Sharp pain in lower belly

[Orida]

Hello!

I was wondering, does any of you experience sharp stabbing pain in right side of the lower belly? I think it's around where appendix is supposed to be. It's the original cause why I went to the doctor and then was diagnosed with coeliac. However, it's been two months on the diet and for some reason the pain is returning. It's not as bad as before, not truly painful, but it's frequent. Usually stronger if I need to go to toilet. Anyone know what that might be? Two months ago I went to several doctors with this, had belly scan and stuff, all turned out okay. I am worried.

[Hidden]

Hi Orida, well firstly I'd try not to worry as you've had these pains before and feeling stomach pain especially when we want to go to the toilet in a hurry, is common.

You might be having a reaction to dairy as your gut has not healed yet, as the enzyme that breaks down gluten is produced at the tips of our villi, there is a simple hydrogen breath test for this. It could be IBS which could be caused because your guts are still adjusting to gluten free so instead of having flattened villi everything is waking up so I'd eat as simple and plain food whilst your stomach settles down. But the worst thing that you can do is to worry as worry causes stress and stress can upset our guts...

I want you to know that for the majority of us it was many years before we were finally diagnosed and many were made to feel like hypochondriacs, so your'e in good company on here.

So I hope you feel better soon and start to reap the benefits of going gluten free.

[Frodo]

I have this - I've had it for years. It feels like a stabbing bruise. I don't have a diagnosis of celiac as I gave gluten up before the test & had such an improvement I wasn't prepared to do the 'challenge'.

I too had a scan. The radiologist reassured me it wasn't my appendix. She said she could see 'something' there but she didn't know what. She thought it was perhaps something muscular or a hernia but that wasn't her area of expertise.

I asked my GP in a follow up appointment and she denied the radiologist had said this, although she did tell me about a couple of other minor things the radiologist hadn't mentioned.

It seems to be getting better rather than worse after 3/4 years of being gluten free, although it's still there and flares up sometimes.

[Jacks]

I had appendicitis when I was younger and consequent immediate surgery. There is also something they used to call rumbling appendix. There are lots of sites to compare your symptoms:

nhs.uk/Conditions/Appendici...

However, and I'd say this about all gut things, don't get fixated on one thing or you might miss the big picture (and your doctor will too). If you are having pain get checked out. Get referred to a gastroenterologist. Ask why you still have pain, especially on bowel movements. I don't know how old you are. If you are young it could be anything even Crohns. If they offer you, and you don't fancy camera studies ask for an inflammatory bowel marker blood test. Personally I'd make sure everything was all clear. Then you can deal with it.

Clearly before this you'd make sure you aren't becoming constipated, drink enough water and eat enough roughage (which is harder on a gluten free diet).