What’s Going On with My Body? Need Guidance! F22
For the last four nights, I've experienced intense stomach cramps that wake me up between 5 and 7 AM. This discomfort typically leads to about 20 minutes of watery diarrhea. Fortunately, I feel alright for the remainder of the day. I can’t recall eating anything unusual, but this situation is starting to worry me. I'm open to any questions that could assist in figuring out what's happening.
Answers (1)
8/3/2025, 11:10:42 AM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you're dealing with intense stomach cramps and episodes of watery diarrhea, primarily occurring in the early morning hours. While it’s understandable to feel concerned, let’s break this down and find some practical steps to help you.
Summary of Key Points:
- You're experiencing nighttime stomach cramps followed by watery diarrhea.
- The symptoms resolve during the day, which is reassuring.
- Identifying potential triggers and maintaining hydration is crucial.
Explanation:
Your symptoms could be caused by several factors, such as a mild gastrointestinal infection, stress, food intolerances, or changes in your diet. Since your symptoms happen primarily in the early morning and you feel fine throughout the day, this might suggest a specific trigger or rhythm in your digestive system.
Next Steps:
-
Monitor Your Diet: Keep a food diary for the next few days. Note what you eat and any other symptoms you experience. This can help identify patterns or potential food triggers that may be contributing to your discomfort.
-
Stay Hydrated: Diarrhea can lead to dehydration. Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day, especially water or electrolyte solutions, to replenish what your body is losing.
-
Avoid Certain Foods: Until you pinpoint any triggers, consider reducing intake of dairy, caffeine, and high-fat or spicy foods, as these can sometimes irritate the stomach.
-
Manage Stress: If you suspect stress could be a contributing factor, try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or gentle yoga to help calm your body.
-
Track Your Symptoms: Note the timing, frequency, and severity of your cramps and diarrhea. This information can be very helpful if you need to seek further advice later.
When to Seek Help:
If your symptoms do not improve after a week, or if you start seeing other concerning signs (such as fever, severe abdominal pain, or blood in your diarrhea), it would be advisable to seek professional medical advice.
Stay positive and proactive about your health, and feel free to update me on your situation or if you have more questions!
Related Questions
Could This Be IBS or Something Else?
Greetings! I’m a 27-year-old male, standing at 172 cm and of European descent, currently using Iqos. My medical troubles began roughly four months ago, around October 5, 2025. Initially, I experienced intense back pain lasting for two days, which I recognized as kidney stone pain. To alleviate this discomfort, I took NSAIDs, predominantly Metamizole-Natrium. Afterward, I visited urgent care, where I was given Diclofenac and Monural, an antibiotic for urinary tract infections. I took one of each at night. **A couple of days later, I started experiencing several troubling symptoms:** - Frequent diarrhea (4-5 times a day, often watery) - Significant gas and belching - Persistent nausea that greeted me each morning, sometimes relieved by eating - A general sense of malaise - A loss of 5 kg (I dropped from 63 kg) because I lacked appetite, especially under stress. These symptoms developed quickly and intensified through October, fluctuating over time. Blood tests showed no abnormalities, with normal CRP levels. Then in November, I underwent a colonoscopy and gastroscopy. - I had three very small erosions, about 1-2 mm, in the terminal ileum, but no signs of inflammation. Histology revealed no pathological issues, all was well. - There was one small erosion in the sigmoid colon, with minor inflammation around it. Histological findings indicated small infiltration in the lamina propria but no chronic signs, leading to a diagnosis suggesting a high likelihood of infection. - The areas were healing, with fibrin present. The rest of my colon appeared healthy. The doctor attributed the ulcers to NSAID-induced damage. I was later diagnosed with LA-A GERD. Due to my anxiety about health, I spent the month consumed by fears of complications such as colon cancer, PC, or Crohn's disease. I finally found some relief and felt symptom-free for the subsequent two weeks. However, in December the troubles resurfaced, though to a lesser degree, with occasional loose stools—2-3 times for a few days— and lingering gas. My anxiety about Crohn's returned, and I mistakenly took Algopyrin Complex, which triggered additional stress. **In December, my primary