How to know if I have a intolerance?

[SweetSunflowerBoo]

I've got crippling tummy pain again today. This is the 3rd time recently. My partner thinks it could be an intolerance or allergy to something in what I eat.

How would I know?
Do I bring this up to my doctor?

Keeping a log of the meal I have eaten before the tummy pain starts.

• pizza
• chicken tikka curry and rice

And today- mc Donald's chips abs cheeseburger.

Not noticed this pain with my healthy meals

Could this be food related?

But this pain is BAD. I had to keep stopping in the middle of food shopping and kept burying my head into my partners back so no one could see me nearly cry.

For comparison for pain- I've had a baby with just gas and air. And was walking around and active during labour. This pain stops me doing daily activities

[Fairislefandango]

It's really really difficult to work out. Keeping a food diary might give you some answers, but it isn't foolproof. Unless you know how long it takes after you have eaten for you to have symptoms, it's hard to tell which food caused them (it could be what you ate anything from 30 mins to 36 hours ago!). But you might spot some patterns and possible culprits.

Oh hang on - whereabouts in your stomach is the pain? It could be gallstones. An attack is often triggered by fatty foods. The pain is horrendous and often compared with childbirth pain in its intensity. I had this about 5 years ago, scan diagnosed gallstones, had my gallbladder out.

[Fairislefandango]

Given the severity of the pain and the types of foods you think might have triggered it, I'm guessing gallstones is much more likely than a food intolerance. Can I ask how old you are? And if you're a bit overweight? You're most likely to get gallstones if you are the 5 Fs - fat, fair, female, fertile and 40+! (I fitted all 5, though only a bit fat!)

[SweetSunflowerBoo]

@Fairislefandango
Hard to identify where exactly. Just feels in the normal area for tummy pain. Right in the middle?
I'm 22
Not overweight at all. I'm a size 4 in clothes on the border of underweight to regular weight

[Fairislefandango]

Ok well you're absolutely definitely not the typical profile for gallstones then! But I guess that doesn't mean it can't be that. I'd go to the gp if I were you. They're not much use at diagnosing food intolerances, but if the pain was that severe, you need checking out! Dh said I looked grey, and like I'd aged 10 years in a couple of hours when I had my first attack. I lay curled in a foetal position and couldn't move!

[SweetSunflowerBoo]

I'm definitely going to mention it to GP
Thank you

[DickVanDyke26]

Could be gluten

[1910username]

I think an elimination diet is the best way.

You can eliminate gluten and dairy, as they’re the most usual food intolerances (I think) and after a few weeks start introducing them again one at a time.

The only problem is that I believe gluten remains in your body for a long time. But I would think you should start feeling a difference in 2-3 weeks.

Look for a proper list of gluten free foods, there’s still like Soy Sauce that have gluten and I would have never guessed.

The good news os that there are gluten free alternatives for lots of foods.

I’ve done it on my own in the past, but you may feel more comfortable discussing it with your GP.

I now take omeoprazole and feel much better, I didn’t have intolerances, just lots of acid in my stomach.

[Wishensook]

I became gluten intolerant in my twenties. I was a skinny thing too, I have also had three babies with just gas and air...the pain after consuming gluten was horrendous, stopped me in my tracks.

I couldn't ever face the blood test which involved eating gluten for six weeks followed by a blood test..the thought of that was awful, life would have been unbearable.p for that length of time.

I have completely cut out gluten and have had to now cut out onion, pickles and some fruit and don't get the pain anymore. I have joyfully now also become intolerant to cows milk protein (same symptoms) but can drink jersey milk or goats milk with no issues!

[TooManyPJs]

Middle of tummy sounds like stomach rather than bowel pain. Could also be gall stones as PP said.

Could be loads of things. Intolerances generally cause bowel pain rather than stomach and food takes ages to get down to bowel. From my IBS related trials it's about 24hrs for me.

If it's stomach could be ulcers, gastritis, possibly lactose intolerance as that can cause as cause stomach pain but yours sounds very severe. Sure there are lots of possible causes. You need to get checked out by a GP to investigate before you start eliminating things.

[Queenie24]

The first thing that came to kind with what you eat before it happens is gallstones.