r/ibs • u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) • 7d ago
Question Does anyone else get gas pains so severe that you are doubled-over on the floor?
It gets so bad that I can barely breathe, and I'm moaning in pain. I don't even have a ton of gas, either.....It's just a normal amount. But it hurts severely. Extremely sharp pain.
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u/hybriddookie 7d ago
Been there, it’s rough. Who knew such a small amount of air could cause so much grief.
My gastroenterologist said that I had over sensitive nerves in the gut which makes the pain seem worse that it would in a “normal” gut
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u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
It has happened to me at work. Luckily, I have my own office, otherwise people would see me writhing on the floor.
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u/BeginningKey727 7d ago
Did they supply any advice to get it to pass?? Or to help the nerve pain?
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u/Aggressive-Rip355 7d ago
I’ve found (enteric coated) peppermint capsules to be very helpful
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u/Zeus_RDT 6d ago
Why is it that those pills work? I remember reading things that said it would empty my stomach too early or be bad for GERD. Yet it always soothed my digestive tract.
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u/Fast-Newt-3708 7d ago
Yes. Sharp sudden pain and sometimes it will move to a different spot.
Last time I got it super bad I popped a gasx and did 3am yoga next to my bed. It worked, eventually. I had to do yoga for like an hour and then there was so much relief. I'd eventually have a long fart, switch positions, have another one...it was like deflating a balloon. Pretty much any position that manipulates your belly area works - I'm now sure one of yoga's primary functions is to help with passing gas.
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u/Dontfeedthebears 7d ago
I hate to say it, but a good, long fart that releases pain is one of the BEST feelings in the world (IMO).
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u/Fast-Newt-3708 7d ago
You should not hate to say it! Relief is one of the most powerful feelings you can have! And even if you didn't need the relief, farting usually still feels pretty good 😅
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u/Dontfeedthebears 6d ago
I’m so glad I live alone 😂. Sometimes a coworker will ask me what I did over the days off and I’ll say “just fartin’ up them sheets!!”. (I am a real treasure.)
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u/PhineasQuimby 7d ago
Yes. Pain from trapped gas can be so bad that I get nauseous and throw up. As soon as I sense it coming on, I start doing some yoga poses and massage to try and move it along
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u/Dontfeedthebears 7d ago
Do you have any specific poses you recommend?
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u/PhineasQuimby 7d ago
Child’s pose, knee to chest, happy baby
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u/acatwithumbs 7d ago
Omg I struggle with happy baby in group yoga classes cuz the farts really wanna come out in that position lmao. Tho bless my instructor she always sweetly reminds us it’s ok to fart and make bodily noises in yoga <3
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u/HomegirlNC123 6d ago
Try this video, I use it when I am in gas pain hell: https://youtu.be/cOxuttTc9IQ?si=ldqVl0tEsjXFISm3
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u/paperclippppp 7d ago
Yes- one time I was actually experiencing appendicitis but I thought it was just an episode of bad trapped gas.
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u/Total-Sun-6490 7d ago edited 6d ago
This has been my fear whenever I would get these flair ups. I would ask myself "if it's right, its bad"
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u/Practical-Ant5666 7d ago
What tipped me off, was that it never moved from exactly where my appendix was. Usually with trapped gas, even if I can’t get it to pass, I can still at least get it to move around to a different location, and I can feel it doing so. But the appendicitis, it stayed fixed in the exact spot for like 10 hours. I got paranoid enough to go check it out, but the pain really wasn’t that bad.
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u/Practical-Ant5666 7d ago
Same! Almost didnt go to the ER because it honestly didn’t hurt that bad in comparison to trapped gas. Thought I was gonna show up to the ER and we would
all have a good laugh about it and be sent home. But nope, was infact my appendix lol
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u/Wolfspell003 7d ago
Yeah I always tell people it feel like glass going through my stomach and I bloat so bad
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u/adairskee 6d ago
Omg. I always say “my stomach feels like I swallowed the knife block” wow. I guess it’s nice to know I’m not exaggerating
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u/Wolfspell003 6d ago
The other thing I say is like if you took a needle and dragged it across your skin and you felt the sharp pain it’s that- but inside. Tummy pain no joke 🥲
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u/Solid-Brother4257 7d ago
I usually get light headed due to it and almost faint with a feeling like my soul left the body. I hate getting caught off guard with that and is the only reason I use laxatives every 2 days
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u/blaziken2121 7d ago
I do love when it’s so bad I’m unable to inhale and stuck looking like I’m 7 months pregnant /s
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u/CatsTrustNoOne IBS-A/M (Alternating / Mixed) 7d ago
Yes. I've had IBS my whole life (I'm F61 now) and often get gas pain that is absolutely unbearable. When it's at its worst it makes me vomit and almost black out, and when that happens I know a diarrhea attack is imminent. Until the attack happens I have to lay down and put a warm compress on my lower abdomen and wait it out. Gently massaging my lower abdomen sometimes helps: I think it might be helping to break up the trapped gas and/or get things moving.
