Can Gluten Inflame Intestines To The Point Of Severe Pain

[SLB5757]

Hello All!

I feel like I am forever going through this cycle of "could it be a gluten intolerance", or not. I have had bloodwork done a few different times, but have never really gotten a positive reading. The closest my numbers came to being positive was having a TTG Iga of 16 when it said that weak positive/reference range was 20-30. My total IGA at the time was around 300, so I know I am not Iga deficient.

My symptoms are numerous, and I constantly wonder if my issue is gluten. I have been trying to continue eating gluten until someone is actually able to diagnose it as the problem. Six months ago, I tried a gluten free trial for 3-4 months. I had little improvement. It seems like bloating went away, but I was still having some issues. Could have been my lactose intolerance or another intolerance though since I was told I have many food allergies.It is just very difficult to stick with a gluten free diet without knowing if it is helping.

Recently, my main concern is a sharp right sided pain that has yet to be diagnosed. On 2/2/11, I got a sharp pain that wouldn't go away. It was knife-like. Sent me to the ER, and after a Cat Scan, bloodwork, and urine they sent me home saying I may have strained a muscle in my abdomen. fast forward almost a month later, I still have this sharp pain and swelling in my abdomen. They have ruled out gynecolocial problems such as a cyst by doing a pelvic ultrasound, They also did an abdominal wall ultrasound on that side, and found nothing. So....here I am, with a sharp pain and no explanation. It just feels as if something in there is inflamed or twisted or swollen. I cannot describe it any better than that.

My question, is can your intestines become so swollen and inflamed from an undiagnosed gluten intolerance that it would cause continued unrelenting pain? It is daily, and it does not go away. I called my Clevelend Clinic doc, and she ordered another round of celiac testing through QUEST, as long as a Vitamin B6, B12, and a Vitamin D. Ive never had vitamin levels checked, so maybe the celiac tests along with vitamin levels will help them see something??

I really do not hear complaints of knife-like side pain on here, so I just wondered if this was a possibility. I have had bloating, constipation, indigestion for about 5 years - they just say it is IBS. I can deal with that - just not the sharp stuff :/

[SLB5757]

Hello All!

I feel like I am forever going through this cycle of "could it be a gluten intolerance", or not. I have had bloodwork done a few different times, but have never really gotten a positive reading. The closest my numbers came to being positive was having a TTG Iga of 16 when it said that weak positive/reference range was 20-30. My total IGA at the time was around 300, so I know I am not Iga deficient.

My symptoms are numerous, and I constantly wonder if my issue is gluten. I have been trying to continue eating gluten until someone is actually able to diagnose it as the problem. Six months ago, I tried a gluten free trial for 3-4 months. I had little improvement. It seems like bloating went away, but I was still having some issues. Could have been my lactose intolerance or another intolerance though since I was told I have many food allergies.It is just very difficult to stick with a gluten free diet without knowing if it is helping.

Recently, my main concern is a sharp right sided pain that has yet to be diagnosed. On 2/2/11, I got a sharp pain that wouldn't go away. It was knife-like. Sent me to the ER, and after a Cat Scan, bloodwork, and urine they sent me home saying I may have strained a muscle in my abdomen. They ruled out appendecitis and kidney stone by the Cat Scan that was performed and of coure the labwork. Fast forward almost a month later, I still have this sharp pain and swelling in my abdomen. They have ruled out gynecolocial problems such as a cyst by doing a pelvic ultrasound, They also did an abdominal wall ultrasound on that side, and found nothing. I only wonder about it being gluten related because that particular night, my dinner right before the incident was spaghetti noodles with butter and parmesean, and garlic bread. I always go without the sauce so that it may lessen symptoms of indigestion, but it really seems to not matter. It just feels as if something in there is inflamed or twisted or swollen. If I push on a certain area, it is a sharp sharp pain. I cannot describe it any better than that.

My question, is can your intestines become so swollen and inflamed from an undiagnosed gluten intolerance that it would cause continued unrelenting pain? It is daily, and it does not go away. I called my Clevelend Clinic doc, and she ordered another round of celiac testing through QUEST, as long as a Vitamin B6, B12, and a Vitamin D. Ive never had vitamin levels checked, so maybe the celiac tests along with vitamin levels will help them see something??

