Acid Reflux Vs. Celiac

[kerrera]

HI everyone! A quick question for ya. My diet is totally gluten-free and my antibody numbers have gone down drastically, yea! So why am I still in excruciating stomach pain? I have severe reflux and just consulted with a surgeon about the lap nissen procedure. But I've never heard of stomach cramps being a side-effect of reflux. Not only is my stomach burning, it's also crampy and I have really bad gas pain. It hurts so bad! I'm so sick of this. I'm sorry to vent but why won't the pain go away? Sometimes I just lose my patience and reach my breaking point. Does anyone else have severe reflux? My GI says that it's completely seperate from celiac. Just when I thought that I had figured it all out, the cramps have returned full force. There could be cross-contamination of course but this hurts too bad and happens to frequently to be cc. HELP!!!!

Kristy

[higgins]

Kristy:

I have read that celiac disease may be accompanied by any assortment of digestive disorders. I continued to be symptomatic after going gluten-free, only to discover the symptoms were now being triggered by a lactose intolerance - which I am told is a common deal with us.

Sometimes I get symptomatic apparently for no reason. Perhaps it's just another un-discovered intolerance.

Richard

[JoeB]

HI everyone! A quick question for ya. My diet is totally gluten-free and my antibody numbers have gone down drastically, yea! So why am I still in excruciating stomach pain? I have severe reflux and just consulted with a surgeon about the lap nissen procedure. But I've never heard of stomach cramps being a side-effect of reflux. Not only is my stomach burning, it's also crampy and I have really bad gas pain. It hurts so bad! I'm so sick of this.  I'm sorry to vent but why won't the pain go away? Sometimes I just lose my patience and reach my breaking point. Does anyone else have severe reflux? My GI says that it's completely seperate from celiac. Just when I thought that I had figured it all out, the cramps have returned full force. There could be cross-contamination of course but this hurts too bad and happens to frequently to be cc. HELP!!!!

Kristy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kristy -

Aside from celiac, I had a peptic ulcer about 15 years ago and I've been treated from reflux for the last 10 years, so I can sympathize with you.

I've never had cramps with reflux. It bothered me at night, mostly between midnight and 4 am and it was basically stomach acid coming up my throat. The only pain was the burning in my throat. So I don't think your problem is reflux.

The pain I got from the ulcer was sharp and I generally felt it in stomach and in the area of my liver. That's because ulcer pain can really appear anywhere - your stomach, shoulder, hips, etc. The ulcer never gave me cramps, only sharp pain. Eating made the pain go away. Unfortunately, I used to go on a "white" diet when I had ulcer attacks - bread, pasta, milk, etc. This was before I was diagnosed with celiac. I'm sure you know what the result was!

You don't mention if you've had a gastroscopy. If you haven't you should. Aside from confirming that your celiac disease is under control, it will also confirm whether you have an ulcer. If you do, it's pretty easy to cure with the variety of different medications available now.

Good luck!

[kerrera]

Thank you guys for getting back to me so quickly I've had an endoscopy, colonoscopy, ultrasound, bloodwork, and a barium swallow and have been told that their is no ulcer. I can't believe that this pain is from lactose, but maybe it's one of the casues. I should probably be tested for other food allergies since I've been on allergy shots my whole life for other thing, pollen, dust, etc. After you guys found out you had celiac were there other tests done for other digestive disorders besides the ones I've had done? What's a gastroscopy? I took Pepto about an hour ago and it did nothing! Ugh! Man, I'm cranky.....

[JoeB]

Kristy -

Gastroscopy is just an endoscopy of your stomach, so it sounds like you already had that. Check to see if the doctor biopsied your stomach as well as your small intestines. The stomach biopsy can be positive even if the ulcer isn't visible.

It probably won't make a big difference, but I used to take Pepto until the doctor told me it contains aspirin. I stay away from all types of aspirin products now, just to be safe. Try switching to Maalox instead - 1/2 hour after meals and before bed. If it is some kind of stomach irritation, stay aware from alcohol and caffeine, too (including chocolate).

I have the dust and pollen problems, too but they never affected my stomach.

I've done the lactose-free diet along the way and I found it more restrictive than the gluten-free diet, but give it a try to see if you get good results. Milk can be a big problem if you can't tolerate it. Just don't give up - I've had stomach problems since I was a kid (I'm in my 50's). I've had to do all those tests you've taken (most of them multiple times), but I'm finally at the point where I don't have pain and I feel the best that I can remember. It's not going to take you that long because the science is so much better - just keep talking to your doctor (or change doctors if you need to) until you find a solution.

[blueshift]

I get a feeling in my stomach area as well...However, it is coming from the colon. When the small bowel gets cramps and does any twisting or obstructing, it will not be felt in the colon first, but up in that same area that you feel is a stomach problem..

Water gives my cramps and can twist my gut up really big time. I can only drink water in the early A.M. and again late at night...During the day....forget it..

East Indian food gets rid of my "stomach" or reflux symptom and that tells me right there that the stomach is not the issue..Some foods besides wheat and gluten are the problem...I just had a very bad episode today..My lunch was too bland and not hot and spicy enough to relax me..I cannot take down any flours at all...All of them constipate me...Downing carrot juice several times each day is great...for me anyway..

I would elimiate more foods from the diet to start and get a thorough exam dealing with allergies..

[slickfox]

I have in the past had acid reflux real bad, I take Prevacid for the reflux, works well. However for the cramps I had these real bad when I was younger, before my wheat allergy, I was diagnosed through a breath test as having Helicobactor Pylori, may want to look into it.

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