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What Causes Intense Abdominal Pain With Nausea?
Question: My husband who is 72 has been experiencing occasional (every 5-7 days) episodes of intense abdominal pain and nausea which last 45 minutes, sometimes longer. He had his usual 6 month check-up two weeks ago and all was well. He had 5 bypasses in 2006 and had his gallbladder removed and a hernia repaired in May of 2014. Being typically male, he refuses to go to the emergency room or urgent care when these episodes occur. There seems to be no common cause or time of day when this happens. What should I do?
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I understand your concern and would explain that the episodes of intense abdominal pain may be related to temporary bowel obstruction, maybe related to the adherence created during his abdominal interventions (for the hernia and gallbladder).
From the other hand the removal of the gall bladder could be related to troubles with digestion, because the gall bladder has a physiological function in regulating the bile secretion, which helps with digestion of the fatty acids. When it is removed the bile gets into the small bowel in an irregular way, causing troubles with digestion and leading to abdominal pain.
What is his actual therapy?Is he taking any anti platelet agents or anticoagulants?
His symptoms don't seem to be related to the cardiac surgery.
I would recommend consulting with his attending physician and performing some tests :
-an abdominal ultrasound
-a resting ECG and cardiac ultrasound to examine his cardiac function (taking into consideration his pas medical history)
-blood lab tests (complete blood count, kidney and liver function tests, fasting glucose, blood electrolytes).
A GI endoscopy would help examine better his intestine for possible lesions which could cause intermittent obstruction.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Greetings!
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I understand your concern and would explain that the episodes of intense abdominal pain may be related to temporary bowel obstruction, maybe related to the adherence created during his abdominal interventions (for the hernia and gallbladder).
From the other hand the removal of the gall bladder could be related to troubles with digestion, because the gall bladder has a physiological function in regulating the bile secretion, which helps with digestion of the fatty acids. When it is removed the bile gets into the small bowel in an irregular way, causing troubles with digestion and leading to abdominal pain.
What is his actual therapy?Is he taking any anti platelet agents or anticoagulants?
His symptoms don't seem to be related to the cardiac surgery.
I would recommend consulting with his attending physician and performing some tests :
-an abdominal ultrasound
-a resting ECG and cardiac ultrasound to examine his cardiac function (taking into consideration his pas medical history)
-blood lab tests (complete blood count, kidney and liver function tests, fasting glucose, blood electrolytes).
A GI endoscopy would help examine better his intestine for possible lesions which could cause intermittent obstruction.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Greetings!
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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