I have had painful gas for more than two weeks now. It's pretty constant, but gets much worse after eating and at night. I was diagnosed with IBS a year ago, after suffering without a diagnosis for another year - but this doesn't follow the pattern of my usual "attacks" at all, so I really don't think that's it. I haven't had any change in diet lately, either.
At first, I figured it was some minor stomach bug and shrugged it off, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. In fact, the pain has kept me up the past two nights in a row. None of the OTC stuff seems to help at all. Could this possibly be some sort of stomach bug, still going strong in its third week? Could I have developed some sort of allergy or sensitivity that suddenly?
ETA: I had my gall bladder removed two years ago. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I had not even considered the possibility of a hernia or an ulcer. I did some reading about ulcers, and I've got every one of the symptoms except the vomiting. So I guess this is probably not a stomach bug, and it is time to make a doctor's appointment. Thanks again!
It could be so many things.
- Appendix
- Gallbladder
- Hernia
- Diverticulitis
- Lactose Intollerance
- Dairy Intolerance
- Worms
- Ovarian Cysts
- Endometriosis
- etc.
Time for a trip to the doctor
I too have IBS. Not only it is embarrassing, but it is also painful. However, I also have endometriosis. The endo can cause gas like pains too. I would get in with your doc and make sure that you don’t have a cyst. When my cyst ruptured it felt like horrible gas pains.
Good luck!!!
If you have IBS, it's very possible you also have food allergies or food intolerances as well. IBS doesn't just "magically" appear; something has to trigger it. Usually food, but not always. I would think about looking at seeing a Naturopathic doctor and being tested for food allergies/intolerances.
Also, you said you've had your gall bladder removed. Do you eat lettuce, cabbage, sauerkraut, beans, or fried foods on a regular basis? Once you no longer have a gallbladder your body has a much, much harder time processing these foods. You could try taking digestive enzymes to see if that helps break down these foods so your body can more easily process them.
You say you have "gas"--are you farting? Or is it more a pain and a pressure somewhere in your gut/intestine area? Is it in the same spot? Is it constant or comes and goes? Does it hurt if you press on that particular spot? If yes to any of these questions, you should see a doctor and rule out a hernia or some other issue with your intestines (such as an obstruction). If you have a hernia or other issue, it will hurt/make its presence known more after you eat when your body is digesting the food.
i am wondering if you have more than IBS going on, meaning has the IBS responded well to your treatment regime or not? or has it progessively gotten worse and this could be a sign of your IBS taking at turn, say into an auto-immune disorder like Chrohn's disease? your symptoms have been going on long enough that you need to seek medical attention to rule out both minor and serious stuff. virsus and bugs only last 5-7 days, so even if you had 2 back to back, that's 2 weeks. please get yourself checked out again.
I've had IBS for years and have experienced symptoms in different ways. Last summer I had chronic diarrhea and continually increasing pain. I went to the doctor after a month of this when my back was constantly aching. He thought IBS but did a stool sample just in case. I had an infection and a round of anti-biotics not only cleared up the symptoms but I regained energy I hadn't felt for months and months. Apparently I'd had the infection for some time. I wish I'd gone to the doctor sooner.
So, I urge you to check this out with your doctor.
ummmm, hernia? I don't know that much about those.... but I was in Urgent Care 10 days ago for what I thought was a ruptured ovarian cyst. The FIRST thing she checked me for after hearing my symptoms and pushing on my abdomen was a hernia.
Thankfully (or embarassingly.... ) seemed to be a HORRID case of gas.
Now - THIS week I had the stomach bug. Knocked me FLAT for 4 days. So.... maybe your tummy issues are a pre-cursor to the fun that is coming......
Dr Mercola.Com has some good info on IBS
check it out
he gives alternatives and addresses the underlying effects, in other words, his approach isn't a band aide effort.. check out the link
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/0...
Could you be pregnant? I know this would be the last thing you thought of but I had the same exact symptoms a year ago and I was woried, thought the worst. Turns out I was pregnant and for some reason I was getting these symptoms. Strange.
You could check on having gall bladder trouble. I know they generally get worse at night, but not always. You could also look up ulcers. I have had both, but the ulcer was the one that gave me the most gas. Sorry you are in pain, hope you figure it out quick.
Also, get your gallbladder checked. It's worse pain after eating fatty foods, worse at night, and gives you gas. Symptoms can last a LONG time and come and go...my MIL had pain for a year and when they determined it was gallbladder and removed it, all her pain went away. Just a thought.
- RN
