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Stomach Cramp, Diarrhea, sweating , light headedness and fainting

I have experienced on 4 occasions in the last 6 years a rather weird Diarrhoea attack which really is painful and scary. Here is a description of what occurs.

1. Sudden abdominal pain which increases in intensity over a short time. The same sensation one might get when they are about to get Diarrhoea.

2. I go to the toilet and try excreting whatever wants to come out. However after about a minute of sitting there with nothing coming out I suddenly few light headed and am starting to get a dizzy spell like I am about to faint and my breathing weakens.

3. This borderline fainting sensation lasts for about another minute before I break out into a sudden sweat all over my body. Within a few seconds I have sweat literally pouring out of me, my clothes are wet as if I ran a marathon or something.

4. After a minute of sweating I suddenly feel something coming out of my rear end. I try to squeeze it out and only a hard stool comes out.

5. The sweating stops and the stomach cramp subsides. I think everything is over and I clean up. I walk out of the toilet and in about 2 minutes time the stomach cramp and the fainting sensation comes back (I've fainted only once to date from this and was out for about 15-20 minutes).

6. When I get back to the toilet I have a really violent Diarrhoea episode in pure liquid state. It takes a few minutes to subside and once I
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Avatar universal
I have exactly the same experience. What is it? I have the cramps, diarrhea, sweating, vomiting. I have been to three doctors, that can't tell me anything.  Always has happened at night.  It's awful and so painful, I don't know what to do.
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Just like you I am so relieved to discover these Posts. I am a 72 yr old Female who had my first "attack" in my mid 20's. that one was triggered by Homemade Ice Cream, it was the mildest episode. Subsequent events are triggered by watermelon....spent
Several MISERABLE hours on the floor in Mexico not sure I could get on the plane to fly home. Over the last 30 yrs. each episode is worse than the last. I do have IBS and encourage everyone to add Probiotics to their daily diets....tremendous improvement
In the IBS symptoms. I avoid Lactose
Chinese food ( which I Love) Italian
Foods heavy in red OR creamy sauces. Pretty much eliminated red meat too. I eat small meals 2-3 times a day. The enzymes in spicy foods are triggers for me. Sigmoid Volulus diagnosis sounds spot on for me.
Fainted in a restaurant after sailing in the heat and drinking Mrgaritas...landed me in ambulance trip to the Hospital......did cardio work up that was clear. So, no one likes to faint in public or in your own Bathroom,
Pay attention to your diet. Stay hydrated and LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. The gas gurgling in the lower left quadrant of my gut tells me I have 30 seconds to find a toilet. Repercussions of ignoring this signal
Will send me to the cool tikes of the bathroom floor.
I am laying in bed now after just going through this nightmare :( it's happened to me quite a few times now. My biggest fear tho is passing out from the pain whilst I'm alone! I am 26
Avatar universal
Well, I'm on the other side of my surgery. Was in the hospital for about 6 days, and recovery is about 6 weeks. Thought to check in here and see there are some questions. I'll answer to the best of my ability because I am learning little by little with each doc appt. I go to.

Armyof4: Honestly, I have no idea whether the Barium Anema test with air can be done while you are pregnant. My *guess* would be no - but ask your dr to be sure. Reason I think this is because they will pump your large intestines and colon with the barium and the air and they purposefully make it swell up (super painful!) so that they get clear images of what the intestinal tract looks like on the X-ray. Also, they make you move around in many positions as they take the images, and that alone, as a pregnant person, is challenging enough. Don't take my word for it, though - please ask your doctor. Oh - and there's also prep involved before taking the test - clearing your GI system out. That alone may be risky - but again, not sure in your case.

hellbrunn: I learned from my last appt that volvulus can happen in 3 areas: 1) at the bottom of the ascending colon 2) somewhere near/at the transverse colon or 3) in my case, sigmoid area - which is towards the end of the tract - hence, SIGMOID volvulus (in my case). If one has volvulus issues, it happens in one of these three places. Most likely, I, and many I suspect on here, were born with 'extra' colon or large intestine. Because this condition mainly hits either really young people (ages 3 - teen) or the elderly, people like me who first started seeing a doc about this in my 20's (I'm now 40) was not considered for volvulus. Although I started having them in my teens, I'd blow it off as 'something I ate/went down wrong' and by the time I started seriously seeing docs about it, I was already well into my 20's - and that's a ripe age for IBS diagnoses.

