Can stomach spasms be from MS?
I've experienced this twice, once 8 years ago and most recently this week. It starts with very painful spasms of the stomach. It feels as though my stomach is being twisted, like when you squeeze out a wet dish cloth. The pain started light, rose to a peak, and then slowly declined. This went on for about 3 hours.
It also felt as if I had a blockage in my small intestine, which was also spasming. I took phenergan which let me sleep. When I woke up the spasms were less. The next morning my stomach was tender to touch. A few hours later, I had severe diarrhea lasted several hours. Now, 3 days later, I feeling much better but still have a tender stomach. I'm eating liquid/soft foods. Everyday it gets better. Can this be from MS?
Hi Cam! I am sorry you are experiencing these digestive issues! If you haven't done so already, please share your issues with your physician. Whether your problems are related to MS or not, they definitely need to be addressed! That said, digestive issues are not uncommon with MS. They can be related to medications used to treat MS or by MS itself. Here is some information on various digestive issues and MS that I thought you might find interesting -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/digestive-stomach-problems/ You are definitely not alone in this! And, should your symptoms return or worsen, I would definitely consider notifying your physician, just to be safe. Good luck and I hope your weekend is a good one, with NO digestive problems! Best, Erin, MultipleSclerosis.net Team Member.
Generally, I don't have actual stomach issues, but I have periods pretty regularly where I feel itching not on the skin, but like inside somewhere. Drives me nuts sometimes.
Cam, as Erin suggested, it's best to discuss your symptoms with your doctor. Several things could be causing those digestive problems.
For example, I have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with symptoms similar to yours and more besides. I was diagnosed by a gastroenterologist. But those symptoms are shared with other medication conditions.
The doc first ran tests to rule out more serious things such as Crohn's, colitis, and celiac. Then a colonoscopy to rule out colon tumors. A vaginal ultrasound to rule out reproductive system tumors. A special antibiotic to rule out small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). After testing negative for all those things, IBS was the only option left.
But yours could be something else entirely. So keep a symptom log and note when it happens, whether it is before or after meals or both, what it feels like and how severe it is. As many details as possible. Take your notes with you to the appointment and share them all.
I hope you'll find some answers and relief very soon! Best, Kim
