What Exactly Do Your Abdominal Pains Feel Like?

[Becca78]

Ok, I realize that may be a silly question. But I was wondering if you could describe what your abdominal pains feel like and where exactly it hurts. How do the pains differ from an ulcer? My other symptoms are fatigue, diahrrea, bloating, gas, and a tendency for depression (if I'm not keeping up with yoga and meditation). Also, my mother was diagnosed with osteopenia at 41 years old (already lost 2 inches!)...

Thanks.

[Rikki Tikki]

Ok, I realize that may be a silly question. But I was wondering if you could describe what your abdominal pains feel like and where exactly it hurts. How do the pains differ from an ulcer? My other symptoms are fatigue, diahrrea, bloating, gas, and a tendency for depression (if I'm not keeping up with yoga and meditation). Also, my mother was diagnosed with osteopenia at 41 years old (already lost 2 inches!)...

Thanks.

Hi Becca and welcome:

Have you been diagnosed with Celiac? For me the pain when I am glutened is like a knife twisting in the lower left area of my abdomen. But I have had the symptom's that you describe.

[ravenwoodglass]

Everyone is different and I think the pain can change for the same person. For the first 5 or six years of my constant D it was actually usually painless and without warning. I was almost happy when I started to get cramps, at least I had some notice. For the last 5 years the pain was so severe that it is almost indescribeable. Cramps and spasms that would effect my entire abdomen, leave me unable to stand upright and I would break out in a cold sweat and shake. This usually went on from 2 to 5 am every night. In addition to 5 or 6 daily trips to the john that were not as bad due mostly to the heavy meds I was on. I gave birth to a 10 lb baby and she came too quick for pain relief so it was all natural and that was nothing compared to what I went through every night at the end.

[sneezydiva]

My pain mimicked classic ulcer symptoms. It was smack in the middle of my stomach, under my diaphragm. It was this sharp, stabbing pain at first, and then would fade into a duller pain. A few times it radiated to my back. It hurt most when my stomach was empty and felt better when I ate. Everyone thought it was a ulcer, but Nexium didn't touch it, and a endoscope showed nothing but a little inflammation. It went away in 3 days after starting the gluten free diet.

Looking back, I always alternated a little consitpation and diarhea, but nothing too severe, and minimal problems with cramping. These stomach pains were a new symptom this past March that started a chain of events to discover I needed to be gluten free. Though I tested negative to celiac, I tested positive to a wheat allergy.

[Joyous]

Does anyone else get twitching in their gut? Like little spasms?

[An-Onion]

Does anyone else get twitching in their gut? Like little spasms?

I do, and back pain (sometimes) and ulcer pains. Also D in under 20 minutes after eating gluten, and all the fun that comes with that.

[MrMark]

I get that awful twitching spasm on my left quadrant. Absolutely hate it. I've read that it could be a vitamin A deficiency. Wish I could find out how to stop it for good.

[Joyous]

I get that awful twitching spasm on my left quadrant. Absolutely hate it. I've read that it could be a vitamin A deficiency. Wish I could find out how to stop it for good.

Upper left quadrent? Like right below the rib cage?

[MrMark]

Upper left quadrent? Like right below the rib cage?

Exactly! It wakes me up at night, usually between 1 and 3 AM . It also causes my breath to be very shallow for the duration of it. I suspect caffeine may be part of my issue, but I am still trying to find a correlation.

[Joe Hoffman]

Ok, I realize that may be a silly question. But I was wondering if you could describe what your abdominal pains feel like and where exactly it hurts. How do the pains differ from an ulcer? My other symptoms are fatigue, diahrrea, bloating, gas, and a tendency for depression (if I'm not keeping up with yoga and meditation). Also, my mother was diagnosed with osteopenia at 41 years old (already lost 2 inches!)...

Thanks.

Becca,

I am new to Celiac, but I can tell you it has not been easy.

To answer you direct question I would first start by saying

[teenceliacCO]

My son was given a preliminary diagnosis of Celiac last week and has since gone gluten free.  He still experiences gas pains every day, but the diarrhea has stopped.  We are just trying to get him well enough to get back to high school.  He has been out since Thanksgiving looking for answers to his health issue!      We are still on the learning curve trying to figure out the things he can and can not eat and he is always hungry.

[1desperateladysaved]

I didn't really feel pain in my gut when I had undiagnosed celiac.  I noticed bloating.  Sometimes I felt pressure, but once I bloated 9 inches (and 9 pounds over night) with no pain.  Since going gluten free I have occassionally felt sudden sharp pains.  For a couple of days I had sharp pain in the lower left quadrant.  When I eat pumpkin I get a pulsating cramp in my mid abdomen.  Now, I know that means to stop eating it right away! 

