Keep getting upset stomach out of the blue, what is the cause? TMI warning

[Greenny]

Every few weeks I seem to get this episode of an upset stomach. It’s always the same pattern, but there’s no consistency with any triggers. This is TMI just to warn you…

It seems to always happen in the early evening. My stomach will rumble and then start cramping, and I need to go to the bathroom immediately. I’ll pass everything that’s inside my digestive system, so it starts off with a normal bowel movement, then softer, and then flaky and then liquid diarrhoea. Whilst I’m on the loo I’m having stomach cramps, sweating and light headed, and I can faint sometimes. The whole episode lasts a few hours, and then I’m fine. It doesn’t affect my appetite. It feels like my body suddenly decides it needs everything out of me, immediately. It’s awful.

Ive been to the GP and I’m having a colonoscopy soon so I know I’ll probably get answers then but in the meantime I’m just wondering what it could be. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

This is how my IBD (ulcerative colitis) started. My meds have kept me in remission for well over a year. It did take over a year to diagnose me by which time the ulceration had spread in my colon. Keep on top of appts and consultants etc. this could also be IBS, though - not necessarily IBD. I found my trigger foods were onion / garlic and anything rich. My diet is now completely different and I don't miss out on any nice foods, I am just much more careful of what I eat.

Hi it might be worth asking to be tested for SIBO which is small intestine bacterial overgrowth. I have recently been diagnosed with it (in my case it's related to cancer treatment but you can get it without all that). I took prebiotics and antibiotics and am now taking probiotics and honestly it's so much better. Still have some urgency if I run or do a fast paced walk, but the random bloating etc so far is so much better.

I have also discovered it's really common. You can also eat more gut health food, such as fermented stuff.

The test is a breath test so non invasive

Is it linked to your menstrual cycle? It took me years to work out that was why I regularly had an upset stomach.

bile duct dysfunction? (also sometimes called sphincter of oddi dysfunction)

Is it just before your period? This happens to me every month

Yes, this does sound familiar, I have (or have had, as it seems to be slowly getting better) very similar episodes, except for me it has been once every 3 or 4 months, and at different times of the day/night. Like yourself, there seems to be no particular dietary trigger - in fact once, I had hardly eaten all that day and I'd already had 3 (normal but softish) movements due to having eaten bran flakes the day before, and I recall thinking to myself "at least I definitely won't have one of those sudden cramping/diarrh episodes this evening, as I'm already empty!" and I had an episode of it a few hours later. Just like you say - starts with gurglings in the tummy, then pain/cramping, and sudden diarrh. It's as if some sort of liquid has suddenly got into my intestines which it just can't abide and has to be got rid of straight away. I've had to soak a face flannel with cold water and mop my brow while the worst of the cramping happens, as it feels like I'm about to pass out, its such a horrible feeling while its at its peak. But after an hour or so, when it's all out, I'm fine again. No other symptoms. These episodes seemed to be at their worst for me about 2 years ago, I still get them but they're less intense.
I haven't had it checked out yet, as (a) the worst of it happened over lockdown, (b) I thought I can live with it just happening 2 or 3 times a year. But I wish you well and hope that you get a succesful diagnosis and treatment. X

You just described my exact symptoms, it can happen super fast after a meal for me but I'd always presumed it was some kind of food poisoning and my body just reacted fast. I've had this as long as I remember with usually one or two episodes a year but no more than that. Last year I was having it practically every other week and so actually followed up with the GP as it was becoming really debilitating. The doctors initially thought IBD but I had a colonoscopy and a capsule endoscopy and they didn't find anything and ultimately decided it was IBS. One big thing that impacts IBS is stress, I was getting married and moving house/city last year so yes was pretty stressed. Since all that has settled down I've not had the same number of episodes. Peppermint pills help if having an extended episode.

I get that randomly with cooked cheese.

It’s not linked to my period as if has happened at different points in my cycle. It feels like food poisoning or a stomach bug but it happens way too frequently for it to be that. It started when I was a teenager and would happen maybe once a year or so, but lately it’s been once a month.

It’s a horrid feeling, I feel like I’m dying during an episode of it and it feels like it will never end. Afterwards I’m exhausted

I have that too but it’s been more like once or twice a week for me. It’s IBS apparently. I have started taking Gut Repair from Happy Mammoth daily and since December 1st I have only had two episodes which for me is wonderful. I still get occasional grumbling and brief cramps, but nothing more happens.

I get episodes like this with my Crohn's disease. My Crohn's was really hard to diagnose as it's hiding in my small bowel - colonoscopies and endoscopies don't find it.

You could look at the wider symptoms of Crohn's (it can affect eyes, skin and joints too) for clues. Some people also predominantly have arthritis but occasionally get a bad tummy - my mum who has ankylosing spondylitis is like that. Autoimmune inflammatory diseases have a lot of overlap, so it's worth looking at any and all symptoms you have.

I sometimes also get quite similar poopy symptoms when I have a migraine, but there are subtle differences for me.

I've had that a few times too, as well as being sick at the same time. I've linked it to cheese too... Stayed clear of it since the last time a few months ago and so far, so good.

Are you certain it's not dietary, sucralose (ie artificial sweetener in drinks) has similar effect on me and they seem to be putting it in more and more things since the sugar tax. Took me a few episodes to twig what it was.

I have had similar symptoms had a double camera inspection and they think mine maybe due to Coeliac/gluten intolerance, IBS or similar. But carry on eating gluten until they tell you not too.

Have also been anaemic for a couple of years and I am past menopause.

Could be constipation. You may not think it but sometimes a blockage causes pressure to build up behind it, pushing against it, then it spills past.

This is going to sound ridiculous.

Dont keep your toothbrush near the loo. Outside the bathroom if poss. And use a new one asap.

l get repeated attacks that go through cycles. They always seem to be toothbrush related.

Irritable bowel syndrome

I get the exact symptoms with my IBS if I eat something that causes a flare..
It starts off solid, then sloppy (sorry) and then finally burning watery diarrhoea..
I call it round one, two and three. Usually all in very quick succession..
It's horrible and makes me retch and shiver violently at the same time.
Thankfully it rarely happens now as I'm very careful what I eat.

I don't keep my tooth brush in the bathroom so it's not that.

I did have high inflammation in one of my stool tests so the GP thinks it is IBD, but when I read about people's experiences with IBD it seems a lot worse than what I'm experiencing.

Is there any pattern to which foods you have eaten during the day?

I find i can't cope with too many artificial sweeteners. I can have some but it seems I have a limit. Also many manufacturers are sneaking in onion extracts in their list of ingredients and my stomach struggles with that and garlic, ie Bisto gravy have changed their recipe. I end up the same as you otherwise.

@Greenny I realise this is an old post but did you ever figure it out? I am getting exactly the same symptoms!