Abdominal pain (only at night)

I had this same problem for a long time. I tried almost everything. The one thing that reLy helped was some support under my back while sleeping something like a flat pillow. And i also start walking like 30 minites 4 days a week that helpes to relax the whole abdominal system

Similar to my story, only I have been a healthy eater for most of my adult life… with the exception of a fondness for carbs.  But the last 20 years I have been plagued with all the IBS symptoms.  I'm not sure if the systems got worse or as I aged, I grew less tolerant, but about 3 years ago I felt bad enough and was sleeping bad enough to finally start trying to solve my problems.  Since then I have been poked, prodded, scoped, drawn, tested and inspected in every orifice, organ and system.  My last endoscopy showed signs of mild gastritis, but nothing else.    Going in the other end was all negative.   The good news is that I am completely healthy according to the medical profession.  The bad news was that I was still feeling like cr_p.   Then about six months ago I stopped eating wheat.   I tested negative for Celiac disease, but something told me to give the Gluten-Free diet a try.  In about one month almost all of my symptoms went away… sores and scabs on my scalp and beard, the burning in my joints and skin, the body itches, the copious bloating and gas after eating, the loose stool and going to the bathroom six times a day… all gone. 

Unfortunately what I am left with is a constant feeling of being constipated.   During the day I can ignore it, but when I lie down to sleep I toss and turn and walk up several times a night.  When I do wake up, I am often feeling over-heated and mildly sweaty (nothing like my poor wife has to endure going through her “time”, but bad enough).   Putting pressure on my stomach area provides some relief.  I sleep on my stomach with a pillow under my gut.   When I am feeling the worst it is like my guts are burning inside, so I put a cold pack in the pillowcase to help provide relief.  It usually takes 30-60 minutes before the discomfort resides and I can get back to sleep.  Many nights I feel bad all night and never get more than a few minutes of sleep.   It really feels like my intestines are extended and have stopped working to move stuff along the tract and my other organs are complaining about all the unwanted company in my gut.   <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

My thinking here is that I have had a mild case of Celiacs that the tests did not confirm.   After 20 years of an immune response to my diet that included a high percentage of high carbs (read: high Gluten), I think I have damaged my intestines.   I am told that the damage will repair over time.  Along with wheat & Gluten, I have also cut out coffee and alcohol and am taking Aciphex to help control potential acid causes of the mild gastritis.   I take a stool softener before dinner, fiber supplements during the day, and a sleeping pill a couple times a week (no more to prevent growing dependence).   I am hopeful that I will improve by sticking to this plan, however to date it seems like my sleepless nights have increased.  I am getting real grouchy that I am missing all the food and beverages I like and don’t seem to be rewarded for it.   I am also stressing that I have some other problem since there are lot of organs in the gut and my problems continue and seem to be getting worse. 

I am only 13 but for.the past 3 days I've had stomach pain at night. It's like a repetition. It stops then comes back.

did you ever find out the cause of the problem?

did you find out the exact cause of the pain?

I too have had the same symptoms for years. I found out about 3 years ago that I have an ankylosing spondylitis. You can have your doc do a blood test to see if you have the hlab27 gene. If you do then you may need to look further at this diagnosis. Wish I better news but the good thing is at least when you know about something you can treat it. Try going off starch sugar and dairy, you should see results within a week. Good luck and I wish a restful night sleep to you all.

I am 29 yrs old, the first time I had this pain was the night of my 29th birthday. It has almost been 5 months. I orriginally only has the issue like once a month but now it has happened once a week for the last three weeks. I am not nauseous, but I force myself to throw up thinking it will help the pain, it never does. I go to bed with no pain but wake up out of a swap sleep in pain. There is no position that I am comfortable in and peeing doesn't stop or ease the pain. Antacids did not help only made me have a battery taste in my mouth about 15 minutes after taking them. I am not constipated nor do I have diariiha. Lit is driving me nuts because I do not have time for this as a single mother of 2, that has no time for rest. Has anyone else had a slow progression of this? It keeps me up all night once it wakes me up

Found my issue was my gallbladder and just had it removed 2 days ago

I have been having severe back/abdominal pains only at night when laying on my back about 2hours and it awakes me! Once I walk around it goes away! I have done every test there is to do I think and nothing! I even had a hysterectomy my gasternoligist said the only thing left is exploritory surgery! No I'm not given up and doing that just yet that is over the top! If anyone has any answers please help me! I seen someone said have the test for bacteria H pylori I don't think I have had that test but every other test dealing with checking organs and digestive system I have had!:(

you have a peptic ulcer. check it out. 

I have same problem, night time wake up having pain in my stomach, doctor recommended medicine, it works fine,,,,,the key is ring,,,at night time, food drives backwards, which cause pain, there is ring at the begining of stomach, it opens up in night, and food start to flow backwards, or acids.....If you sleep chest upwards or sit, it is fine......Medication Salt is Kansoprozole, consult your doctor, i am trying to find medicine that is specific to it,,,name simmilar to maxium......

more information, check this link out:

http://www.localhealth.com/article/esophagus-symptoms

Finally found, symptom is called GERD, and medication is Nexium. as per doctor, keep eating after some time, don't leave your stomach empty. avoid acidic food. coffee. tea. etc... good luck

Most Likely Cause:

Wow, I came to this website trying to find a solution for my own problem, but after reading everyone's posts I now realize that I have most likely already discovered the cause of mine and almost everyone's issue here.