worries included:** - Loose stools resembling Bristol type 5-6, mainly occurring once each morning - Excessive gas often felt trapped in my rectum - My weight stabilized at 62 kg **I underwent various tests:** - Negative results for Giardia and E. coli - Negative FIT tests - Negative MRI (everything appeared normal) - Negative MRE (all normal) - Calprotectin level measured at 18.7 - I was found to have low levels of B9 and Vitamin D, with B12 at 320 and LDL at 5.9 **Moving into January:** - I only had one bowel movement each morning, sometimes loose, but mostly firm in the past three weeks (Bristol 4), compared to my usual Bristol 2. - After meals, I often felt gas building in my rectum, sometimes getting stuck before eventually releasing. This gas, thankfully, rarely had an odor. - Mornings have been troublesome, as I needed to pass gas 2-4 times, and in bed at night, I felt bloated with gas movements. **What I have observed:** - No signs of blood in my stools - No pain - No nocturnal symptoms affecting my sleep - No extraintestinal symptoms - My weight has stabilized without additional loss after recovering some weight Overall, I feel fine, yet the worry about my condition persists in my mind. Previously, I would have bowel movements twice weekly, with little to no gas. It baffles me that I often wake up feeling this uncomfortable. My primary concern is whether I should be worried about Crohn's disease (which occupies my thoughts constantly) or if my symptoms might stem solely from anxiety. Currently, I'm taking the following medications and supplements: - Itopride (doctor suggested it for motility issues) - L-Glutamine - Curcumin - A B-complex supplement - Ashwagandha - I briefly tried rifaximin for three days, but it did not yield significant changes. - I had also experimented with antacids previously, though they proved ineffective. Thank you for your assistance in advance!
Can Eating More Fiber Alleviate Menstrual Cycle-Related Constipation?
Every month, during the week and a half leading up to my menstrual period, I experience constipation. I'm curious if boosting my fiber consumption might ease this issue. I already ensure that I drink plenty of water throughout the day. I am a woman in my mid-20s.
Seeking Relief from Mild Fecal Impaction: Should I Go to the ER?
At 20 years old, I find myself dealing with a frustrating issue: fecal impaction. It's not something I've faced before, or at least I can’t recall, but I’ve had chronic stomach difficulties throughout my childhood, including constipation from ages four to twelve. Recently, I've been experiencing more digestive challenges after a few years of feeling normal. Currently, I’m under the care of a gastroenterologist, and we’re working on diagnosing the underlying problems. For about five days now, I haven't been able to relieve myself. While I’ve had considerable gas, that’s been the only symptom. Today has been particularly difficult; I’ve spent the last 11 hours in the bathroom grappling with severe discomfort and impaction. Each attempt to relieve the situation is excruciating, to the point where my body is resisting the effort—it’s so painful that I find myself in tears. I imagine this is what birth must feel like. I suspect this intense fear and pain are remnants of my past struggles, as for many years I’ve feared using the bathroom due to the agony it causes. Despite trying various remedies like Miralax mixed with coffee, a bullet suppository, and even a manual approach with gloves, nothing is yielding results. I’m genuinely tempted to head to the emergency room and ask them to put me under so they can help me without the pain. My mother suggests they would likely opt for a liquid suppository treatment like they did during my childhood, which was quite traumatic. I’m torn—it feels like the ER might be my last resort, but I'm concerned they won’t take me seriously since my situation doesn’t seem dire. How foolish would it be to bring up wanting sedation? I desperately want to avoid this pain; it’s becoming increasingly difficult, and I’m fighting back tears from the frustration. Can they truly provide sedation for this type of issue even when it isn’t severe? I worry that my parents might react negatively to my quest for relief and think I’m being dramatic. I’m utterly drained and don’t know where to turn. When there’s no painful push against my body, I can’t even sense the severity of the issue, yet, I am experiencing leakage, leaving me unsure. Would it be unreasonable to pose this question to the doctors in the ER? I apologize if this message is jumbled; I’m also dealing with a migraine, making it hard to focus. For context, my daily medications include phentermine, iron supplements, and vitamin D. I stand at 5’4” and currently weigh 204 pounds as part of my ongoing weight loss journey.
