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Stabbing pain in abdomen

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alison79127
alison79127

I have had a mild form of IBS for many years, linked with stress.  Over the last year or so, I have also occasionally had an extremely sharp stabbing pain in the right side of my lower abdomen.  When this occurs, I have to crawl off to bed with a heat pack until it passes - usually a couple of hours, and then I am totally fatigued for the rest of the day.

Last year, I linked it with eating too much fruit, but when on holiday in Greece, I was fine.

It has started up again recently.  I have been for an ultrasound and they say everything is fine.  The GP has tried prescribing Mebeverine and Buscopan, neither of which do anything at all.

Yesterday I had the fatigue first and when I got up, was struck down with a tremendous pain across the whole abdomen, which pretty well lasted the rest of the day.

I am so fed up with this.  I cannot do anything when the pain strikes but don't seem to be any nearer to finding out how to prevent it. (Unfortunately if it is caused by stress, the stresses in our family are permanent.)

Does anyone else suffer from this? 

I would love to hear any thoughts or ideas, thank you.

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • teresa54229
    teresa54229 alison79127

    Posted

    i did have the stabbing pains as you describe i am still learning its a trial and error thing, try polo mints or if you can hack the strong trebor mints use them as mints settle your stomach, also it a diet thing aswell you need to find out your own triggers that set the pain off. hope this is a little helpful smile
  • IBSpatient
    IBSpatient alison79127

    Posted

    My wife replies:

     

    YOU have written MY story...except for this:    During the night, when the need to urinate occurs...approx.  1 or 2 am....I take a small prescribed pain med...with 2 extra strength Tylenol....and the "awful" morning agony which usually accompanies a BM....has been stopped !!!   It is the first breakthrough in over 3 yrs. ~~~!   Thank you for sharing with such honesty....about the need to crawl  back under the covers with that warm heating pad !   My Dr. has done every test in the book for every major organ...and everything is in A 1 condition.   The frustration continues.!    I am female, age 77.

  • beancounter
    beancounter alison79127

    Posted

    I am sorry to hear of your problems.

    Stress can make IBS worse and often when we go on holidays stress goes, and IBS improves. If only we could stay permanently on holidays !

    For most of us, it it difficult to simply change our life to remove stressful things permanently from life. We can start by making very small adjustments to stressful life events.

    I find a heat pack on the abdomen can provide temporary relief but this is not really solution.

    I am surprised that fruit could trigger IBS - but it might be possible. Think carefully about what foods you ate immediately before getting a pain,as there may be a theme. Avoid the trigger foods.

    I have found taking peppermint tablets prior to an attack helps me a lot.

  • alison79127
    alison79127

    Posted

    Thanks for your replies.

    I have thought of running away to a Greek Isle on my own, but don't really think this is an option!

    Unfortunately, these attacks come from nowhere, with no prior warning - so I can't take tablets or peppermint before an attack - unless I sharpen up my sixth sight!  They don't seem to be linked to trigger foods as my diet doesn't change - but I am keeping a closer check on my food diary.

    I have found the recommondation is for IBS suffers to limit themselves to one or two pieces of fruit a day and some fruit and vegs are kinder to the IBS gut than others.

    I have decided to go down the counselling route to see if that will help - I have been working to limit the effects of stress for many years...

    hmm...maybe I should think about that Greek Isle!

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