IBS / CELIAC DISEASE

I have IBS and have similar symptoms. My pain came and went with huge health anxiety and bowel habit changes and the severity of the pain was different at various points in the day. Going to the loo can temporarily help the pain with IBS. Celiac can have similar symptoms, so that will need to be ruled out first before considering IBS especially since you dad has it.

I'll only address your reports of occasional pain in your abdomen.

Coeliac disease can be diagnosed by specific tests, and it might be worth asking for the full range of these if you have it in the family. IBS is normally only diagnosed when investigations for all other causes of your symptoms have come up negative.

Now, about the pain that wasn't there when your doctor examined you... As you've said in a later post, you should probably stop poking yourself!

We all get occasional gas pains, regardless of whether we have any intestinal conditions or not. I've always been a very "gassy" person, even before my current symptoms started, and have always been subject to sudden pains in my abdomen that go away soon afterwards. I sometimes feel them at the sides of my back too, just under the ribcage. In almost every case, if I wait a few minutes I feel the movement of gas in my colon and the pain stops (or moves elsewhere). This is just due to temporary distension of part of your colon by a large gas bubble, and is perfectly normal. You've probably always had these brief, transient pains but are only paying attention to them now, because you're understandably a bit anxious.

Given that you're still young, I'd advise concentrating on the main event - i.e. getting properly investigated - rather than worrying about every twinge you get. Sustained pain in your abdomen needs to be taken seriously of course, but this will make itself only too obvious without poking at your stomach.

I have very bad irritable bowel syndrome