Hi Hofa, I am glad to hear that she had a pain free night and a good night sleep.
What a relief to find out there are other people with what appears to be the same problem. I have suffered with this condition for about 15 years. I am male 42 years old (6ft4) and my weight has fluctuated between 14 and 22 stones. One of the reasons I lost so much weight was because I thought the pain was caused by being heavy. Disappointingly this hasn't been the case and the pain was at times just as bad when I was at my lowest weight. I do believe it is diet/alcohol intake related and when I have been disciplined about food size portions and restricted my eating to before 6pm the pain has not been as severe. I have a feeling that dairy food magnifies the problem and I really suffer when I have had things like pizza pasta and ice cream late at night. Similarly I find that the pain is extreme after about 3 hours sleep ad the only relief is to get up and put my body in a vertical position for an hour or so before going back to bed. Any other suggestions would be gratefully received as I would dearly love 8hours of sleep in one night.
Hi Bassett,
It sounds like yours is an easy problem to fix...stop eating unhealthy food :)
I joke, because that is really only the first step; your problem sounds like a classic case of indigestion, and when you couple indigestion with going right to bed, especially at night when our digestive track slows down and doesn't work as hard, what you are left with is a bunch of undigested food in your stomach that will ferment and create a great deal of gas. Also, our bodies digest the liquid in our stomachs in only about 45 minutes, which leaves the more viscus (less flowing) food in our stomach to be digested over 2-3 hours. What this means is that you are 1) Eating very gas prone food, 2) Eating it just before bed when the digestive track doesn't work as hard, 3) Lying down so that after the liquid leaves the stomach quickly the hard food stays, and gravity is not even working for you 4) The result is that your stomach pushes and squeezes so hard to get the food out of the stomach that it creates a great deal of stress on the valve in between your stomach and your intestine called the "Pyloric Valve." When this happens, the Pyloric Valve becomes inflamed like a person's lungs that close up from an asthma attack, and the result is that the food becomes that much more difficult to push through the valve, and then a vicious cycle occurs...because the valve is inflamed and does not want to open, the stomach pushes harder...which in turn inflames the valve even more.
The gas will also be caused by your body quickly trying to remedy the situation by generating a great deal of stomach acid in attempt to break down the food so that it passes thought the Pyloric Valve easier...and during the process, the acid creates gas, and thus adds to the cycle. For the most part, the acid helps by breaking down the food, and also by agitating the Pyloric Valve to open, and taking an antacid can eliminate the acid and make digestion much worse; that's when you become severely bloated.
I encourage you to take my advice and cut out the unhealthy food, especially at night; eat smaller portions and you will see that you "will" get full, you just have to give it 20 minutes to make you full. So many people overeat because they are impatient to let the food hit their stomach. When I started to eat smaller portions and have faith that I was eating enough food to make me full, and just waiting 20 minutes for it to happen before I ate more, I started to eat literally about half the calories per meal.
I really am hesitant to give you quick fixes, because it is the bad eating habits that get people into this kind of digestive track mess, and you will find that fixing the source of the problem will be much better than putting a band-aid on it, but if you are in pain one night and need sleep, a quick fix is to take a couple Advils; liquid gels are the best; they are an anti-inflammatory, and go to work fast to eliminate the inflammation that prevents digestion in that situation. Once you take an Advil, you should actually feel the food rush out of your stomach.
A long term anti-inflammatory is a fish oil pill, which is about 20x anti-inflammatory as flax-seed oil, but flax-seed oil works well too, and your body needs the Omega-3 fat; a deficiency in it can cause other problems.
About the dairy, you may also have a lactose intolerance; if you do, then even a little milk or especially ice cream can stay in your stomach for hours and hours, sometimes up to 12 hours before it passes to the intestines. I believe that you can get rid of a lactose intolerance by eating right and exercising a little.
In closing, eat right; go for a walk 2x-3x a week and you will start to crave healthy food, and that is a beginning; once you start to feel healthier, you will take the next steps to change your diet little by little.
Read online about what foods are good for what ailments, and you may just be surprised that by not eating right (nutritional deficiencies) like being deficient in certain vitamins, minerals, and things like Omega-3 fat can cause almost all of the problems that send people to the doctor.
