Stomach Cramp, Diarrhea, sweating , light headedness and fainting

[tomski]

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

[Tartetartin]

Stumbled upon this post and am feeling so relieved to know so many others share the same symptoms. I've had this thrice now in 2 years.

First time it happened I was in Africa. I was fine and then suddenly I was not. I felt bloated, nauseated and a creeping pain was making its way across my belly - like the pain before a bad stomachache but worse. It went on and off. I farted a lot lol, smelt like hell. Went to the bathroom to poop. Nothing came out. The pain intensified and it got so bad I was out of my mind, sweating buckets of cold sweat, twisting and digging into my stomach with my fingers in an attempt to lessen the pain. I was trembling and thought this was it. I was gonna die in a hotel toilet and they'll only discover my **** stained body the next day. I remember pulling my legs up and placing my feet on the toilet bowl seat, trying to squeeze myself upon myself, if that makes sense. It helped with the pain a little. After a few rounds of the cramping, I finally had seriously explosive diarrhoea. The pain left, but the nausea remained. I cleaned up a little and weakly left the toilet, pulling my undies up slowly. On the way out, the pain came back and instantly all I saw was a spinning room that was slowly fading to black. It was like everything was in slow motion. I collapsed onto the bed, ringing in my ears, undies around my legs, sweating profusely. I managed to stay conscious by concentrating really really hard on a spot of blanket. Finally I felt better and managed to go back to the toilet for another round of explosions. I stayed in there for the next few hours.

Next morning, I checked out feeling absolutely fine. But confused.

Fast forward a year later and I'm in Japan for a holiday. After a day of drinks and eating and having a merry time with my friends and Boyfriend, my bf and I headed back to the apartment. Started feeling a bit of a tummy ache but just brushed it off as a normal one. After a few mins it became apparent the pain was something I had experienced before. Spent the next few hours screaming weakly from the toilet, with my poor bf sitting outside completely clueless as to what to do. I could hardly talk and it was excruciating to answers questions. Touch too like a concerned hand on my back made me irritated and I felt worse. I was once again drenched in cold sweat, felt nauseated beyond words and kept my hands under running cold water (sink was right next to toilet bowl) to keep alert and from passing out. Finally, had some really crazy explosive bm and finally, finally managed to crawl out and into the arms of my poor bf, who had literally sat on the floor near the toilet waiting to catch me if I had fainted. I also induced vomiting as I was so sick of feeling sick, without anything coming out. I thought throwing up would make me feel better but it DID NOT, so don't try to do such a stupid thing like I did.

Last episode just happened but I suspect I'm not done with it yet. I still feel bloated and nauseated. Lying in bed waiting for the next wave.

[versiowa]

I, too, have this occasionally...maybe 3-4 times a year...had one in early March and then just today. I believe it is my vasovagal response to needing a bowel movement and being under-hydrated. Just this morning I felt gas-cramps; which escalated. I ended up laying on our cold tile bathroom floor, hardly able to whisper for help, breathing shallow, and grunting in pain. My lips lost all color -- I'm normally pale, but these episodes take it to another level. I would get back to the toilet to try to have a bowel movement, but I was only to lay down again on the floor or else I would have passed out. I was so weak and so thirsty. Fortunately, my little girl was able to get me a glass of water, but I could not sit up to drink it so she brought me a straw. After about half an hour of this, I was on the upswing. I napped afterwards as I felt wiped out. Normally it ends with an explosive bowel movement, but no such luck today. After the bm, I usually feel much better. So, I have self-diagnosed it as a vasovagal response due to under-hydration and needing a bm. It is really horrible. I feel lucky I have always been home for these episodes.

[goldenpons]

histamine intolerance....these are the classic symptoms

[Fishface74]

Your comments mirror exactly what happened to me yesterday - I was so terrified but then felt OK ish two hours later which made me think how the hell has that much pain, lightheadedness and nearly fainting happened and got better so quickly ! I was in my own up a hill too! Had to call my hub who was scared and didn't know what to do!! It's so odd but good to read these forums

[Ray1959]

Thank you for the input Bristol. I will look into that, but for me, the whole episode progresses so fast that I have never considered drugs taken after onset. This is my first post to this site.

Hello fellow sufferers,

I am a male age 57 and have had this affliction since I was 8. I am not overweight and have never been. I have had countless episodes over the years; a conservative estimate would be pushing 50. I have a memory of the second grade when after an episode at school (in which I was found passed out on the bathroom floor), the teacher, after consulting with my mother, would ask a classmate to follow me to the bathroom if I left in the middle of class. I can’t tell you how much embarrassment this has caused me throughout my life but I’m sure some of you can understand.

Other memories include lying on a bed in the nurse’s office in grade school flush and seeing spots, praying that I would not pass out and hoping my stomach would rumble and give me some relief. It felt like a blockage and I knew that the inevitable would have to happen for complete relief. Waiting is excruciating because suppression causes unbearable pain and relief involves having an explosion that is very embarrassing around strangers. Growing up, the one thought that I carried was that I hoped that no one would be around when I had an episode.

In my late teens and early twenties I began to learn of some triggers. After having numerous episodes from Chinese restaurants, I finally learned that MSG was one of them. This was the one that would cause the daytime episodes because it always happened within a certain timeframe after eating. I had to ask my mother-in-law to stop putting Accent on her vegetables because of the episodes I was having while visiting. Later in my thirties I learned that it was guacamole. I think it is the avocados but maybe a combination with the garlic. One other trigger was having too much orange juice in the morning, probably the citric acid.

