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Stomach twitching and pain early morning

Hi everyone.
Had AS for 10 years with several flare ups a year in the hips, lower back and lower ribs. Have managed flare ups with anti inflammatory breathing exercises and more recently with prohealix (peptide) for the bad flare ups.
A month ago I started getting a pain in my stomach to the right side of my belly button. The pain was only early morning around 4am for a few hours until I got out of bed.
For 2 weeks this happened every morning. Then 2 weeks later the pain moved and is now in random areas all over my stomach. Also a lot of what feels like intestinal twitching. Again mostly early morning while still sleeping but bad days can feel pain or twitching several times during the day as well.
Docs have had theories ranging from pancreatitis too constipation(going every second day without effort). No real mention of it being related to AS until I asked. But no further testing was ordered, just “try some anti inflammatories”.

Ultrasound and ct scan showed nothing.
I have since read that AS can cause celiac and other stomach issues.
Wondering if others have had similar symptoms and what the diagnosis was.
Thanks

  1. Thanks for the responses guys.

    It’s been a while. 1.5 years roughly.
    Things slowly got worse with more gut pains, intestinal twitching, flank pain. Then other symptoms like burning feet, sudden thirst (drinking 2 glasses of water didn’t help), brain fog, chest pain, swallen lump feeling at pancreas.
    Symptoms came and went with good and bad (majority bad) weeks with different group of symptoms each time.

    I have all sorts of tests. Colonoscopy and gastroscope came back normal. Liver and pancreas ultrasounds and ct scans were normal. Blood tests normal. Stool tests showed shiga toxin ecoli at one stage but not relevant apparently. I wasn’t showing ecoli symptoms at the time.
    Gene test showed FUT2 non secretor.

    I tried no starch diet which helped then carnivore diet which helped even more. But then I started getting heart palpitations from beef. Still eating 80% carnivore (no beef). Just some walnuts, broccoli, celery.

    The last 4 weeks I have seen massive improvements. Have been concentrating on anti inflammatory foods like eating 2 sticks of celery before every main meal. Also fresh heaps of ginger and tumeric in a chicken bone broth soup.
    And to help with digestion I am having 100ml of lemon juice 5-10 minutes before celery/main meals.
    Eating food easy to digest like fish and chicken (no beef steaks)
    And simply chewing my food a lot more because I used to inhale my food.
    Also skipping breakfast and fasting for 16 hours.

    Hope this helps someone. If your going to start with just one thing try 2 sticks of celery before each meal

    1. It's great news to hear the last 4 weeks you've seen improvement. My question is - Have you visited with a nutritionist or dietician during your journey? I wonder if that would help. We appreciate you following up here in the community and wish you the best as you move forward. Sending thoughts of healing and well-being as the holidays come. Warmly - Rebecca (team member)

    2. ,
      Thanks so much for the update!
      We're glad to hear these dietary adjustments are making a difference for you.
      For others that may be interested, we always recommend, checking in with your healthcare provider (or Nutritionist) before starting any new diet/supplement.
      Stay well, Doreen (Team Member)

  2. I have been having the exact same thing for 6 months! Endoscopy shows gastric inflammation but no medication helps! This stops me been able to have NSAIDS

    1. thanks so much. This article sounds like it could be written about me! I am under gastro. Due phone call next Thursday. I have tried every proton pump inhibitor under the sun and has helped with the initial stinging throat but not the pain between belly button and sternum. Worse on a morning. Better when get moving. I had wondered if pain from back. It hurts when i take a deep breath and abdo expands. Odd! Maybe IBS and faecal calprotectin normal!

    2. I certainly hope you get some answers. I just had a colonoscopy with good results. The meds are keeping inflammation down but still dealing with mixed constipation and diarrhea issues as the author above. I believe in smaller meals, more meals a day, and just finding a way to keep my digestive system moving. It seems to stall and I begin with such terrible pain. I have to find a balance. I have been told my intestines are narrow and this may be the pain issue. Sending you thoughts of healing and wellness. Rebecca (Team member)

  3. If you haven't been to a Gastrointestinal doctor, suggest you do so. Many different autoimmune issues go along with AS. Colitis, micro-colitis, etc. I had a colonoscopy, endoscopy, and many other tests. You can even develop "mast cell activation syndrome". Better to eliminate the obvious...

    1. You're absolutely right, and I do have auto-immune clustering. They've been exploring but nothing found so far...

  4. I have had similar digestive/intestinal upset on and off for many years and similarly, nothing has shown on imaging.


    This is a serious long shot, but last year I started working with a massage therapist who has been helping me with shoulder pain but recently, I had a bad flare-up that impacted my thoracic spine and rib cage. Long story short, we decided to include my abdominal wall in the treatment and she noted that my ab muscles are extremely tight. She explained that muscle twitching, intestinal upset/constipation, and compromised back support can happen as a result of the tightened muscles. This has honestly been a revelation for me and since starting the self-massage on my abdomen that she stepped me through, I have experienced some relief to my digestive issues.


    I should mention, it's my opinion that the muscle tightness is a contributing factor to a deeper issue. But it has been very helpful none-the-less.

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