Hello everyone!
I had a few questions. I wanted to know if any women out there have had what feels like menstrual type cramping? I have been getting this for the past week now, almost for the entire day. They are very uncomfortable - worse if I just sit around the house. I remember getting these when my whole issue started. Then they went away for a time and now are back. Just wanted to mention that I am 56 years old and have gone through menopause but I have to say that all of these gastric issues began as I was going through menopause and I always wondered if in my case, there is a correlation.
My second question has to do with stool formation. I have been having these tiny formed stool bowel movements in between the usual muddy mess! I can only describe them as a bunch of very small formed bits that seem to float on top of the water. Or they will then appear in a cluster at the bottom of the bowl, but they are formed. Can this be a possible sign of healing? I am trying so hard to stick with my safe foods and was hoping that something is working! I know that it takes a long time to heal and everyone is different.
Last question - my current doc seems to think that because I don't have the 'watery diarrhea' each time I poop, then it cannot be MC. I have told him repeatedly that it is muddy, and very high volume, but it appears to be going over his head. I remember Tex telling me what this type of stool was - the kind that is muddy, but very high volume, but I forgot what it was called.
Thank you all -
PMS LIKE CRAMPS AND STOOL FORMATION
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Barbieann,
I can address your last question. I am diagnosed with LC, via biopsies of course, and when in a flare I will be constipated. I have never had watery D like every GI doc thinks we should. So, your doc is wrong. Our bodies are doing the best they can trying to function with all the inflammation and will produce a variety of bm consistencies. It shouldn’t be about the D but about the biopsies and what benefits you as you recover.
I will also have narrow, short, pencil like stools at times. I can’t personally say for me that it’s a sign of anything in particular other than that’s what my gut produced that day, but at this point I do have more typical bms than not.
Cramping can definitely happen. Again if for some reason I have mud, I’ll likely have cramping. Tylenol is helpful during those times.
Best wishes
Carol
I can address your last question. I am diagnosed with LC, via biopsies of course, and when in a flare I will be constipated. I have never had watery D like every GI doc thinks we should. So, your doc is wrong. Our bodies are doing the best they can trying to function with all the inflammation and will produce a variety of bm consistencies. It shouldn’t be about the D but about the biopsies and what benefits you as you recover.
I will also have narrow, short, pencil like stools at times. I can’t personally say for me that it’s a sign of anything in particular other than that’s what my gut produced that day, but at this point I do have more typical bms than not.
Cramping can definitely happen. Again if for some reason I have mud, I’ll likely have cramping. Tylenol is helpful during those times.
Best wishes
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Hi Barbieann,
My main symptom, and what started my whole journey, was stomach cramping just like you decide. I didn't actually have D, watery or otherwise, until 2 years into my symptoms. It came on slowly, cramping mostly on Tuesdays (when I ate the most gluten), then happening 2 nights a week, then after meals sometimes, then more often at night, etc. I was having cramping all day, every day, and all night, almost every night, by the end. It was worse right after I ate or in the middle of the night. It was horrible and painful, sometimes to the point of the fetal position for several minutes at a time. Add in the D and I had to go to a specialist and thankfully was diagnosed MC and Celiac.
Getting off gluten, most grains, lentils, beans, and dairy took away most of my cramping. I still get some cramping before a BM or during the night, but this has also tapered off thanks to Tex's advice that I start Magnesium and D3 supplements. I think you should also look into this. I also have a couple of antispasmodic medications my GI prescribed to me that help when the cramping is really bad... those coupled with some tylenol seem to work pretty well.
As far as the stools you describe, I have them often as well. I don't usually have D anymore, watery or not, but I do have looser stools when I'm having a flare. I've noticed the smaller bits like this seem to come after D when there is less food to actually digest and therefore it is easier for my colon to desiccate the feces, so it almost over desiccates into these tiny pieces. That's just a pattern I've observed, though. Not sure if it is medically accurate.
Hope you feel better!
My main symptom, and what started my whole journey, was stomach cramping just like you decide. I didn't actually have D, watery or otherwise, until 2 years into my symptoms. It came on slowly, cramping mostly on Tuesdays (when I ate the most gluten), then happening 2 nights a week, then after meals sometimes, then more often at night, etc. I was having cramping all day, every day, and all night, almost every night, by the end. It was worse right after I ate or in the middle of the night. It was horrible and painful, sometimes to the point of the fetal position for several minutes at a time. Add in the D and I had to go to a specialist and thankfully was diagnosed MC and Celiac.
Getting off gluten, most grains, lentils, beans, and dairy took away most of my cramping. I still get some cramping before a BM or during the night, but this has also tapered off thanks to Tex's advice that I start Magnesium and D3 supplements. I think you should also look into this. I also have a couple of antispasmodic medications my GI prescribed to me that help when the cramping is really bad... those coupled with some tylenol seem to work pretty well.
As far as the stools you describe, I have them often as well. I don't usually have D anymore, watery or not, but I do have looser stools when I'm having a flare. I've noticed the smaller bits like this seem to come after D when there is less food to actually digest and therefore it is easier for my colon to desiccate the feces, so it almost over desiccates into these tiny pieces. That's just a pattern I've observed, though. Not sure if it is medically accurate.
Hope you feel better!
Kind Thoughts,
Liz
Liz
-
karenswans
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:12 am
I have the cramping, too, Barbie. My symptoms progress like this:
Stomach pain and bloating after eating: I always have this, and have had it as long as I can remember. It's not after every meal but it never fully goes away. It's better if I lie down while eating for some strange reason.
Cramping: This is the next stage, and it's just as you describe.
D: the most extreme symptom. I had it badly in 2011, and am just now recovering from a flare.
Right now, after my flare, I'm back down to just the stomach pain, bloating, and cramping part of my symptom ladder. I'm hoping to go down another step to just stomach pain and bloating which is my "normal."
Stomach pain and bloating after eating: I always have this, and have had it as long as I can remember. It's not after every meal but it never fully goes away. It's better if I lie down while eating for some strange reason.
Cramping: This is the next stage, and it's just as you describe.
D: the most extreme symptom. I had it badly in 2011, and am just now recovering from a flare.
Right now, after my flare, I'm back down to just the stomach pain, bloating, and cramping part of my symptom ladder. I'm hoping to go down another step to just stomach pain and bloating which is my "normal."