Good luck, and let me know if my advice helped. -Joseph
It sounds like yours is an easy problem to fix...stop eating unhealthy food :)
I joke, because that is really only the first step; your problem sounds like a classic case of indigestion, and when you couple indigestion with going right to bed, especially at night when our digestive track slows down and doesn't work as hard, what you are left with is a bunch of undigested food in your stomach that will ferment and create a great deal of gas. Also, our bodies digest the liquid in our stomachs in only about 45 minutes, which leaves the more viscus (less flowing) food in our stomach to be digested over 2-3 hours. What this means is that you are 1) Eating very gas prone food, 2) Eating it just before bed when the digestive track doesn't work as hard, 3) Lying down so that after the liquid leaves the stomach quickly the hard food stays, and gravity is not even working for you 4) The result is that your stomach pushes and squeezes so hard to get the food out of the stomach that it creates a great deal of stress on the valve in between your stomach and your intestine called the "Pyloric Valve." When this happens, the Pyloric Valve becomes inflamed like a person's lungs that close up from an asthma attack, and the result is that the food becomes that much more difficult to push through the valve, and then a vicious cycle occurs...because the valve is inflamed and does not want to open, the stomach pushes harder...which in turn inflames the valve even more.
The gas will also be caused by your body quickly trying to remedy the situation by generating a great deal of stomach acid in attempt to break down the food so that it passes thought the Pyloric Valve easier...and during the process, the acid creates gas, and thus adds to the cycle. For the most part, the acid helps by breaking down the food, and also by agitating the Pyloric Valve to open, and taking an antacid can eliminate the acid and make digestion much worse; that's when you become severely bloated.
I encourage you to take my advice and cut out the unhealthy food, especially at night; eat smaller portions and you will see that you "will" get full, you just have to give it 20 minutes to make you full. So many people overeat because they are impatient to let the food hit their stomach. When I started to eat smaller portions and have faith that I was eating enough food to make me full, and just waiting 20 minutes for it to happen before I ate more, I started to eat literally about half the calories per meal.
I really am hesitant to give you quick fixes, because it is the bad eating habits that get people into this kind of digestive track mess, and you will find that fixing the source of the problem will be much better than putting a band-aid on it, but if you are in pain one night and need sleep, a quick fix is to take a couple Advils; liquid gels are the best; they are an anti-inflammatory, and go to work fast to eliminate the inflammation that prevents digestion in that situation. Once you take an Advil, you should actually feel the food rush out of your stomach.
A long term anti-inflammatory is a fish oil pill, which is about 20x anti-inflammatory as flax-seed oil, but flax-seed oil works well too, and your body needs the Omega-3 fat; a deficiency in it can cause other problems.
About the dairy, you may also have a lactose intolerance; if you do, then even a little milk or especially ice cream can stay in your stomach for hours and hours, sometimes up to 12 hours before it passes to the intestines. I believe that you can get rid of a lactose intolerance by eating right and exercising a little.
In closing, eat right; go for a walk 2x-3x a week and you will start to crave healthy food, and that is a beginning; once you start to feel healthier, you will take the next steps to change your diet little by little.
Read online about what foods are good for what ailments, and you may just be surprised that by not eating right (nutritional deficiencies) like being deficient in certain vitamins, minerals, and things like Omega-3 fat can cause almost all of the problems that send people to the doctor.
Good luck, and let me know if my advice helped. -Joseph
I thought I'd pop in with an update on my daughter's stomach cramps. She took the anti spasm meds for about 4 days and has had no problem since. However, after other health issues, she was diagnosed today with mono! During discussions with the doctor, I asked if her stomach cramps could also be in the bag of symptoms and she said yes. She explained (possibly just in laymans terms) that there are lymph nodes around the opening to the bowel and when they are swollen, it can cause cramping in the stomach.
I thought this information about the lymph nodes may help someone else at some stage.
i am going through the same phenomena it only happens at nights i suppose but i only realize it in the morning, its the cause that i wake up. After i get up the pain is gone as it was never there. I am concerned as well but cant figure out whats wrong.
saurav wrote:
Be careful with Protonix, especially a double dose; it may create terrible other side effects, including drastic changes in Libido. If I were to guess, it doesn't sound like an acid reflux issue; it sounds like it might be a lack of motility (the speed and ease of how fast the food moves through the intestines). This can be caused by not drinking enough fluids. When the intestines are dry, food will drag through the intestines and even create lacerations which can be painful, and if they are not allwed time to heal, the next food that passes through can make the laceration bigger and cause even more pain. If I were you, I would start drinking 12 glasses of water or a low sugar drink throughout the day for 3 days and during those days try to eat meals that are mushy and don't have sharp edges such as old bread (think squash). Also avoid foods with potassium for a few days, this can squeeze the water from your intestines and body. Good luck.
