Acute Sporadic Episodes of Severe Abdominal Pain

[MeBZ100]

Following is my case, please see if anyone can help or relate:

I randomly get "periodic episodes" of severe stomach pains that occur roughly about 2-3 months apart, almost always a few hours (anywhere from 1-4) hours of having a dinner (that is, almost all episodes occur at night time right before or at about bed time); each generally lasting 7-9 hours on the average. There have been a few shorter episodes and a few much longer, with differing intensities but generally a typical episode on the pain scale level of 1-10, 10 being worst, starts at about level 1-4 with peaking at about pain level 7-9 for the most part of an episode and then suddenly diminshing after about 6-7 hours of severe duration.

Note, the pattern of each episode is almost always about the same from start to finish - a sensation (kinda "feel like") of some heaviness in the stomach, then gradual increase in pain in abdominal area (about half an hour to an hour after that "heavy feeling"), which then quickly shots up to a severe pain scale level 7-9 that would last most through the night and then eventually resolving on its own after about 5-8 hours of peaking.

During a typical episode what I experience, almost always in the same order of occurrence: (1) A feeling that an episode is about to happen, a few minutes to about half an hour right before it actually starts - (this is important to mention because this is an onset of an episode where my body alerts me to stop intaking any food/drinks of any sort; howeveer, this initial stage is also full of anxiety and mental pressure with an unpleasant "sixth sensation" of a sort, if you will, that I am about to start facing yet another night of restlessness; (2) A mild to severe pressure in stomach and general abdominal area, lasting for a few minutes to about half an hour, that would signal positive that the episode has now begun; (3) a wave of cyclical/sinusoidal pain wave that suddenly increases in intensity from severe to extreme; typical time duration for each sinusoidal pain-wave lasts about a 1-2 minutes duration each, a low-peak-low acute cycle of sharp stabbing/burning sensation and intense pressure in the general mid-abdominal area, lasting about 5-7 hours; (4) during the peak pain hours my stomach muscles/wall may harden several times for 5-10 minutes for each time; I may lay down, get up, kneel, crouch, fold in fetal position, walk, pace, rub/massage my tummy, and try to use toilet to allow me pass gas/stool or throw up to help lower the pain and to get some relief from constant churning going on in my belly; (5) a feeling of chill/cold occurs during the early hours of an episode, followed by mild to severe dryness in mouth, that eventually is followed by a bit of nausea and/or mild-to-severe burbs upon which I "make" myself to vomit that often yields positive in throwing up of whatever may had been leftover inside the stomach by then; (6) the pain generally peaks out after 5-6 hours of acute/sharpness in severity, eventually subdueing itself almost suddenly; (7) I finally able to go to sleep after about 6-8 hours of intense pain.

I am generally so tired and full of fatigue towards the end of each episode that I fall asleep in no time and wake up in the morning all fine as if nothing ever happened - with no pain or any signs of it!  Apart from being tired the morning after and having to cope with general fatigue throughout the next day due to the restlessness night, I am able to resume all functions just as normal like no problem - that is, normal eating and normal bowel movements!  

I must state, during these episode, I do not have any fever (despite feeling chills/cold), headache, backache, diarrhea, blood in stool/vomit or anything else of that sort. I make myself to go to the bathroom several times during an episode to see if that would help and I am able to go with normal bowel movement (while the pain in the belly is still going on) and pass normal stool - with no extraordinary smell, blood or any abnormal discoloration - suggesting that the issue is not with my large intestine (colon).  I strongly suspect that this whole thing occurs and is confined to my small intestine. However, no doctor, gastrointestinal specialist, and even expert surgeons have been able to diagnose or detect any problem with any of my organs or digestive tract.  

I have had all sorts of blood and stool tests, ultrasounds, x-rays, colonoscopies, endoscopies, barium swallows, tests at the best-of-the-best hospitals and by the best-of-the-best specialists in my area but, alas, yet all to none avail. I do have insurance despite of which it has still cost me several thousand dollars in deductables.

I have had tried maintaining a food diary to isolate if there may be an issue with my diet, an unknown food borne allergy or malabsorptions, but, that too had not been helpful except to suggestively (but not conclusively) suspecting some ingredients such as certain fruits and veggies, etc, that perhaps may be the culprits. However, none of those suspected food items can be positively identified to be the actual culprits because some episodes had occurred even in absence of the suspected ingredients!

As a subject for a case-study: I am (otherwise) a healthy adult male with healthy lifestyle and normal dietary habits. I don't smoke, don't drink, nor eat/abuse junk/fast food nor go on eating binges. My preferred choice of drink is simply plain cold water. I avoid all sorts of sodas, sugary/salty drinks/snacks, and coffees etc. as much as possible. I do take a cup of hot black tea every morning and occasionally a glass of plain low-fat milk at bed time. I, in fact, have what known to be a balanced/healthy dietary lifestyle. It has been ruled out that I do not have intolerance to dairy, eggs, cheese, wheat/breads, cereals, etc.  I prefer chicken and fish over red meat, however, I have not shown any signs of indigestion after eating a meal containg beef or lamb meat.  I do get some stress on times but generally it's no more than any guy next to me and probably just what an average healthy normal adult would get during a working week. I do get to relax and excersize time to time (but not as regularly as I used to some years ago) since I pack quite a busy daily routine that does not allow me to even think or feel about having any extraordinary level of stress.

