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Abdominal Pain/discomfort?

LisaaaNoel

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LisaaaNoel Explorer
LisaaaNoel
Posted

It's always interesting to me how the symptoms vary so greatly with celic patients. I was wondering what were your personal experiences prior to going gluten-free in terms of abdominal pain/discomfort? Was it constant? Did it come and go? What did it feel like? Where in your abdomen did you feel it?

(I have NOT been officially diagnosed with celiac) but I have constant stomach discomfort every single day. My problems started about a year ago and since it started, I have some form of discomfort every day. In general, I would say I feel an extreme amount of pressure and fullness. It feels like a tightness in my stomach. I do have occassional cramping, but that is not an every day issue.

My discomfort actually started in my upper abdomen on the left side, right under my ribs. (not beneath my ribs, but just under them) It felt (and still feels) like there is something pushing up against my ribs. When I went to the doctor, that was the only discomfort I was feeling. At the time, I was experiencing D daily, usually in the mornings. Without much testing, he said it was IBS. He gave me an antispasm medicine which I don't use, because as I said, I don't feel much cramping.

Since then, I have started to feel a bit more cramping. And my discomfort can also be felt throughout my abdomen and not just the upper portion. I have began to alternate between C & D. I haven't noticed any particular "IBS trigger food" that actually worsens my symptoms.

If I had insurance, I would go back to the doctor and make him do some more testing, but unfortantely that's not possible right now. So I just started a gluten-free diet less than a week ago. So far, I haven't felt any difference. (Not that I expected it to be that quickly, just stating..)

Thank you for reading. Sorry about being a bit long winded. <_<

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darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted
Without much testing, he said it was IBS. He gave me an antispasm medicine which I don't use, because as I said, I don't feel much cramping.

This is the "norm" as far as most doctors go. I had one doctor tell me, "IBS simply means, I Be Stumped!" IBS is kind of a "catch all" when a doctor doesn't really know what's going on with your tummy. I was diagnosed with it too. Irritable bowel, spastic colon, nervous stomach, and my favorite, "It's all in your head!"

My stomach hurt a good portion of the time too, I oftened referred to it as a huge black and blue spot. When cramping began, I knew diarrhea would follow very soon. I had diarrhea a good share of the time, thankfully, usually at night. Which, in time, caused my anxiety/panic to become worse. For years, a heating pad was my best friend, I cuddled with it so much.

I was in your situation too. I was newly divorced, no insurance, and could not live with the pain any longer. My sister had been diagnosed with celiac in March 2000, by July, she convinced me to go gluten free too. It's been 9 years for both of us.

LisaaaNoel Explorer
LisaaaNoel
Posted
  • Author
This is the "norm" as far as most doctors go. I had one doctor tell me, "IBS simply means, I Be Stumped!" IBS is kind of a "catch all" when a doctor doesn't really know what's going on with your tummy. I was diagnosed with it too. Irritable bowel, spastic colon, nervous stomach, and my favorite, "It's all in your head!"

My stomach hurt a good portion of the time too, I oftened referred to it as a huge black and blue spot. When cramping began, I knew diarrhea would follow very soon. I had diarrhea a good share of the time, thankfully, usually at night. Which, in time, caused my anxiety/panic to become worse. For years, a heating pad was my best friend, I cuddled with it so much.

I was in your situation too. I was newly divorced, no insurance, and could not live with the pain any longer. My sister had been diagnosed with celiac in March 2000, by July, she convinced me to go gluten free too. It's been 9 years for both of us.

Hope you're feeling better now. :) Doctors can be so frustrating.

If so, how long did it take on your gluten-free diet before your stomach started to feel better?

boobybabs Rookie
boobybabs
Posted
It's always interesting to me how the symptoms vary so greatly with celic patients. I was wondering what were your personal experiences prior to going gluten-free in terms of abdominal pain/discomfort? Was it constant? Did it come and go? What did it feel like? Where in your abdomen did you feel it?

(I have NOT been officially diagnosed with celiac) but I have constant stomach discomfort every single day. My problems started about a year ago and since it started, I have some form of discomfort every day. In general, I would say I feel an extreme amount of pressure and fullness. It feels like a tightness in my stomach. I do have occassional cramping, but that is not an every day issue.

My discomfort actually started in my upper abdomen on the left side, right under my ribs. (not beneath my ribs, but just under them) It felt (and still feels) like there is something pushing up against my ribs. When I went to the doctor, that was the only discomfort I was feeling. At the time, I was experiencing D daily, usually in the mornings. Without much testing, he said it was IBS. He gave me an antispasm medicine which I don't use, because as I said, I don't feel much cramping.

Since then, I have started to feel a bit more cramping. And my discomfort can also be felt throughout my abdomen and not just the upper portion. I have began to alternate between C & D. I haven't noticed any particular "IBS trigger food" that actually worsens my symptoms.

If I had insurance, I would go back to the doctor and make him do some more testing, but unfortantely that's not possible right now. So I just started a gluten-free diet less than a week ago. So far, I haven't felt any difference. (Not that I expected it to be that quickly, just stating..)