I convinced myself for the longest time that it was certain ingredients that was causing this. I went dairy free and gluten free for the longest times. Still having attacks in the midst of those dietary changes convinced me otherwise. I had to accept that everything I was eating was going down wrong - because outside of a worse case scenario of volvulus, I'd always have intestinal pain - especially at night after dinners.

From what I understand, volvulus happens because one of those three areas I mentioned become 'loose' - they are not fixed in place. When it's loose like that, it has the freedom to twist whenever it feels like it.

To anyone else reading: One scary thing that I learned...is that because, in my case, the twists and turns had formed a ball in me (I had a friend who thought that mass on the X-ray was a baby!), the intestinal walls had thinned so much. This, in my case, is the result of 25 years - your individual cases will be different. Surgeon said had we not caught this, because the intestinal walls are so thin, over time, blood supply/circulation would eventually stop going to those parts - resulting in partial to whole colon dying WITHIN my body. THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO PRESS, PRESS, PRESS the doctors to get to the bottom of your issue.

My basic advice to the both of you here who have responded, and to anyone else reading, is to have this discussion of volvulus being your case, and take the barium enema with air x ray exam to rule it out/in - and take it from there.

My surgery resulted in the removal of one and a half feet of damaged colon, but still have about 3 ft of good intestine left. Type of surgery performed was called "laparoscopic assisted colectomy" - but don't let the laparoscopic name fool you - this definitely was major surgery. My tract is now re-designed, and has a more upside down 'U' shape. There is no chance of a sigmoid volvulus to happen now, as that portion of the tract was made to give it a more 'straight' passage.

Hope this info is helpful to anyone reading. Again, take my basic advice: discuss volvulus with your doc (make sure your doc has enough knowledge/experience with this condition), then take the Barium enema with air test to rule it in - or out.

Good luck to all!
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3 Comments
Hi everyone, so glad to have stumbled upon this site.  Every so often I type my symptoms in and see what comes up.  Looks like I hit the jackpot this time.  I am a 60 year old female and I have been having these episodes since my 20s.  I have had them wake me from a sound sleep and I have had them come on while I am out and about running errands.  Both are equally horrendous, I assure you.  The earliest symptoms are pressure in my abdomen and often I can hear gas bubbling on my left side.  This is the point at which I start chewing Tums.  I hate using public bathrooms, so if I am out running errands I immediately start thinking of where an acceptable public restroom is, or I begin calculating my distance home.  I know I have approximately 15 minutes between spasms.  The thing is, though, I do not know at which point the need to use the bathroom will come.  Even though I feel like I have to defecate, I almost never do at this point.  First, the sweat starts, copious amounts of it, then the urge to take my clothes off.  Like others, my first bowel movement may be somewhat firm, but I know that is just the prelude.  My breathing gets shallow, I become extremely weak to the point of being unable to lift my head.  I begin to fear I am going to faint, though I never have.  I do, sometimes, vomit.  Now the sweat is pouring off me in sheets, yet I am cold.  The cramping is ferocious.  I am so exhausted.  My head is throbbing and my lips are tingling.  I have on occasion been so fearful of passing out that I have crawled onto the floor with a garbage bag beneath me, or if I am really hot, I will climb into the cool tub with the garbage bag.  AT this point, my diarrhea is explosive and, as another poster mentioned smells ungodly.  The line between sick and done is never ambiguous.  I immediately feel better and all I want to do is curl up in bed.  I make my way to the shower and wash the horror of the past few hours off of me and usually without drying off, crawl into bed.  I can go months without an attack, or I can have three attacks in the same week.  The severity of the attacks varies greatly also.  Just an aside, I have discovered that Poo-pouri works great.  I keep it at work and in my car and handbag because there is nothing worse than having an attack in the work bathroom and it smells to high heaven.  Maybe with so many of us gathered here, we can put a name to this monster.  Oh, a bit more information that might be relevant.  In 2007, I had RNY gastric bypass surgery, so much of my intestine has been removed.  I do not remember anymore if it was large or small intestine, but I am thinking small.
I recently posted. Check if you have the condition of 'volvulus'. You'll have to do a 'Barium enema with air' test. They will take a series of X-rays while the barium is in you, to see what the anatomical shape of your large intestine and colon is.
I;ve been having these issues as well but mine come along with paralysis of my hands,face and feet. They start tingling and then just cramp up and I can't move them. Does this or did this happen to you?  
Avatar universal
I have the answer.

