would you see a doctor for this?

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Petunia

Petunia

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
6,126
Location
USA
I have had several days now with pain in my mid back that feels like it could be gas pain? and a lot of bloating and just feeling off-
sleepy with some off and on nausea, with a gnawing pain under my breast bone, not burning like heart burn, more like the gnawing you get when you're hungry but I have it all the time whether I've eaten or not.

I just feel blah. The back pain is really the most troublesome, I am sure it's not muscle strain- well ok I am pretty sure- I'm not a doctor so I could be wrong

I take 200 mgs of celebrex and 325 of aspirin every day and am wondering if they might be causing this?

I know there's all kinds of warnings on the celebrex but it's the same as the ones for ibuprofen etc as well, as far as I know

any suggestions on what might help this? should I try an antacid even though I don't have heart burn?

and how long should I try stuff at home before I see a doctor for this?

It almost feels like I grew my gall bladder back :roll: - the bloating and the gnawing pain under my breast bone is very similar to when I had gall stones, but I had my gall bladder out back in 2004
 
I would see a Dr., but I am in Canada and it is free here. Plus I have pretty easy access to one

I did read that Celebrex taken with Aspirin can increase the risk of stomach ulcers. If you are feeling bloated in the stomach area and that gnawing pain there then there is a possibility that ulcers have developed or are starting to develop. Even if I was in the states, I would go since if caught early, you could prevent a severe one from happening.

I am not a Dr. either, but that is my opinion on what I would do :)

Good luck!
 
This sounds like heart burn or stomach ulcers, I have both. The aspirin can aggravate it even more. Try Zantac or a cheaper store brand ranitidine 150 mg in the morning and one at night. But do research first if it will conflict with the celebrex... or better yet, ask a pharmacist.
If you have a medical plan, then I would definitely see the doctor.
 
...or a kidney infection, since you also feel blah. If you have a fever you need to go soon.
Otherwise, I'd go if the pain doesn't improve within a day or two.
Hope you feel better :)
 
thanks for the hug Shelagh

ok, well I have to take the aspirin for stroke prevention, and I have to take the celebrex for my arthritis pain, without it I can barely move. I can ask the cardiologist about the aspirin, but I don't think he'll let me stop taking it.
I have several add ons to the celebrex cuz by itself it's not enough for the pain (also take tramadol and use a lidocaine jelly) I don't think there's an alternative except for the surgery (total knee replacement, some day)

I've been on heavy duty doses of NSAIDS for years. I worry about ulcers because my dad had them (but he also smoked, drank and had a terrible diet) He had to have most of his stomach removed; later he got cancer that may or may not have been related.

My father's brother died from a bleeding ulcer, so ulcers scare me. I don't know if you can have a genetic pre disposition to ulcers or not...?

also when my father and his brother were sick, they did not know that most ulcers were caused by H pylori, so they never got the kind of treatment they would have today.

I've had a kidney infection, decades ago, though- I was 22? and I was peeing blood, but had the pain in the back and nausea too, now that I recall, plus some head aches. It was a low grade smoldering kind of thing, possibly from an infected tooth.

but I also had a low grade fever with that, no fever now, thank goodness

with the bloating and, after looking up ulcers, with the fact that I can't drink coffee without it getting worse, I am guessing ulcers is a more likely problem

I'll get some antacids (will talk to the pharmacist first)

for years before I had my gall bladder removed, they had diagnosed me with GERD and I was on high doses of prevacid by prescription, but after my gall bladder was removed, I was fine. I also lost about 30lbs so that helped too.

anyway, that's probably way more medical info than you needed to know :lol:

I'll get some antacid and see if that helps. If I am not feeling any better I call the doctor.
I have medical coverage that is controlled by/paid for by the gov't because I am disabled but it has some strict new rules due to budget cuts.

they should know what the rules are, though, when I call the doctor. They just changed on July 1st.

I ended up having to take a nap right after I wrote the original post. I am so tired lately!
when I googled ulcers it said that you could have bleeding that can make you tired (anemic?) but I don't think I'd have bleeding this early, the pain only started about a week ago, or less.

when my dad had ulcer problems his pain was really severe, not just the gnawing type I have now.

thanks again!
I'll let you know how it goes
:wink:
 
I take aspirin for high blood pressure but the Dr said we only need the baby aspirin, 81 mg and it's coated to protect the stomach. Maybe you could look into that too? Hope you feel better soon. :hugs:
 
mamarat said:
I take aspirin for high blood pressure but the Dr said we only need the baby aspirin, 81 mg and it's coated to protect the stomach. Maybe you could look into that too? Hope you feel better soon. :hugs:
Click to expand...


I have high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation so that's why its a higher dose, for stroke prevention;
I once had a pulmonary embolism and I had a TIA about 8 yrs ago, so it was either the 325 mgs of aspirin or that other stuff that thins your blood- warfarin?


