Intense burning pain in gastro intestinal tract

Drake

My wife was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's in 2015. In the last year and a half, she has been experiencing intense burning pain in her stomach. She has been treated for acid reflux, had her gall bladder removed, has had a colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, and a stomach emptying study, All tests were negative and all treatments have failed, She has taken hydroxyzin, amytriptyline, dulocetine, hydrocodone, and marijuana gummies. The only thing that has worked is the marijuana and it not consistantly. We have been to the ER four times in the last year with the same result. no relief. I have asked her primary to refer my wife to a neurogastrenterologist. The referral is in the works. has anyone had anything similar to this happen with their loved one?

M1

Hi Drake and welcome to the forum. How difficult. Is she on any medications that could be discontinued to see if they are contributing? Both Aricept and Namenda have a lot of GI side effects though pain is not typically one of them. But as they say any medicine can do anything, and you could consider some elimination trials.

She has survived a long time with early onset-typically progression is so much more rapid than with later onset. Does she have difficulty describing the pain and/or telling you whether she gets relief? I suppose it could be psychosomatic, so to speak, but i know it must distress you that she still complains with no clear cause or way of alleviating her distress. I know other posters have written about pain complaints that seem to be attention seeking behavior.

Your description makes me wonder about a neuropathy (like shingles) or a spinal problem that is referring to the abdomen. If all else fails, I'd be inclined to ask for a trial of a narcotic stronger than hydrocodone just to see what happened.

Iris L.

You might try a trial period of bowel rest. Discuss with the PCP or dietician about a suitable liquid diet for a few days, then gradually advance the diet. Also look into lactose intolerance, it is often overlooked.

After all of this, Jo C has posted about hallucinations appearing as PAIN instead of visual or auditory hallucinations that are more commonly seen in PWDs. The atypical antipsychotics may help with that.

Iris