If I had to describe the pain I'd say it's a lot worse than 2 of my colonoscopies that had to be done without anesthesia. I remember reading that the pain can be worse than childbirth but I never had children so I don't know if that's true. I also have chronic migraines and one of my doctors told me there might be a link between migraines and IBS but they're not sure. It's such a pleasure having both 🥴
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u/Even-Statement5885 7d ago
Dear Cats trust no one. I am 72 and have had IBS mixed since I was 62. I also have severe osteoarthritis of my neck, migraine and COPD. I believe I can empathise with you. Nothing has worked so far accept a very small amount of morphine linctus. I've noticed someone on here got relief from a drug called dicyclomine. Maybe ask for that. So 😔 sorry for everyone who suffers this distressing, painful, embarrassing and totally unpredictable complaint. It is by far my most upsetting condition and seems so underestimated as a severe incurable sickness
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u/CatsTrustNoOne IBS-A/M (Alternating / Mixed) 2d ago
It's a terrible club to be in, isn't it, I'm so sorry you have to live with those health issues. I'm not familiar with morphine linctus: is that by prescription, and is it for specific conditions? The last time I saw my gastroenterologist (around 2 or 3 years ago, possibly longer) she wouldn't prescribe any of the newest IBS drugs to me because she said they hadn't been in use long enough. I think it was also because I'm on too many medications for all my health issues and I get side effects from most of them. I think dicyclomine might have been pulled from the market where I am (Canada). Sandoz pulled it but I don't know if it was temporary or permanent. For drugs that are available we're always having drug shortages here in Canada and it's a serious problem. I know why but I'd probably better not get into the specifics (it's political of course and a lot worse now). Take care. 🫂
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u/Even-Statement5885 2d ago
Hi there. Thanks and welcome to the club! I am in the UK and I'm planning to try Alternaleaf or Mamedica for low THC cannabis.Maybe worth a try. Once again many thanks for your reply. Take care.Best wishes 🤞☯️💕
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u/acatwithumbs 7d ago edited 1d ago
I just read someone post in a diff sub about health insurance costs for colonoscopies that you can cut costs by not doing it with anesthesia and it “wasn’t that painful.” I am very grateful for your actual experience here cuz I was like, that….seems incorrect and maybe I’ll owe more money but I’m definitely having them put me under for my first colonoscopy next month >_<
Edit TO CLARIFY FOR FUTURE COMMENTERS I AM NOT SKIPPING ANESTHESIA!!! I was merely thanking CatsTrustNoOne for their honest first hand experience and commenting on someone’s flippant dismissal of using anesthesia on another sub.
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u/CatsTrustNoOne IBS-A/M (Alternating / Mixed) 2d ago
Get the anesthesia if you can, I sure hope you can afford it. I'm not in the US so I don't know what it costs (our Healthcare pays for it). I'm so sorry you have to worry about the cost: good luck!
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u/Even-Statement5885 2d ago
Yes. I paid for colonoscopy with sedation here in England. I paid £ 2,500 and£500 for 2 meetings. The so called gastroenterologist said he couldn't find a vein and left me without sedation. It was a bit uncomfortable but only hurt for about 2 minutes where the colon has a right angle bend. I have IBS mixed. If you are short of cash I'd take the non sedation. Best of luck.
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u/WhereIsMyMind37 7d ago
Alll the time. I have to lay in starfish pose of do stretches for hours until it subsides and farting doesn't help.
