“What is wrong with my stomach?”
Hello! Usually, I eat quite a bit throughout the day, I am a snacker. These past few weeks though I just feel full and when I do finally get hungry, I take a few bites and my stomach feels bloated. The other day I was crouching and I got back up and suddenly I felt a sharp stabbing pain on the right side of my stomach. It only lasted for a few seconds. There is also a dull pain throughout my whole stomach. I've also been feeling pains on the left side too, so I don't know what's going on. Also, my bowel movements are irregular, I usually go once or twice a day, and I barely go now. When I do go my stools look black, today when I wiped there was a little bit of mucus mixed with a maroon-like color on the toilet paper. It also feels unfulfilled I guess like I need to still go but there's nothing there. Thanks for reading this and I hope you can help!
Female | 18 years old
Complaint duration: 14 days
Medications: Penicillin
Conditions: PANDAS
2 Answers
Hello,
You may have had mild gastroenteritis (stomach bug) which affected the motility (contractions) of your GI tract. This would cause delayed stomach emptying, which would cause the bloating and full feeling, and could have also slowed down your intestinal contractions (causing constipation). The stomach bug is probably long gone, however, the motility issue can persist for a few weeks (and rarely longer). I usually suggest taking an OTC probiotic (Culturelle, Align, Florastor, and Envive are good choices). I would also recommend avoiding dairy temporarily, eating small, frequent meals as able, drinking plenty of water, and making sure you are getting enough rest. You can use Miralax daily for constipation. I do have some concerns with the black stools, as this can indicate blood loss through your upper GI tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine). Keep an eye on this and call your doctor's office if it persists. To be safe, you may want to take OTC omeprazole, Prilosec, or Nexium once daily for 2 weeks. These would protect your stomach from ulcers and inflammation. As always, contact your doctor's office if your symptoms worsen or are not going away.
Jesse P. Houghton, MD, FACG Senior Medical Director of Gastroenterology
SOMC Gastroenterology Associates
1711 27th Street Braunlin Building, Suite 403
Southern Ohio Medical Center
Portsmouth, Ohio 45662
740-356-6828 (f) 740-356-6820
*Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology
*Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, The Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine*America's Best Doctors 2022*Top Doctor 2022—OH Top Docs*Castle Connelly Top Doctor 2022
http://www.gastrodoc1.com
http://www.facebook.com/gastrodoc1
You may have had mild gastroenteritis (stomach bug) which affected the motility (contractions) of your GI tract. This would cause delayed stomach emptying, which would cause the bloating and full feeling, and could have also slowed down your intestinal contractions (causing constipation). The stomach bug is probably long gone, however, the motility issue can persist for a few weeks (and rarely longer). I usually suggest taking an OTC probiotic (Culturelle, Align, Florastor, and Envive are good choices). I would also recommend avoiding dairy temporarily, eating small, frequent meals as able, drinking plenty of water, and making sure you are getting enough rest. You can use Miralax daily for constipation. I do have some concerns with the black stools, as this can indicate blood loss through your upper GI tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine). Keep an eye on this and call your doctor's office if it persists. To be safe, you may want to take OTC omeprazole, Prilosec, or Nexium once daily for 2 weeks. These would protect your stomach from ulcers and inflammation. As always, contact your doctor's office if your symptoms worsen or are not going away.
Jesse P. Houghton, MD, FACG Senior Medical Director of Gastroenterology
SOMC Gastroenterology Associates
1711 27th Street Braunlin Building, Suite 403
Southern Ohio Medical Center
Portsmouth, Ohio 45662
740-356-6828 (f) 740-356-6820
*Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology
*Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, The Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine*America's Best Doctors 2022*Top Doctor 2022—OH Top Docs*Castle Connelly Top Doctor 2022
http://www.gastrodoc1.com
http://www.facebook.com/gastrodoc1
Hard to make a diagnosis based on this information. You have have developed a gastroenteritis followed by stomach sensitivity. Then some constipation ongoing more recently. It doesn't sound too concerning but if there is a chance of bleeding from the GI tract, you should have a blood test to check for anemia. See a PCP or try an urgent care clinic.
