got an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy done? I am suspecting a probable peptic ulcer that is giving you this nagging pain. It may be H. Pylori infection as well. You need to be evaluated on these lines preferably with a medical gastroenterologist.
To decrease your bloating and wind, you must avoid or restrict eating foods that cause excess gas. Here is the list - Baked beans, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, fruits such as apples, peaches and pears, Lettuce. Avoid consuming carbonated drinks and chewing gum.
You may require antacids if peptic ulcer is detected.
This is my broad overview of your health concern. Please do write back for further discussion on this.
Regards,
I have read your query with diligence. You have written your concern thoroughly. I appreciate it.
You seem to have a family history of cancer and that you are taking good precautions against the same. Continue to do so.
Your current concern is about the bloating and the wind. Of course, one would be worried about some cancer somewhere in the body in view of the strong family history. However, your current symptoms do not seem like cancer related to me.
I understand it is embarrassing and awkward to feel that way in between meetings.
Your colonoscopy was normal 2 years ago. Therefore, the reason for your excessive bloating and gas and wind could be due to gastritis and your eating habits.
Have you got an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy done? I am suspecting a probable peptic ulcer that is giving you this nagging pain. It may be H. Pylori infection as well. You need to be evaluated on these lines preferably with a medical gastroenterologist.
To decrease your bloating and wind, you must avoid or restrict eating foods that cause excess gas. Here is the list - Baked beans, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, fruits such as apples, peaches and pears, Lettuce. Avoid consuming carbonated drinks and chewing gum.
You may require antacids if peptic ulcer is detected.
This is my broad overview of your health concern. Please do write back for further discussion on this.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Dr Shanthi,
Thank you for your comprehensive reply. I also had the gastrointestinal endoscopy done at the same time as the colonoscopy and it was fine. I do watch what i eat and I avoid most of the foods you have listed.
I had forgotten until I read your reply I did have an infection or virus in my stomach about 10 years ago, that was quite bad and I was constantly vomiting and had server cramping but in an entirely different spot as the cramps were high and it was like a tight pulse cramp after I ate usually and never felt like wind or bowel related. It was diagnosed by a gastrointestinal endoscopy and was something to do with inflammation of the stomach. I can’t remember the name and it was described as having almost little hairs or fibres on the lining and they were inflamed. I don’t even remember how it was treated but it went away after some months. I had been on a low carb diet at the time this happened.
The pain is not in my stomach but it does feel more bowel related as it is at its worst about 10 cm left (my left side) of my belly button.
Thank you for your comprehensive reply. I also had the gastrointestinal endoscopy done at the same time as the colonoscopy and it was fine. I do watch what i eat and I avoid most of the foods you have listed.
I had forgotten until I read your reply I did have an infection or virus in my stomach about 10 years ago, that was quite bad and I was constantly vomiting and had server cramping but in an entirely different spot as the cramps were high and it was like a tight pulse cramp after I ate usually and never felt like wind or bowel related. It was diagnosed by a gastrointestinal endoscopy and was something to do with inflammation of the stomach. I can’t remember the name and it was described as having almost little hairs or fibres on the lining and they were inflamed. I don’t even remember how it was treated but it went away after some months. I had been on a low carb diet at the time this happened.
The pain is not in my stomach but it does feel more bowel related as it is at its worst about 10 cm left (my left side) of my belly button.
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing back.
It seems like what you had 10 years ago was atrophic gastritis. Exactly, I am talking too about this same location. In my view, you must repeat the gastrointestinal endoscopy now. It would also be ideal to take a H. Pylori test now.
Your lesion is probably located at the duodenum, jejunum, ileum or the transverse colon.
Get well soon.
Thanks for writing back.
It seems like what you had 10 years ago was atrophic gastritis. Exactly, I am talking too about this same location. In my view, you must repeat the gastrointestinal endoscopy now. It would also be ideal to take a H. Pylori test now.
Your lesion is probably located at the duodenum, jejunum, ileum or the transverse colon.
Get well soon.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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