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My 37 year-old husband is being treated for a raging h. pylori (CagA) infection, after dealing with 8-10 months of increasingly severe abdominal pain. (He said it felt like a balloon inside of him was going to pop; left abdomen was tender to the touch, much more so with any pressure on it.) No changed stools, no nausea or vomiting, no fever or dizziness. No pain anywhere but the left abdomen. No ulcers, no heartburn or indigestion... just severe, chronic abdominal pain on the left side. His father had gastric cancer and we suspect that a great-grandfather on his dad's side and a grandfather on his mother's side had it as well... they complained of a similar affliction for a long while before they killed themselves, at 39 and 58, respectively. Likely, it was undiagnosed and a mystery they had no help in soothing. Heck, it was hard enough to diagnose now, much less in the 1940's and 70s.
In the course of 3 days, he had blood drawn 3 times, 1 x-ray, and 2 CT scans. I'm quite concerned about the CTs... how dangerous is it, that he had 2 CT scans within 68 hours of each other, especially since there were cancer-inclined cells likely forming already?
ETA: And NEITHER CT showed any abnormality anywhere, even though the lining of his stomach was extremely inflamed. They were useless in a diagnosis. Twice, for nothing.
No danger: I'd have asked doctor or tech that question. I a sure if they had found a mass and early enough it might have saved life .Use to be they cut you open to look ;so I'd be grateful it didn't find anyhting with family history.
The risk from ct scans is very (extremely) low. Twice in three days is not cause for concern.
The description might tends towards looking at pancreatitis. That's not going specially which quadrant of the abdomen is presenting. That's not without looking at lab results or findings of the other studies.
No danger: I'd have asked doctor or tech that question. I a sure if they had found a mass and early enough it might have saved life .Use to be they cut you open to look ;so I'd be grateful it didn't find anyhting with family history.
That's the problem. He had a severe infection in the lining of his stomach and the CT didn't pick up on it at all; the various blood panels and samples they took did. It makes me wonder what else wasn't found.
We didn't know that his father had stomach cancer until he died from complications of advanced cirrhosis, which wasn't diagnosed until he was in a coma at Dartmouth. And he'd had multiple CT scans as well... he was almost a hypochondriac, we thought. Always thinking he had something and tests never showed it. The only medical condition he received treatment for was indigestion and depression. No wonder... he KNEW things in him were all wrong and no one could find anything.
He is now on a 12 pills/day regimen of Pylera for the next 10 days, additional to cipro and flagyl. And prescribed pain killers to take, as needed, which only ever seem to take the edge off the pain. No more caffeine, red or smoked meats, pickled foods, acidic foods, refined flours, alcohol or carbonation for him. At all, ever. And salt and sugar must be severely restricted. The meds don't seem to be helping with the uncomfortably-tight bloating at all but the pain meds are at least making the pain bearable.
When the doctor comes back on Monday, my husband will be his first appointment. They'll be going over where to go from here and scheduling non-CT testing for distal/non-cardia stomach cancer. Apparently, this type (from the h.pylori) is more frequently missed because it often looks like the regular lining of the stomach, as it's cancer of the lining itself and not a differently-shaped mass. ?? That's what I got in talking to the doctor over the phone but he'll explain better on Monday.
My 37 year-old husband is being treated for a raging h. pylori (CagA) infection, after dealing with 8-10 months of increasingly severe abdominal pain. (He said it felt like a balloon inside of him was going to pop; left abdomen was tender to the touch, much more so with any pressure on it.) No changed stools, no nausea or vomiting, no fever or dizziness. No pain anywhere but the left abdomen. No ulcers, no heartburn or indigestion... just severe, chronic abdominal pain on the left side. His father had gastric cancer and we suspect that a great-grandfather on his dad's side and a grandfather on his mother's side had it as well... they complained of a similar affliction for a long while before they killed themselves, at 39 and 58, respectively. Likely, it was undiagnosed and a mystery they had no help in soothing. Heck, it was hard enough to diagnose now, much less in the 1940's and 70s.
In the course of 3 days, he had blood drawn 3 times, 1 x-ray, and 2 CT scans. I'm quite concerned about the CTs... how dangerous is it, that he had 2 CT scans within 68 hours of each other, especially since there were cancer-inclined cells likely forming already?
ETA: And NEITHER CT showed any abnormality anywhere, even though the lining of his stomach was extremely inflamed. They were useless in a diagnosis. Twice, for nothing.
I hope your hubby feels better soon.
I just want to point out that any test which is normal provides useful information. It allows the doctors to rule out conditions that are potentially serious and helps to direct the rest of the evaluation. For example, a woman with pelvic pain might have a pregnancy test done. If it's positive, she might have an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, which is life-threatening and needs additional testing. If it's negative, the doc can look at other diagnoses and take the ectopic pregnancy possibility off the list. The test was indicated even though the result was negative.
Has he had an endoscopy? I assume he was treated for the h.pylori after it was discovered and then had an endoscopy to check if it was eradicated? Once you get rid of the h.pylori the gastritis should go away over time.
Has he had an endoscopy? I assume he was treated for the h.pylori after it was discovered and then had an endoscopy to check if it was eradicated? Once you get rid of the h.pylori the gastritis should go away over time.
I think she addressed that with the 12 pill a day regimin.
My 37 year-old husband is being treated for a raging h. pylori (CagA) infection, after dealing with 8-10 months of increasingly severe abdominal pain. (He said it felt like a balloon inside of him was going to pop; left abdomen was tender to the touch, much more so with any pressure on it.) No changed stools, no nausea or vomiting, no fever or dizziness. No pain anywhere but the left abdomen. No ulcers, no heartburn or indigestion... just severe, chronic abdominal pain on the left side. His father had gastric cancer and we suspect that a great-grandfather on his dad's side and a grandfather on his mother's side had it as well... they complained of a similar affliction for a long while before they killed themselves, at 39 and 58, respectively. Likely, it was undiagnosed and a mystery they had no help in soothing. Heck, it was hard enough to diagnose now, much less in the 1940's and 70s.
In the course of 3 days, he had blood drawn 3 times, 1 x-ray, and 2 CT scans. I'm quite concerned about the CTs... how dangerous is it, that he had 2 CT scans within 68 hours of each other, especially since there were cancer-inclined cells likely forming already?
ETA: And NEITHER CT showed any abnormality anywhere, even though the lining of his stomach was extremely inflamed. They were useless in a diagnosis. Twice, for nothing.
Hello,
I hope your husband is feeling better now. Wonder if you can share any updates on the tests and whether h pylori was the ultimate cause of the symptoms he was experiencing.
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