Why does it feel better after I eat?

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olivermb
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Why does it feel better after I eat?

Post by olivermb »

Hi everyone,

Hope all is well. I'm following along.

Quick question. I routinely have pain in my lower left abdominal that began right after my colonoscopy. It has been 6 weeks now of dull cramps. But oddly, I feel best right after I eat, and almost always while sleeping at night. Any thoughts? I would have thought that eating could aggravate it.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Warmly,

Mary
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Christine.
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Post by Christine. »

Mary
I too get periodic dull pain in the lower left abdomen and it sometimes feels like it extends around to my back. But I don't think mine was caused by a colonoscopy and it seems unaffected by eating or sleeping. I usually get it if I am having other symptoms.
Christine
olivermb
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Post by olivermb »

Hi Christine,

Thanks for the response. I misread your note at first, thinking you said you thought it was caused the colonoscopy. Hmmm. I think mine is because there was no pain prior to that, but immediate pain afterwards.

This pain is my chief worry. I sure wish I could get a handle on it.

Thanks guys,

Mary
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wmonique2
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why does it feel better

Post by wmonique2 »

Hey Mary,

Lower left pain is where the colon is located. If you are having a flare or your colon is inflamed then it would hurt. Mine hurts when I eat too much fruits and vegies with skins and high fiber. The colon has to push the food through and because it is inflamed, it does hurt. When I slack off from fiber and give my colon a rest (when I eat food with low fiber), it stops hurting. Right now I have been juicing my fruits and vegies so that I get the nutrients without getting the fiber.

Maybe you just need to give your colon a rest.

Just a thought...

Feel better.

Monique
Diagnosed 2011 with LC. Currently on Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
olivermb
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Post by olivermb »

Hi Monique,

Really good point. The only thing that has me confused about this is that I never, ever have pain at night while lying in bed. I'm guessing that if it was fiber, then it would hurt regardless.

So it seems to go like this. In the morning (like now), I'm great. Then, as the day wears on (and I've been at my computer for a while), the pain starts to creep in. It will subside a little if I exercise (or maybe I'm just distracted). But by around dinner time, it's pretty damn difficult. After I eat dinner, all is okay again, I go to bed, sleep painlessly through the night, and the cycle continues.

Right now I'm on week 6 of pepto bismol, and that is keeping the D in check almost completely. I'm GF and DF, but I admit that I'm not quite so careful with soy. Just don't know....

I'm starting to wonder if position has anything to do with it. Maybe trapped gas? Muscle spasm that is caused by position?

Any thoughts would be great. My husband has back spasms, and I took one of his muscle relaxers last night. It helped.

You guys must be sick to death of my harping about this damn thing! I'm sorry. I'll give it a rest after this round. :lol:

Thanks!

Mary
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wmonique2
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why does it feel ...

Post by wmonique2 »

Hi Mary,

I think you hit on the solution. I believe your problem is lack of mobility --- peristalsis is impaired when you sit down for hours. You need to get up and move around especially after you eat and during digestion.

I have a similar issue when I go out to eat with friends and sit on the same chair for like 2 hours. I have cramps that are debilitating. When I invite people to my house, it never happens because I get up and move around.

So make it a point to get up and move every hour or so and slack off on the high fiber food.

Take care,


Monique
Diagnosed 2011 with LC. Currently on Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi Mary,

Based on the time constraints you mentioned, I wonder if the pain could be caused by a mesentery fault, which allows an inappropriate suspension position for the left side of your colon when you are upright, but the problem automatically resolves when you recline. That doesn't seem to be congruent with the fact that it first appeared following a colonoscopy exam, but maybe the physical distortions due to the exam happened to trigger the completion of a mesentery failure that was imminent. :shrug:

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Gloria
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Post by Gloria »

Just a thought -- a hernia can cause pain, but the pain usually goes away while lying down.

Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
olivermb
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Post by olivermb »

Hi All,

I want to thank you all for helping to brainstorm possibilities. I have an appointment with a new GI on the 16th of the month, and it will be good to have some ideas for him to consider. My current GI just says he doesn't know. So fingers crossed!

Thanks again everybody.

Mary
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