Many drugs, including barbiturates, antiseizure drugs, and sulfonamide antibiotics, can bring on an attack. Stress as the result of an infection, another illness, surgery, or a psychologic upset is also sometimes implicated. Usually a combination of factors is involved. Sometimes the factors that cause an attack can't be identified. Symptoms Symptoms occur in attacks lasting several days or longer.
Attacks appear after puberty and are more common in women than in men.
In some women, attacks develop during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Abdominal pain is the most common symptom. The pain can be so severe that the doctor may mistakenly think that abdominal surgery is needed. Gastrointestinal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, and abdominal bloating. The bladder may be affected, making urination difficult.