A retired grandfather, Ed Langevin, began having heartburn after every meal in early 2024. Meals he could once enjoy now caused pain. Even eating part of a sandwich made him feel full for days. He lost 20 pounds in three months. He became afraid of food because it often led to discomfort.
At first, doctors did typical tests. They checked his liver and pancreas. Nothing gave a clear answer. Then in May, a scan of his stomach revealed a rare condition: chronic mesenteric ischemia. This illness happens when arteries that supply blood to the small intestine become blocked or narrowed.
Dr. Gabriel Wallace, a vascular surgeon at the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, said Langevin’s case was severe. By the time many patients receive a diagnosis, they already feel very sick. They often lose weight, become malnourished, and sometimes fear eating because meals cause pain.
In June 2024, Dr. Wallace placed a stent into the blocked artery to restore blood flow. The procedure was minimally invasive, took under an hour, and Langevin was sent home the same day. He also began medicine to stop blood clotting. After two weeks, he could eat a whole sub sandwich without pain.
However, after about a year, Langevin again had trouble eating. Scarring had compressed the stent. Dr. Wallace performed another surgery in early 2025 to extend the stent.
Now, six months after the second procedure, Langevin says he’s nearly back to his old self. He has regained most of the weight he lost, enjoys meals again, and spends time with his grandchildren. He plans a pilgrimage trip to Rome with his wife in November.
Langevin hopes his story reminds others: don’t ignore symptoms, and keep pressing for answers if something feels wrong. “Don’t give up,” he says. If one doctor doesn’t find the cause, try another.
