Stomach Cramp, Diarrhea, sweating , light headedness and fainting

[tomski]

I have experienced on 4 occasions in the last 6 years a rather weird Diarrhoea attack which really is painful and scary. Here is a description of what occurs.

1. Sudden abdominal pain which increases in intensity over a short time. The same sensation one might get when they are about to get Diarrhoea.

2. I go to the toilet and try excreting whatever wants to come out. However after about a minute of sitting there with nothing coming out I suddenly few light headed and am starting to get a dizzy spell like I am about to faint and my breathing weakens.

3. This borderline fainting sensation lasts for about another minute before I break out into a sudden sweat all over my body. Within a few seconds I have sweat literally pouring out of me, my clothes are wet as if I ran a marathon or something.

4. After a minute of sweating I suddenly feel something coming out of my rear end. I try to squeeze it out and only a hard stool comes out.

5. The sweating stops and the stomach cramp subsides. I think everything is over and I clean up. I walk out of the toilet and in about 2 minutes time the stomach cramp and the fainting sensation comes back (I've fainted only once to date from this and was out for about 15-20 minutes).

6. When I get back to the toilet I have a really violent Diarrhoea episode in pure liquid state. It takes a few minutes to subside and once I

[Cagedraven]

I am coming back to tell you all what has worked for me it has been one year since this has happened again. I am hoping I have it figured out. I first saw this post a year ago after the worst episode yet and knew I would not live through another. Like your all saying it was very emotional to know I was not the only one. It appears there are two types of us. Those who have anaphalatic stuff at the same time and the others do not have that part. I have the allergic part and burst into hives when my body is close to being done emptying along with the breathing/asthma issues. I am unable to get an epi pen or allergy pills when this happens because I am completely unable to help myself like you all know.  By the time you can do anything to help yourself you are dead or you have come out of it. The last time I passed out and I think I had a seizure?? When I was coming to all my muscles were flexed I could not lift head or move body but could see my arms jerking for who knows how long until I was slowly able to control my body again as the explosive diarrhea stopped. All of the other things you guys say are exactly the same thing leading up to and during and after this nightmare. I have always woke up in the wee hours with sudden onset diarrhea and/or and asthma attack but this is sooooo different as you all know.  

I had issues with very low blood pressure and heart rate to low or to high previous to this happening but the MD, Endocrine, allergy Dr and Cardio could not diagnose anything. Not that any of them tried very hard now that I know what I know. I drank several gallons of water a day was having cognition issues and became bedbound along with everything else. I am disgusted with how long I have suffered and the answers were there.  Always had very bad allergies and chronic sinus issues and skin issues etc. If you have symptoms that mimic thyroid or adrenal issues and have been told you are fine BS take yourself to a naturapathic Dr who is rated highly in your area with a copy of all the labs you have had done and a list of your issues and it will change your life. A year ago if someone had said I would swear by a ND I would have laughed in their face. But when you are ill you will try anything.

I was immediately pulled off gluten and dairy, diagnosed with phase two liver failure and adrenal insufficiency. I had low blood sugar as well but because it was so close to the normal range no dr mentioned it to me from my labs.... along with many other things that were low or high. I was started on hydrocostisone and a medication called adrenogen which is a cow glandular treatment. The ND told me that the reason I was having such awful allergies in the mornings when I woke up and these weird nightime reactions even though I could never figure out what triggered the issue was an adrenal issue and an auto immune disease. I cant recall exactly what he said but something to the effect that at night when peoples cortisol level drops something else kicks on and does all the repairs in your body. At night for US this does not happen and your body attacks itself all night. The reason we will never figure out what exactly we are reacting to is because it is everything, anything. I do think for myself gluten was a big thing. I looked at the allergy Dr's labs and the one for gluten was right at the top of normal. It should have been brought up to me then that I was clearly sensitive to gluten. All of you probably wake up feeling poorly most mornings regardless of an episode or not?? The good doctor asked me to research Low Dose Naltrexone ( LDN) and I emailed him immediately asking to try this medication now,now, NOW. I had shown thyroid issue symptoms for many years but doctors only ran the basic tests never the reverse and antibodies tests plus several others or any tests for adrenal issues. A saliva 24 hour cortisol test 5 years ago would have saved me from this nightmare and slow decline. I am not sure if I can say the web site name that helped me so much but I have a feeling many of you also suffer from untreated adrenal and or thyroid issues and have been told you were fine so I wish I could share. Maybe I can post my email and for any this relates to email me?

After a month of being on LDN I have not had allergies at all... NONE... I am not even certain if the things I was allergic to I am even allergic to anymore there are no more sneezes, hives or asthma. There are no more sinus infections now that I am treating adrenals and on LDN. I just started a low dose of a natural dissicated thyroid medication hoping it will get me back on my feet. The other thing was the super low body temperature in general. I have not seen anyone mention that but take your temp before you even get out of bed a few days in a row and some of you might be pretty surprised at how low your temp is. If it is low there even more evidence you should take your self to a good ND and get the help you deserve.  

