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Chronic abdominal pain... Celiac?

Chase80

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Chase80 Newbie
Chase80
Posted

For the past year I have had pain in my upper left abdomen and upper right abdomen along with fatigue. There isn't much nausea and it's never made me throw up but the pain is ruining my life. It also seems to be worse on an empty stomach and especially bad first thing in the morning.

I've had an ultrasound, blood work, h pylori test, and a urine test. All tests were fine.

After a year of this, I just want relief. Prilosec and Zantac have done nothing. My doc thinks it's an ulcer, GERD, gastritis, or something related but the meds have never helped so it's obviously something else.

I'm really beginning to believe this is diet related and am about to try a gluten free and dairy free lifestyle.

For those of you with celiac disease and/or other food intolerances, was chronic and crippling abdominal pain one of your symptoms?

Was it an achy, dull pain that would just never go away? Was the pain hard to pinpoint (just a general ache that covers the stomach region of the abdomen)? Did you get spasms and a crampy bloated feeling out of nowhere?

Just trying to determine if this may be celiac or a food intolerance, and interested in hearing about your abdominal pain symptoms.

Thanks!

EDIT: I forgot to mention, but for a couple of years before the abdominal pain started, I would get mysterious rashes and hives constantly. They had no logical source that I could figure out, but it would make sense if it was a food allergy.

 

 

 

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cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Welcome!  It is advised by all the leading celiac researchers to test to celiac disease (which is not an allergy or a food intolerance but an autoimmune disorder like MS or lupus) before going on a gluten free diet.  Here's a list of the tests:

http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/screening/

I can not answer your question about pain, etc.  There are about 300 symptoms that can be attributed to celiac disease making a diagnosis a bit more difficult.  

SLLRunner Enthusiast
SLLRunner
Posted

Welcome, @Chase80. :)

As your doctor to refer you to a celiac saavy GI and start with the full blood testing for celiac. Do not go gluten free until all testing is complete, otherwise results will be invalid.

I was diagnosed with GERD and Gastritis and medication has not helped a bit. In fact, it seemed to make it worse and I stopped taking it.  Unfortunately, I am currently eating gluten as I await a new doctor under new insurance so that I can be retested. The last doctor I had did not take the full celiac blood panel (I think she thought she did, but she knows nothing about celiac).

Please keep us posted.

  • 3 years later...
Amy76 Newbie
Amy76
Posted
On 5/13/2016 at 11:42 PM, Chase80 said:

Chase80 my husband has symptoms that are exactly like yours... we've been wondering what he has for a while now. May I ask if you received a successful diagnosis and treatment? Thanks!! Amy

 

 

For the past year I have had pain in my upper left abdomen and upper right abdomen along with fatigue. There isn't much nausea and it's never made me throw up but the pain is ruining my life. It also seems to be worse on an empty stomach and especially bad first thing in the morning.

I've had an ultrasound, blood work, h pylori test, and a urine test. All tests were fine.

After a year of this, I just want relief. Prilosec and Zantac have done nothing. My doc thinks it's an ulcer, GERD, gastritis, or something related but the meds have never helped so it's obviously something else.

I'm really beginning to believe this is diet related and am about to try a gluten free and dairy free lifestyle.

For those of you with celiac disease and/or other food intolerances, was chronic and crippling abdominal pain one of your symptoms?

Was it an achy, dull pain that would just never go away? Was the pain hard to pinpoint (just a general ache that covers the stomach region of the abdomen)? Did you get spasms and a crampy bloated feeling out of nowhere?

Just trying to determine if this may be celiac or a food intolerance, and interested in hearing about your abdominal pain symptoms.

Thanks!

EDIT: I forgot to mention, but for a couple of years before the abdominal pain started, I would get mysterious rashes and hives constantly. They had no logical source that I could figure out, but it would make sense if it was a food allergy.

 

 

 

 

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Hi Amy,

Yes, I had similar pain for a quite a while.  However it eventually morphed into a sharp pain and made it hard to sleep.  Celiac symptoms are like a kaliedoscope, all different colors for whoever happens to look through it.

But please don't go gluten-free without getting tested first.  The celiac disease testing requires us to be on a gluten containing diet.  If you go gluten-free now you miss the chance of getting an accurate diagnosis.  Yes, it is possible to get tested later but you would need to resume eating gluten for 12 weeks for the blood tests or 3 to 4 weeks for the endoscopy.

You could go off dairy now though.  Many times people with celiac disease have trouble digesting dairy due to the gut damage.  Going off dairy may relieve some symptoms a bit but won't interfere with celiac testing.

Some over the counter meds that may help symptoms are Pepto Bismol and peppermint Altoids.  Peppermint helps to get gas out of the stomach (bloating).

Welcome to the forum! :)

chocolatesunrise Explorer
chocolatesunrise
Posted

I’m still in the midst of my work up for celiac so I can’t tell you for sure if my symptoms are due to celiac or not, but for what it’s worth I have very similar pain to what you describe. I also had a negative h pylori breath test and a few negative ultrasounds looking for gall stones. I second the peppermint altoids and peppermint oil. I think it helps a little. My endoscopy is in 2 days so I’m hoping I finally get some answers!!  

Keight Enthusiast
Keight
Posted

I have just had my endoscopy two days ago. Haven't really been eating much gluten over the last 10 years, but had to eat it daily for the lead up to the endo.

I found I had stabbing pain in the abdomen around the navel area. And a dull ache from the left to the right all across just below the navel. 

Now I am not eating gluten, that left to right area under the navel is tender and feels bruised. The stabbing pain around the navel has gone. Bloating has decreased and nausea is going. 

I have had this pain under the navel for a good 4 years and assumed it is uterus pain. The uterus is lower and further in. This is just below the ab muscles. 

My blood work for Coeliac was high on both, so just waiting on pathogy results. 

My intestines feel like sand paper has been rubbed down the insides of them and that area is bruised from a giant kick to the area. 

Does that all make sense?

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