Maybe OT- Pain in My Gut

I thought it couldn't hurt to ask this group this question:

For about five days, I've had pains just below my chest, about an inch below the solar plexus (sp?), 3-5 times day. They don't hurt very bad; they seem to fade as soon as the pain begins to feel serious. They sort of feel like hunger pangs except right below my chest. However, I know its not hunger because, well, I'm always stuffed with chicken, tuna, and vegetables. I thought it might be gas or heartburn, but its lasted for nearly a week now. I also hardly ever suffer from either. Does anyone know what might be causing these pains? If they continue, I guess I guess I'll have to go visit the

asking this group any question is gonna hurt!

You should see your physician for some blood tests. This could be hepatitis. Of course the only way to get a good diagnosis is from a physician rather than Usenet. Symptoms of hepatitis can be pains around where you are describing, and to your right side, jaundice, diarrhia, dark or brownish urine, ect, but you really need to see a physician for tests. Alternately it could also be an ulcer or any number of upper GI problems. Go see a MD.

HTH

Possibilities include viral gastroenteritis

Tums may be counter-productive if it is an ulcer. Calcium salts stimulate gastrin release which will increase HCl in the stomach.

Ca++ absorbtion can be a problem for people with renal function.

Antacids can interact with many drugs, alter gastric pH, slow gastric emptyting, affect rates of dissolution and absorbtion, and bioavailability.

If it is an ulcer the person will need a full exam and may require drug therapy aimed at HCl decrease and reducing H. Pylori (if infected). If the person is otherwise healthy and not under stress then the possibility of Zollinger- Ellison syndrome needs to be considered. Popping tums is not a solution and can actually make things worse.

This guy's right, I had Hep A around February this past year, and the pain you describe IS how it started. I never had nausea through the whole thing, but soon after the initial start I was pretty much married to the toilet- literally, food would take about 15 minutes to travel through my system. That lasted for about 3 days. Dark urine was also present. I didn't get jaundice until about two weeks or so after the initial symptoms.

Not to scare you or anything =p Before I knew what I had, working out would give me a pain in that exact place you describe. Discovered I wasn't really able to workout, and ended up taking like 2 months off or so.

One week?

Get to a doctor.