is it possible that this pain might be gall bladder? I know that happened to me.....severe pain in the area under diaphram.....

Have you ever seen a gastroenterologist? Your stomach pain sounds severe at times and I hope that you would get it checked out by that specialist.

What we eat definitely plays a big part in stomach pains. I've had to stop eating so many foods that I enjoyed so much when I was younger. Just can't eat them any longer.

Hope you feel better.

It depends on what's causing the pain, and you probably should see a specialist to find out..

In my case, I occasionally get pain from acid reflux caused by eating spicy foods or from just eating too much. Sometimes I also get gas pains because I consume alot of dairy products. I was told not to eat ice cream, cheese, cheesecake, milk, etc, because older people can no longer digest it, but I love it and sometimes eat it anyway but then I pay the price for it....What helps me the most is one teaspoon of baking soda in a 8 ounce glass of water which works very well.

As we age, our metabolism gradually slows down so if I am eating dairy, it will cause alot of gas pains because undigested foods will get consumed by bacteria and cause alot of gas. To cure that problem, I will do one of two things. I will drink a glass or two of orange juice or apple juice before going to bed and if that doesn't help then I will take a laxative which always helps.

Billwfriend-Haven't thought about that. The sharp pain is directly above my belly button. I'll definitely look into that, thank you.
GirlinCalif-I have seen a gastro and been tested, examined. No known cause except for an apparently severe lactose intolerance.. You're right, so many foods I can't eat and not knowing until I eat them makes it hard. Thank you.
bobinmaine, I've had acid reflux and I can't eat dairy without taking a lactose pill. Sometimes dairy is a by product of the foods I'm eating. and sometimes it doesn't help. I've had severe pain with other non dairy foods too like lemon.
Thanks for the baking soda tip, I'll definitely try that. I can drink orange juice with no problem, interesting about that. Thank you.
The pain is gone for now and since I've eliminated some more foods it's not returned yet The most frustrating part is that I don't know if foods will hurt until I eat them. I've loved dairy although less now after this but there's times I ate it anyway and regretted it.

Thank you for sharing your experience and advice. It truly helps to not feel isolated with this.
This pain has been severe, depressing and scary.

I use good digestive enzymes with every meal. I have to avoid fat in foods, too much and I get the IBS stuff. I have done this for 34 years, Carolyte! It gets easier and easier. Cow dairy grosses me out now.

I read all food labels. I am now ordering 5 meals a week from Pete's Real Food, very clean and healthy and no dairy and no carbs. Not cheap but I figure the amount of food I was ordering from local restaurants being delivered due to my pain issue and not cooking is just as expensive. They taste gourmet and are fabulous so far.

I avoid lactose in medications, very hard to do. It doesn't give me stomach pain but runny nose constant and unwavering. I take a daily drug called Bentyl in liquid form as the pills have lactose that helps my intestinal cramping.

Your pain in the middle above your belly button sounds like something that needs a gastro work up. The gallbladder is to the right under the ribs and the spleen is more to the left or middle. The liver is middle. Your liver might be having trouble with fats. Try cutting back on all fats, salad dressing, no fried food, no beef, no bologna, no oiled veggies, and read labels. You might have what is called fatty liver and you can google that.

I had a lipoma on my liver that was encroaching on my stomach and I had severe middle of the abdomen pain. I had to have it removed. I needed a CT test to find it and the good surgeon had to watch the CT to see how as I digested the contrast that the lipoma was impacting the stomach. Got it removed and that pain went away.

Also, I am now eating natural style or home style, thicker oatmeal flakes every morning. I put in a little sugar, and some almond butter, and some fruit. This has been a godsend to me. I am having less digestive issues and it lowered my cholesterol a wee bit. It has to be the thicker flakes and not the sugary stuff in the little cups. Need it the natural style flakes, maybe also called Irish oatmeal as the thicker works better in the intestines.

The whole truth of this food allergy thing is one has to stop completely eating the bad foods. Clean up our diet, read labels. Have dietary control. Not play around with eating KFC one day and salad the next. Just totally stop with one food, say cow milk dairy or cheese. And plan for a week of eating clean. It will be hard at first but you will feel better if this is your issue. After two weeks of no dairy you will feel totally better, like a new person- IF this is your issue.

If one has a food addiction or loves a certain food, say one loves milk or cheese, for some odd reason the body wants those bad for us foods. We go through almost a withdrawal for a week or two and then we don't crave them anymore. I can't eat ice cream or pizza because I remember the reactions from last time. I remember getting a little egg in a hotel meal and my throat starting to close up. Nope, I am done but my husband had a very good smelling pizza last week and I craved it. Did not eat any because I am in a pain flair and don't need more inflammation.

My original gastro explained that the foods we are allergic to create an inflammatory process in our bodies. So we eat it and go into inflammation cycle. Then we don't eat it and our bodies weirdly crave that food and crave the inflammation cycle. Once we totally stop eating the bad foods, our brains and bodies stop wanting, desiring, and LIKING that inflammation cycle. Our bodies now feel yucky when we eat a little of that food.

I can't eat any dessert or just about any one else's cooking. But it is my lifestyle and I am so much better feeling since I don't eat any of my allergy foods unless it is sneaked into restaurant food. Or I order a meal that has butter on the veggies or the meat. I usually say no butter, no oil.

Thank you very much for this wealth of information and experience that you've gone through! I'm realizing and starting to know that I have to be careful, read labels and research.
Reading through this I see things like a runny nose that I've had and things I haven't that you have gone through are a lesson I could learn.
I do eat a bit of oatmeal with a little sugar, and a little Lactaid milk. I could instead try a bit of almond butter, and I definitely love fruit.
Thank you Hasty very much.
Thank you everyone for your advice.
I'm looking forward to finding good foods to eat that won't hurt. It's lifting my mood after this pain to keep trying and get out of this rut.