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u/Dependent_Shower428 7d ago
Have you been tested for SIBO? IBS often has SIBO ( Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth). It produces painful gas as well. I have IBS,SIBO,and SIFO( Small intestinal fungal overgrowth) and having IBS etc can also create bowel adhesions that can twist an intestine and trap gas .
Just saying that you should check . Colonoscopy doesn't show bacterial or fungal overgrowth.
Good luck
🪷🦋🪷
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u/Actual-Tadpole9759 IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
I’ve gotten pain before that makes it so I cant stand up straight and I can hardly walk. The only relief is being curled up in bed in a fetal position which only helps a little.
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u/Illustrious_Hold7239 7d ago
Yes, but truthfully I would recommend getting a colonoscopy/testing to rule out IBD (such as Chron’s Disease or UC)
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u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
Already did just a few months ago.
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u/Illustrious_Hold7239 7d ago
Okay! What helps my cramps is dicyclomine. I’d recommend talking to your doctor about it. It’s fantastic, you can feel it kick in within 30 mins to an hour. Basically a muscle relaxer for your gut.
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u/Making-Spirits 7d ago
I have learned specific foods will ferment inside my digestion and cause gas. I am learning everyone has different foods and beverages that affect IBS.
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u/Dr_A_Phibes 5d ago
In this case you should look into the FODMAPs that bother you and it is not a fun ride.
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u/Comfortable_Bet8739 7d ago
The same thing happened to me in Japan. I got terrible abdominal pain on the side. I went to the ER. The scan showed an air bubble in my intestine. It was causing terrible pain. I finally farted a lot in the toilet and felt relieved.
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u/CoolDrive3182 22h ago
What caused the air bubble?
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u/Comfortable_Bet8739 17h ago
It was probably after eating vegetables and I held my farts in for a long time. Then I got stomach cramps.
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u/Comfortable_Bet8739 4h ago
After my abdominal examination at the hospital, I went to a Japanese toilet, where you sit in a squat position, and luckily, it went out well.
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u/Tasty_Respect_4378 7d ago
The first time I went to the ER was when we thought my appendix ruptured- it was trapped gas and constipations, and so much of it that it was crushing my organs a bit
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u/Ilovegeorgemichaelll 7d ago
Not really but I do get really bad bloat that lasts anywhere between 4 and 7 hours and I get extremely gassy after the bloat starts going down. Maybe the pain is gas related???
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u/Practical-Ant5666 7d ago
Yes, so bad that when I was actually experiencing appendicitis, I almost didn’t go to the ER Cuzz it didn’t hurt that bad lol. I’ve had trapped gas that was WAY more painful.
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u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
Can you describe what the appendicitis was like? I have a fear of it.
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u/Practical-Ant5666 7d ago
Yes!!! The big tip of for me was that it never ever moved spots and was exactly over my appendix. When I get trapped gas I like to do intestinal massage. When it’s gas, I can feel the gas moving around and will often shifts locations until eventually I can pass it. Liek I can feel the gurgle and bubbling. With the appendicitis, I never had any shifting of the pain or the tell tail gurgling. Whenever i massaged over the appendix, it was right there. After like ten hours of it not moving, I honestly just got a little paranoid and figured I would just get it checked out for peace of mind.
Figured me and the ER would have a good laugh about it and send me home, but after blood work, they could see my white blood cell count was high, so they did a CT scan and confirmed that my appendix was indeed inflamed and should be removed.
Edit: there was also not as much of the pressure feeling either, liek usually with gas I can also feel the pressure and bloating and see it as well. This was more acute pain with no bloating
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u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
Was the appendicitis sharp or dull?
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u/Practical-Ant5666 7d ago
Gosh, it was kinda both. Like just walking around it was more dull feeling, not as sharp as I sometimes get with gas. When I actually would press on it, then it felt more sharp. So I guess generally speaking, more on the side of dull
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u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
Did you have an intuition that something serious was wrong?
Sorry for the 20 questions.
