Gut Spasms and Nausea

[Mr_Anxious]

Hello everyone I’ve been suffering with stomach spasms that randomly started 7 days ago, they’ve eased off a lot over the past couple of days but still getting a spasm/fluttering/ twitching sensation at times when I do things that stretch or tense the abdominal muscles. When they first started I was in discomfort but never any pain just waves of nausea when the spasms occur which has continued on and off since then but with light spasms now. I’m also getting heavy waves of fatigue and weakness but can’t tell if that’s due to the lack of food over the past 7 days. I also went to the toilet around 15 times in the first 3 days but no diarrhea just perfectly normal stools with no bleeding and also no vomiting. I rang 111 on Saturday evening due to me feeling so ill but the only thing the Dr could suggest it is is some form of food poisoning without the vomiting and diarrhea.

I had some bloods taken last Friday and they’ve all came back normal so I’m now at a loss as to what’s going on, my GP suggested IBS which I’ve suffered from very mildly over the years and has never had any major impact on my day to day life until now. I can usually eat pretty much what I want to a certain extent without any issues but I’ve been struggling to eat much at all this past 7 days and when I do it’s very bland items like white rice, plain toast, white potatoes, etc.

Sorry for the long first post just wanted a bit of advice from you all.

Thanks 😊

[Linley]

Hi! and welcome to this forum. I am not a clinician but just a lay person that has confirmed IBS-d. Can suggest that the fatigue could be dehydration, and the lack appetite could be the fact your stomach has strunk due to the constant bm's, if as the doc said its food poisoning you are doing the right thing by eating bland food little but often. One thing I do know for sure is that an IBS diagnosis can only be confirmed after you have had a number of elimination tests so if you do not feel better soon another visit to your GP is necessary. Good luck🍀

[Mr_Anxious in reply to Linley]

Hi Linley, thanks for the reply.

Hydration has been pretty normal to be fair but I’m also going through a gastritis flare up which isn’t helping with the appetite either.

The spasms are pretty mild now and seem to come and go the more activity I seem to do in a day, maybes my colon has just become lazy due to sitting and lying around so much during lockdown. Just frustrating that literally 2 weeks ago I was fit and healthy and training several times per week, cycling and eating well and now I’m a complete train wreck.

It’s the way it’s hit me so hard that is what’s causing me so much stress and anxiety. I’m now in a place where I’m having mild stomach spasms, nausea, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, tiredness, muscle weakness, trembling leg muscles.

I’m just not sure what’s going on now that all bloods have came back normal for Iron, Thyroid, Liver, Kidneys, Celiac. Also had a water sample done that was clear. Stools are normal colour and consistency. I even popped to my local A&E last night as felt so unwell and the Dr checked my abdomen but was soft and smooth with no pain, no pain near my gallbladder so that was ruled out also so was sent home as they had no concerns.

What do I need to ask my GP to do next? I’ve never had IBS confirmed by any specialistI just assumed that’s what I’ve always had.

[Linley in reply to Mr_Anxious]

Well your GP has been pretty thorough with the tests he/she has already done and apart from you knows your medical background and needs well and you have been open with your anxiety issue. I can't really tell you what to say but your visit to A&E will be noted by your GP and I am sure he/she will be expecting to see you again at the surgery. If you are still feeling unwell just list all that is worrying you mentally and physically and go back to your GP and ask what else could be done to get the the bottom of your current situation.

Lest us know how you get on. Stay safe

[MatthewU in reply to Mr_Anxious]

Wow! 'It’s the way it’s hit me so hard that is what’s causing me so much stress and anxiety. I’m now in a place where I’m having mild stomach spasms, nausea, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, tiredness, muscle weakness'

Totally agree with those symptoms, that's exactly what happens to me from time to time, just going through the same right now. I've had cameras up, down; barium enema, even nuclear medicine got involved with a SeHCAT test, apparently a gold standard test, so I was lucky in that sense.

The one thing that did work for me was Citalopram, which I've been on ever since and has damped down episodes and frequency of what you describe.

I've also pretty much cut out obvious wheat products and cows milk (other than for a cup of tea). Stress and tiredness can be key triggers, at least for me but as you say it just comes out of the blue like a train and knocks you flat for days, really miserable TBH. Rest, small meals and bland foods help, as does Calamine tea. I always visualise the pain as a stomach graze and there is a sore patch in my gut that needs to heal, which is how it actually feels, this kind of helps to rationalise the pain.