My stomach problom started about two and a half years ago (October 2009) and has been so typical in its recurring patterns that, by now, I have become accustomed to handling each occurrence as to just endure the pain through the whole night rather than rushing to an ER or going to see a doctor about it.  That said, it is still quite troubling (and annoying!) when it occurs and I have not (yet) lost all hope in finding a cure for it.  If anyone else out there suffering with similar issue(s), please kindly share. Thank you so very much.

[Tjjsteele]

Wow!  What the hell is going on with us.  The "gone in an instant" is the big deal, I think.

I had this same prob as everyone.  Excruciating pain in middle of belly, under breastbone/diaphragm.  Starts like indigestion.  I always take Tums and Pepto B.  Never helps.  Pain comes in waves and lasts 6-12 hours.  This latest attack (yesterday) lasted 24 hours, then "poof, gone".  Seems impossible to go away so quick when you were in "10" pain just minutes earlier.  Crazy.

I had my first attack 4-5 years ago, at age 45 (male).  I eat very healthy, lots of fiber/plants, no fatty foods, sugar snack, bread.  Not overweight.

I had attributed this to Acute Gastritis caused by ibuprofen overuse, and stopped all Ibuprofen almost 2 years ago.  This is second attack, last one was 12 months ago, since stopping all OTC meds.

If any of you use Ibuprofen/aspirin, maybe stop!

I have appt with doc tomorrow to look at gall bladder.

[gradhodude]

In the last month I have had this happen to me twice with the latest one occuring yesterday.  Both episodes lasted about 30 minutes so it's a little less than others on here, but it's the exact same extreme pain.  You walk around trying to find a good position, breath differently, take hot showers....whatever to dull the pain.  And POOF it's gone in an instant.  

I wanted to bring something up that has not been mentioned on here as I had a very similar situation when I was younger that the Dr's could never figure out.  Back in my 20's I lived in a very old house that had a lot of Mold that I ingested over time.  I had about 3-4 episodes in a year during this time frame while in this house.  As soon as I moved I have not had an episode until this year.   Thus my family and I thought we cured it by getting away from the Mold.  

Fast forward to this year and my GF has recently moved into an older apartment.  I stay over occassionally and about a week later I had my first episode on August 30th.   Now about a month later I stayed over a few nights in a row and I again had an episode.  I am thinking her place may have mold, which I am once again ingesting and possibly allergic to.  It seems far fetched...but the research I have done states that mold can have a direct effect on the stomach and digestion system.

So my question to anything viewing this site....where do you live, sleep, work?  Could there be a possibility of mold?  I think I am going to get an allergy test to see if I can confirm the allergy, but with no answers...I thought I would mention this...

[BigBrainsbranagan]

Mr gradhodude. My own symptoms are similar. For me it has always occurred  in the middle of the night. Like last night. I awoke to the same intense biting pain lower left abdomen that lasted about 30 minutes, then it vanished. It reoccurs a few times each year, for the past 15 years. I saw some mold in the attic late last year. I opened the attic windows thinking fresh air and some bleach might fix it,  but its still there. I guess I gotta fix that then. I keep hoping a bolt of lightning will hit this house.

[BigBrainsbranagan]

I should have left off the part about lightning. The pain I experienced only lasted for aprox 30 minutes but it was none the less intense. I've had tooth aches, head aches and kidney stones that turn hours into days. If this pain lasted for hours on end I would crawl to the emergency room. I've never seen a doctor about this pain I just curl up in the dark and groan for thirty or forty minutes till it vanishes again. I still remember the first time; whatever I thought it was  I thought it would pass when I used the restroom, but sitting there grunting I passed out, hit my face on the sink and woke up when a friend banged on the door. The pain in my abdomen was gone. I thought it might be appendicitis, or a parasite. In my 20s I worked in around and under old houses, never gave a thought too nor worried about such things as mold or parasites. I've had kidney stones about 5 times now. Last time I passed a 7mm stone.  When the stones like glass scrape the tissue I could not sit still for one full minute. The pain last night was more intense like something with teeth clamping down on soft tissue. I guess I may never know what is really causing it.

[Astasoulakis]

I have the exact same symptoms. im 22 live a healthy lifestyle. work out 4-5 times a week. i have been previously diagnosed with acid reflux and sometimes take zantac(ranitidine) especially before eating spicy foods. Around May 20, 2015 i had my first episode. started off with a mild stomach ache which was wierd because i dont usually get stomache aches because i dont eat too much junk food or sweets. It felt like there was a ball in my stomach. the pain kept getting a little worse every hour. after the 3-4 hour mark it became extremely painful. That pain lasted for about another 5-6 hours. Had to lay in bed in wierd positions to try to get the pain to be a little worse. All energy drained. Can barely see. after it was over my stomach was sore for about a week. I think that this was caused because at that time i took alot of supplements like vitamins etc in pill form. which might have agitated my stomach. however i had another episode yesterday august 2. And it was the exact same thing as before. But i had a normal breakfast of eggs and oatmeal. Dont know why it happened. 2 days prior i went out drinking and the next day ate pizza. but thats 24-48 hours before it actually happened. What can this be?

[Jcbb]

I should also mention,  my sensitive eyes to light.

[Jcbb]

I have been prescribed medical Marijuana for it, which helps for about an hour each toke,  depending upon the strain intensity.

[Jcbb]

But I don't vomit always? ?