I really do not hear complaints of knife-like side pain on here, so I just wondered if this was a possibility. I have had bloating, constipation, indigestion for about 5 years - they just say it is IBS. I can deal with that - just not the sharp stuff :/

[ravenwoodglass]

Have you ever had any scopes done or been seen by a GI doctor?

[SaraKat]

My only celiac symptom is that exact pain you describe, except mine is on the left side. I had CT scans, U/S, XRAYs, tons of blood work and then finally a year later a rheumatologist did the celiac panel and it was positive. I was told by many different doctors I had costochondritis.

Good luck!

[SLB5757]

Have you ever had any scopes done or been seen by a GI doctor?

I had a scope done in 2006. At the time when my tummy upset symptoms all started. About 6 mos. After my son was born - everything went downhill for me. I had diarrhea that lasted for about 6 weeks. Lost 10 lbs - went down to 92 lbs...etc. That is when they did a scope. By the time they did it I was only really consuming the meal replacement drinks and occasionally grilled chicken or rice. The doctor has since left teh practice and I wasn't ever able to follow up with her.

In August 10' I let them do a colonoscopy where they just said it was normal and I have IBS. I have has a Hida Scan done twice in the past two years, as well as had a barium follow through and a gastric emptying Scan. The GI doc is no longer seeing me, and if I call with any pain -he says to "follow up with my regular doctor" because I just have IBS and lactose intolerance:/

It is a very frustrating situation to say the least. I have a full-time job, as well as two little guys (11 and 5). I just feel like something isn't being caught, and it is very difficult to continue on with daily pain. I understand that IBS is a valid disease, and is unpredictable, however this current pain is sharp and unrelenting. It isn't "Spasm'ing" or cramping. And I certainly do not have any diarrhea, so I know it isn't a queasy tummy or anything like that.

My general family physician thought it was a deep muscle strain, until I had a few follow ups in the past week and the pain is still present. He has referred me to a surgeon to see if it may be a hernia (Although two doctors in his practice examined me and couldn't feel a hernia, and CT Scan and Ultrasound are clear).

I do not want to have any surgery if it is merely severely inflamed intestines from a food intolerance. That would be just my luck

[SLB5757]

My only celiac symptom is that exact pain you describe, except mine is on the left side. I had CT scans, U/S, XRAYs, tons of blood work and then finally a year later a rheumatologist did the celiac panel and it was positive. I was told by many different doctors I had costochondritis.

Good luck!

I am glad you got an answer I know I cannot give up on figuring things out - for my little ones benefit. Sooner or later, something will pan out. It is just getting to that day! If it is just "IBS", I pity anyone who has to live with this on a daily basis It's truly a disease that they will not/can not treat, yet affects your life to an extreme extent on a daily basis.

I am just hoping that my blood work shows something this time around. There is a possibility that my previous 3-4 mos of gluten free lowered my levels too much to show positive.

[glutenfr3309]

Hello All!

I feel like I am forever going through this cycle of "could it be a gluten intolerance", or not. I have had bloodwork done a few different times, but have never really gotten a positive reading. The closest my numbers came to being positive was having a TTG Iga of 16 when it said that weak positive/reference range was 20-30. My total IGA at the time was around 300, so I know I am not Iga deficient.

My symptoms are numerous, and I constantly wonder if my issue is gluten. I have been trying to continue eating gluten until someone is actually able to diagnose it as the problem. Six months ago, I tried a gluten free trial for 3-4 months. I had little improvement. It seems like bloating went away, but I was still having some issues. Could have been my lactose intolerance or another intolerance though since I was told I have many food allergies.It is just very difficult to stick with a gluten free diet without knowing if it is helping.

Recently, my main concern is a sharp right sided pain that has yet to be diagnosed. On 2/2/11, I got a sharp pain that wouldn't go away. It was knife-like. Sent me to the ER, and after a Cat Scan, bloodwork, and urine they sent me home saying I may have strained a muscle in my abdomen. fast forward almost a month later, I still have this sharp pain and swelling in my abdomen. They have ruled out gynecolocial problems such as a cyst by doing a pelvic ultrasound, They also did an abdominal wall ultrasound on that side, and found nothing. So....here I am, with a sharp pain and no explanation. It just feels as if something in there is inflamed or twisted or swollen. I cannot describe it any better than that.