Now that I have your attention, do as I did to verify that my cause, is indeed, your cause. Our issue is not a biological one - it's a MECHANICAL and ANATOMICAL one.

It's called VOLVULUS. I've suffered on and off with all the pains associated on this thread. Sudden urge to go to the bathroom (but can't), sweating, pain - only to end up on the floor, passed out, because my body can not endure or withstand the level of pain I experience in the moment.

I won't make this long, as I am actually scheduled to go into surgery tomorrow. But, I remembered this thread, and thought to come here and share my discoveries.

The reason colonoscopies, camera pills, endoscopies and all the other tests come back clean is because those are all tests that look on the INSIDE of your GI tract. They look for biological factors that may provide insight as to what's going on, but because there aren't any, they send us home with an IBS diagnosis that leaves us sufferers...nowhere.

I made it a point to see a doctor at Cedars-Sinai and thought if the doctors at Cedars don't know, I will accept this lifelong disability. Prior to seeing the GI specialist at Cedars, I had seen *at least* 15 other GI specialists in the past - with no answer other than IBS.

This time, the doctor said, we are going to stop looking in the INSIDE and, instead, start to look on the OUTSIDE of your GI tract. He had a suspicion that SIGMOID VOLVULUS was the culprit, and ordered me a test I had never done before: Barium enema test with air of the large intestine and colon.

He had the Chief Radiologist at Cedars perform the test, as he was searching for specifics, and was seeking confirmation on his suspicion. Sure enough, all the twisting and turning is right there in black and white on a series of 14 X-rays I took that day.

Over the years of events of volvulus (twisting of the intestines) it has stretched areas of the colon and forced it to lose its elasticity. Because of this, the colon grows longer after each attack, giving itself even more 'rope' for a higher risk of volvulus to happen again the next time.

Volvulus is quite common in elderly people, and almost every time, it can be caught and seen on an X-ray.

My disadvantages, as I suspect many of you out there also have, was my AGE (attacks started at 15 years old, I am now 40), and the NATURE of the volvulus itself.

The NATURE is defined as this: just as quickly as the sudden twist happens, it also, just as quickly, UNtwists itself, suddenly.

That's why by the time we see a doc at the ER after an attack, the twist is gone, the blockage is clear, and they send you home with an IBS diagnosis because, afterall, that's what's in your file backed up by alllllll the other GI docs you may have seen, legitimizing the diagnosis.

After so much pain, heartache and mystery, I am now scheduled for a colectomy. It's quite normal to have a redundant colon - but mine came up REDUNDANT, redundant from the many years of suffering.

Do yourself a favor, and insist on a barium enema (with air) test to rule out (or in!) sigmoid volvulus. The test itself is painful and was hard to endure - namely because they are poking around (with air and laxatives) in the exact area that is already sensitive. Knowing the test will be hard to handle may prepare you for being able to handle it. The first time I did it, I gave up. The second time, I was determined and was able to see it through.

As a side note, and for anyone thinking this, too, is your cause, the surgeon expressed to me how SMART my GI specialist is (whose volvulus theory came from) in not performing yet another colonoscopy. Surgeon said that because of the intestinal damage over the years as a result of these attacks, parts of the intestinal wall are so thin, that yet another colonoscopy could have easily punctured the wall, leaving me with a much, much bigger problem.

Please consider investigating that, like me, your problem is a MECHANICAL one, and not BIOLOGICAL. Look into volvulus. Even if you don't catch an active one on screen on an x ray (real-time twisting), have your doc, radiologist and/or surgeon (preferably all 3), look further into this for you. You have to be your own advocate.