What I believe (almost) everyone has here is sort-of a mechanical digestive problem called Pyloric Atresia, which is when the valve between the stomach and intestine becomes inflamed enough to slow the emptying of food from the stomach, causing bloating from the irritation of stomach muscle cramps after your stomach continually tries to force the food out of the stomach through the ever decreasing passageway of the pyloric valve...that is why it does not start until night time, because gravity helps the stomach empty when you are standing up, but when lying down you are lateral. This also explains why moving around helps, because you flex your stomach muscles when you flip from one side to the other causing an increase in the pressure from the stomach which pushes some of the food or (GAS) into the intestine.

Now, this issue is really a motility issue (movement of food through the digestive track), so the source of the problem can be a few things with the same manifestation, such as:

1) Pyloric Atresia: The inflamation of the Pyloric Valve (This can be caused by over acidity of the stomach, and/or a decrease of the protective mucus mucosa in the stomach and pyloric valve which protects the pyloric valve from the daily pounding of stomach acid) or other causes; the main point is that the valve decreases in size as the valve inflames and less food can pass; think of a traffic jam and people getting road rage because they can not get through. This is why by morning the issue is gone because despite the decreases size of the opening in the pyloric valve plenty of time has gone by for all the food to get through despite the inflammation.

2) Damage to the vagus nerve (the nerve running down the side of the esophagus and stomach which controls the contaction of the stomach) When the vagus nerve is damaged from surgery or something else, the pyloric valve will not work so well, nor will the constriction of the stomach.

3) Irritable bowles can accompany the pyloric valve issue...some times if the pyloric valve is inflames...so is the rest of the intestines...makes sense hagh? Again, this particular issue can be caused by decrease in protective stomach mucosa or over-acidity or a combination of both.

4) Believe it or not the lack of acid can cause the lack of gastric (stomach) emptying as well. This is why this is a complicated problem; too much acid inflames the pyloric valve, and too little acid is not enough to break down the food in the stomach or agitate the pyloric valve enough to open


----Possible Solutions:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, now for some possible solutions.

The good news is that there are some quick fixes that I have discovered work for me, and here are a few:

1) A few tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar: I don't really know for sure why this works for me, but through research I found that acid in the stomach is actually what tells the pyloric valve to open. It has other digestive aid properties and it works for me.

2) Advil liquid gel: These disolve quickly and reduces inflamation in the pyloric valve and intestines; once I take them, the food flows through the digestive track pretty quick; quick enough to feel it; that's how I originally discovered that it is a motility issue caused by inflammation

3) I heard some people mention that elevating the foot of their bed works, but this is really just a quick fix; it probably helps because it not only puts gravitational pressure on the digestive track, but it also centers the acid that is in the stomach to the bottom which is where the pyloric valve is causing the valve to be agitated by the acid and thus opening the valve naturally; I also want to note that someone else mentioned that sleeping on their right side is better; this is because the stomach empties to the right; the pyloric valve is on the right, so sleeping on your right side allows food to drop from the stomach through the pyloric valve; if you sleep on your left, you are elevating the pyloric valve over your stomach and your stomach has to fight gravity to empty it. (Take a look at pictures of the stomach and you will see what I mean)

4) Reduce things that irriate the pyloric valve and intestines; such as too much fiber (mostly too much insoluble fiber [roughage])

5) If your stomach has an issue with emptying, just making sure to leave several hours after eating before going to bed may not be enough because the stomach can build up gas and that may not be allowed to pass through either; this can cause the same pain and bloating as food not being able to leave the stomach. If it is gas though, charcoal caps can really help because it does not just consolidate the gas like just about every anti gas medicine on the counter, but it actually absorbs it because charcoal has a huge surface area; this means you will not have to burp it out like normal anti-gas medicine, the gas will just be absorbed and pass into your intestines and you will get rid of it naturally.


Potential Permanent Solution:

I recommend that everyone sees not just a gastroenterologist (Mine actually made me much worse), but a "Neurogastroenterologist and GI motility" Specialist; these are the doctors that deal with lack of motility and nerve issues. There are really promising treatments now like injecting the pyloric valve with Botox...how about that...an actual noble use of Botox? lol

Other solutions include putting a stent in the pyloric valve to always keep it open

I also want to be very clear that people should be very careful what pills they take; little do we know but even stomach medicine can effect all sorts of other areas of our body including our brain, causing depression, hormone issues, extreme irritability, and more. I encourage everyone to join a free website like caloriecount.about.com to train them to eat right; eating right and getting the right amount of nutrients can "HUGELY" reduce your calorie intake needs, so you will eat so much less because your getting the right amount of nutrients in the small amount of food that you eat; not to mention you will feel amazing, healthy, clear headed, in a better mood.

I very much hope that this helps other people so that they don't have to go through the excusiating pain that I had to go through as a result of having the wrong doctor and not eating right, so please re-post and let me know if this helps anyone; thank you.  -Joseph

Stomach ulcer, also called gastric ulcer literally to an ulcer occurring in the wall of the stomach. This often happens due to erosion of the lining of the wall of the stomach and the formation of an ulcer crater.

Stomach ulcer presents as upper central abdominal pain of gradual onset. It may be worsened by eating, thus the sufferer usually would not like food, and starts losing weight. The pain may be sharp, piercing to the back, associated feeling of nausea, and pain may be worse at night, waking patient up at night around 1 – 3 a.m. Taking milk or antacid may help with the pain. The pain usually comes in a stretch of continuous attack, lasting for about two to four weeks and then disappears, to come back again after a while.

You will need to see your doctor to confirm if the pain you feel is due to stomach ulcer. He will send you for an endoscope or camera test which will help visualize the ulcer, and treatment can then be planned to cure the problem. There may is often need to rule out a stomach cancer in someone with this type of pain too, especially if such one is more than 50 years old. From http://www.abdopain.com/upper-central-abdominal-pain.html

hope this helps!