Did My Appendectomy Resolve My Digestive Issues?
I’m a 27-year-old non-binary person who had their appendix surgically removed due to appendicitis early last October. Since that procedure, I’m experiencing something I never thought possible: regular bowel movements. Remarkably, this newfound routine hasn’t faded away, contrary to what my doctors predicted. Historically, I have struggled with constipation throughout my life. As a child, I often felt compelled to mislead healthcare professionals about my bowel habits, claiming I had daily movements out of fear that something was amiss. In reality, I would only have a bowel movement every three to five days. I also live with autism, ADHD, dysthymia, and PTSD. Given my history of burnout, it would be logical to attribute my digestive struggles to stress. However, these issues persisted even during holidays and rarely intensified during particularly stressful times. Most of the medications I tried, including SSRIs and various birth control options, had no impact, except for Ritalin, which occasionally provided some relief when not taken consistently. Prior to the appendectomy, I underwent two surgeries: one for a fractured arm and the other a double procedure to remove my uterus and breasts. Unfortunately, neither operation had any effect on my bowel function. Since my surgery, my dietary, hydration, exercise, and substance use habits have remained unchanged. A bit of additional context: My thyroid hormone levels are normal, although I occasionally have low Vitamin D, for which I take supplements. I receive B12 injections to address low levels since dietary sources aren’t effective for me. Additionally, I deal with a persistent mystery of chronic fatigue that shows no signs of improvement post-surgery. This leads to my question: Could my appendix have been the source of my gastrointestinal issues? Alternatively, did the surgery trigger some other change that resolved my long-standing problem? I’m curious if anyone else has encountered similar experiences. What are the chances that I’ll revert back to my past issues with constipation? Any insights on this would be greatly appreciated, mostly out of interest.
Exploring Probiotic Effects and Antibiotic Strategies in Gut Health
Greetings, M30. Is it possible that consuming an excess of probiotics could lead to SIBO or a similar condition? Earlier this summer, I suffered from a campylobacter infection, and in an attempt to remedy that without realizing its full extent, I resorted to high doses of probiotics. This approach, however, only aggravated my situation. I experienced severe bloating, intensified brain fog—especially after consuming carbohydrates—and following a comprehensive examination of possible causes, including an initially misleading negative test for c. jejuni that later revealed IgG antibodies in my blood, I was prescribed rifaximin (200mg four times a day). Unfortunately, after five days of rifaximin treatment, my symptoms escalated dramatically, resulting in excruciating lower abdominal pain and a marked intolerance to carbohydrates. Through my research, I discovered that the probiotic strains I had been using were sensitive to antibiotics, so I requested that my physician switch my medication to amoxicillin, which promptly resolved the issues I was facing. Complicating matters, I later learned that I had been contending with an acute bartonella infection, which likely contributed to my motility problems. As the year progressed, I indulged in kimchi after having been on antibiotics for bartonella treatment for about a month. However, I had to stop the antibiotics over the Christmas holidays when I developed rashes from herpes on my face and required alternative treatment. Following my kimchi overindulgence, I began to experience bloating again, cognitive fog intensified, and I felt a toxin-like sensation after consuming larger amounts of carbohydrates, alongside a newfound intolerance to wheat products. My doctor once again prescribed rifaximin as the primary treatment, but I am starting to notice that familiar acidic sensation in my abdomen returning. Is this reaction indicative of die-off symptoms, or could it mean that rifaximin is targeting competitors of the kimchi bacteria in my gut, resulting in their proliferation and creating a cycle where lactic acid bacteria alter the colon's pH, promoting further growth of lactic acid producers? I suspect this situation mirrors what transpired during the summer months. Would switching back to amoxicillin be advisable, or might I need to consider amoxiclav instead, given that the kimchi contained fish sauce which might be a source of beta-lactamase? Best wishes,