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''The'' stomach ache....how could artificial sweeteners and gluten cause the same feeling?

BlackShoesBlackSocks

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BlackShoesBlackSocks Enthusiast
BlackShoesBlackSocks
Posted

Hey all

 

So l am undiagnosed but along with other symptoms have had increasingly bad stomach aches for over the past year.

 

They are specific, l tend to remember what l was doing and where l was when l have them. It's ''that'' thing again. l don't believe l had this kind of stomachache in childhood or even as a teenager, ever. Likely not until mid 20s, then a year might pass without one.

 

Now it happens at least once a month, before being gluten-free, once a week for the last few months. They  last several hours, at first l had to ride it out at work and the most severe one was probably around Christmas last year, l'm a retail manager and was on register. While they happen l lean INTO the counter to try and apply pressure to the upper middle slight left  area of my stomach.

 

Now sometimes l've found drinking soda helps, but l have no idea why it would. Not sucralose or aspartame containing, l do NOT drink diet soda or eat lght foods, but l do consume a lot of gum and mints with sucralose or aspartame, and afterward, ot seems like the same stomach ache, almost like something is being pushed...out?

 

l am newly gluten-free but have been strict so l am just not sure why aspartame would cause the same feeling as what l thought was a gluten stomach ache. FWIW, the worst episode actually was after catered Olive Garden last Christmas and this often happens after pasta and heavily preserved pasta like Chef Boyardee products.

 

as a kid l was a big pasta lover and had none of these problems!

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Bubbles from soda can help move the gas along!

I find that aspartame gives me  & one of my sons (not Celiac) a stomach ache but we are fine with sucralose.  I know some people (Celiac or not) that have the exact opposite.  

Victoria1234 Experienced
Victoria1234
Posted

Sugar free gum is a total no no for me. Gives me tons of digestive distress!

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted
1 minute ago, Victoria1234 said:

Sugar free gum is a total no no for me. Gives me tons of digestive distress!

Chewing gum causes you to swallow a lot of air.

Victoria1234 Experienced
Victoria1234
Posted
Just now, kareng said:

Chewing gum causes you to swallow a lot of air.

Aspartame does the same to me when I used to drink soda or use those packets in a restaurant to sweeten my tea. (I am of course in the south!) Now, I just don't ingest any sugar subs at all and call it a day. But that pain and the abdominal pain I had before going off gluten was very similar.

BlackShoesBlackSocks Enthusiast
BlackShoesBlackSocks
Posted
  • Author
23 minutes ago, kareng said:

Bubbles from soda can help move the gas along!

I find that aspartame gives me  & one of my sons (not Celiac) a stomach ache but we are fine with sucralose.  I know some people (Celiac or not) that have the exact opposite.  

Does it feel similar to what you would experience after eating gluten if you have gluten related stomach aches as well?

 

Maybe l'm just more sensitive at this point. lve also noticed eating a plain green apple helps too so maybe whatever is going on in that specific area is just intense gas.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted
Just now, BlackShoesBlackSocks said:

Does it feel similar to what you would experience after eating gluten if you have gluten related stomach aches as well?

 

Maybe l'm just more sensitive at this point. lve also noticed eating a plain green apple helps too so maybe whatever is going on in that specific area is just intense gas.

Yes.  Aspartame and the sweetener in gum make me feel like a gluten ache.  But it is short lived and doesn't cause the exhaustion and diarrhea I get from gluten

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Ennis-TX Grand Master
Ennis-TX
Posted

I have a very similar if not worse bipoloar mind trips to aspartame as gluten complete Mr. Hyde yelling, punching walls, snapping 180 difference in personality.

Jaemac Rookie
Jaemac
Posted

I agree with all above. I find artificial sweeteners can make my stomach hurt but then so does soda, I'm  just not good with bubbleds. On the other hand, preservatives are a total and complete no-no for me.  If I pair high preservatives with gluten I'm sick for days and days and days. I guess then my very worst meal is  my favorite, pizza with lots of pepperoni etc and diet soda, lol. I do miss it, it's one of the only cravings I still get. I also find that if I've been glutened in the past month, I react much more strongly to some foods. Normally now I'm ok with cheese but if I've been glutened it reverts back to lactose intolerance for 3-6 months. I do just what you do with that stomach pain, lean into something or lie down and massage my stomach, pressure seems to relieve it momentarily.

BlackShoesBlackSocks Enthusiast
BlackShoesBlackSocks
Posted
  • Author
15 hours ago, Jaemac said:

I agree with all above. I find artificial sweeteners can make my stomach hurt but then so does soda, I'm  just not good with bubbleds. On the other hand, preservatives are a total and complete no-no for me.  If I pair high preservatives with gluten I'm sick for days and days and days. I guess then my very worst meal is  my favorite, pizza with lots of pepperoni etc and diet soda, lol. I do miss it, it's one of the only cravings I still get. I also find that if I've been glutened in the past month, I react much more strongly to some foods. Normally now I'm ok with cheese but if I've been glutened it reverts back to lactose intolerance for 3-6 months. I do just what you do with that stomach pain, lean into something or lie down and massage my stomach, pressure seems to relieve it momentarily.

l'm really glad you know whatl mean by ''the'' pain, in the same spot. l had never had that kind of pain before. l know it doesn't mean that it's gluten related specifically, but it is a realllly awful stomach ache. if l had never tried to figure out what it was l may be getting them at work daily now, it would suck to have to leave because of a stomach ache but all you can do is bend over, lean in or lay down!

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