I have been on IP for about 6 weeks. Everything has been great thus far, but I have had pretty bad stomach pains for about a week now.

I can't figure out if it is acid reflux or something else. The pain is in the center of my stomach right below my rib cage. It feels tight and burns. It hurts constantly, but will get really severe for a few hours. The severity is not linked to when I am eating, it just happens randomly.

I decided to give it a week to see if it would go away, but it still persists. I am planning on going to the doctor tomorrow, but I am curious has anyone else experienced something similar?

I read a few posts that mention Gallstones and Gallbladder issues. I have never had problems before....

thanks.

Best bet is go to the doc, especially since it's been a week.

Not that I'm a doc...but if it's right under your right breast area (under the rib cage)...could potentially be a gallstone. I didn't have issues with my gallbladder until I did...sometimes they just show up. My sister had one 'attack' and she hasn't had one since. Mine showed up and well, just wouldn't go away so I had mine taken out.

I agree with Ishbel, best bet is to go to the doctor. Could you be sensitive to the soy in the products? When I had a severe gallbladder attack, it was pain in my upper back, right beneath my shoulder blade, and the pain didn't stop until I had my gallbladder removed. Wishing you well at your appointment and hope it is nothing serious.

Thanks. I don't think I am sensitive to the soy...I have been on the diet since Dec 10th and haven't felt sick like this until now. I will definitely mention IP to my doctor and explain the changes to my diet.

The other interesting thing I didn't mention earlier is that I skipped my period this month. The people at IP told be that my Birth Control pill wouldn't work as well and to use additional protection... Anyway I took a pregnancy test and I'm not pregnant, but it is sort-of interesting that I skipped a month...

While reading about gallstones I learned that losing a lot of weight over a short period of time and birth control pills / pregnancy may cause them to form.....

Definitely glad I am going to the Doc.

Thanks again for your support

I have acid problems and was formerly on an prescription acid reducer. I have stopped taking it but sometimes my stomach will still give me problems so I chew 1 Sugar-Free Tums tablet and that takes care of my problem. I'm glad you will be seeing your doctor just to be sure it isn't something you need to be concerned about but I would also try the Tums and see if that helps.
Nan

It's probably not gallstones, but gall sludge. When you lose weight quickly, sometimes the gallbladder starts to filter fat rather than what it normally does. I know this because my it happened to my mom when she lost 15 pounds quickly (a couple of months later stones formed and she had to have her gallbladder removed), and my aunt had been on IP a couple of weeks. She formed sludge in the past couple of days.

Thanks for the advice. I went to the doctors and they scheduled me for an ultrasound and took blood to see if my liver was functioning properly.

I also read about "sludge" This could definitely be what's going on. It is scary that it could turn into gallstones!

What is your aunt doing to make the sludge go away??? Is she staying on the diet?

I have my next IP weigh in on Wednesday. I will be sure to discuss these concerns.

I believe she is doing the modified version of IP that diabetics use. Unfortunately, I don't think there is any way to make the sludge go away, so you could stay on IP if you are comfortable with it.

When my mom first formed sludge, she would be in pain for a day and usually have to take medication to ease it, then it would go away for maybe a month until she had another "attack."

Thanks for the info BACKDROP

I guess I will wait and see what my ultrasound results show and talk with my IP reps on Wednesday and go from there.

BACKDROP do you know what type of medication she would take?

Thanks

Buscopan likely (the med u were asking about), and I'm betting on gallbladder which U/S will be good to help diagnose

Thanks mompattie

I am looking forward to my U/S... unfortunately it isn't scheduled for another week.

I did read about a cleanse that may help the symptoms. (its drinking olive oil with lemon juice before going to bed). I tried it last night and my pains aren't as severe today.

Ugh. I love the results of this diet and really hope I can continue with it... Only time will tell

You can get sludge even without your gallbladder. I still have sludge problems and I've had my gallbadder out for almost 5 years. Your liver still produces the bile it needs so the sludge can still happen. It's quite common and a good comment for here (forgot to mention it).

Ishbel, so what can one do to help alleviate symptoms of this sludge? Would the Novi-Cleanse help?

Do you still have problems with it?

It just depends on what you eat sometimes I know and sometimes I don't know what it was. Some people call it phantom pain but because of my issues after the surgery I know that it's sludge. Reflecting as I type this...mostly it's from really fatty foods so I haven't had any real pain since being on this diet. I do believe my lack of a gallbladder and issues with sludge are why I have problems balancing the big D and big C.

Sorry I can't help you, but its definately something you want to look after. I didn't look after my gallbladder issue because of other reasons and it really affected me. It is definately relatable to why I had a lot of complications (cause I refused to go under as soon as they wanted me too).

If you have gallstones and the doc says 'get them out'....GET THEM OUT. I had my own personal reasons for not doing the surgery (waited 3-4 months) but it had nothing to do with a diet (as to why I waited).