Stomach Pain

[drea]

Does anyone have ulcer type pain? Pain and burning in the upper stomach that radiates through to the back? Is this a normal symptom of celiac? Also, does the specific carbohydrate diet help with this type of pain? I need some relief!

[elephantofsuprise]

Do you notice the pain mostly on your middle to right side and into your back? Sounds similar to my symptoms of gall bladder disease. Had a lot of pain after eating fatty foods and especially after eating any type of meat.

Melissa

[drea]

I had my gallbladder removed when I was 18. The pain is right below my breastbone and into my stomach. I get indigestion with it too. Sometimes my stomach is fine, then out of the blue this pain will start. This time, I know it wasn't from gluten. I have been very meticulous in what I have been eating since being glutenized a few weeks ago.

[elephantofsuprise]

So much for my genius diagnosis Does it feel at all the same as when your gall bladder would act up because my doctor said it is possible to get stones again?? (Don't ask me how? ) Just a thought.

Melissa

[drea]

Should've mentioned before, I never had stones. Docotor said it was just diseased. It doesn't feel the same as when I had gallbladder problems though. I have noticed though, that since I got my gallbladder out, my stomach problems have continued and I think, gotten worse. I dont know if that happens to most people when they get it out. Thought it was supposed to make things better. Apparently not! (for me anyway)

[judy05]

Does anyone have ulcer type pain? Pain and burning in the upper stomach that radiates through to the back? Is this a normal symptom of celiac?  Also, does the specific carbohydrate diet help with this type of pain?  I need some relief!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi,

I also suffer this type of pain, had all GB testing, which was negative. Thr GI doc said it is IBS and the pain was relieved by increasing fiber and a small dose of antidepressant made me better. Try not to let yourself get constipated, I take Citracel tabs. Also don't put insoluble foods first into your empty stomach. It causes the colon to spasm and therin the pain. I try to start my meals with a banana and/or applesauce. read up on IBS to learn more tips and how to tell if food is soluble or insoluble. Hope this helps. My pain was always on the right side and radiating to the back.

[judy05]

Does anyone have ulcer type pain? Pain and burning in the upper stomach that radiates through to the back? Is this a normal symptom of celiac?  Also, does the specific carbohydrate diet help with this type of pain?  I need some relief!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi,

I also suffer this type of pain, had all GB testing, which was negative. Thr GI doc said it is IBS and the pain was relieved by increasing fiber and a small dose of antidepressant made me better. Try not to let yourself get constipated, I take Citracel tabs. Also don't put insoluble foods first into your empty stomach. It causes the colon to spasm and therin the pain. I try to start my meals with a banana and/or applesauce. read up on IBS to learn more tips and how to tell if food is soluble or insoluble. Hope this helps. My pain was always on the right side and radiating to the back.

[Carriefaith]

When I have a gluten accident I get mild to severe upper abdominal pain. The pain is right where the stomach/upper small intestine might be. I almost wonder if it is a sign that damage is occuring.

[skbird]

FYI on the gallstones without the gallbladder - from what I've read, gallstones are actually formed in the liver and then collected in the gallbladder. So that's why you'd still get them after the gallbladder is removed. I take supplements for my liver as I have cholesterol problems, food intolerances (obviously! ) and hormone problems, all are signs of congested liver.

I have been getting pain like that lately, too, the last few months, which is sort of new. More into my stomach though, only occasionaly up near the breastbone - sounds a little like acid reflux.

Stephanie

[BamBam]

All of my problems started following my gall bladder surgery in 1988. I had the surgery and was in the hospital for five days. I did not have a bowel movement in the five days that I was there, so they gave me a stool softener and up until I learned about gluten intolerance I had a hell of a time, especially while traveling. Severe abdominal pain for basiclaly 13 years and I had four colonoscopies, sigmoidoscopy's upper GI's, lower GI's and blood and poop cultures by the dozen and everybody says "you're okay, it's just IBS." Well, let me tell you when I went gluten free, and I am still fighting all the ingredient labels and I am learning every day what is and isn't gluten free, I feel almost 100% better, and I am not going to any doctor to get "diagnosed." I already wasted thousands of dollars on tests, I am not going through that again.