I did not want to say anything until some time had passed and it has been a full year since I have got up in the night with what I always thought was IBS. My normal IBS episodes that happened suddenly in the night happened at least once a month and like some others here it always happened as well around period stuff. Those female hormones are also affected by the adrenal issue by the way since they are produced IN the adrenals. I have had IBS in the night since I was a little girl the severe ones we are talking about happened 3 times last year and terrified me. I have not had a single episode in an entire year this has never happened before that I have not had an issue. I do not have IBS I have an adrenal issue and a gluten issue. Who knew? Certainly not any of the bazillions of doctors I have seen for all this since I was a teen.

I thought the vagal nerve thing was possible for me because I have had a back injury and have metal in my back and the symptoms got worse after. My Md's have always said all the low pressure stuff was avagal nerve thing and there was nothing they could do. But no tests were ran for cortisol issues. I have since personally decided that it is a BS diagnosis for doctors because they do not know what is causing it. But I have been free of this for so long now that I think the surgery and steroids they gave me between two of the surgeries caused an adrenal issue that came and went with stress and illness that was just undiagnosed since the surgery until I finally crashed this year. I am not sure if I can post an email for myself or if that is a no no but if anything I am saying is similar to what you deal with I want others lives to be saved as I feel mine has been by treatment finally. My email is thespinster at hotmail *******. I am more than happy to share any information if it will help you.

I hope everyone has some resolution. When this happens no one has any idea but you here how incredibly close to death we are when this happens and how painful and terrifying it is. I wish everyone the best of luck!

[CML2014]

I cannot tell you how amazed I was when my Doctor mentioned it very matter of factly. I thought she said BasilFlagal, LOL. Frankly I did not care , just happy to have a name and know I am UNLIKELY to die from it. I think that is what terrified me thinking my blood pressure would drop so low I would just die, That is why I never passed out because I would lay down on the cold bathroom floor until it passed. At the time I did not know that was a good idea, it just seemed to keep me from passing out.

Everything I have read on this condition fits perfectly. It was like a panic attack for me, and for me who has low blood pressure anyway, dehydration was a big part of it.

I used to think it was just when I menstruated, but then when I started donating blood it would happen, and after relocating to new homes both times I went through a night of this. For me I am no longer scared of having an episode. I think this in itself is the cure. I understand it now!!!

......WTH didn't someone in the emergency room, doctors office, nurse or someone else tell us this was what was happening, that is what REALLY pisses me off!

Hope this info saves a lot of people from never knowing when, where, how it would strike you. That was enough for a panic attack  I'd say!!

All the Best

[Arauna]

P.S.  I have had thorough work-ups for gallbladder, upper endoscopy, and colonoscopy.  I have been told it is from stress.  My doctor called it the "intestinal equivalent of weeping".  FWIW.

[Arauna]

I have suffered from vasovagal syncope for many years.  It took an episode of fainting, busting my nose on a shelf in front of the toilet, and waking up to - well, you know- all over the floor and me to talk to my doctor.  He told me what it was, said there  are meds to control it but since mine happens so infrequently that getting on the floor and elevating my legs above my heart should do the trick.  It does work, however, after several episodes of having to clean up massive amounts of diarrhea I finally learned to use the large pads that they use under elderly patients or potty pads for dogs, placing them underneath me so that they catch the mess and all I have to do is throw them out and clean myself up instead of having to scrub and  bleach the floor and showering.   Gross I know but it works.

[CML2014]

VASOVAGAL OR VASOVAGAL  SYNCOPE!

Look it up this is what it is called or at least related too. I am 62 years old have had these symptoms since I was 18. I went to  a new doctor today because of a stomach virus and told her about an episode this morning. She said "O Yea, vasovagal syndrome". HUH!!!!!

I have looked for answers for years , even in the emergency room--today is a good day I now know what this agonizing experience is.

It has many causes-Dehydration being the big one. I will let you read all the other symptoms, but as of today we now know what it is.....at least in most of our cases.
Good luck to all

[Mobetter1969]

I am glad to know that others have experienced what I have but it is very disappointing to know that there has not been a real diagnosis. I am a 44 year old woman who has been experiencing these episodes for almost three years.  I have diabetes, IBS, GERD and gastroparesis.  For me I've noticed that certain foods such as tomato sauces, fried foods, high fructose corn syrup, mixed drinks can set me off.  Not sure about the bread or yeast.  Usually its starts with pain in my upper stomach (can be left or right) and heartburn. It mostly happens at night or when I'm laying down. I'll get up to go to the bathroom and then i'll start feeling really hot, dizzy and nauseated.  I've passed out a few times so I know to hit the floor by then I start to vomit and pass out, When I come to again I'm still vomiting and loose control of my bowel function so it gushes out both ends the hole episode last for about 1 hour. Once the episode has started it not much I can do to help.  My last episode happened two nights ago and i am still recouping for the dizziness and weekness.  Of course I've had all the same test as everyone else and still no answers.  I have had some problems with  my gallbladder I'll have it checked out again.  My questions is, I wonder if anyone is taken Reglan or what medications we may have in common?