About a year ago, I got my 1st gym membership and started working out pretty regularly (about 3x a week). I wasn't out of shape, but not necessarily in shape. Everything was fine until about 3 months in, when one day I hopped on the elliptical and just over 2 miles or 13 minutes in, my stomach started hurting terribly. At first I thought it was just a side stitch from overworking myself, so I slowed down to a walk, but soon enough I HAD to stop because the pain was so unbearable. I got off the machine, and immediately felt a combination of lightheadedness, dizziness, and severe abdominal pain. The abdominal pain was a little like menstrual cramps, but tons worse. I felt like I was either going to throw up or make a bowel movement so I made my way to the bathroom (a 3-4 minute walk, yikes!) I crouched over the toilet, and was lurching, but nothing came out. I was hoping so badly that something would at that point because I needed the pain to end. It would seem to get a little better, then get much worse, then lessen up again, then get worse, but eventually the pain just faded away. The whole time I was moaning in pain and wishing everything could be silent so I could just try to deal with the pain myself somehow. I just sat on the floor crouched over for probably 15-20 minutes total before the pain eventually subsided. When it was over, I felt like I could do anything because feeling no pain felt SO GOOD!!! I wasn’t lightheaded anymore and the abdominal pain was 100% gone.
This same scenario of severe abdominal pain lasting for 15-20 minutes beginning during exercise or 1-2 minutes after I get off the machine has occurred about 6-7 times since then, randomly. I’ve found some other descriptions of this type of pain after exercise, and many people said it sounded like contractions (but I am NOT pregnant). Are these contractions? Or what is it caused by? Are there any ways to prevent it? Has anyone else had a similar experience? I would love to at least understand what is going on because it hurts so badly. Thank you in advance!