I do think it's over kill, but I don't know enough about it so I am afraid to stop taking it. any time I do, my blood pressure goes thru the roof, too so.... :gaah:

my aspirin is coated too, it's got a thick coating on it- I can't swallow the un coated ones, the get stuck in my throat :giggle:
 
jorats said:
Oh prevacid...that's what allowed me to live for a year. I was in so much pain without it.
Click to expand...


yeh prevacid is awesome! i had a very high dose of it for a couple of months on and then a couple of months off.

for some reason you can't take it for too long- not sure why... I know I had to have all sorts of tests before they would even approve the prescription, so it must be expensive

so is your heartburn/ulcer all under control now?
 
'Kay I don't want to cause a panic or anything but I'm glad you mentioned that you're under the care of a cardiologist. They're keeping a close eye on your heart? I hope so. If it doesn't clear up, yeah I would see a doctor for sure, if you're able. Your symptoms could be an ulcer, and I hope it isn't anything serious, but they could also be symptoms of female heart attack, which can manifest quite differently from symptoms in men. With your history, it should be in the back of your doctors' minds. I really hope it's nothing serious. :(
 
Katzedecimal said:
'Kay I don't want to cause a panic or anything but I'm glad you mentioned that you're under the care of a cardiologist. They're keeping a close eye on your heart? I hope so. If it doesn't clear up, yeah I would see a doctor for sure, if you're able. Your symptoms could be an ulcer, and I hope it isn't anything serious, but they could also be symptoms of female heart attack, which can manifest quite differently from symptoms in men. With your history, it should be in the back of your doctors' minds. I really hope it's nothing serious. :(
Click to expand...

Aww geeze, I didn't even think of that, but it's true, the symptoms given do fit with the female heart attack ones. It really sounds like you should go into the doctor right away, if the symptoms haven't stopped.

I hope you're already feeling better though.
 
Your pain sounds like the back pain that I had when one rib got stuck against my spine and wouldn't flex - it would mostly translate into hunger feelings, regardless of whether I was hungry or not.

I think it was the lowest rib, for me on my left side (but I think the pain would be the same regardless of the side). The facet joint was all frozen up.

::gentle hugs:: If you can afford to see a doctor, I don't think it would hurt - certainly it would be good to figure out the details of pepcid AC or whatever.

I know that taking Losec is fine with NSAIDs - but Losec is a prescription anti-heartburn med (frequently prescribed along with NSAIDs to combat the inevitable stomach upset). But other than Losec, I don't really know what's okay to take and not.
 
I called the doctor and asked what I should do, I got a call back saying that a prescription for Prilosec was called in to my drug store, and that I should take it for 8 weeks, BUT she(my doc is a woman) wants me to call in 48 hrs to let her know if the prilosec is helping at all.

so, I guess it's a good thing I called....I have no idea what the doc is thinking might be wrong, but I really think it's a stomach type problem and not anything like my heart.

I'll be picking up the prescription soon and will let you know how it works

the most distressing thing has been not being able to eat tomatoes- my diet really depends on them- I have spanish rice (very mildly spiced) and spaghetti (my own recipe, again, almost no spices- just a bit of garlic) I eat those several times a week because they are both cheap and easy

I've had a hard time trying to come up with substitutes

Edited to add: I was just looking up the possible side effects of prilosec and it gives the recommended doses for different conditions-
apparently my doc is thinking I"ve got an ulcer because the dosage she's giving me and the length of treatment matches the ones given for a gastric ulcer:
Gastric Ulcer

The recommended adult oral dose is 40 mg once daily for 4-8 weeks.

for the other listed conditions, you take other meds too, like for H pylori you need antibiotics

I hope this works!
 
:gaah:

the state is refusing to fill the prescription, they want more information that involves expensive and often inconclusive! tests

:gaah:

I think I'll try stopping the celebrex for a few days and up my dose of tramadol and see if that helps
 
Ack tomatoes... I couldn't eat them either while having my ulcer and GERD attacks. I was on prevacid for almost a full year. I was never told about needing to be off of it at some point. I can't remember the dosing either. I had to try different ones before getting the prevacid and it worked. I now have some slight recurrence but nothing major, nothing that requires prescription medicine now.
 
I was ok when I first got up, but then I ate something and it's been downhill ever since
:p

waiting for the doc to get the prescription approved; now I'm worried that prilosec may not work. I am sure that prevacid did.

thanks for asking.
 
If prevacid worked, then the prilosec should... they are very similar...
I thought they were both available over the counter.
 
Ahh, stomach is better than heart, but I have no idea what I'd do without tomatoes!

You can make pasta with other vegetables and a bit of olive oil and garlic. Red peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, and spinach all work well for this. Same for the Spanish rice, just use different veg and a bit of oil.

I really hope you feel better soon.
 

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