I am still awaiting the results of my saliva test. That is my last and final hope for finding out what my pain could be. I have noticed the last few days, being under some added stress, seems to make me feel worse. If there isn't much stress at the time, or if I'm on vacation, I tend to feel much better, almost completely pain free. I'll keep you posted about the results. I hope that is the answer to my mystery.
Wombmate
Have you received your saliva test yet? I have the same problem you do. I wake up at 4 every morning with stomach pains. They go away as soon as a wake.
i think dharshas is right on. this sounds muscular and is probably related to sleeing. your core muscles wrap around from the back to the front in the absomeen. if they are weak, you'll have pain somewhere as other muscles try to compensate. look at the skeleton. the upper body has ribs, the lower body has the pelvis. inbetween is where you have pain (in the core) and what bony structures are there for support?? None. just the musculature. I'd suggest you work on your core, thoroughly check your posture and the tilt of your pelvis......do you really think this has anything to do with saliva?? come on now. see a good PT and fix yourself. loose weight if you are overweight. stop slouching. build up that core and the mid back muscles.
OMG! After 6 months of increasing lower right abdominal pain which wakes me up earlier and earlier each morning and only goes away after I have been up and been to the loo, I do this search and find you all talking about what I am experiencing!
I've had catscan, MRI, Ultrasounds (both internal and external), colonoscopy, blood tests etc etc etc and NOTHING has shown up!
I have been unable to sleep on my left side for nearly 2 years and thought that it was a back/muscle/nerve pinch thing, but for the past month have slept on my left side and there is no difference.
I have tried removing food groups from my diet for weeks at a time to see if it is a food allergy thing - no good.
I'm ditching coffee for the next month to see if that works.
I have - wait for it - IBS, Fibromyalgia, Clinical Depression.
Sound familiar?
And mike1105 - I do weight lifting & toning regularly to maintain muscle strength & condition and walk 30-45 mins every other day (except when the fibro flares!)
I'm 46 years old and I feel like my grandfather did at 95 when he kept begging me to put him out of his misery.
The thought of living like this for another 50 years is almost unbearable.
The doctor has decided to put me in hospital for exploratory surgery if nothing changes. (I have 3 months to go - public health waiting list).
I am so glad to find you and know that I am not alone, that I am not imagining this pain. Lets see if between us we can find out what it is...
My Dr. said it is acid reflux. He gave me a choice of meds or change my eating habits. I chose to change my eating habits. Especially at night. He also recommended probiotics, cleansing my digestive system. And cutting back on carbs. I noticed that when I eat carbs especially at dinner time that I wake up at 4am with stomach pains. What has worked for me is eating smaller portions through out the day. Cutting back on carbs, not eating too much late at night. I have my last meal between 5 and 6pm. Usually it's a salad (chicken, beef, tuna, salmon). Lots of veggies. I drink lots of water for the rest of the evening. Before I go to bed I enjoy a glass of red wine and strawberries as my treat. sugerfee popsicles and or healty choice chocolate bar. I just started experimenting and this works for me. And yes, I too work out MWF and walk for an hour uphills T and TH. This pain does not muscular.
I have had the exact same pain that you have described for about 2 years now! I can only sleep on my left side as the right is too uncomfortable. Early in the morning I am awoken by what begins as a dull yet strong pain in my lower abdomen and back, which grows with my consciousness. It grows into a painful abdominal cramp in my front, but the pain still stays dull in my back. In my front it hurts if I stretch or breath in deep, instead I have to curl up.
I always want to try to keep sleeping through it, but the pain just gets worse the longer I stay in bed! not fair cos I love my lie-ins!! I often get up after having turned onto my front for a while, but by then I am in agony. I am not sure what the cause is but I do have IBS and I have suffered from stress and depression. I also have dairy intolerance (not lactose-intolerant but similar). I believe I may be intolerant of wheat as well (I have cut wheat out of my diet a few times and always felt better for it) but not sure if these have anything to do with it.
I find that after I get up the pain subsides within about an hour, especially after going to the loo. I find that a cup of tea helps too, it is a really good diuretic. (A cigarette used to do it as well, but I have given up smoking now and by all means am not advising anyone to start!)
I have also found that coupled with this condition, periods and hangovers are completely unbearable!!!
I am going to keep watch of what I eat for a while and see if it helps. Please let us know how your saliva test went!