BamBam

[northman]

I've had the same pains you are describing, but haven't been gluten-free long enough to know if it's related to celiac disease or not. I was diagnosed 2 weeks ago, after being miserable since last September. I've been to more Doctors in that time than I care to list, had all the tests they could think of and had my Gall Bladder removed in January. When my symptoms persisted post-op and my weight dropped to 160 lb. (I'm 6'2") my PC Physician finally decided to do a celiac sprue test which came up positive. I've been gluten-free for two weeks since then and feel 1000% better! I mentioned Gluten Intolerance to my Dr. back in November (at my Mom's insistance!) but I think that they were too focused on my Gall Bladder at that time to think about it. I've been Glutenized a couple of times by stealth ingredients since I went gluten-free but fortunately didn't suffer too much because of it. I wish they could have diagnosed me sooner but that's behind me now and I can move on Gluten-Free! Thanks to everyone here for your information - it truly has been a godsend!

Steve

[Canadian Karen]

I occasionally get those type of pains, but mine is definitely due to gas (it is sharp, stabbing kind of pain and I have to keep changing positions on the floor in order to work the gas through my system). I usually start lying on my stomach for a few minutes, switch over to one side for a few minutes, then on my back for a few minutes, then the other side. Usually by this time, I am ready to fly to the bathroom! Also, I find either a hot water bottle or a heating pad on low helps with the pain also.....

Steve, I see that was your first post, just wanted to welcome you to the board!!! If you are newly diagnosed, there is a wealth of knowledge here with the people on this board! Any questions you have, just fire away!!!!

Karen

[jknnej]

Sounds to me like heartburn.

I have those symptoms and thank God, Nexium relieves them. Talk to your dr. about a trial of Nexium to see if it helps. It did for me (of course, only after they put me through all of the other tests!!)

Jenn:)

[misskris]

Does anyone have ulcer type pain? Pain and burning in the upper stomach that radiates through to the back? Is this a normal symptom of celiac?  Also, does the specific carbohydrate diet help with this type of pain?  I need some relief!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oooo...me! When I eat gluten this is the first sign. I get severe pain right under my breastbone/stomach area. And I feel like my tummy is on FIRE! I'm guessing it's really my small intestine that I'm feeling, but at that point, the pain is so bad it's hard to pinpoint. Dunno if that is normal or not, but that's my experience. My hubby persuaded me to try antacids last time. Maybe helped a little??? Also tried taking an extra acidophilus before when this happened, thinking maybe that would help. I'm not sure if it did. It generally goes away on its own in a couple of hours. But then nausea sets in. Bah!

[ShortStuff2309]

Hello,

I also have had the same type of pain. As a matter of fact, just before I was diagnosed with Celiac, I was away on vacation and the pain in my stomach was so bad that I couldn't stand it. I was rolling around on the bed, crying my eyes out because I was in so much pain. I called my doctor and he told me to get to the emergency room right away, so I did. They, of course, did nothing but give me pain killer and told me to see my doctor when I got back home. I tried the pain killer twice and both times, it didn't even touch the pain. So I saw my doctor as soon as I got back home a few days later and he was certain it was an ulcer because of the type of pain I was having. I had an edoscopy done and the doctor who did it didn't find anything wrong. He was the one who noticed that my symptoms sounded much like Celiac disease and he was the one who tested me for it. Sure enough, that's what was wrong.

Before I was diagnosed with this, I was told it was an ulcer, heartburn, acid reflux, my gall bladder, etc etc etc etc etc. And all my tests always came back normal and the meds for all of those things never helped me. But the gluten-free diet has helped so I know that's what it's from.

When I eat anything that has gluten in it, I get horrible burning that starts right in the middle of my ribs and slowly works its way up and down until there isn't any part of my middle that doesn't feel like it's on fire. I explained it as feeling like someone lit a torch and put it in my stomach. Before I knew what was wrong with me, I would eat crackers to try and make it go away, because you're always told to eat crackers when you have a stomach ache. Which always made it even worse, and of course, now I know why! But it is a terrible, terrible feeling.

