Excruciating stomach pain whilst running

[Risky29]

I am a 24 yo female. I am fit and eat a balanced diet. Recently I have been experiencing excruciating lower abdomen pain when running outdoors. This pain is of similar characteristic to period pain but is definitely unrelated as it may happen one day and not the next and happens at all times throughout my cycle. It is not a 'cramp' as it is not muscular it is a more internal pain. The pain occurs about 2km in the run. I run at a constant pace so can not be linked to exertion.
This pain is followed be the feeling that I need to go to the toilet, urgently! Sometimes I feel like I'm not going to make it to the toilet and once I get there I am unable to pass anything.
If I try and ignore the pain it gets so excruciating that I have to stop and end up having to curl up in the fetal position with the feeling of vomiting and diarrhea. It is horrible. After approx 5 mins I am able to walk and after 10 mins the feeling is completely gone. If I try to run again the pain comes back straight away.
I am always well hydrated before I go for a run. I am a dancer and this never occurs when I dance.
I have tried so many things but there seems to be no consistency as to when it occurs.
I have tried running on a full & empty stomach, in the morning and at night, at all times throughout my menstrual cycle and there are no patterns or consistencies as to when it occurs.
This pain is preventing me from running for the time & distance I desire. These pains are horrendous and as I run outside it is also extremely embarrassing to be running and have to drop to to ground in agony and curl up it in fetal position feeling like I'm going to soil myself. What's wrong with we!!!!

[socialnazy]

I realise that this post was written over two years ago, but I have the exact same problem. 2kms into my runs I start to feel it and the pain is disabling, much worse than side cramps and lower down. I also feel like I am going to soil myself but don't, and even when I head home and sit on the toilet nothing comes. Apparently it is due to the oxygen in the blood being taken away from the digestive track to the leg muscles. I don't have low iron and can be fully hydrated and this will still happen. I would breathing related causes. Another thread I read suggested that poor breathing technique and asthma will affect oxygen intake which in turn affects the amount of oxygen available in the blood going to the digestive tract.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without a clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of the pain. Possibilities that may need to be considered include lactic acid build up causing cramps, dehydration, hypoglycemia, hernias, metabolic issues, growths/ masses etc. It would be best to have this evaluated by a primary care physician. After a cause is diagnosed, it can be managed accordingly.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!