stomach pain that gets better when I lie down

hi Olivia,

GIRL! i get the EXACT same thing. i came on here to see what was wrong with me as i am having this pain right now although it has gone away a bit because i am lying down but if i get up it will come back. i feel like i get this completely out of the blue and happens about 3 times a year for me. im glad i found your note as i didnt know how to describe the feeling but you took the words out of my mouth!

I have these same symptoms but it only ever comes on immediately after eating, and sometimes in the middle of a meal. The severe but not sharp pain is just as described - below my ribs, above my belly button, and across my abdomen.

It started when I was a kid, and I figured out back then that if I lay flat on my back, the pain is immediately relieved. If I stay that way for 30-45 minutes, the pain won't come back. But if I get up too soon, the pain comes right back. My family always thought I was trying to get out of helping clean up after dinner, especially since I would "miraculously" feel better by just lying down. It's hard to deal with when I'm eating out since I can't lay down - sometimes I have to walk around doubled over and it all looks far more dramatic than it should. It hasn't happened to me on an airplane ever, though.

I never know when it will come on and have never been able to figure out what foods to avoid. One food that causes it one day, will be no problem for years after. The simplest, whole foods will cause it, from any food group. I'm 38, otherwise very healthy, marathon runner, with kids. I've never met anyone with these symptoms and doctors never know what could possibly be causing this since all their guessed diagnoses get worse with lying down. Hope we can all find some answers somehow!

Joining the left upper quadrant pain when sitting or standing group 😦 I see a gastroenterologist in December (2020) but given the severity the last day or so may go to a walk in just to alleviate my nerves.

I'm 51, perimenopausal/in the menopause 12 months. Taking topical estradiol cream and a vaginal progesterone. History since in perimenopause of severe muscle problems so hoping it is that.

Pain on standing... can press a specific section of the left upper quadrant about an inch or so below last left rib. If I sit and press the same spot.. no pain. No pain lying down either prone or supine, even when palpated/pressed. Maybe some pressure sitting? whatever it is seems to press on my torso as I have some shortness of breath with it when standing/sitting (not terrible and some of that may be anxiety on my part).

Bowel habits normal I think? I used to have IBS-D but that went away with perimenopause. Antacids and such don't seem to help. I've done rounds of antibiotics myself. thought it was helping? I do, because of the muscle issues, take a ton of ibuprofen. Recent chest xray clear. Blood tests all normal with maybe red blood cell count, hemoglobin/hematocrit on the lower end of normal.

The not being able to breathe thing is annoying when sitting. It's like I have to perpetually yawn to keep a full breath? Terrified of anything serious/surgical. Single parent/no support system (and I mean ZERO.. call a uber if I need to go to the hospital. My 14 year old is my emergency contact).

Oh, like others said.. HEAT!!! If I could lay with a heating pad on all day life would be perfect. That or Tiger Balm patches seem to be helpful.

I have the exact same problem, but I don't really fly often, so I couldn't tell you if I am more likely to get it then. I have it where my stomach hurts real bad, feels like my insides are burning, turns into a mix of sharp pains and a dull ache. As soon as I lie down my stomach is blessed again ! sometimes takes a while. Always seems to happen when I can't lie down... like when I am at work, it is so frustrating and stressful and difficult to focus on the work when it hurts that bad. It happened the other day and working at a warehouse i have to be on my feet all the time picking items or cleaning, and it got to a point where I had to leave for an early break and try not get caught because it was crippling me. it doesn't happen very often but it is definitely a reoccurring issue as I have dealt with it since i was young. usually happens every 2 weeks or so, my diet is fairly good and I drink a good amount of water.

I have been experiencing something very similar for the past two years. Not related to flying, but related to my cycle. A few days before, during or after my period I experience a very intense pain in my upper abdomen that spreads across and radiates down. It doubles me over and gets worse if I have to use my right arm (such as to reach around to wipe - sorry TMI). I experience upper abdomen bloating, loss of appetite as well. This pain gets immediately better if I lay down and goes away completely if I lay on my right side. If i get up, it comes right back. I have to crawl on my hands and knees or bend over dramatically if i do have to get up. GastroEnterologists have ran every test imaginable including endoscopies and Hida scans on my gall bladder and all they come up with is mild gastritis. In the ER, after CT scans and Ultra sounds and blood tests, everything comes up normal except sometimes constipation (despite having regular BM) or once, edema in my portal vein. So I have no answers. Gynecologyst is now thinking endometriosis since its happening around my cycle - but why in my upper abdomen??