writer1 wrote:
For 10 months, I've suffered mild lower abdominal pain (a cramp-like feeling). It only occurs at night, and will go away when I wake up and walk around. I occassionally have mild acid reflux but a double dose of Protonix has done nothing to help the night abdominal pain. An upper GI endoscopy found nothing wrong. In any event, the pain is not similar to the burning sensation of reflux. It doesn't seem to be related to alcohol or certain foods, though sleeping with my back elevated does seem to help. Sound familiar to anyone?
i am going through the same phenomena it only happens at nights i suppose but i only realize it in the morning, its the cause that i wake up. After i get up the pain is gone as it was never there. I am concerned as well but cant figure out whats wrong.
Be careful with Protonix, especially a double dose; it may create terrible other side effects, including drastic changes in Libido. If I were to guess, it doesn't sound like an acid reflux issue; it sounds like it might be a lack of motility (the speed and ease of how fast the food moves through the intestines). This can be caused by not drinking enough fluids. When the intestines are dry, food will drag through the intestines and even create lacerations which can be painful, and if they are not allwed time to heal, the next food that passes through can make the laceration bigger and cause even more pain. If I were you, I would start drinking 12 glasses of water or a low sugar drink throughout the day for 3 days and during those days try to eat meals that are mushy and don't have sharp edges such as old bread (think squash). Also avoid foods with potassium for a few days, this can squeeze the water from your intestines and body. Good luck.
I had the same problem, taking a Zantac and an antigas pill with a large glass of water worked pretty well for me. Try it out and post on other forums if it works for you.
I am 23, 163lbs, 5'9" and I've been having these issues as long as I can remember. Like others have said, the pain goes away after you are upright for about 30-45 minutes.
From my experimentation, I've linked the pain to eating in the evening, and sleeping 0-4 hours later. The longer I am awake and upright after eating, the lesser the pain in the morning. So if I eat at 5pm, and sleep at 11pm, no pain at all when I awaken.
Perhaps this is linked to gluttony as a previous poster had mentioned. I know when I eat, I eat until there is no more space. Luckily I have been blessed with a fast metabolism.
It is very difficult to follow an eating schedule, especially with other variables, such as family. I just wish there was a cure, but this is my only preventative measure I have come up with.
Perhaps I should try eating lighter at night, and see how that goes. Updates to follow.
From my experimentation, I've linked the pain to eating in the evening, and sleeping 0-4 hours later. The longer I am awake and upright after eating, the lesser the pain in the morning. So if I eat at 5pm, and sleep at 11pm, no pain at all when I awaken.
Perhaps this is linked to gluttony as a previous poster had mentioned. I know when I eat, I eat until there is no more space. Luckily I have been blessed with a fast metabolism.
It is very difficult to follow an eating schedule, especially with other variables, such as family. I just wish there was a cure, but this is my only preventative measure I have come up with.
Perhaps I should try eating lighter at night, and see how that goes. Updates to follow.
Try taking gas pills Simethecone before bedtime and see if there is any change. Gas bubbles can cause pain when trapped. That may be why getting up helps.
Sometimes ulcers can develop in the duodenum, which is the section of the intestines just past the pyloric valve (between the stomach and the intestine) When this occurs, the pyloric valve can inflame and essentially "shut the door" between the stomach and the intestine, causing extreme bloating, and if your lucky to have the gas leave from the top door (esophagus) then you will have belching; if not, it will get trapped until the inflammation subsides. It is important to find the prime source of the problem like that. The lack in protective mucosa is the 2nd level of the source of the problem, but the prime source can be Helicobacter pylori bacteria that reduces the protective mucosa; the prime source can also be chronic stress that causes a drastic increase in gastric acid leading to an ulcer or similar problem. The goal is to eliminate that first, then then eliminate the hyper-acid production with proper diet including calcium and to a lesser amount magnesium; just be cautious, magnesium can cause hormone increases, so it is important to take it in a balanced and monitored amount. Flaxseed oil can also reduce stress, and thus, reduce acid production, and at the same time greatly reduce whole body inflammation, including GI inflammation. I strongly recommend to anyone with ongoing issues to see a specialist and have a endoscopy to check from ulcers or spots in the GI where there is a degradation of the protective mucosa; they can also do a biopsy to check for Helicobacter pylori bacteria and hyper-acidity. In summary, finding the source of the problem is the most important thing; taking PPI's or other drugs can only temporarily mask the issue while the body is in disarray.
