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Pain In Side


newceliac

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newceliac Enthusiast

Just a quick question. I have been on the gluten free diet since I was diagnosed about 3 weeks ago. I am doing better but I still have weird stomach things going on.

I have a pain just under my ribs on the left side and it goes around into the back just under the ribs. It is very uncomfortable at times and my ribs seem sensitive to the touch. The night before last, I had some cramps in the stomach are that doubled me over but they didn't last very long at all.

At first, when I started the diet, I was using the bathroom regular with diarrhea some. I seem to be constipated now. Would this pain be attributed to constipation?

Has anyone else had this? Any suggestions?


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Guest thatchickali

Very much so, but you have to be able to gauge the pain level, because it is in your kidney area.

I had constipation as my main symptom prior to diagnosis, and I am having a really hard time getting my body to feel better, but I get pain there very often and sometimes I just have to lay down and no medicine makes it feel better.

But if it gets really bad don't be scared to see a doctor.

Most people know if it's a serious problem because the pain will get out of hand.

Back in April I got appendicitis and for the first 4-5 hours it felt like my normal cramps, but I noticed it getting localized and I started experiencing some nausea. 24 hours later I had no more appendix :)

jewi0008 Contributor
Just a quick question. I have been on the gluten free diet since I was diagnosed about 3 weeks ago. I am doing better but I still have weird stomach things going on.

I have a pain just under my ribs on the left side and it goes around into the back just under the ribs. It is very uncomfortable at times and my ribs seem sensitive to the touch. The night before last, I had some cramps in the stomach are that doubled me over but they didn't last very long at all.

At first, when I started the diet, I was using the bathroom regular with diarrhea some. I seem to be constipated now. Would this pain be attributed to constipation?

Has anyone else had this? Any suggestions?

Yes, I actually posted a topic like this recently with pain on my left side. I had it so bad one day that I came home from work and was curled up on the couch in pain. It moved from my left side to my back and kept getting worse and worse. I thought something was really wrong so I went into the hospital. I had an ultrasound and different exams; nothing. I think it was something to do with the gluten, because I do get it frequently...but just at much less severe pain.

Yours may be from constipation, or else you may still be ingesting gluten and you just don't know it. That's my problem. Any "questionable" foods you at in the day or few days before?

blueeyedmanda Community Regular

Before diagnosis, I had the left sided pain and right before I got my diagnosis, so I was at my sickest point, that pain was at its worst. I spent most of my time in bed and curled up, but nothing ever helped it. Once I went gluten free it subsided and now if I get glutened real bad I feel it for few hours, but no where near how I used to feel.

Luisa2552 Apprentice

Newceliac, I have the same thing. I posted a few weeks ago and I got a few responses that say it's normal. I have been gluten-free for 2 months now. I did have an accidental glutening about 3 weeks ago that really flared the pain, so my gi doc said it has to be due to the celiac. Well, I still have it and I KNOW I haven't had gluten. My pain doesn't really wrap around my back, but it is just under my left ribs and at times can feel like someone is stabbing me with a hot poker and at other times just a dull pressure. I don't have C, but I definately feel like things are moving slower. My ribs are also sensitive. I wasn't due to see my gi doc until mid october but I changed it to tomorrow to talk to him about this pain.

Things I am wondering about include- other food intolerances, pancreatitis, need for colonoscopy.

I'll keep you posted.

Guest kivmom3

I had severe side pain and back pain prior to going gluten free and getting the diagnosis!

It finally went away after 2 months on the diet. I still get the pain on occassion, but only if i get cc or eat something that I am intolerant to in addition to the gluten. The pain is not so intense now, thank goodness.

Hope this helps

Gg

blueeyedmanda Community Regular
I had severe side pain and back pain prior to going gluten free and getting the diagnosis!

It finally went away after 2 months on the diet. I still get the pain on occassion, but only if i get cc or eat something that I am intolerant to in addition to the gluten. The pain is not so intense now, thank goodness.

Hope this helps

Gg

I have to agree, not as intense as it was...thank goodness. I never want to feel that pain again.


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Luisa2552 Apprentice

Mine is definatley better, but not gone. So what causes it exactly? In other words, what is causing the pain? Inflammation of some sort? What did you all do to make it through the pain?

rsm Newbie

I told a doctor about the left side pain many years ago and he said. "there's nothing there". Needless to say, I have had that same pain. Mine was just under the ribs.

Janeti Apprentice

I have been gluten free for 7 months now. I also get the slight stomach/rib pain/intestinal cramping, but I agree, not as bad as it once was. When it was at its worst, the pain in my stomach was so bad I couldn't leave my top under garment(trying to put it gently) on, I had to lie down with the heating pad on. This also helped with the rib pain. Who knows whats going on in there :o But hopefully its just alot of healing. Janet

Ginsou Explorer

I've had severe lactose intolerance for 30 years, and yes, the pain may be an indication of another digestive problem. Every now and then I get something in my system that doesn't agree with me, and the pain is very intense, like labor pains, sometimes for 3 minutes, sometimes for several hours. I once ate some real whipped cream, (husband bought wrong kind and I didn't notice) and spent about 4 hours in severe pain on the couch. Couldn't even get up to go to bed until the pain subsided.

If the pain comes and goes, it most likely is a digestive problem. If it continues and doesn't let up....then you need to seek emergency or immediate medical care. Constipation can also cause excruciating pain. I've found a phosphate oral saline solution or glycerine suppositories to be the quickest solution. It also helps if you are "home alone" and have complete privacy while "cleansing". The oral solution works completely and FAST. Drink some gatorade after to replenish your system.

My gluten symptons are usually stinging, stabbing abdominal pains at the beginning, then more intense pain in the lower right abdominal quadrant....or over the bladder area,sometimes nausea. I can now differentiate between the lactose and gluten pains. I've had a CT scan done....everything is normal,no diverticulitis,.....so I know the pain is telling me I have eaten something that has bothered me. It took quite a bit of detective work to figure this out.

Another interesting thought to the rib pain....do you wear an underwire bra? Get rid of the wire!!

Luisa2552 Apprentice

Went to the GI doc today and he says it's still most likely from the celiac and that he would expect it to take about 3 months of gluten-free eating to subside. He did order up a ct scan just to be sure.

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