Happy to find others with the same issue. I've been having these stomach aches since I was about 12. They only happen once in a while, but it's severe pain in the center just under my ribs, that goes away completely when I lay down. I just got off a plane this evening and never realized until reading this thread that flying is totally a trigger! Has anyone found any kind of medication to help? I've tried just about everything available OTC. And nothing seems to work (besides laying down).

Hello

interested to see your post. It was suggested to my GP in March I had gastritis when I tested positive for H pylori, but had gone to him with epigastric discomfort. He started me on Omeprazole twice daily which I still take. I was also diagnosed IBS around 6 years ago.

just over 4 weeks ago I started with a constant nausea, which has got worse by the day to the point I can barely eat or drink. I get lots of bloating-have had to buy vests as I can't tolerate my bra. The bloating comes and goes but brings much discomfort. I am also very windy both ends.

But as the nausea continues I have found that the only relief I get from it is going yo bed and lying flat. when I am upright, standing or sitting, it bowls me over again. I was beginning to wonder if it was in my mind until I saw your post, as I can't work out why lying would bring relief.

I hope you are feeling much better very soon x

Finally, a thread of other people like me.

Male 35

My Story So Far

Pain started five years ago as a niggling, very dull pain in my right side just below/around my ribs. I was worried about it but it was so dull that i found it hard to describe to my doctor, almost felt muscular as some others have said.

Since then i have had periods of it completely disappearing, so i would definitely describe it as episodic. When it does reoccur now the pain is definitely more pronounced, still dull rather than stabbing but constant and much stronger. Eased by lying down for sure.

Like others i have tried to keep track of what the triggers are but to no avail. All i can definitely put my finger on is it has now flared up really badly on two family holidays and the past three Christmas holidays. In all cases a few days in to the holiday. This led to initially think it was over indulgence or being set off by the fact i was eating more fatty foods. But it doesn't seem to have any consistency as i am currently still in pain on the 8th Jan and have been eating very healthily for over a week. I then began to wonder again if it was something muscular rather than stomach related, possibly related to poor posture. I work a desk job so i wondered if being more mobile in holiday periods and more often carrying my two toddlers is what sets it off.

Having said that (and as someone else mentioned) i can exercise (bike, run, hill walk) no problem at all and actually i feel better when exercising.

Things the doctor has done so far:

• scan
• bloods
• urine
• stool

Nothing of any concern has been raised from these tests. I was initially convinced it was gallbladder problems but not according to the tests. IBS has also been mentioned and i was tried on CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE + MEBEVERINE three times daily before meals. This didnt make any difference to the pain.

The thing that confuses me is whenever i think I've found a condition that it might be, there is a symptom that i have that just doesn't fit.

For example

• most conditions describe more severe and piercing pain, whereas mine feels dull and chronic albeit still very uncomfortable.
• eased by lying down
• still able to exercise easily
• this is a weird one that id be interested to know if anyone else has: i always wake up fine, pain usually starts around lunchtime and builds from there until around bedtime.

Sorry for the life story but i took a lot of comfort from reading your descriptions and thought someone might find the description helpful.

I get this same pain. I am in my 40s and has happened since my teens. Flying has definitely caused worst episodes. in general pain happens 1-4 times per month, cant find rhyme or reason for it. pain seems to start when i havent eaten for several hours, never happens just after eating. pain only on left side of abdomen about 1/4 of inch over from belly button. If i cant lay down pain gets worse and worse, hard to stand up straight. cold sweats and abdominal bloating and pain over entire abd. very bad episodes when pregnant with my kids. i have to lay face down to ease pain and helps to push right on the painful spot to get rid of it faster. Usually goes away after about 15-30 minutes after laying on belly. most times up and back to life like nothing happened. sometimes takes longer and have residual tenderness. sometimes eating something helps it go away faster while lying down. the last episode happened on weekend morning and took 6 hours to go away, no pain while lying on stomach but any other position pain was back. that day was day was the straw that broke the camels back and saw PCP. She ordered CT scan.PCP thought it might be diverticulitis. CT was normal. Did have colonoscopy in my 20s for the same reason, normal. was told is was probably IBS. I feel that my small bowel gets kinked, or there is a blood flow issue to that part of my bowel and laying down improves that? downward facing dog pose can help sometimes. any other helpful hints?

I have the exact same thing! This thread came up when I googled all these specific symptoms. It's so creepy, what could this be? 😦( Did someone find a lasting cure?