I have always had sensitive bowels and go at least 4 times a day, told over years that I have ibs.

18 months ago I woke up in night with weird sensation in a bad accross my abdomen at navel level of tightness - not pain just a feeling like when you arm goes to sleep and it feels squeezed. It was enough to stop me sleeping. I then got very noisy bowels and lots of wind and had slightly more frequent bm's but no diarrhea.The tightness goes away tremendously if i get up but comes back as soon as I lay down again. I had at that time increased my fibre intake quite alot so cut back. I had these attacks once or twice a week for a few weeks.

I had all these tests - sigmoidoscopy, had had 3 fecal occult blood tests in last 18 months - full stool analysis, aortic ultrasound, ultrasound of everything! tons of blood and everything normal, coeliac test. The attacks will go way for weeks or months at a time although i always have ibs symptoms in frequent bms in morning then rabbit droppings in evening.

I even had my appendiz out 3 months ago to rule that out and the surgeon had a good rummage around - he looked and felt everywhere and said everything ( small bowel, colon, gallbladder, womens bits, and kidney) looked fine - no inflammatory bowel disease.

The last thing to do which should be in next few weeks is a colonsocopy which the surgeon said is just final we have looked at everything I didn't even need to have it he said but for my peace of mind I am.

I haven't had one of these nightime attacks for a few months but last night woke up at 2.30am ( its always same time) with the weird tightness, it is always on the side I am laying on and if I turn over its goes away to reappear on other side!! Today I have very noisy rumbling bowels and feel asif I want to pass wind all the time and I still feel a bit tight just below waist at side sort of top ofhip area.

I also have badly damaged spine and my Dr's say its either IBS or referred sensations from my damaged spinal nerves.

I can't understand why I only get it in the night and if it is spinal how come I always get the noisy bowels and wind??

anyone any words of wisdom.

Gavi,
Interesting!!

I think that you have cramping or spasms in your intestines caused by a lack of magnesium and calcium in your diet along with vitamin D for calcium absorption.

You could try taking a homeopathic remedy as needed when you have the night time awaking--- Magnesia Phos -- 6X potency will do and repeated in 30 minutes.
If the noises and tight feel go away -- you lack the minerals that I suggested.

Also, I think you need to introduce back more soluble fibre in your diet to absorb fluids and slow down your morning BMs.

And, your afternoon stool indicates you need to drink more water daily.

You may try eating some yogurt to re-balance the friendly bactertia in your intestines/colon --that will reduce the wind/gas and help your intestines function and digest better.

I wish you well---Harry

Thanks Harry i will try the homeopathic remedy you suggest. I do drink lots of fluids already???

Hi - I get similar night time problems. I finally figured out that my pain and gas got really bad ONLY when I slept on my back or if I were lying on my back for a long time. I told the doc and he said that it's because I have adhesions (scar tissue) in my abdominal cavity, and when I lie on my back, it causes the intestines to "stick together" and gas gets trapped, etc. etc.

If you have ever had any kind of abdominal surgery, you could have adhesions, which can be extremely painful and often cause a bowel obstruction, which has happened to me twice.

Now I only sleep on my side, and don't have as much trouble at night. Occasionally I do roll over on my back, and when I do, I wake up with gassy pain. Also a hot water bottle (NOT a heating pad) on the abdomin helps me alot - causes the gas to be expelled. Hope this helps.

For what's it's worth, I have similar symptoms. I often sleep on the sides and wake up in the middle of the night due to abdominal pain. I suspect my low functioning gallbladder is leaking bile due to it's fullness in the middle of the night. I do not experience such symptoms during day time. So if I wake up in the middle of the night, I just switch the sides I am sleeping on, unless I can figure out how to eat/drink while asleep... :D