Discomfort..any advice?

[Tnguyen]

Hello to all!

Im in need of some advice right now....
My mom been having some stomach issues, that seems to happen only at night time. She has some discomfort in her stomach area, but the weird thing is that it's not painful. We even told our onc, and at first he said it might be due to the tumor, but once we told him that it's not painful at all, he was also confused.
I even got my mom to stop eating around 8pm, and to not eat alot at once. She eat tiny meals instead of big ones, and she also drinks a lot of water. I even make her ginger root tea whenever she has discomfort but even that isnt helping.
Even her bowel movement is normal, no blood.
Because of the discomfort in her stomach, it is causing her to be more fatigue than usual.
Best way I can describe how she is feeling is....the feeling you get after a food coma...and can't digest.

Is there anyone who has experience this, and have some advice to help ease the discomfort? I would really appreciate it!
Thank you

[BeansMama]

I get discomfort in my abdomen quite a bit, I can only describe it as almost a feeling of tightness. It is in the area of my ostomy and liver tumor, however I have issues with constipation and take miralax daily to prevent it.

I have found that a heating pad helps most of the time. Other than that I just have to wait it out. It is irritating because I generally feel nauseous too when it acts up. I also eat small meals which helps keep it from happening for me. In addition to the ginger tea peppermint tea may help.

I don't know if you have access to essential oils but I have found rubbing fennel and peppermint oils diluted with a carrier oil on my abdomen before I apply the heating pad helps also.

[jhocno197]

Could she be very slightly constipated?

[Tnguyen]

I get discomfort in my abdomen quite a bit, I can only describe it as almost a feeling of tightness. It is in the area of my ostomy and liver tumor, however I have issues with constipation and take miralax daily to prevent it.

I have found that a heating pad helps most of the time. Other than that I just have to wait it out. It is irritating because I generally feel nauseous too when it acts up. I also eat small meals which helps keep it from happening for me. In addition to the ginger tea peppermint tea may help.

I don't know if you have access to essential oils but I have found rubbing fennel and peppermint oils diluted with a carrier oil on my abdomen before I apply the heating pad helps also.

Yes we do have an Asian type of green essential oil that heats up when touched the skin, which does seem to ease it a little. But she isn't constipated as her bowel movement is pretty good for someone in her condition. ); but thank you for the heat advice beansmama!

[Tnguyen]

Could she be very slightly constipated?

That's what I thought too before. But her bowel movement is pretty good for someone in her condition. She doesn't have any trouble going. What's weird is that it happens only at night time, and been like that for past 2 weeks. Her scans comes back normal with the exception of the cancer ofc. Even her onc is confused, since she isn't experiencing any pain.

[mypinkheaven]

In her stomach and not lower in the abdomen? Is it at night when she lies down? I wonder if more pillows or raising the head of the bed might help.

Might be worth trying an antacid like Tagamet.

Has any doctor ever told her she has a hiatal hernia? That's where to top of the stomach slightly pops up through the muscular hole in the diaphragm.

[Tnguyen]

In her stomach and not lower in the abdomen? Is it at night when she lies down? I wonder if more pillows or raising the head of the bed might help.

Might be worth trying an antacid like Tagamet.

Has any doctor ever told her she has a hiatal hernia? That's where to top of the stomach slightly pops up through the muscular hole in the diaphragm.

Yes in her stomach/abdomen area. She can be sitting or laying and still feel discomfort. She actually feels better laying down.
I was also wondering if it could have been an acid reflux, but guess I'll have to speak to her onc and liver doctor to see.

And no doctor has ever told her she has a hiatal hernia. She never even experienced this before all her chemo treatments. Even back when she was on chemo, she didn't have this feeling. It's recently been like this for the past 2 months? ):

[SugarBubbie]

Maybe it's gas, just a thought....I've had that feeling when I eat foods that cause it. Maybe try keeping a list and switching up what she eats. Dairy and frozen fruits cause it big time for me