# Any good remedies for stomach cramps? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 5, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841 "2018-04-05T01:08:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/1 "2018-04-05T01:08:09Z")
I’ve been having severe digestive issues in general this week, and for the past couple of nights I’ve been having trouble sleeping because of stomach cramps. Having a bite to eat isn’t working as well as it usually does, and in any case I don’t want to be eating at night, I want to be sleeping. Any suggestions for what I should do? ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/2 "2018-04-05T01:33:36Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > I’ve been having severe digestive issues in general this week, and for the past couple of nights I’ve been having trouble sleeping because of stomach cramps. Having a bite to eat isn’t working as well as it usually does, and in any case I don’t want to be eating at night, I want to be sleeping. Any suggestions for what I should do? IANADoctor. My most severe “digestive” issues were due to: 1. Gall bladder issues. They didn’t stop till after surgery. 2. A food allergy… after I figured out the allergy, I’d take benedryl if I accidentally ingested the allergen. The Benedryl would keep my guts from fighting the allergen, and also send me to sleep. I hope you find an answer. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/3 "2018-04-05T02:11:33Z")
This happened to me. I quit dairy. Problem solved in one day. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/4 "2018-04-05T03:35:29Z")
When my stomach talks nasty, I take psyllium husks. A couple tablespoons with water and all is well. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/5 "2018-04-05T04:58:14Z")
Barring an intolerance or allergy I would drink some baking soda in water. So you burp instead of having gas roiling and rolling around your guts. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/6 "2018-04-05T19:01:55Z")
A big glass of water and a simethicone tablet with dinner. Sharp pain in the chest is usually acid. Sharp pain in the gut is usually air. Having plenty of liquid to slide through helps air to move comfortably through. You might also consider whether this tends to happen when you’ve been eating dairy or legumes. If so, there are enzyme supplements that can help you digest the problematic ingredients. It’s not unusual for adults to lose their tolerance for milk products. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/7 "2018-04-06T02:41:27Z")
My stomach issues at night were gallbladder attacks. Only at night. Very painful. StG ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/8 "2018-04-06T03:01:56Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > My stomach issues at night were gallbladder attacks. Only at night. Very painful. > > StG Mr.Wrekker, same thing. At night he was miserable. I finally convinced him to go to the Doctor, they took his gall bladder out within the same week. Go in, have it checked. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/9 "2018-04-11T17:29:11Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > My stomach issues at night were gallbladder attacks. Only at night. Very painful. > > StG it’s definitely worth checking. My attacks didn’t really feel like cramps, though. They were a strong gnawing pain fairly near the middle of my abdomen rather than over towards the right. They tended to last for two or three hours and then go away until the next evening. Luckily, after about three days, the gallstone that was causing the problem seemed to have passed and the pain went away. If it is a gallbladder issue, you want to get diagnosed and dealt with as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/10 "2018-04-11T23:52:24Z")
Thank you, I’m actually feeling better now. It’s weird- I started feeling sick a few hours before Passover. And then right after Passover, I got better. So either matzah is so hard on the stomach that it actually travels back in time to mess up digestion, or I’m allergic to Jewish holidays. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/11 "2018-04-12T02:17:35Z")
My upset stomach troubles usually respond to a glass of 7-up (or similar) with a few drops of Angostura bitters (enough to give it a reddish tinge). ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/12 "2018-04-12T14:03:18Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Thank you, I’m actually feeling better now. > > It’s weird- I started feeling sick a few hours before Passover. And then right after Passover, I got better. So either matzah is so hard on the stomach that it actually travels back in time to mess up digestion, or I’m allergic to Jewish holidays. Glad you’re feeling better! If it happens again though, please see the doctor. I don’t know how many of the F criteria you meet (fat, female, fair, 40+, fecund) that put you at higher risk for gallbladder issues, but anyone can develop gallbladder problems even if they don’t meet any of the criteria. And a gallbladder flareup can happen over the course of several days, then go away for quite a while before recurring. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/13 "2018-04-12T20:21:27Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Thank you, I’m actually feeling better now. > > It’s weird- I started feeling sick a few hours before Passover. And then right after Passover, I got better. So either matzah is so hard on the stomach that it actually travels back in time to mess up digestion, or I’m allergic to Jewish holidays. Do you change your diet to Kosher for Passover for the duration or just avoid leavened foods? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/14 "2018-04-13T18:54:33Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > Do you change your diet to Kosher for Passover for the duration or just avoid leavened foods? Kosher for Passover. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/15 "2018-04-13T19:10:39Z")
I found that gall bladder issues come and go for a short while. Sometimes diet sets it off. If it happens again keep a diet diary. And go to the doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curiosity_Kills_Her)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/16 "2018-04-13T19:45:47Z")
I swear by this stuff, it works amazingly well! [https://www.herbdoc.com/digestive-tonic](https://www.herbdoc.com/digestive-tonic) ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-good-remedies-for-stomach-cramps/811841/17 "2018-04-13T20:09:12Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Kosher for Passover. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I found that gall bladder issues come and go for a short while. Sometimes diet sets it off. If it happens again keep a diet diary. And go to the doctor. It’s certainly the easiest diet to replicate in order to eliminate those foods from the possibly harmful foods. Some people have that painful cramping reaction to potato starch and IME that’s abundant during Passover.