My question, is can your intestines become so swollen and inflamed from an undiagnosed gluten intolerance that it would cause continued unrelenting pain? It is daily, and it does not go away. I called my Clevelend Clinic doc, and she ordered another round of celiac testing through QUEST, as long as a Vitamin B6, B12, and a Vitamin D. Ive never had vitamin levels checked, so maybe the celiac tests along with vitamin levels will help them see something??

I really do not hear complaints of knife-like side pain on here, so I just wondered if this was a possibility. I have had bloating, constipation, indigestion for about 5 years - they just say it is IBS. I can deal with that - just not the sharp stuff :/

i think i had this a couple of times, but now i don't remember. but i could FEEL the inflammation in my intestines. they were ALWAYS hurting. i didn't test positive medically but my doctor said he could see the inflammation damage. i have now been gluten-free for 10 months. after a week or two of following the diet i no longer could feel that inflammation.

[GFinDC]

I had pain in my left side below my rib cage for years. And all over pain in my abdomen. And that stuff hurts!

Anyhow, whine on, whine off. There are some people who have celiac but refuse to test positive on the official doctors tests. We call them RavenwoodGlass. So you have to decide at some point if you are going to believe a doctor and a test result or take a chance on the gluten-free diet. I know you tried it before, but trying it again doesn't hurt anything.

There are plenty of other intolerances around, so consider eliminating them to start with also. The simpler your diet is to start out the better. You can always add food to your diet slowly after you have gotten stabilized.

[Korwyn]

I had multiple inexplicable intestinal pains for years. The right side one was a sharp, stabbing pain that would come out of nowhere and double me over. The left one would be a duller pain that would wax and wane. Not long before my diagnosis both pains were pretty much present all the time. I was diagnosed with IBS prior, then also diverticulosus, and a small hernia after a CT. Within a couple months of STRICT (I'm super sensitive) gluten-free/CF diet both pains were GONE.

[longbeardscott]

I was paleo/gluten-free for four years.  For some reason, I got lazy and went back to gluten/wheat products.  At about the same time, I got a really bad case of heartburn from a trip through Taco Bell.  It lasted for several days so I went to my GP who prescribed Cipro because he thought I got a bug that was creating an ulcer.  The heartburn went away, but I immediately started to get diarrhea, gut pain, gas, bloating, etc.  This lasted for a year, then in morphed into non-stop constipation, CONSTANT, SHARP, RIGHT SIDE GUT PAIN, fatigue, depression, gas, and bloating.  I have had this for 3-1/2 years and have been diagnosed by two gastroenterologists with IBS-C but will be going to the Mayo Clinic in August because I don't respond to treatment and it only seems to be getting worse.  I have been tested for celiac disease and came up negative.  

I am currently wondering if, since I was gluten free for four years, is it possible that the combination of the stomach bug, Cipro, and returning to gluten has created a severe gluten sensitivity?  I stopped all gluten/wheat two days ago I it seems to be very slightly better. 

These are the first stories I have read that are almost identical to my own.  My life has been a living hell for 3-1/2 years.  

                 

[frieze]

OP, check out sphincter of Odi dysfunction.

[TrainInVain]

Hi, I was just diagnosed last week with Celiac. In addition to the traditional daily symptoms I kept getting stomach flu every 3 months for the last 2 years and it seemed to get more severe every time. Extreme pain in lower right abdomen, fever, chills, and diarrhea(which I was having daily anyway not knowing it was Celiac). I did have a Abdominal CT scan which said no signs of IBS or Chron's and nothing came up that would relate to the stomach flu I kept getting. Since I'm new to this I have yet to find out if going gluten free will stop the stomach flu-like symptoms.

Are you in a position to see a different GI? I know I had Kaiser a few years back and went through multiple Primary Care doctors until I found one I liked. My mom went through years of being told nothing is wrong with her until a Dr diagnosed Sjogren's syndrome. Not sure if any of that helps but best of luck in getting it nailed down.