I owe my life to that GI specialist I saw at Cedars. Take this idea and see if you can apply it onto yourself to verify that this, too, is your cause.

Good luck to all - and good luck to me on my surgery tomorrow!

Helpful - 3
4 Comments
You really seem to know what your talking about. This happened to me just last night and I am planning on going to see my doctor but I am 17 weeks pregnant. Im worried they wont be able to do any testing to find out whats going on. Do you know if the testing could harm the baby or this issue alone could harm the baby?
I'm intrigued by your discovery. I think you have answered what causes the intense paralyzing pain. But what can we do to prevent/ stop an attack? In my case, as well as others, the attack is caused by something we ingest (eat or drink).
I'm getting the test done in 10 days. I literally showed my doctor your comment and he agreed to test me but because of allergies I have to have it done a little differently. I am hoping for an answer. This has been going on since I was a teen and I will be 35 this year. I've had tons of other tests done, including neurological and heart testing. I had a positive tilt table and we found out that when I pass out dieting these expisodes my heart stops. My cardiologist wants to put a pacemaker in eventually. But I feel like that's all secondary, why is this happening. That's what I need to know.
You're right - fainting is only secondary to the actual intestinal problem. How'd your test go? What was the result of the barium anema test?
Avatar universal
Ok, so this happened to me just this past week & I actually was hospitalized for dehydration, a CT Scan wE done & the CT Scan showed Colitis & my white count was nearly 20,000. Dr's put me on I.V Antibiotics & I feel much better. Dr's said that temporary episodes can be brought on by an infection or virus. This was my second experience. I recommend getting into see a gastro doctor, as I was advised to do, for an upper & lower G.I
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Avatar universal
The same just happened to me about 15 min ago. I grilled some hot dogs and ate baked beans with chips and salsa and some onions on my hot dogs. Shared a small piece of cheesecake with my gf. About two hours later I was eating a small bowl of ice cream and felt like I had to pass gas which I was able to stand up and do successfully. Then after my ice cream I still felt like I really had to pass gas again so I went to the toilet and I sat there for a few seconds and nothing came so I lightly pushed a few times. I immediately started to feel dizzy like I was about to pass out. I felt like I couldnt take a good breath either. So I stood up and put my arms above my head and tried to take a few steps but was so dizzy I think I ended up just walking in a circle a few times lol. Then the cold sweats came. I was sweating head to toe. I managed to make it across the hall to my roommates room and asked him to call am ambulance for me because I honestly thought I was having a stroke or something. During our conversation I noticed I could barely hear anything. Like I had ear muffs on or something. Anyway I barely made it back to the toilet before having diarrhea. It was very watery and burned really bad. I slowly started to feel better after that. I feel kind of weak right now and my head hurts but other than that I'm fine. Hope this helps. I have not been able to find anything out but I'll be back to post any findings if there are any. God bless. I wish everyone the best.
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Avatar universal
The same just happened to me about 15 min ago. I grilled some hot dogs and ate baked beans with chips and salsa and some onions on my hot dogs. Shared a small piece of cheesecake with my gf. About two hours later I was eating a small bowl of ice cream and felt like I had to pass gas which I was able to stand up and do successfully. Then after my ice cream I still felt like I really had to pass gas again so I went to the toilet and I sat there for a few seconds and nothing came so I lightly pushed a few times. I immediately started to feel dizzy like I was about to pass out. I felt like I couldnt take a good breath either. So I stood up and put my arms above my head and tried to take a few steps but was so busy I think I ended up just walking in a circle a few times lol. Then the cold sweats came. I was sweating head to toe. I managed to make it across the hall to my roommates room and asked him to call am ambulance for me because I honestly thought I was having a stroke or something. During our conversation I noticed I could barely hear anything. Like I had ear muffs on or something. Anyway I barely made it back to the toilet before having diarrhea. It was very watery and burned really bad. I slowly started to feel better after that. I feel kind of weak right now and my head hurts but other than that I'm fine. Hope this helps find a diagnosis. I haven't been able to find anything out but I'll be back to post any findings if there are any. God bless. I wish everyone the best.
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