Thank you for reading. Sorry about being a bit long winded. <_<

Hi - in reference to your abdominal pain........I used to get a wierd feeling on my left side low rib cage...felt like there was something sticking out (often in the car I would put my hand there or position my seat belt - made it feel less obtrusive - no pain just felt odd.....my stomach issues started on a trip away....stomach pain, sweating, heart racing...feeling very off...went to emergency and they did blood work (looking for glallblader....no sign)...felt off for remainder of trip....bouts of stomach discomfort - week after iniatial problem, had a night of same thing....stomach ache - ill feeling..etc...lasted from about 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.....after that, I experienced some stomach issue almost daily....ache, gnawing or felt like I had been clenching my stomach muscles all day and they were sore....had a couple episode of diarrhea, once with severe cramping beforehand...but not daily problems with this at all - began experienceing anxiety, breathlessness, etc....spent a lot of time laying on the bed ....had blood work done for thyroid, heart, liver, diabetes, cholesteral, ..etc...all test were fine......was crying all the time....had upper GI done and diagnosed with acid reflux....now take losac everyday..and have tried to eliminate gluten and dairy from my diet......stomach has been pretty good...feeling like a normal person....although if I stray from my diet,,,,I still get stomach issue\anxiety feelings which remind me of how I used to feel everyday....I have no idea if I have a food intolerance or celiac - tend to think just food intolerance since I would think that I would have more serious symptoms if celiac.....hope this helps you..

LisaaaNoel Explorer
LisaaaNoel
Posted
  • Author
Hi - in reference to your abdominal pain........I used to get a wierd feeling on my left side low rib cage...felt like there was something sticking out (often in the car I would put my hand there or position my seat belt - made it feel less obtrusive - no pain just felt odd.....

YES! That is sounds a lot like me. It's like my ribs feel like they're resting on something. It doesn't hurt, it's just terribly uncomfortable. :(

And like you said, my episodes of diarrhea started with extreme pain, heart racing, overall feeling of being ill. These episodes have only happened a few times.

I just experience abdominal discomfort every single day and cannot find anything to help!

pchick Rookie
pchick
Posted
It's always interesting to me how the symptoms vary so greatly with celic patients. I was wondering what were your personal experiences prior to going gluten-free in terms of abdominal pain/discomfort? Was it constant? Did it come and go? What did it feel like? Where in your abdomen did you feel it?

Hi ~ I don't have insurance either... that's why I haven't been to see a doctor in a long time. That is until recently. I've always had tummy aches and was nauseas as a kid all the time. I went through a rough period where I was homeless... and pregnant. (1990 - long story) But that is when a lot of my symptoms started.

I had massive abdominal pain as well as dizziness, and blackouts ~ I had to go to the emergency room where they removed my gall bladder in 2000. Since then, I've been having other symptoms that I've been trying to self diagnose.

I have a lot of pain around my liver, especially where my gall bladder used to be, I also have an occasional pain in my stomach (right below ribcage) where it feels like someone kicked me hard and I can't even stand up straight for a few days. I have a lot of tenderness over my spleen (left upper ab). My lower belly bloats and becomes hard sometimes, and has pain if touched. I also have this INTENSE burning pain in my very low back, almost my butt area. A couple years ago I had a few "attacks" of some sort... everytime I ate anything it felt like the most intense pain I've ever had... almost like labor. The pain would come and go like contractions and by the third day of this I was having severe panic attacks.

I went to an acupuncturist who was able to relieve the pain immediately. I've been seeing him for 1.5 years now 2x a week and he helps immensely with the pain. Unfortunately he couldn't diagnose anything.

Between the abdominal pain and all my other symptoms we finally decided I needed to go see a doctor.

so I went to a naturopathic/MD, and the doc did tests and found out I was born Gluten Intolerant with a leaky gut. I don't know the difference between that and celiacs... but either way, I have to cut gluten. I've been on a gluten-free diet almost 3 weeks and I've had a BM everyday for the last 3 days!! I've also lost 7 pounds :)

Oh yeah... I'm one of the overweight/constipated GI intolerant types... that's why no one ever tested me before, I've always been overweight.

TiffLuvsBread Rookie
TiffLuvsBread
Posted
It's always interesting to me how the symptoms vary so greatly with celic patients. I was wondering what were your personal experiences prior to going gluten-free in terms of abdominal pain/discomfort? Was it constant? Did it come and go? What did it feel like? Where in your abdomen did you feel it?

(I have NOT been officially diagnosed with celiac) but I have constant stomach discomfort every single day. My problems started about a year ago and since it started, I have some form of discomfort every day. In general, I would say I feel an extreme amount of pressure and fullness. It feels like a tightness in my stomach. I do have occassional cramping, but that is not an every day issue.

My discomfort actually started in my upper abdomen on the left side, right under my ribs. (not beneath my ribs, but just under them) It felt (and still feels) like there is something pushing up against my ribs. When I went to the doctor, that was the only discomfort I was feeling. At the time, I was experiencing D daily, usually in the mornings. Without much testing, he said it was IBS. He gave me an antispasm medicine which I don't use, because as I said, I don't feel much cramping.

Since then, I have started to feel a bit more cramping. And my discomfort can also be felt throughout my abdomen and not just the upper portion. I have began to alternate between C & D. I haven't noticed any particular "IBS trigger food" that actually worsens my symptoms.

If I had insurance, I would go back to the doctor and make him do some more testing, but unfortantely that's not possible right now. So I just started a gluten-free diet less than a week ago. So far, I haven't felt any difference. (Not that I expected it to be that quickly, just stating..)

Thank you for reading. Sorry about being a bit long winded. <_<

See the thread I started by looking at "new posts" - same issue!!

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