NightNDay

For the past month or so, I've had consistent, daily stomach aches. They get so bad at times that I am almost doubled over in pain. I visited the doctor about it, got referred to a specialist, had tests run and they all came back fine. (They gave me something for stomach acid.)

Anyway, the stomach aches continue to plague me daily and they continue to be very bad. I did not have this problem when I was drinking (at least, if I did I was unaware of it -- a distinct possibility). Both doctors think this is just stress. The pain has been so bad at times that I truly thought there was no way it could be "only stress" and I got myself all worked up thinking the doctors had missed something.

Well, this morning I woke up with no stomach ache. Zero. This is very unusual since my stomach hurts from sun up to sun down. (It has been doing this since I quit drinking.) I woke up ahead of my alarm, in a good mood, and spent about thirty minutes reading in bed before I had to get up.

All was good until I suddenly realized that my stomach wasn't hurting. I realized that, for the first time in recent memory, I had woken up without a stomach ache. Not even five minutes later I was doubled over in cramps and plagued with nausea.

I am seriously inclined to believe what those doctors said now. I can't believe my stomach ache was gone until I "remembered' that I was supposed to have it. Amazing how strong our brains are....

(I apologize for starting so many threads today. I've been having some pretty rough anxiety all morning.)

OnMyWay7

That's strange. I've had stomach issues thta got a bit wore once I quit but I normally have stomach issues and my stress has increased.

I hope you feel better and you don't "remember" next time.

Soberwolf

Hope you feel better soon

doggonecarl

I'm not surprised that you are suffering physical symptoms with all the anxiety and stress you are putting yourself through, with your taxes and finances, the condition of you home, and your health.

Take a deep breath and calm yourself...

ardy

Hi people well. I stepped in at a good time.. Tummy aches.. my hubby.. for 23 years as of this June 4.. I have seen his tummy working from the spit of the acid to the end of the colon at work.. ah my dear young friends.. does it hurt higher up in the middle near the belly button on the sides or near the bottom in the front.
you have 5 miles of intestine that make up your tummy... and as it looses parts of the numbing agent that the drugs or drink gave it.. it will scream at you.... what do you eat and when do you eat.. time is important and what how much and why...
1. never eat after 7pm 2. do not lay down and eat ever.. 3. walk for at least 10 minutes after you eat a meal.. it helps to move the solids thro the system..

1. in the morning do your milk or fats.... 2. make lunch and important meal 3. later in the day a smaller meal of veg fruit and chicken or fish... bread..

1. listen to your body.. it will tell you lots... 2. lots of tea cold hot or water.. don't over do .. this will help wash and move solids thro your system..

Please don't let the Doctors give you things to kill the pain for it will just make it all worse... for this I am begging you please don't. Ed is in pain all the time.. because of so many things he has done to his system... no kidding I have seen his whole system live and at work in our years together.. do I have answers maybe maybe not.. but I have hope and Faith and care and as God is my Witness I will impart my years of notes on him and maybe just maybe it will help one of you ... love and prayers ardy...

NightNDay

Thanks! Don't worry, I wouldn't touch pain meds (even non narcotic ones) with a ten foot pole. I even declined the Ativan prescription he tried to give me because I don't need to take anything that has the potential to be mind-altering or mood-altering. Ever.

I'm taking the rX antacid because it seemed harmless enough. I need to make more lifestyle changes. I haven't been eating before bed, but I'm bad about not drinking enough water (and drinking too much coffee -- which I shouldn't be drinking at all).

NightNDay

Thanks, doggonecarl. I really do think it's stress-related. They actually sent me in for a scope of my upper GI tract (still shocked insurance approved it) and looked around with a camera and found nothing aside from two mildly inflamed spots of "benign gastritis."

I knew from my Googling that gastritis could be caused by alcoholism/alcohol and so I of course disclosed this to him on the front end. He knew going in that I had a history of alcohol abuse and he actually said my stomach looked fine and that the two spots of inflammation would heal up in no time, provided I take the acid reducer and of course don't drink alcohol.

NightNDay

I guess I probably should have mentioned that I've always had stomach issues. I was diagnosed with GERD as a teenager, and put on meds for it all the way back then. The weird part was it seemed to improve (keyword being "seemed") while I was drinking.

Now that I'm sober I have stomach pain pretty much all over: sides, back, high, low, even in my throat. I have burning, sour stomach, cramps, and even the feeling like something is stuck in my esophagus at times. My doctor sent me to a GI specialist who ordered a scope, which I had done two weeks ago. The results came back normal, minus two small spots of inflammation (which he said should heal up quickly).

He couldn't explain the varied stomach pains, other than excess acid, and seemed to think stress was the underlying root for almost all of it.

I have been under a considerable amount of stress since I got sober. I mean, I ultimately feel better and LESS stressed, but it's almost a chronic vs. acute situation.

When I was drinking, I would feel acute, overpowering stress which I would promptly medicate away with booze. The second I sobered up, the stress and anxiety would return (often tenfold). So I'd start the process of self-medicating all over again to make it disappear.

Now that I'm not drinking, I don't really have acute stress (and by acute stress, I basically mean overwhelming bouts of panic and "I'm going to die!" anxiety). What I do have is a chronic, constant stress level that ebbs and flows throughout the day. Sometimes it decreases to the point that it almost feels like it's gone; other times it gets so intense it almost feels as bad as it did when I was still drinking. Mostly it is just like a dull hum.

hopeful4

My daughter suffers from anxiety and gets frequent stomach aches. Just throwing it out there!

ardy

NightNDay... google your family I have done Eds Family Tree DNA tells so many tales.of what why and how come... and yes stress is a lot to do with your tummy.. and self induced Stress is the worst.. had a friend of ours try to talk Ed into helping with Security for the Fair grounds and Expo center that we do coat check in.. I put my foot down hard.. he would be on such a huge jelly roll of self induced stress he would be in the hospital... we were part of Police Department in Florida as Citizens fun you bet hard on the nights out your bet your life.. did ed have a ball with the tact team and ride alongs yep.. right to a stay in the hospital for 5 days because of his tummy.. I walked in to a duty call and said sorry guys you can chat with Ed have food with Ed and even take him out to the shooting range but no more ride alongs for he can't take the Bad Boys whatc going do when they come for you bit anymore.. almost lost him to his tummy down there once.. nope.. he has some great photos of days gone by... but no more real thing anymore. Life Style and drama...ekekkek if you can avoid Drama at all cost.. if you life seems same ole same ole.. just remember the last huge tummy ach that put you on the floor.. do you want to do that again... nope nope nope. and kids and beans if you thought it was hard for your family when you were doing drugs or drinking.. watch you be that sick is harder yet.. prayers ardy...

PurpleKnight

Hang in there NightNDay!! Stress can play havoc on our bodies if that's the reason!!