Sides Hurt.

[Matty007]

Hello,

I was diagnosed with Celiac back at the end of October. I have sense been gluten free for a little over 2 months and I feel like I've done a good job because my constant stomach aches have completely gone away.

The main problem though is I have had sense July of this year, horrible side pains, which are directly to the sides of my belly button. The left side hurts the most but it's the same feeling on both sides. I would describe my pain as a balloon that's been inflated in my side but also can get way worse randomly and feel almost like something is stabbing me, the pain travels to my back as well.

After my endoscopy they found Celiac but they also found 3 small ulcers, so originally I assumed the ulcers were probably what the pain was coming from but i've been on nothing but Plain chicken and rice/potatoes and vegetables for over 2 months and have not been feeling any better. i'm on Prilosec and carafate for the ulcers and I have noticed no difference. 

 

So i guess my question is can this be from Celiac? I'm curious if anyone else has had side pains and if so how long did it take for it to go away?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[trents]

I think it would be appropriate, Matty007, for you to have followup scoping done to check on the healing progress for those three ulcers. Have you been checked for an H. Pylori infection, which is the leading cause of peptic ulcers?

[cristiana]

Hi Matty007

I agree with Trents - good idea to have a follow-up scope and the H Pylori infection check.

But I do wonder if you are taking any iron supplements because when I was taking supplements I got a lot of uncomfortable bloating that travelled around to my back. 

I've also got an umbilical hernia which they won't treat here in the UK unless it gets worse but that can cause pain either side of my belly button, too.   I don't suppose you have a hernia?

Cristiana

[Matty007]

  On 12/29/2022 at 6:03 PM, trents said:

I think it would be appropriate, Matty007, for you to have followup scoping done to check on the healing progress for those three ulcers. Have you been checked for an H. Pylori infection, which is the leading cause of peptic ulcers?

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Thanks for the quick reply.

 

Yes that's what my GI doctor said as well, he said another month and we can check. I was checked for H.Pylori and was negative. It's just so bizarre that i even had ulcers, I also have interstitial cystitis for the last 4 years so I already stick to a strict low acid diet, and rarely take Ibuprofen or other pain relivers.

  On 12/29/2022 at 6:21 PM, cristiana said:

Hi Matty007

I agree with Trents - good idea to have a follow-up scope and the H Pylori infection check.

But I do wonder if you are taking any iron supplements because when I was taking supplements I got a lot of uncomfortable bloating that travelled around to my back. 

I've also got an umbilical hernia which they won't treat here in the UK unless it gets worse but that can cause pain either side of my belly button, too.   I don't suppose you have a hernia?

Cristiana

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I just started taking supplements yesterday matter of fact, mainly just because i've seen a lot of people mention that you should with Celiac. No Hernia that i'm aware of.

[cristiana]

The balloon description does sound rather like you have bloating. It could just be that you have bloating related to an intolerance which might settle in time.  I had this although it tended to be worse on my lower left side, but everyone is different.  Have you tried eliminating dairy for a while?  After three weeks dairy free my bloating reduced greatly, but I reintroduced it because I missed it so much.  I also had a lot of discomfort in my lower gut when I ate pure oats (the ones that are suitable for coeliacs, because normal oats are often crosscontaminated with other cereals so must be avoided) as well as soya.   (If you are consuming oats, in the UK nutritionists advise coeliacs to avoid them for 6 months to a year following diagnosis because they can cause symptoms in a minority of coeliacs - oats could contribute to painful bloating).

As a remedy, I found peppermint tea helped reduce bloating.  You may find this too?

The only other thing I can think is the bloating might be down to an unrelated gynaecological issue.

I'm sorry to read you have intersitial cystitis, I have ongoing battles with UTI symptoms.

Edited December 29, 2022 by cristiana

[trents]

Matty, I would also caution you against long term use of Prilosec or any other acid blocker med. More problems are likely caused by low stomach acid than by excess stomach acid. If you lower raise the PH with acid blockers it often leads to poor digestion and increases infection risks. Many times, low stomach acid issues are misdiagnosed as excessive stomach acid because some symptoms are the same, but it blocking acid production long term just exacerbates the problems.

Edited December 29, 2022 by trents

[Matty007]

  On 12/29/2022 at 6:42 PM, cristiana said:

The balloon description does sound rather like you have bloating. It could just be that you have bloating related to an intolerance which might settle in time.  I had this although it tended to be worse on my lower left side, but everyone is different.  Have you tried eliminating dairy for a while?  After three weeks dairy free my bloating reduced greatly, but I reintroduced it because I missed it so much.  I also had a lot of discomfort in my lower gut when I ate pure oats (the ones that are suitable for coeliacs, because normal oats are often crosscontaminated with other cereals so must be avoided) as well as soya.   (If you are consuming oats, in the UK nutritionists advise coeliacs to avoid them for 6 months to a year following diagnosis because they can cause symptoms in a minority of coeliacs - oats could contribute to painful bloating).

As a remedy, I found peppermint tea helped reduce bloating.  You may find this too?

The only other thing I can think is the bloating might be down to an unrelated gynaecological issue.

