Is This Stomach Ulcer?

Dear Ask The Doctor: Last week when i woke up my stomach wasnt feeling so well and later that night i got the chills, starting twitching, then i threw up. After i threw up i got a fever and for the rest of the week i have been getting sharp pain in my abdomen and stomach right between my ribs. I have felt bloated and had a loss of appetite and has often felt "fat". Could this be a stomach ulcer?

Dear Meghan: There is a possibility of your symptoms being due to the gastric ulcer which usually causes pain at night or a few hours after you have had food. The pain is located just beneath the rib-cage on the left side, loss of appetite, burning pain, headache, dizziness, fatigue, feeling bloated after eating are all clinical features of a gastric ulcer.

You need to see a gastroenterologist for further assessment and treatment. Usually the treatment involves antibiotics for the removal of the H.pylory infection that lines the stomach and secretes acid aggravating the ulcer. Stool test for occult blood  may also be required to detect any bleeding from the ulcer.