By far the most severe episodes happen when awakened from sleeping with a gut wrenching pain. The deeper the sleep at the time, the less time I had to react and get to the bathroom. Sometimes I don’t fully awaken before the dizziness and VVS start so it sometimes is only after the episode, when I am sitting on the toilet, trying to calm my heavy breathing that I come to full realization of what has happened.

It is because of an episode that I had five days ago now that I am writing this. I found this blog from an internet search of my symptoms and it was quite an awakening to find out that there are others out there like you all. It is no longer a me thing and now a we. I have read almost every post and it has taken me hours. Thank you all for sharing. It has helped with my feelings of inferiority.

Confirming my symptoms, skip this paragraph if you want. Growing low abdominal pain in the area of the navel or lower. The pain, to me, is distinguishable at the onset from any other pain or a normal stomach ache (sorry I can’t explain this) and causes dread on the edge of fear. If I am driving it is pure panic. As the pain increases in severity, I begin to feel flush and the cold sweats start. I don’t strip clothing because the pain takes all of my concentration and I have soaked many a shirt. I have on occasion eased myself off the toilet to lie on the floor but I don’t usually want to for fear of missing my target. Ringing in the ears, tunnel vision, usually when VVS is oncoming.

In my latest and to date my most severe case I was sleeping after the night shift (physical stress?) when it started at 1130am. I made to the bathroom and as best I can figure, was in the motion of sitting but went forward instead of back as I passed out and did a face plant on the tile floor. I had a BM while I was passed out on the floor and when I regained vision, used every effort I could muster to get on the seat. The episode left me with a fat lip and a broken nose.

Going forward, my biggest fear is having an episode when I’m older when my heart gets weaker and it kills me because this does put a great strain on the heart. It is a serious form of trauma, both physically and mentally.

Lastly, this recent episode was the first that I have had in 3-4 years. I attribute this great span to eating better and taking a daily fiber supplement. The biggest obstacle to making this part of your routine is taking the first step. Staying regular makes a big difference in reducing episodes. The fiber really helps reduce ANY hard stools and thus blockage. It is possible to have a life as I am still enjoying mine. Hang in there and maybe we can figure this out together.

Thank you for your time and giving me some therapy.

[Bristol23]

I'm so glad I found this site. I've been a sufferer of this for about 15 years now. My symptoms start the same as everyone has mentioned. Severe stomach cramping (yes this pain is worse than labor) followed by extreme sweating. I have never fainted but I do get very nauseous. The pain last for a minute or two but you feel like you are about to die. I've attempted on several occasions to go to the emergency room but I had to stop at least 5 times in my travels there and by the time I reached the hospital I was on the downside of the episode. As everyone has mentioned, once the diarrhea hits, I feel some comfort, but this usually takes about 3 rounds of having the diarrhea burst. My doctor prescribed me Levsin which helps with stomach spasms, I place the pill under my tongue at the onset of the cramping. Now you're still going to cramp but not as long and you go straight to diarrhea. A coworker has the same issue as all of us and she told me about Levsin.  Still don't have a diagnosis for what this is called but with the Levsin, it has cut the time I actually suffer in half. Hope this helps someone.

[goldenpons]

research histamine intolerance

[TAWNHET]

I am so glad I found this. I unfortunately do not have a solution, only empathy  because I can relate. I discovered this thread yesterday morning after an attack that I hadn't had in a number of years.

It started around age 8 (was being molested at that time in my life). About once or twice a year beginning at age 8, I would awaken at night with a sensation of needing to have diarrhea. What would happen was that I would sit on the toilet, groaning in agony, sometimes with a bible even praying for relief...as a child.

Every episode I have experienced from that age until yesterday goes the same:
-Late at night awakening with urge to have diarrhea
-Stagger to toilet and experience a lower abdominal fullness with urge to empty my bowels, to no avail
-Experience what I feel are intestinal contractions that come in waves, with each waves lasting about 30 seconds. The waves increase in intensity and the pain is unbearable.
-During each wave of pain my blood pressure spikes, which results in ringing in my ears, excess sweating and my vision fading in and out. I feel like I am having a sort of an out-of-body experience.
-Any efforts to twist my body, bear down or breathe deep only intensify the pain
-After the wave of pain subsides (for a short time), I am left exhausted and sweaty. The first few waves do not result in any sort of emptying of my bowels.
-Eventually, one of the waves will produce diarrhea, which finally decreases the intensity of pain.
-After I finally empty my bowels (or so I think) I stumble back to bed, sweaty and freezing cold. I lay in bed, exhausted and relieved but feeling quite chilled, as if I have the flu.
-I manage to fall asleep but awaken a short time later with same fullness in my lower intestines and I stumble back to the bathroom. This time, I empty whatever is left in my bowels quickly without the pain that accompanied me in the first round.
-Finally, I can go back to bed and sleep, still feeling chilled and drained. When I wake up again in the morning, it is as if nothing ever even happened. I feel normal.

As I had said above, I have typically only experienced this once or twice a year and until yesterday morning, I had not experienced this in at least 5 years. I am currently 35 years old.

[goldenpons]

probably histamine intolerance