My husband has been feeling bloating and pressure in his upper abdomen for weeks now. So much so that it keeps him up nights since it’s worse when he lays down, and it also keeps him eating at times. It comes and goes but today it’s pretty much been there all day. Last time he saw the doc they prescribed him antacids pills and anti-gas pills, but they don’t seem to be working anymore. Has anyone else had this issue? We know he had a slightly enlarged spleen on his last imaging report at the end of April. Could that be it? Also, he does have a biliary drain that drains his left lobe, so the tube comes out in the upper mid abdominal area. We’re going in for blood work this week at the request of his doctor. Thank you for any responses.
Hi TLH,
part of it sounds familiar. My doctor told me to use plantago seeds (Plantago afra). I feel better now though some pain and pressure still remains. May be your doctor considers it of help for your husband as well.
regards
Rippi
TLH,
Sorry your husband is having this bloating and pressure feeling. I am doubtful that his enlarged spleen is the problem if it’s just slightly enlarged. It is common for PSC patients to have an enlarged spleen due to the portal-hypertension that comes with blocked bile ducts and PSC. One thing that really helped me through the whole PSC process with things like you are describing was a prescription called Protonix. It is a proton pump inhibitor and really helped me and I still take it today post-transplant. Also taking simithicone capsules every day (same as Gas-X) was helpful. Sounds like blood work is in order I would say. He may have elevated bilirubin levels that indicate it’s time for another ERCP procedure to clean out those bile ducts again. I hope he finds relief soon.
Mark
PSC 2011 / Liver Transplant 2015
Mark,
Thank you for your response. We will definitely ask the doc about getting him that medication.
As for the ERCP, he has a biliary drain with an external bag so his numbers have been coming down in the past month. At the end of April, his bilirubin was up to almost 20, now it’s under 5 according to blood work two weeks ago. He did blood work today so we’re hoping it’s even lower. He had very intense itching back when his bilirubin was extremely high but it has since gone away. He jokes that he traded the itching for this awful pressure and bloating. He says even this is better than itching, however. Since it seems to be happening more often, though, we’d like for him to get some kind of relief and be able to sleep without sitting up. Again, thanks for your response. He says it makes him feel a little better to know he isn’t alone in all these symptoms he’s dealing with.
Thank for your response also, Rippi. I will ask the doctor about that as well.
Mark,
Thank you again for the Protonix recommendation. My husband has been on the med since last Friday and woke up today saying he can already feel improvement with his pain/pressure/bloating. His LFT’s and bilirubin levels are still trending down, and the doc used the word “stabilizing” for the first time since he was diagnosed just 7 months ago. We’ll take it. It’s been a horrendous 7 months.