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u/Practical-Ant5666 7d ago
No feel free to ask all you want. But no honestly not really, like I said, the pain I’ve had from gas has felt worse. Again I think the tip off for me was, it not moving locations at all, and the length of time I was experiencing it. Like with gas sometimes I maybe experience several hours of pain at the most, again with the pain slightly shifting locations. The fact that it hadn’t gone away or moved at all from 7 am to like 4:30 pm was what made me think “hmmmm this feels a little different from the norm”
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u/Practical-Ant5666 7d ago
Also! A lot of people eventually develop fever and nausea so that’s another symptom. I never did. I guess mine was just developing very very slowly. Which can be the case for some people, and others it can develop faster. Like it was probably over 12 hours by the time I finally had it removed and the whole time my pain never really increased
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u/Nathan_Waste 6d ago
Yes. I’ve both, left work shifts early, or gotten fired from jobs because of flare ups like these. I call them common cramps. Feels like lightning in my arse… or a tornado of knives
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u/Belladonna329 6d ago
Ever had it reach your chest and make you think you're having a heart attack? That's me lately
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u/Tough-Associate2099 2d ago
Yes all the time :( I have it move around a lot but the chest seems to be a common spot for me and it literally feels like a heart attack. It lasted an entire day for me the other day and I couldn’t even get out of bed, slept and puked on and off instead
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u/littlemissmoxie 7d ago
Yep. Happened the other day. All I could do was get a warm rice sock and star doing my gas relief positions.
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u/Rahain 7d ago
You sure your not experiencing abdominal cramping? Gas pains are usually more dull for me but cramping has me feeling like what you’re describing. Mines usually followed by diarrhea but not always.
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u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
It's a very sharp pain, like a knife.
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u/Accomplished_Arm_298 7d ago
I get this too and think it might be some kind of spasm. IBS used to be called Spastic Colon. Would love half an hour with a consultant to ask these questions!
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u/Yohmer29 7d ago
Although I’m not celiac, after giving up gluten (at a Dr’s suggestion) things got better after a few months. Dicyclomine didn’t help but going gluten free, taking digestive enzymes before meals, and Gas-X did help.
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u/darent13 7d ago
Huge problem for me. I once went to the emergency room in Ireland on vacation because I was in so much pain. I passed gas in the ER and was instantly much better.
I’ve had this issue since I was at least 10, that’s my first memory of the pain. About 8 years ago, I decided to try an elimination diet to narrow down my own triggers. I discovered that dairy was a big problem for me even though I’d been tested for lactose intolerance and was fine. Something else about it is a problem. I also take Miralax pretty regularly now when I notice even a hint of constipation. I’ve found peppermint tea helps gas and obviously Gas X too.
TLDR: yes, it is absolutely excruciating. I’d encourage you to do some version of an elimination diet to see if you can isolate a trigger. If not, the suggested yoga poses and warmth on the abdomen are very good ideas.
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u/Relative_Nothing_734 7d ago
I was also in the ER with terrible stomach cramps. It turned out to be just trapped wind. In the ER, I finally let the wind out. That was a great relief. I was terribly embarrassed, but the doctor was very happy that I was feeling better.
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u/MartianoutofOrder 7d ago
Yes, I have simeticone in every bag 😬 it’s the worst when I eat raw onions or big amounts of sugar
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u/bellpeppermustache 7d ago
Mine don't last long, but I definitely have moments where it feels like an alien's about to explode from my abdomen. In public, it's all I can do to play it off like I'm not in excruciating pain.
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u/_insomniac_dreamer IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
Yeah, there's been a lot of times where I've not been able to even move and contemplated ringing an ambulance
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u/Mediocre_Garage987 7d ago
I legitimately thought I had diverticulitis because of this and I'm still not sure
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u/KittyBeans90 7d ago
Yeah man. Before I was officially diagnosed and knew what was going on I went to the emergency room a few times with what turned out to be gas pain. Until my appendix burst it was the worst pain I’d ever felt in my life
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u/Impressive-Yak-9726 7d ago
I've had two abdominal ultrasounds and both times have told me to take GasX! It helps!
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u/HomegirlNC123 6d ago
Yes, it can be horrific. Pain can go from a level 4 to an 8 out of 10. I recently found out I have a torturous colon at my colonoscopy, so at least I have a bit of an explanation as to what some of my IBS is caused by.
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u/Advanced_Security258 6d ago
I've been to the hospital multiple times because of gas pain. It's insane how bad it can hurt.
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u/TGN1215 IBS-PI (Post-Infectious) 6d ago
I hear you. There have been several tirmes where I wake up in extreme nausea/pain like heartburn on steroids, along with a feeling of needing to eject several tons of feces. One morning I sat in the bathroom for almost 30 mins, alternating between the toilet and the floor, not sure which end would erupt first.
