Stomach Cramps with Exercise

Whenever I go for my walks (2 - 4 miles) I get continuous stomach cramps (below the bellybutton) that last from about 10 minutes into the walk until an hour or so after. It feels like it is intestinal and the pain usually generates around to my lower back. It's impossible to ignore, and it feels like a mixture of going into labor and diarrhea cramps. Does anybody know what this is or what causes it?

I have the same problems and have been to the doctors and had my body checked from head to toe. They dont know and from all the test nothing is wrong. So I would like to know myself what more could be causing such bad pains.

Me too! It's good to know I'm not the only one. I've been worried about this as it often happens when I go for a run, which is always at least 2hrs after my last meal, and is very low down - feels like period pain, actually! Interesting that no one has posted on what might be causing it....

I am glad there are at least three of you out there that know what I am going through. I've been an avid runner my whole life, but all of the sudden, I can't go more than 4 miles without these horrible cramps that linger long after the workout. I went to the gastro and he tried to tell me it was late onset IBS with an activity trigger. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything to help it yet...aside from being less active. Good luck and I hope you all feel better.

I don't know really myself either. I was actually looking at your question in hopes someone would answer. I don't know if this works or not, I just found this out, that the theory you have to wait after you eat to exercise is false( if your heart is strong) and that you should eat before and during your exercise (if it's for an hour or more)because if you don't your muscles and liver will run out of sugar and you tire earlier and get cramps. Your brain gets more than 98 percent of its energy from sugar in your bloodstream. But there is only enough sugar in your bloodstream to last three minutes. So you liver has to constantly release sugar from its cells into your bloodstream. Hope that helps! I'm eager to try it myself.

happens to me all the time and it's incredible bothersum ive been ruunning 3miles for the past 3months more or less everyday, and form time to time normaly after i eat but sumtimes randomly it comes on and it hurts.

I too get this same horrible debilitating lower ab cramping and nausea. Somewhat like menstral cramps, but much worse. It doubles me over for sometimes up to a half hour (I just can't move). When the aweful pain finally does ease, I'm left with extreme fatigue for several hours and lingering nausea. It's usually during intense long runs or cycling. It is unpredictable, once every couple weeks or so, but it sure ruins what starts out to be a great workout, plus it sucks being curled up in the fetal position off to the side of the road. What in the world causes this?

I am so glad to know there are others that experience the same thing as I do! I also experience what I can only describe as severe menstrual cramps, which I experience only when I tend to workout really hard...pushing myself extra in cardio or running. The pain is such that I have to stop what I'm doing to double over in pain and sweat! After about 10 minutes it goes away and I'm fine, but during the episode it's horrible. Again, this happens when I'm not on my period! I've told different doctors regarding this, but no one seems to have an answer!

I too have had this pain. It feels like diarrhea cramps. I looked up some various things on line. Dehydration, overhydration, eating to soon to a workout or working out on an empty stomach, drinks high in sugar, consuming too much vitamin c before a workout, taking ibuprofen or aspirin before a workout, working out at too high of an intensity. Tonight I had the pain worse than I have ever had, I also took an aspirin about one half hour before my workout and did not hydrate myself well. I am thinking that was the cause of my pain tonight. I hope this helps. Those cramps suck.

Girls, i get this too. Only occasionally, and the pain is like period pain but I don't have my period. It happens when I'm working out really hard. I don't know what causes it, but I experience the same symptoms - cramping like period pain, lasts for at least 15 to 30 mins and I have to stop exercising and lie down to settle it. If its really bad it can make me nauseous and I end up almost throwing up. I have been thinking about what might cause it and I think if feels like a lack of oxygen to the uterus/ovaries that results in cramping. I have recently noticed the development of varicose veins in my legs and I wonder whether there is some kind of venous insufficeincy that is exacerbated by exercise where the blood flow is restricted to these parts of the body???? Does this make any sense to anyone???