My 42 Year Old Daughter Has Intermitting Abdominal Bloating With

Posted on Sun, 10 Jan 2021

Question: my 42 year old daughter has intermitting abdominal bloating with slight pain. Also has occasional diarrhoea but she has irritable bowel syndrome as well. She had cervical cancer 9 years ago with treatment being successful . She went to Dr’s who examined her back passage and abdomen and thought it was a digestive problem so gave her omeprazole but they are not helping any. As i said it comes and goes but just with days between each bout. Has a nausea feeling and puts her off eating. She has not lost any weight. Had to hand in a stool sample to Dr’s but no results yet. . She is worried it may be pancreatic cancer, can you give me your thoughts in this please. Going to go back to dr as soon as possible.

Follow up: Dr. Zubayer Alam (0 minute later)

my 42 year old daughter has intermitting abdominal bloating with slight pain. Also has occasional diarrhoea but she has irritable bowel syndrome as well. She had cervical cancer 9 years ago with treatment being successful . She went to Dr’s who examined her back passage and abdomen and thought it was a digestive problem so gave her omeprazole but they are not helping any. As i said it comes and goes but just with days between each bout. Has a nausea feeling and puts her off eating. She has not lost any weight. Had to hand in a stool sample to Dr’s but no results yet. . She is worried it may be pancreatic cancer, can you give me your thoughts in this please. Going to go back to dr as soon as possible.

Answered by Dr. Zubayer Alam (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Please, see the details below.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for the query. I can understand your concern. According to your statement, your daughter has been suffering from intermittent abdominal bloating, slight abdominal pain and occasionally diarrhoea. She is a known case of irritable bowel syndrome.

For subsiding her present sufferings, underlying etiology should be found out first. Such type of clinical features may result from irritable bowel syndrome, food sensitivities, bacterial, viral or parasitic infections, lactose intolerance, pancreatitis etc. If her symptoms persist, then USG of W/A or endoscopy can be considered to detect the exact causes.

As she has no history of weight loss, fever or night sweating etc, so she most probably doesn't suffer from pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. She may take antiemetics to stop her nausea or vomiting.

Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Zubayer Alam, General And Family Physician,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Answered by Dr. Zubayer Alam (0 minute later)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Zubayer Alam (1 hour later)

Thank you, is it normal to still have pain even though she has had a bowel movement. She would normally get cramping in her tummy before a movement. So the pain is still up high in her abdomen. Is this normal for ibs.Should the pain not go away after that. The pain is quite high up just in the middle under her breasts. She is taking the omeprazole and git her peptic bismol today to take, how long do you think these things should take to work if it is irritable bowel syndrome.

Follow up: Dr. Zubayer Alam (0 minute later)

Answered by Dr. Zubayer Alam (59 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
abdominal pain may be felt in the upper abdomen and it may last 2-4 days.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for joining again. The main symptoms inflammatory bowel disease (IBS) are abdominal pain along with alteration in bowel habits. Its associated symptoms are diarrhea or constipation or both, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting. Someone may feel like his or her bowel movement isn't finished.

Someone may get cramping in the abdomen before a movement. Even, someone get cramping constantly even after a bowel movement like your daughter.

For many people with inflammatory bowel syndrome, abdominal pain is frequent. For someone it is continuous. For someone it is mild. Again, for someone it may be unbearable. This pain usually occurs in the lower abdomen or the whole abdomen. Again, for someone it may be felt in the upper abdomen near breasts.

The symptoms of inflammatory bowel syndromes are generally worse after eating. Many people may suffer a flare up of symptoms like your daughter which may last 2-4 days. After that period of time, the symptoms will improve or subside totally. So, don't be worried at all. With the passage of time, your daughter present sufferings will be vanished.

Take care. Hope I have answered your questions. In case of any other query knock me and I will try to reply you further.

Regards,
Dr. Zubayer Alam, General And Family Physician,

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

Answered by Dr. Zubayer Alam (0 minute later)

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

Follow up: Dr. Zubayer Alam (22 hours later)

Thank you for replying. A friend of my daughters has said she has had the exact same symptoms as my daughter about a year ago and was diagnosed with gastric reflux after inserting camera down her throat. She was put on mgs of omeprazole, it lasted quite a long time and often made her sick. Do you think this may be what my daughter has, she said its like a knot just under her breasts which is the way her friend described it as well and a nausea feeling. It really fits all her symptoms. It comes and goes but been there for 2 days so far but seems to be easing now. I don’t think it is anything to do with her going to open her bowels think thats a separate thing, her IBS playing up. She is going back to the Doctor tomorrow. What are your thoughts in this please, appreciate your opinion.

Follow up: Dr. Zubayer Alam (0 minute later)

Answered by Dr. Zubayer Alam (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Please see the detailed answer below.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for joining again. Yes, it is possible. Your daughter may suffer from gastic reflux or acid reflux like her friend. It is also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). As I have mentioned earlier that endoscopy of upper GIT may help to detect acid reflux.

Irritable bowel syndrome causes abdominal pain with alterations in bowel habits, either diarrhoea or constipation. GERD causes acid reflux which is commonly known as heartburn. Both IBS and GERD may present with same type of signs and symptoms. Even, many people have both IBS and GERD together. Studies also support that. Studies have found strong link between IBS and GERD. Treatment are also almost same in both cases.

So, your daughter may suffer from IBS along with GERD or IBS alone. Many people may suffer a flare up of symptoms in case of IBS like your daughter in their lifetime which may last for 2-4 days. After that period of time, symptoms will gradually disappear as I have already mentioned. As your daughter's symptoms are gradually improving now and she feels better, so I think that she may suffer from a flare up symptoms of IBS.

Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Zubayer Alam, General And Family Physician,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad