Stomach pains

Tim Robbins

Hi,
I've been having stomack pains for a few months. I went to Dr. 9 days ago who prescribed a month of Lospeine, Omerprazole 20MG 1 a month.

He said that if the symptoms didn't go away within ten days to return to the Dr. He said he couldn't be 100% sure what the cause of the problem was without sticking a tube down. It could be an ulcer, could just be something else.

At the moment the pains while noticeable aren't debilitating. They are just a bit crampy / achy.

I am just wondering if I wish to investigate this further, how long I would be expecting to wait to get the tube down and how much it would cost?

What's the best / cheapest way to progress it?

Thanks.

DrIndy

the cheapest option is going publicly - the problem is that most centres would not prioritise you as other people who have cancer suspected would go ahead - so this could be up to 3 months wait in some centres and potentially longer in others.

Going private is an option - waiting times do still exist though - but would be in the order of weeks instead. I don't know the costs off hand, but would be the only way forward if you were keen to have it sorted ASAP. Once again though - people who have cancer suspected etc would always go ahead of you be it private or public.

Tim Robbins

DrIndy wrote: »

the cheapest option is going publicly - the problem is that most centres would not prioritise you as other people who have cancer suspected would go ahead - so this could be up to 3 months wait in some centres and potentially longer in others.

Going private is an option - waiting times do still exist though - but would be in the order of weeks instead. I don't know the costs off hand, but would be the only way forward if you were keen to have it sorted ASAP. Once again though - people who have cancer suspected etc would always go ahead of you be it private or public.

What would be the indicaters of cancer?

DrIndy

Tim Robbins wrote: »

What would be the indicaters of cancer?

That unfortunately only a GP or doctor who has seen you and taken the history can decide.

I don't want to list the symptoms of sinister stomach pain here for 2 reasons:
1) it would probably worry you more
2) Its not in your best interest to find information like that out on the internet - best to see your GP for this.

I am however happy to keep this thread open to provide information on scopes and waiting times, without crossing the line into providing potentially harmful (mental and physical) by going into details of your personal case.

Turtwig

DrIndy wrote: »

That unfortunately only a GP or doctor who has seen you and taken the history can decide.

I don't want to list the symptoms of sinister stomach pain here for 2 reasons:
1) it would probably worry you more
2) Its not in your best interest to find information like that out on the internet - best to see your GP for this.

I am however happy to keep this thread open to provide information on scopes and waiting times, without crossing the line into providing potentially harmful (mental and physical) by going into details of your personal case.

Can I just add,

Don't google them either Tim, cyberchondria is rife on the net : remember google still says the world is flat. Wait for GP.

Tim Robbins

Malty_T wrote: »

Can I just add,

Don't google them either Tim, cyberchondria is rife on the net : remember google still says the world is flat. Wait for GP.

Cyberchondria :-) That's very funny.

I'd be the other extreme actually. I hate going to Doctors. I hate taking medicine. I doubt very much it would be something serious.

I just like to some simple prep to get the quickest / cheapest way to resolve things :-)

I was out exercising on Saturday and last Wed so I doubt it's that bad.
I'm thinking whether I need to go back or not - that's all.

locum-motion

I don't know what age Tim is, so I don't think that this would be construed as giving advice:

However, I would always refer onwards for investigation someone >40 years who presents with stomach pains/heartburn type symptoms that they've never had before. Thankfully, there has only been one occasion in my career (so far! Fingers crossed!) when it actually did turn out to be stomach cancer.

Mods: feel free to delete if that's too close to specific advice.