I'm sorry to read you have intersitial cystitis, I have ongoing battles with UTI symptoms.

Expand Quote  

Well at first I just ate only Gluten Free foods but because my sides still hurt all the time I kept eliminating foods. I'm basically eliminated everything at this point, for the last several weeks i'm down to just Chicken/Rice/Potatoes/and vegetables. I've seen a small improvement but I feel like i've just plateaued at this point not getting all the way better, I feel like I have nothing left to eliminate.

[Matty007]

  On 12/29/2022 at 6:52 PM, trents said:

Matty, I would also caution you against long term use of Prilosec or any other acid blocker med. More problems are likely caused by low stomach acid than by excess stomach acid. If you lower the PH with acid blockers it often leads to poor digestion and increases infection risks. Many times, low stomach acid issues are misdiagnosed as excessive stomach acid because some symptoms are the same, but it blocking acid production long term just exacerbates the problems.

Expand Quote  

Yeah i've heard this as well, I think as soon as i can verify the ulcers are gone I will get off them. I feel like if I stop taking them my doctor will just assume i'm not following his orders and then not treat me.

[trents]

Mistake I corrected in my previous post. Acutally, acid blockers raise the PH, not lower it.

[cristiana]

Just another thought - sorry if I've missed this in one of your posts - but did you have a colonoscopy too?  In some ways I wonder if the pain/bloating is actually more likely to be in your colon rather than small intestine? 

[Matty007]

  On 12/29/2022 at 9:47 PM, cristiana said:

Just another thought - sorry if I've missed this in one of your posts - but did you have a colonoscopy too?  In some ways I wonder if the pain/bloating is actually more likely to be in your colon rather than small intestine? 

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Yes i got both a Colonoscopy and an Endoscopy. They found a few polyps but otherwise they didn't note anything else. I believe they said with the Endo that my stomach looked red and irritated and that they found 3 small ulcers.

 

I convinced myself that the side pain must be from the ulcers but as more time goes on, i'm starting to fear its not because it's not going away.

[knitty kitty]

  On 12/29/2022 at 6:55 PM, Matty007 said:

Well at first I just ate only Gluten Free foods but because my sides still hurt all the time I kept eliminating foods. I'm basically eliminated everything at this point, for the last several weeks i'm down to just Chicken/Rice/Potatoes/and vegetables. I've seen a small improvement but I feel like i've just plateaued at this point not getting all the way better, I feel like I have nothing left to eliminate.

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Hi, @Matty007,

I found the Autoimmune Protocol Diet very helpful in healing.  

The AIP diet removes all grains and nightshades.  Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers are all nightshades.  Nightshades contain alkaloids that promote leaky gut syndrome.  Leaky gut syndrome allows big molecules from the digestive tract to get into bloodstream and cause inflammation in other areas of the body.  Grains and grasses like rice contain inflammatory Lectins that our bodies have trouble breaking down. 

A glob of gluten contains strings of protein that the body can confuse with other strings of proteins found in other foods.  The protein in dairy, Casein, can be confused for gluten, as can the protein in eggs, the protein in Rice, and chicken meat, and yeast.

Adding grass fed beef, and especially liver, may be less inflammatory and provide lots of vitamins and minerals your body needs.  

Hope this helps!

[Matty007]

  On 12/30/2022 at 1:23 PM, knitty kitty said:

Hi, @Matty007,

I found the Autoimmune Protocol Diet very helpful in healing.  

The AIP diet removes all grains and nightshades.  Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers are all nightshades.  Nightshades contain alkaloids that promote leaky gut syndrome.  Leaky gut syndrome allows big molecules from the digestive tract to get into bloodstream and cause inflammation in other areas of the body.  Grains and grasses like rice contain inflammatory Lectins that our bodies have trouble breaking down. 

A glob of gluten contains strings of protein that the body can confuse with other strings of proteins found in other foods.  The protein in dairy, Casein, can be confused for gluten, as can the protein in eggs, the protein in Rice, and chicken meat, and yeast.

Adding grass fed beef, and especially liver, may be less inflammatory and provide lots of vitamins and minerals your body needs.  

Hope this helps!

Expand Quote  

This is interesting, I will try this. Did you have side pain? So far I haven't had anyone say that they are experiencing what I am, so i'm not sure if my issue is related to Celiac or not.

[knitty kitty]

@Matty007,

Yes, I had side pain, extreme bloating.  I had Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).  That's where bacteria normally living in the colon spread into the small intestine where they are not supposed to be.  

SIBO bacteria like to eat simple carbohydrates like rice and potatoes.  SIBO bacteria produce lots of gas as a result, hence the bloating.  My abdomen felt like balloon animals were inhabiting my insides.  

The AIP diet eliminates simple carbohydrates, so the SIBO bacteria get starved out.  After six to eight weeks on the AIP diet, I took probiotics to reestablish good bacteria.  

The AIP diet also eliminates high fructose corn syrup.  HFCS provides a substrate that bacteria use to grow into the small intestine.

I also have diverticulosis where the large intestine develops little pockets which can become infected (diverticulitis).  Gluten and Dairy especially can cause a bout of diverticulitis with me. 