[Amberg330]

It's kind of hard to explain. It's like an extreme sharp pain , then I can't stand upright I am bent over til I can make it to a bathroom I can only stand back up straight after I have went to the bathroom. It's so intense, I've had 2 kids and the pains are worse than contractions. I also get really nauseated .  Then sometimes it can be period like cramps that are on my lower left side but that's almost like a constant pain and I swell on my lower left side as well it's only really severe pain when I have to go to the bathroom. 

[Autyjunk]

Okay I have a few questions. I haven’t been diagnosed, but someone in my family has celiac. I have had abdominal issues for years bad stomach aches, nausea, bloating major, quick weight gain, diarrhea, I also expierence heart burn, twitches in my stomach, and a lot of pain on my left side.  I kinda just pushed it off. I recently was eating healthier and cut out bread because carbs (duh) and I ate bread for the first time in a few weeks. I was doing well with slight stomach pain, but not as gut renching as normal. After eating the bread I felt super sick, and had the same symptoms as before. Keep in mind I’ve had these symptoms for years, but pushed it off because I blamed the stomach pains on anxiety. I’m planning on going to the doctor, but I was wondering if it could be celiac? I’m also planning an elimination diet soon and testing it. I find whenever I eat dairy products too it upsets my stomach same with caffeine. 

[Ennis-TX]

6 hours ago, Autyjunk said:

Okay I have a few questions. I haven’t been diagnosed, but someone in my family has celiac. I have had abdominal issues for years bad stomach aches, nausea, bloating major, quick weight gain, diarrhea, I also expierence heart burn, twitches in my stomach, and a lot of pain on my left side.  I kinda just pushed it off. I recently was eating healthier and cut out bread because carbs (duh) and I ate bread for the first time in a few weeks. I was doing well with slight stomach pain, but not as gut renching as normal. After eating the bread I felt super sick, and had the same symptoms as before. Keep in mind I’ve had these symptoms for years, but pushed it off because I blamed the stomach pains on anxiety. I’m planning on going to the doctor, but I was wondering if it could be celiac? I’m also planning an elimination diet soon and testing it. I find whenever I eat dairy products too it upsets my stomach same with caffeine. 

This disease has hundreds of symptoms and varies from person to person, it is genetic if a family member has it so might others. Before starting your elimination diet you should look into testing...here is the toughy this disease requires you to be eating gluten daily so they can measure the antibody reaction in your blood which takes 12 weeks of consuming it. Not much just a half slice of bread a day, a few crackers, or a tsp of vital wheat. Some do this at night to try and sleep off the worst of it. This is referred to as a gluten challenge,
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The food intolerance list you have of dairy etc...it will grow the longer this disease is undiagnosed and the diet not followed strictly, food allergies, other immune diseases, complications, cancer etc. can all develop with this disease untreated.

[Kaylin93]

I tested negative for celiac but read it can take multiple tests to get a positive result. My pains are right below my ribs in the middle of my abdomin. About where my diaphragm is. The pains feel like death. Most of the time, the pain is so bad I’m doubled over and vomiting from the pain. Does anyone have any solution to making the pain go away. What’s worked for you? I’ve tried antacids, acid reducers, pain killers. The pain can last anywhere from 10 minutes to 2+ hours. It’s gotten to the point where any small amount of cross contamination sends me into a stomach episode. I have no other side effects such as gas or diarrhea, thank goodness. I just need some sort of relief from the pain. 

[cyclinglady]

3 hours ago, Kaylin93 said:

I tested negative for celiac but read it can take multiple tests to get a positive result. My pains are right below my ribs in the middle of my abdomin. About where my diaphragm is. The pains feel like death. Most of the time, the pain is so bad I’m doubled over and vomiting from the pain. Does anyone have any solution to making the pain go away. What’s worked for you? I’ve tried antacids, acid reducers, pain killers. The pain can last anywhere from 10 minutes to 2+ hours. It’s gotten to the point where any small amount of cross contamination sends me into a stomach episode. I have no other side effects such as gas or diarrhea, thank goodness. I just need some sort of relief from the pain. 

Are you still consuming  gluten?  (All celiac testing requires you to be a gluten diet some 8 to 12 weeks prior to testing).  If so, ask your doctor for the complete celiac panel (TTG, DGP, EMA).  The TTG is good, but does not catch all celiacs like me.  Then there are some celiacs who are seronegative, so a biopsy can be critical for a diagnosis, especially in that case.  

In anycase, see a GI.  Something is wrong.  It might not even be celiac disease.  It could be a gallbladder issue, appendix, whatever....but you deserve some answers!