Brainstorm My Pain-please !

[jenvan]

Hey there... I am looking for any ideas you might have as to what's going on with me!! I have been gluten-free for several months now and about 3 weeks ago I started getting a new kind of pain I have never really had before--mid abdominal pain that would come on gradually, get pretty intense and eventually disapate. It would be like a colic, come in waves and last anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours. The pain wasn't really cramping or gas related or anything like that--more like a persistant stomach ache or a twisty type of pain (if that makes sense!).

I was getting this pain mid to late morning and early afternoon. I had it about every day for 2 weeks. I have been gluten-free, and haven't changed my diet in any ways since going gluten-free. I had a gallbladder/liver ultrasound at that point that came back normal. However, it has persisted since then, and now I get the pain everyday, and it is more painful. Saturday I had a really bad attack and had to go to bed--had the severe pain, chills and felt really loopy.

My only hypothesis so far either gallbladder issues or another food intolerance (maybe?). I am calling my doctor today b/c I know sometimes gallbladder won't show up on an ultrasound...but maybe I am off on this one.

Any thoughts please ??

[KaitiUSA]

celiac3270 may want to tell you about what he had...the malrotation. I don't know all the symptoms he had with that but I know it was painful and it sort of sounds what you may be going through with you describing kind of a twisty feeling.

Maybe you are eating something that is causing problems. Have you tried keeping a food journal and mark whenever you get this. Maybe that will help pinpoint if it is any food.

Have you been "glutened" lately? If you have maybe it is a reaction.

Not sure what symptoms are but could you have a gall stone?

[Carriefaith]

I get severe upper midline abdominal pain. I get it so bad sometimes that I cannot move until it goes away. It's very scary. I had a few ideas on what it may be:

1) acute or chronic pancreatitis or

2) a reaction to gluten

I have had my pancreas enzyme levels checked (a blood test to see if your pancrease is working proporly), however, the blood test was taken when I wasn't getting the pain. I haven't got I call from my doctor, so I'm assuming those results were negative. Now for the gluten reations... I don't intentionally injest gluten but it is possible that I may get contamination and the severe pain is my reaction.

Good luck and I hope you find an answer to your pain.

[Guest Viola]

Another possibility is the 'illium' (sp) According to my doctor when one is accidently glutenized or is food intollerent, larger chunks of food will pass through the intestine and sit in a small pocket called the illium. This causes pain until it breaks down and continues to pass through. The pocket (pain) is usually slightly on the right side from center, and frequently confused with gall bladder pain. In fact I have been through many gall bladder checks over the years as that spot is always tender when I have my check ups.

[anerissara]

I'll have to check out that illium thing...that sounds remarkably like the pain I used to get all the time. It's pretty much gone (I've been gluten-free for about 5 months) but now I have a new pain in the *lower* right side of my tummy! Argh, it never ends. But, the illium explanation sounds like what was going on earlier...thought it was maybe gallbladder but it wasn't. Thanks!

[Eliza13]

Over the years I've had a very sharp (double over) type of pain in my upper left abdomen, just below the ribcage. I had never connected it to celiac until now since my docs have said it is likely a muscle spasm. Hmmmm. Now I am wondering b/c I have read about the link between celiac and the pancreas. Can anyone shed light on this?

[jknnej]

Skarlett, you want to check out the thread I wrote about chest pain. In it, I also talked about rib cage pain, just under the left or right breast. It hurts so bad when I get it that I can't move or breathe.

Another member said it might be a symptom of costochondritis. Google that and you'll see....

[rmmadden]

If you suspect a liver or gallbladder problem you could try doing a liver/gallbladder flush. I bought such a thing from Dr. Shulze's line of herbal remedy products and it is supposed to flush-out toxins from your liver/gallbladder and blood. People who have had these type problems swear that they go away after taking this product (even those who were slated for surgery).

Try visiting www.herbdoc.com or call 800-HERB-DOC.

Best of luck!

Cleveland Bob

[Carriefaith]

Skarlet13,

I did some research on this. Although I have seen a lot of improvements in some of my symptoms I still get them once in a while and I still get pain in the upper abdomen. Here is a thread that I started on this a while back:

Open Original Shared Link

[Eliza13]

Thank you all for your replies. This is definitely something to think about and run by my doctor. I've only been gluten-free for 3 weeks and do feel much better, but it seems the more I research, the more I learn that my ailments are connected to celiac. I had so many symptoms that my doc did not feel it necessary to run tests, but I have questioned that approach. I often find myself wondering if there is something else there in addition to celiac.

Love,

Skar

[jenvan]

Thanks for the ideas all. I went to my old gi doc today. (have an appt with one recommended by other celiacs next week). My old gi doc basically said, "huh, I'm not sure. It could be gallbladder, it could be reflux--maybe...let's run some tests and take some more drugs!") I am going to opt out of the CT scan for now. I feel like at this point I can try prevacid (for the hell of it) before I dump radioactive materials into my digestive system.

If my new gi doc doesn't have any ideas, I may be joining some of you in the SCD diet! I will be getting my food intolerance lab tests back in 2 weeks too. In the meantime I'm eating more "plain" food to help prevent another painful attack.