It takes 2-4 hours for the average person to process a small meal of a couple eggs, two pieces of toast, and a small cup of water. Any more food than this takes even longer. It will be important to make sure find the source of
It takes 2-4 hours for the average person to process a small meal of a couple eggs, two pieces of toast, and a small cup of water. Any more food than this takes even longer. It will be important to make sure find the source of
I have been to my gyn doctor today re my left side pelvic pain which occurs at the middle of the night.I have a vaginal ultrasound scheduled in 2 days to rule out ovarian remnant syndrome since I have had a hysterectomy 10 yrs ago. Although this is rare, could be.. If this tests negative I am proceeding on with a diagnostic laparoscopy in 10 days to see if adhesions are the root of the problem. I have exhausted every medication and my GP to no avail. I long to rest well at night, so I pray this is the problem.
I don't drink carbonated drinks and this happens to me. So it doesn't appear to be a viable solution.
I've been having the same problem for about a year now. Started off with me going to bed on my side, (I always sleep on my side) but when I wake up I would be on my back with severe pain in my lower abdomen! Trying to sit up was impossible, so I would have to roll out of bed. Doctors could never give me an answer until a couple of months ago a female Doctor examined me and said my uterus is partially collasped, so I asked if the pain could have anything to do with it and she said yes. A couple of nights ago I was sleeping on my left side and the pain was severe, also when switching to the right side, so now it doesn't matter which position I sleep on, the pain is severe! But when I sleep in my recliner I don't have the problem! One solution until Doctors can find another one!
I guess no one has been able to find a solution yet. But until I find one the only solution I came up with is I sleep in my recliner, it's not a cure all but I don't have to contend with the pain at all. Give it a try!
Gmomof12 wrote:
Hi Gmomof12,
Perhaps you keep reading everyone's new testimony instead of looking through all of the posts from the very beginning, because I clearly outlined in great detail the actual source of the problem, which is a domino of issues finalizing upon the pyloric valve becoming inflamed, which you can trace back to either hyper-acidity, stress, h-pylori bacteria, lack of zinc in your diet and other causes. It is important to find what exactly is causing the issue and treating that as apposed to treating the effect not the cause.
There is one post that I made toward the very top that is extremely long that goes over everything from people having a nutritional deficiency to stress-caused hyper-acidity to a duodenal ulcer.
My suggestion to you is to start at the top of this page (page 11); it was probably the longest and most well thought out post that I made, which covered just about everything.
Just to be clear, I have had this problem for almost 10 years now, and I am totally free of it. My original gastroenterologist told me once that my problem was a "life long problem"...well he was wrong, and not just wrong, he was incompetent; he did not tell me "any" of the things that I am relaying to all of you on this site; it took me years to learn and understand the cause so that I could relay it to you in 5 minutes, so go ahead and start at the top of page 11 and then search for my other posts; they will be under the name "Joseph" or just "J."
Good luck.
Quote:
why does everyone keep posting "im having the same problem" im looking for a solution, not for everyones personal story, i kept reading all these damn posts and finally gave up cuz im tired of going thru the same exacts posts, all of them starting with either "i have this same problem" or "i have a problem similar to this" ....no wonder theres no solution on here cuz no one probably wants to read all of these
I guess no one has been able to find a solution yet. But until I find one the only solution I came up with is I sleep in my recliner, it's not a cure all but I don't have to contend with the pain at all. Give it a try!
Hi Gmomof12,
Perhaps you keep reading everyone's new testimony instead of looking through all of the posts from the very beginning, because I clearly outlined in great detail the actual source of the problem, which is a domino of issues finalizing upon the pyloric valve becoming inflamed, which you can trace back to either hyper-acidity, stress, h-pylori bacteria, lack of zinc in your diet and other causes. It is important to find what exactly is causing the issue and treating that as apposed to treating the effect not the cause.
There is one post that I made toward the very top that is extremely long that goes over everything from people having a nutritional deficiency to stress-caused hyper-acidity to a duodenal ulcer.
My suggestion to you is to start at the top of this page (page 11); it was probably the longest and most well thought out post that I made, which covered just about everything.
Just to be clear, I have had this problem for almost 10 years now, and I am totally free of it. My original gastroenterologist told me once that my problem was a "life long problem"...well he was wrong, and not just wrong, he was incompetent; he did not tell me "any" of the things that I am relaying to all of you on this site; it took me years to learn and understand the cause so that I could relay it to you in 5 minutes, so go ahead and start at the top of page 11 and then search for my other posts; they will be under the name "Joseph" or just "J."
Good luck.