How Can Severe Stomach Cramps, Bloating, Lower Left Back Pain For Several Days And Acne Breakouts Be Managed?

Posted on Mon, 22 Aug 2022

Question: My wife is 40 and has been having severe stomach cramps, bloating, and lower left back pain for several days. She is also quite tired. This issue is re-occuring for several months, each time the flare-up lasting for about 24hrs or slightly longer. She has had an MRI and ultrasound which showed an enlarged pancreas, as well as cysts on her left kidney and cysts on her pancreas but the Dr said they were not the cause. Blood results should be back tomorrow. The doctor is also requesting a cibo test to check for parasites but that could take many months. She is in serious pain and is unable to eat anything or drink without aggravating the above symptoms. It flared up after eating cheesy pizza yesterday and having a glass of wine. Her stomach is quite swollen. Any idea? Should she not eat? looking for advice. After researching I thought it was acute pancreatitis but the Dr dismissed that. Note, she does not drink alcohol regularly. Also note, she has been breaking out in acne lately and we feel its related. She is a yoga instructor and never breaks out (Acne)

Answered by Dr. Ramesh Kumar (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Please go through details.

Detailed Answer:

Hello,

Persistent abdominal pain, which may radiate to your back may be accompanied by vomiting is the tell tale sign of pancreatic cyst. Nausea and fatigue can be accompanying symptoms. Most of the time pancreatic cysts are non cancerous and asymptomatic however in symptomatic cases it can be cancerous also.

Fluid from the cyst should be drained and should be pathologically studied for infection. Some times leakage in cyst may lead to infection in the area causing peritonitis. So rather then just neglecting the symptoms of patients proper protocols should be followed and if required endoscopic guided removal of fluid should be done.

I would advice to wait for 1 day as you are saying that blood results would come by tomorrow.
Keep her on a semi solid light easily digestible veg diet.
Ask her to take plenty of water, juices or coconut water that would provide her with required electrolytes.

Flaring up of symptoms on having a fat rich meal with alcohol again is suggestive of involvement of pancreas.
Wait for one day.
Keep her hydrated.
Maintain electrolyte balance.
For pain she can take Buscopan one tablet.
Test suggested are-
Complete blood count
Total and differential blood count
Urine routine and microscopy
Serum Lipase and Amylase(pancreas involvement).

SIBO-can be but initially the case sounds more complicated then just having SIBO.

Follow up with these tests reports or ask your doctor to get them done.
Thanks.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy