Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

I'm so sorry to hear this. I know just what he's going through and it is really truly unbearable pain. Not everyone with IBS gets hit with pain this severe, but it can happen. The fact that it's upper GI pain, instead of lower, is not classic IBS, but I have heard of this. He's right in feeling that it's a muscle spasm that can just disappear if things relax - it is literally the muscles of his GI tract spasming that cause the pain. Anything that makes those muscles relax will stop the spasm, and the pain. Unfortunately, I don't know of anything that will do that quickly and effectively except for narcotic painkillers - and they need to be injected for a rapid effect. The only way to get that is at an ER.

But - he might try a hot pack on his abdomen over the spasm, as heat can relax muscles. I'd also have him chew Altoids mints a few at a time - chewing 6 or 8 of those in a few minutes can get him enough peppermint oil to relax his gut. So can a cup of really strong, hot peppermint tea. If you use teabags, use at least four of them. For loose leaf peppermint use 2 tablespoons for the cup. Brew it so strong it's black - sips of that will help the spasms relax too.

If he's nauseous from the pain, it's not a bad idea for him to try and vomit. Sometimes, the violent contractions of vomiting kind of interfere with the spasms in the gut, and can get the gut muscles to relax. I've had this happen several times - not fun, but things are better in the end.

Were those chewable guar gum tablets Benefiber? If they were, throw that bottle out asap - those pills have sorbitol, an artificial sweetener in them. Sorbitol can cause cramps for people who don't even have IBS. It sounds like he may have taken quite a few of those tablets, and a pretty good dose of sorbitol along with them. That could absolutely have set him off.

- Heather

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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!

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