The colon runs up your right side (ascending colon), across your abdominal about bellybutton level (transverse colon), and then down your left side (descending colon).  Most of my pain was on the left side (descending colon), although sometimes I felt pain in the other parts, too.  Diverticulitis and diverticulosis can occur throughout the digestive tract, though it's mostly found in the large descending colon.  

Supplementing with high dose Thiamine helped control my SIBO and thiamine helps in other ways, too.

Thiamine is Vitamin B1.  This is the vitamin that we are apt to become deficient in first when we are ill, or emotionally or physically stressed.  Celiac Disease affects our ability to absorb vitamins and minerals that our bodies cannot do without.  We can become insufficient in as little as three days.  Thiamine is needed to produce digestive fluids and insulin.  Thiamine is needed to move food through the digestive tract.  Thiamine can help regulate diarrhea and constipation.  

Other vitamins that help heal the digestive tract are tryptophan (a form of Niacin Vitamin B3), Pyridoxine Vitamin B6, Vitamin D and an amino acid L -Theanine, and magnesium, a mineral that works with Thiamine.  

I know it's tough when you're always in pain, but you'll get through it.  Try the AIP diet.  Talk to your doctor about supplementing while you are healing (although most doctors are not informed about vitamins.)  Checking for vitamin and mineral deficiencies is part of proper follow up care for Celiac patients.

Let us know how the diet goes for you.   We're always glad to help! 

Edited December 30, 2022 by knitty kitty
Typo

[LCAnacortes]

The pain you describe sounds like bloating to me too - and I had feelings like that as well. To me - it feels like gas that has no place to go.  I went gluten free in May & then diary free in August.  I was still having problems - mostly due to cross contamination in my household.  My pain has been much better.  It used to be every night but now it is once in a while.  I think it took a while for everything to sort itself out and for my husband and I to figure out how to stop contaminating things. The best of luck to you on your journey! 

[Matty007]

  On 12/30/2022 at 7:47 PM, knitty kitty said:

@Matty007,

Yes, I had side pain, extreme bloating.  I had Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).  That's where bacteria normally living in the colon spread into the small intestine where they are not supposed to be.  

SIBO bacteria like to eat simple carbohydrates like rice and potatoes.  SIBO bacteria produce lots of gas as a result, hence the bloating.  My abdomen felt like balloon animals were inhabiting my insides.  

The AIP diet eliminates simple carbohydrates, so the SIBO bacteria get starved out.  After six to eight weeks on the AIP diet, I took probiotics to reestablish good bacteria.  

The AIP diet also eliminates high fructose corn syrup.  HFCS provides a substrate that bacteria use to grow into the small intestine.

I also have diverticulosis where the large intestine develops little pockets which can become infected (diverticulitis).  Gluten and Dairy especially can cause a bout of diverticulitis with me. 

The colon runs up your right side (ascending colon), across your abdominal about bellybutton level (transverse colon), and then down your left side (descending colon).  Most of my pain was on the left side (descending colon), although sometimes I felt pain in the other parts, too.  Diverticulitis and diverticulosis can occur throughout the digestive tract, though it's mostly found in the large descending colon.  

Supplementing with high dose Thiamine helped control my SIBO and thiamine helps in other ways, too.

Thiamine is Vitamin B1.  This is the vitamin that we are apt to become deficient in first when we are ill, or emotionally or physically stressed.  Celiac Disease affects our ability to absorb vitamins and minerals that our bodies cannot do without.  We can become insufficient in as little as three days.  Thiamine is needed to produce digestive fluids and insulin.  Thiamine is needed to move food through the digestive tract.  Thiamine can help regulate diarrhea and constipation.  

Other vitamins that help heal the digestive tract are tryptophan (a form of Niacin Vitamin B3), Pyridoxine Vitamin B6, Vitamin D and an amino acid L -Theanine, and magnesium, a mineral that works with Thiamine.  

I know it's tough when you're always in pain, but you'll get through it.  Try the AIP diet.  Talk to your doctor about supplementing while you are healing (although most doctors are not informed about vitamins.)  Checking for vitamin and mineral deficiencies is part of proper follow up care for Celiac patients.

Let us know how the diet goes for you.   We're always glad to help! 

Expand Quote  

This is really interesting and sounds really similar. My pain is mostly left side but i feel it on the right side as well. The pain comes and goes then randomly gets worse, I wonder if I have the same thing.... I see there are tests you can take to confirm SIBO I will mention this to my doctor and see what he thinks. Thank you!

[Matty007]

  On 1/3/2023 at 1:09 AM, LCAnacortes said:

The pain you describe sounds like bloating to me too - and I had feelings like that as well. To me - it feels like gas that has no place to go.  I went gluten free in May & then diary free in August.  I was still having problems - mostly due to cross contamination in my household.  My pain has been much better.  It used to be every night but now it is once in a while.  I think it took a while for everything to sort itself out and for my husband and I to figure out how to stop contaminating things. The best of luck to you on your journey! 

Expand Quote  

Yeah it's strange because it feels like gas pressure a lot of the times, but when it gets really bad it feels like a pinching feeling, and even sharp like there are razors in there.