What Causes Upper Left Abdominal Pain After Eating?

Posted on Fri, 6 Nov 2015

Question: Sometimes after I eat I get severe pain in my upper left abdomen under my rib cage. The only thing that eases the pain is vomiting. During this time I find that I perspire a lot. I feel like I have a fever, but have not taken my temp at that time. What could I be looking at? I also am fatigued a lot

Answered by Dr. Luchuo Engelbert Bain (24 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Poorly treated peptic ulcer disease. See gastroenterologist

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks fir the query,

What you describe is more likely a consequence of poorly managed peptic ulcer disease or gastritis . A common complication of peptic ulcer disease is stenosis or reduction in size of the gastrointestinal tract. When it becomes severe, complete blockage can be seen.

Reduction in size of the intestinal lumen or circumference leads to accumulation of food above the blockage. Continues accumulation leads to vomiting. Fatigue can be explained by reduced amounts of nutrients reabsorped and loss of electrolytes.

I suggest you consult a gastroenterologist for a proper review and management . An abdominal ultradound and a FIBROSCOPY to visualize the gastrointestinal tract might be necessary.

Thanks and kind regards

Dr Bain

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T