[jenvan]

Other possible sources for the pain (these were explored for me when I was experiencing the abdominal pain): sphincter of oddi dysfuntion (can find info on internet) and pancreatitis--something to not mess with. luckily i waited to have the suggested procedure and after a few months the pain went away. one thought is that i had inflammation from celiac that finally started to heal after 4 mos or so on the diet.

[digerati]

Whoa! So this is what my problem has been! Last night I ate a piece of grilled (roasted?) chicken from KFC and about 10 minutes later had the worst heartburn I've ever experienced. I suspected the chicken, and so I checked the KFC website (which I should have done BEFORE I got it) and you guessed it, wheat!

The transition into a gluten-free diet is not going to be easy.

[misskris]

Whoa! So this is what my problem has been! Last night I ate a piece of grilled (roasted?) chicken from KFC and about 10 minutes later had the worst heartburn I've ever experienced. I suspected the chicken, and so I checked the KFC website (which I should have done BEFORE I got it) and you guessed it, wheat!

The transition into a gluten-free diet is not going to be easy. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I KNOW! I was so excited that they had roasted chicken until I realized it was breaded! Why oh why wold you want to ruin perfectly yummy chicken with breading? FYI...I've been addicted to Chic-fil-A grilled chicken lately. Good food on the go that's actually gluten-free - it doesn't get any better than that. Hang in there!

[elonwy]

I got glutened on Wednesday and had a stabbing burning pain in my upper chest area ( esophagus- felt like BAD reflux) that turned into a dull stomach pain/nausea that spread to my back. It was starting to hurt so bad I was having trouble breathing and downed some Pepto to fix it. I'm on Acid blockers and shouldn't be having an reflux problems. I think it was the gluten.

Could I be getting more sensitive now that I'm taking it out of my diet?

Elonwy

[Misa]

Pre-gluten-free, I once woke up in the middle of the night with terrible stomach pain. The pain was so bad I actually passed out twice before I reached the phone to call for help. After much testing and poking at the ER, it turned out to be gas! Very embarrasing The Doc said somtimes bloating can cause such pain that it actually feels like a heartattack....nice

Misa

[2old4]

I also had my gallbladder out and still felt those type of pains. Mine almost completely stopped when I went gluten-free. Now I occasionally have acid pains when I take medication or vitamins if I don't drink enough liquids. (I also had an esphagal cyst removed last year, which may explain this) But even before, I noticed if I didn't drink enough water I experienced more problems. Water also helps in the way of oxygen to the brain so I don't experience the "foggy head" feeling.

[Canadian Karen]

Misa,

The exact same thing happened to me a couple of years ago. The pain was so intense that I had to take a taxi to the hospital. After a bunch of tests, the doc comes in and says "Here, try this and see if it helps....". It was something they call a "Pink Lady". Well, whatever was in it (I know Pepto was part of it, but some other powerful stuff in there too), worked like a charm. That's when the doc told me that the pain was gas.......

Embarrassing........

Karen

[Canadian Karen]

Actually, just to add to that:

The best way to describe how it felt is like it felt like a dam was in my intestines stopping everything from going down and the pain was incredible. When I had the "Pink Lady", it felt like a bomb that immediately broke the dam and suddenly there was relief!!!! Sounds weird, I know, but boy, was I happy!!!!

Karen

[Misa]

Hi Karen

Good to know I'm not alone We probably weren't the first and won't be the last this happens to..but yeah, totally embarrassing....

Take care, Misa

PS I had the same "blockage" feeling.

[narelleo]

Hi I'm new to the site and only 3 mths celiac disease diagnosed, I am in Australia, it is because of pains that I came looking, since learning that I am Ceoliac I have been strick but it seems I may have been not stricted enough as I have had terrible pains in the lower part of my bowel leading up to my stomach and also had a temp with it for 24 hours, I am amazed by the cross contamination aspect and it is good to read your posts and check things out. I have had a lot of Abdominal and stomach surgery over the years and hence I suffer from a type of medical induced bulimia as well as celiac disease and this means that most of my food comes up anyway so my poor old tummy gets a hard going, mind you I am still overweight but not obese any more at least.