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What Causes Persistent Stomach Pain And Floating Stools?

Posted on Mon, 16 Apr 2018

Question: I am a 52 year old male. I continue to have stomach pain on a regular basis. It comes and goes and can be triggered by certain food. I have been told I have IBS, but sometimes I wonder if it is more serious. Occasionally my stool is in small pieces and it floats. It seems as though sometimes I get flank pain with it.

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (55 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please give details and post actual reports.

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history and understood your concerns.
Please give some additional information for me to assist you better:
Since when is the problem present?
Are not the current medicines helping you?
What are the investigations done till now, when?
And please post the reports if you have them.
What are the foods and beverages or any other factors like stress and/or anxiety that instigate or enhance the problems?

Awaiting for your feedback.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng

Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (11 hours later)

I have had this problem for at least 5 years. The medications do help in some areas, just not the continuing stomach aches. I have had colonoscopy, endoscopy, and several CT scans, all of which were negative. The last CT scan was 3 months ago. I am a very stressful person; fast food, such as breakfast items from McDonalds triggers stomach pain. I hope this helps!

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (10 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
As described below

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your useful feedback.
Exactly, this is what I wanted to say; normal colonoscopy, endoscopy and CT scan point towards IBS and few more normal stool tests would be additional ruling out factors.
Stress, anxiety and any such problems instigate or enhance the IBS.
Since you know for sure the foods and beverages that instigate the pains stopping such foods and beverages is also a part of treatment as prevention is better than cure.
I would advise you to make a list of the foods, beverages and factors that instigate or enhance the problems and make another list of the foods, beverages and factors that do not cause a problem and follow these alone should help you the maximum.
All the possible things that reduce or eliminate stress and anxiety will help further to have near-normal life.
I hope this answer helps you.
Please feel free to ask for further relevant queries if you feel that there is a gap of communication.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (4 hours later)

Thanks you for all of the info. I will begin the lists and see if it helps. Another issue-I have also been diagnosed with arthritis in my back-For the past week or so I have been experiencing pain under my left arm-so called left flank pain. Any info if that area would be appreciated.

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
As detailed below.

Detailed Answer:
Making the list and following it surely helps most of my patients and thus should help you too.
Arthritis of back means inflammation of the joints of the spinal vertebrae, a good anti-inflammatory id the pain in of recent origin and local steroid injections if the pain in chronic and of long duration may help.
Could not understand the exact region of pain on the left side - is it under left arm meaning arm - axilla chest of in left sided abdomen in the flank region? Please give details about the exact location, type, character, intensity and frequency of pain.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (9 hours later)

The area of pain is on the left side middle between my armpit and hip. It comes and goes and it is a mild pain. Hope this helps!

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (25 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
As detailed.

Detailed Answer:
The area you have said about is most probably the region of lower ribs and the pain can be due to costochondritis that is inflammation of lower ribs and is known to occur in people with stress.
Another reason can be colitis.
Please get this checked for sure so that an appropriate management can help you.
Discuss about this possible diagnosis with your Doctor.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (36 minutes later)

Thanks for all of your help!!

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Most welcome.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your appreciation.

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