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Suggest Treatment For Severe Indigestion
Posted on
Mon, 21 Nov 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 21 Nov 2016
Answered on
Mon, 12 Dec 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : I have had a problem with stomach acid / indigestion combined with extremely pasty stool that my bowels cant seem to handle. Occasionally I feel itchy at night. I abused pills and alcohol for many years, but I am clean and sober now for almost 2 years. No one can seem to tell me what is wrong with me.
Brief Answer:
You might need further evaluation
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
1) Indigestion + stomach problem suggest you have improper indigestion due to inadequate intestinal digestive enzyme.
2) Chronic use of alcohol affect many organs - stomach, liver, pancreas. In pancreas, alcohol may cause chronic pancreatitis in which normal pancreatic tissue is damaged and replaced by fibrous tissue and this affect pancreatic enzyme production, leads to pancreatic enzyme insufficiency.
3) Pancreatic enzyme is helpful for digestion, specially fat content of food. Thus inadequate pancreatic enzyme leads to improper absorption of fat from food and more amount of food will be present in stool (steatorrhea). This condition id responsible for sticky stool due to more amount of fat in stool.
4) I suggest you to undergo some tests to rule out different effects of alcohol on different organs; upper GI endoscopy for stomach, USG abdomen and liver function test for liver, USG abdomen and either MRCP or CT scan of abdomen (if required) for pancreas.
5) You should start intestinal enzyme supplementation and medication for pain, reduce fat containing food, strictly avoid alcohol, prevent constipation.
You might need further evaluation
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
1) Indigestion + stomach problem suggest you have improper indigestion due to inadequate intestinal digestive enzyme.
2) Chronic use of alcohol affect many organs - stomach, liver, pancreas. In pancreas, alcohol may cause chronic pancreatitis in which normal pancreatic tissue is damaged and replaced by fibrous tissue and this affect pancreatic enzyme production, leads to pancreatic enzyme insufficiency.
3) Pancreatic enzyme is helpful for digestion, specially fat content of food. Thus inadequate pancreatic enzyme leads to improper absorption of fat from food and more amount of food will be present in stool (steatorrhea). This condition id responsible for sticky stool due to more amount of fat in stool.
4) I suggest you to undergo some tests to rule out different effects of alcohol on different organs; upper GI endoscopy for stomach, USG abdomen and liver function test for liver, USG abdomen and either MRCP or CT scan of abdomen (if required) for pancreas.
5) You should start intestinal enzyme supplementation and medication for pain, reduce fat containing food, strictly avoid alcohol, prevent constipation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Answered by
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