Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Pain In Belly Button And Gagging?
Question: Hi there doc. I've been in a 2 month battle with a sharp pain to the left of my belly button. When pressed it causes sharp pain and makes me start gaggin very hard. I've ran all the blood tests twice, gone glueten and lactose free and done the endo and gastro scopings. The blood work has only found low vitamin B12. The scopings have only found some inflammation. They were concerned at first since I had a 4 year ordeal with a perianal abscess that took 4 surgeries to get under control. when it first started I was really sick and couldn't eat without vomiting or getting the runs. When I took the medicine to clean me out for the scopings I regained my appetite but still eat usually only once a day. I went from starving to being bloated. I missed a lot of work and got put on disability. They have cut me off and my doctor didn't fill out my papers so I am fighting to get them filled out with at least modified duties. In the end, there isn't a doctor that is touching my stomach when I see them now and just keep ordering blood work. The only other symptoms I've had with the sharp pain is it can throb, aswell if it gets really bad it'll go to a dull pain down to my crotch. Any ideas of what I can look for? Chrones and IBS and diticulitis and colitis have been disproven so far even though they run in the family.
Brief Answer:
Strongly suspect IBS or diverticulosis
Detailed Answer:
Hello sir and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like to say that most/all of your symptoms match irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diverticulosis like conditions; even more due to the positive family history. I should be able to suspect these conditions closely as I have specific practise in the field of gastro-enterology and also because I have been diagnosed with IBS myself (ulcerative colitis).
It is indeed difficult to diagnose IBS, due its fluctuating nature. At times, investigations (eg. colonoscopy), does pick up inflammation and other symptoms that point towards IBS, but at times during the absence of a flare up the colon can look completely normal. Due to this reason, repeated colonoscopies are conducted, along with biopsies, but especially during flare ups.
In this regard, I would like to suggest a few remedies to prevent the pain, and other symptoms from recurring. Firstly, you need to understand that your colon is sensitive to various substances due to the IBS, and for that you need to make self-observations to notice what causes a flare up and what does not. I shall list some of the most common food items that can lead to a flare up, they are:
-Chocolates
-Tea
-Coffee
-Alcohol
-Sugar containing drinks and other products
-Dairy products
-Wheat
-Popcorn
-Gluten containing products
-Carbonated drinks
-Oily/fatty/fried food
and a few others which can be individual-specific.
If you can avoid the trigger factors, then you can avoid irritating your colon, and thus avoid the symptoms altogether. If this in fact works for you, then the diagnosis is quite clear.
There are various medications to help with IBS as well, but I would only like to prescribe the same once the diagnosis is confirmed. If at all you wish, you can request for another colonoscopy with a biopsy during a flare up to confirm the diagnosis.
I hope you find my response both helpful and informative. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Strongly suspect IBS or diverticulosis
Detailed Answer:
Hello sir and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like to say that most/all of your symptoms match irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diverticulosis like conditions; even more due to the positive family history. I should be able to suspect these conditions closely as I have specific practise in the field of gastro-enterology and also because I have been diagnosed with IBS myself (ulcerative colitis).
It is indeed difficult to diagnose IBS, due its fluctuating nature. At times, investigations (eg. colonoscopy), does pick up inflammation and other symptoms that point towards IBS, but at times during the absence of a flare up the colon can look completely normal. Due to this reason, repeated colonoscopies are conducted, along with biopsies, but especially during flare ups.
In this regard, I would like to suggest a few remedies to prevent the pain, and other symptoms from recurring. Firstly, you need to understand that your colon is sensitive to various substances due to the IBS, and for that you need to make self-observations to notice what causes a flare up and what does not. I shall list some of the most common food items that can lead to a flare up, they are:
-Chocolates
-Tea
-Coffee
-Alcohol
-Sugar containing drinks and other products
-Dairy products
-Wheat
-Popcorn
-Gluten containing products
-Carbonated drinks
-Oily/fatty/fried food
and a few others which can be individual-specific.
If you can avoid the trigger factors, then you can avoid irritating your colon, and thus avoid the symptoms altogether. If this in fact works for you, then the diagnosis is quite clear.
There are various medications to help with IBS as well, but I would only like to prescribe the same once the diagnosis is confirmed. If at all you wish, you can request for another colonoscopy with a biopsy during a flare up to confirm the diagnosis.
I hope you find my response both helpful and informative. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help you.
Best wishes.
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
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