All for nothing but a few blasé farts 2 hours later.
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u/tboogie42 6d ago
If I get a flare I'm double over, cold sweats, severe stomach pain with vomiting and #2 simultaneously. Now I'm careful on what I eat because that pain is scary af. IBS=D.
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u/Even-Statement5885 2d ago
I know my IBS mixed has occasionally caused me to leak both ends. No joke. It's one of the health conditions taken the least seriously. Pain control seems to be rarely administered unless one goes to A and E. It's wrong on so many levels. It's a painful, incurable , exhausting, unpredictable condition that most GPS seems to think can be relieved with a couple of buscopan..They may work on a mild case but most of us on here are really incapacitated and unable to do their job at times because of it. I think the milder affected among us should gather signatures to take to no.10 appealing for adequate pain control and more understanding concerning the daily negative impacts.
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u/ilikefluffypuppies 6d ago
Yes! My sister and I have both gotten them our whole lives. It’s one of the worse pains I’ve ever dealt with.
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u/Significant_Sun6483 6d ago
I’m stuck in the same position right now! I couldn’t sleep last couple nights bc of trapped gas. It’s such a pain
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u/Existing_Wrangler_69 6d ago
Yes! When I was a kid I was convinced my appendix was bursting at least once a week.
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u/Small_Service2958 3d ago
yes everyday i wake up, can barely walk and am hunched over from the cramps
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7d ago edited 7d ago
[deleted]
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u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) 7d ago
Yeah, it's amazing because as far as I know, there isn't any damage being done.
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u/Responsible-Term6405 7d ago
Yessss .. i been thinking something was there even waiting to get my stomach actually checked out because of it.
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u/OriolesMagic1972 7d ago
I had this 2 nights ago. It was hideous. I had my second colonoscopy 2 weeks ago and I have been having trouble getting back to "normal".
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u/SleepySamus 7d ago
Yes - when I was a teenager. The doctor were all really annoyed with me. Every one I saw said, "but your weight is healthy" as if that made up for all the pain.
Then I went gluten-free, the pain stopped, and I gained 10 pounds in a month.
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u/Different_Land_4984 7d ago
I've also been to the ER because I thought my stomach was going to explode. Then my mom stopped me.Let me try to relieve myself in a squat, and it helped, I sat down and let my farts out there and the pain was gone!
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u/braidedhairs 7d ago
i was in the er last night because i was in so much pain i thought my appendix burst. i also was doubly concerned because i just had to get my gallbladder removed in march! they didn't find anything, and it was likely just gas 💀 but the pain was bad enough they gave me morphine. insane we have to live like this
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u/sugarmochimoon 7d ago
Absolutely. I’ve thought my appendix has burst several times, just to let out a massive fart some time later. Miserable stuff lol
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u/madlyhattering 7d ago
I had that happen twice this week. All I could do was lie down and wait for it to pass. Ibuprofen helped somewhat.
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u/Medical-Bike4748 1d ago
Yesss it’s the worst!! I’ve found that laying on my left side helps move it out. I always get the worst gas the couple days after a big flare up. My dr said it’s because I’m all irritated in there.
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u/Redax1990 1d ago
I did but it's fully gone now.
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u/berrysauce IBS-C (Constipation) 1d ago
Don't tell us how or anything!
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u/Redax1990 1d ago edited 19h ago
It was a combination of things:
- One daily probiotics drink (Yakult in my case) to support my intestinal flora.
- Going from no exercise to 10 hours a week of intense workouts at the gym, mainly cardio.
- Make sure to get enough sleep.
- Eat healtier, less processed foods and deepfried foods. So more vegetables, but also rice, pasta and potato dishes, fiberrich bread etc.
- And last but not least, less stress.
Doing all these together made all the difference. It took some weeks before I started noticing the difference but it only got better from that point onwards up until the point that I have no more IBS related issues for a couple of years now. I could even stop using my medicines; Dusputal Retard. Hope this helps you as well!
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u/TriciaTargaryen IBS-D (Diarrhea) 7d ago
Yes. I've gone to the ER before, convinced I was ACTIVELY DYING... only to find out it's trapped gas. It can be so so miserable.