CHRISTMAS dinner often leaves you feeling full to the brim and needing a nap.
And it is normal to be a little queasy and tired after feasting on roast potatoes and indulging in wine and festive cocktails.
GettyChristmas dinner often leaves you feeling full but some symptoms may be more sinister[/caption]
Julie Thompson, of charity Guts UK, said: “During Christmas, people can be less active and possibly have a lower fibre intake than normal, which might cause short-term constipation symptoms.
“People also may feel the after-effects of too much alcohol, which can result in diarrhoea, feeling sick and being sick, for some people.
“Wind and bloating are also normal symptoms that occur when we overeat, as is indigestion, heartburn and reflux.”
She added: “The above short-term symptoms are to be expected when we’re eating or drinking more than usual.
“You may also experience diarrhoea, which could potentially be caused by food poisoning, as people are cooking more than usual at Christmas.
“Do ensure that your food is heated thoroughly and stored properly to avoid food poisoning.”
However, some symptoms you might have after your Christmas dinner can be a sign of something more sinister.
1. Cancer
GettyStomach issues could be a sign you’ve eaten too much – or a symptom of cancer[/caption]
Regularly feeling bloated could be a sign of pancreatic cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.
Digestive problems caused by a pancreatic tumour can lead to gas or a build of fluid in your tummy in some cases.
Research published in the British Medical Journal has also shown the disease can cause pain or a “fluttering” sensation in the stomach after eating.
Lisa Woodrow, pancreatic cancer specialist nurse at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said while the latter symptom is rare, it could be caused by similar digestive issues.
She said: “We don’t frequently hear people talk about a fluttering sensation in their abdomen.
“But this could be related to digestive issues caused by the pancreas not working properly.”
Pancreatic cancer can sometimes also cause gurgling sounds in the stomach, she said.
She said: “I wonder often if this is due to malabsorption of food due to insufficient pancreatic enzymes, thus this is often wind and digestion related.”
Four signs of pancreatic cancer after eating your Christmas dinner:
1. Feeling bloated
2. Fluttering stomach
3. Gurgling stomach
4. Digestion issues
Ovarian cancer usually affects women over the age of 50s and sometimes runs in families.
Like pancreatic cancer, it can also cause bloating and other symptoms that are less obvious, according to the NHS.
Four signs ovarian cancer include:
5. A swollen tummy or feeling bloated
6. Pain or tenderness in your tummy or the area between the hips.
7. No appetite or feeling full quickly after eating
8. An urgent need to pee or needing to pee more often
2. Crohn’s disease
GettySuffering diarrhoea after Christmas dinner could be a sign of Crohn’s disease[/caption]
Digestive issues can be a sign of another health condition — Crohn’s disease.
More than 500,000 Brits are thought to be living with the condition, according to Crohn’s and Colitis UK.
It is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects people for their whole lives and causes part of the digestive system to become inflamed.
Suffering diarrhoea, stomach aches and cramps and urgency in needing the loo after Christmas dinner can all be signs of the condition.
Stomach pains are most common in the lower right part of your tummy if you have Crohn’s, and symptoms can also indicate you might have ulcerative colitis.
Sarah Sleet, of Crohn’s and Colitis UK, said: “Most of us feel uncomfortable and like we’ve slightly overdone it after a hearty Christmas dinner, but the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease are not a one-off like that.
“If you’re getting urgent, frequent diarrhoea and tummy pain, or seeing blood in your poo, then it’s time to get medical help because it could be Crohn’s or colitis.
“You might only notice these symptoms from time to time, and some days might not be as bad as others, but it’s worth getting checked out by your GP.”
You can check if you might be suffering from the condition by using the Crohn’s and Colitis UK’s online symptom checker, which only takes around 30 seconds.
Four signs of Crohn’s disease after eating your Christmas dinner:
9. Frequent diarrhoea
10. Stomach aches and cramps – particularly in the lower right part of your tummy
11. Urgency in needing to poo
12. Seeing blood in your poo
3. Pancreatitis
GettyA quarter of pancreatitis cases are caused by alcohol[/caption]
Feeling a sudden pain in your stomach could be a sign of acute pancreatitis, experts warn.
The condition affects around 56 per 100,000 in Britain and around half of cases are caused by gallstones and a quarter by alcohol.
It happens when the pancreas — a gland in your belly that secretes enzymes and hormones — becomes damaged, with digestive enzymes being released into the organ instead.
This causes the gland to swell and its tissue to die, and can lead to deadly kidney failure and lung damage in one in four patients.
Ms Thompson said: “The symptoms of acute pancreatitis are often described as more sudden, severe and shocking than other digestive conditions, and it’s important that if you experience these, you seek medical attention immediately.
“The severe pain is generally something people say they cannot ignore.
“Symptoms include a sudden onset of abdominal pain that usually starts in the upper abdomen and develops over minutes to hours.
“The pain can also travel through to the back.
“You might find you are also feeling and being sick, and have a high heart rate and a fever too.”
Three signs of pancreatitis after eating your Christmas dinner:
13. Sudden severe pain in the centre of your tummy
11. Feeling or being sick
15. A high temperature of 38C or more
4. Irritable bowel syndrome
GettyIBS sufferers may experience flare-ups after a big festive feast[/caption]
Another common condition that can flare up after you’ve had Christmas dinner is irritable bowel syndrome.
IBS affects around one in five British adults, with symptoms most commonly starting in your 20s and 30s.
Scientists are not sure exactly what causes it, but believe an infection in the stomach or bowels, inflammation from other conditions or taking drugs like antibiotics could increase the risk.
Ms Thompson said: “Those who have irritable bowel syndrome might also struggle with symptoms over Christmas, more than usual.
“Symptoms of IBS typically include abdominal pain and a mixture of diarrhoea, constipation or both.
“Those with IBS can also experience wind, bloating and distension.
“Increasing symptoms can be because of eating different food than normal plus the stress experienced up to and during the holidays, when life is much busier.
“If any of these symptoms continue after your lifestyle goes back to normal, and they’re not typical for you, then it’s important to speak with your doctor and ensure other causes of symptoms are looked into.”
Four signs of IBS after eating your Christmas dinner:
16. Stomach pain or cramps
17. Bloating
18. Diarrhoea
19. Constipation