[43M] Experiencing chronic lower abdominal pain and digestive issues

What might be happening

Based on the information you've provided, possible diagnoses include:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): This is a common disorder that affects the large intestine and can cause cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation. The exact cause of IBS isn't known, but several factors appear to play a role, including muscle contractions in the intestine, abnormalities in the nervous system, inflammation in the intestines, severe infection, or changes in bacteria in the gut.

  • Treatment often focuses on relieving symptoms so that you can live as normally as possible. Mild signs and symptoms can often be controlled by managing stress and by making changes in your diet and lifestyle.

• Gastroenteritis: This is an inflammation of the digestive tract, often caused by a viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, fever, and chills.

  • Treatment usually involves self-care measures, such as staying hydrated, resting, and avoiding foods that aggravate your stomach.

• Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD): This condition occurs when painful sores or ulcers develop in the lining of the stomach or first part of the small intestine. It can cause dull or burning stomach pain, bloating, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, and weight loss.

  • Treatment usually involves medications to decrease stomach acid, which allows the ulcer to heal. In some cases, surgery may be needed.

• Gastric Cancer: While less likely, given your age and the chronic nature of your symptoms, it's important to consider more serious conditions like gastric cancer. Symptoms can include a sensation of fullness or pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, and weight loss.

  • Treatment options for gastric cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

What you can do

It would be best to consult a doctor about your symptoms so that they can provide a formal assessment and order relevant tests if necessary. In the meantime, you can try the following to relieve your symptoms or figure out what's going on:

1. Try a low FODMAP diet: This diet involves limiting foods that contain certain carbohydrates and fibers that are hard for some people to digest. It's often used to manage symptoms of IBS.
2. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids to replace those lost through diarrhea.
3. Eat smaller, more frequent meals: Instead of three large meals a day, try eating six small meals to avoid overloading your digestive system.
4. Limit alcohol: Alcohol can irritate and inflame your stomach lining, which can exacerbate your symptoms.

What you should look out for

Reasons to see a doctor more urgently:

• If you notice blood in your stool or vomit
• If your symptoms worsen or don't improve after a few days
• If you experience severe abdominal pain
• If you have difficulty swallowing
• If you experience persistent vomiting

Please remember that while I strive to provide accurate information, I'm not a doctor and this advice should not replace a consultation with a healthcare professional.