can anyone talk to me about ibs please? I'm confused and in agony

[SalemsCity]

Hi,

My gp thinks I have ibs. I have been having horrendous cramps across my lower stomach and a really awful pain in my right side. Also really bloated, look 9 months pregnant sometimes.The first time this happened (around 3 months ago) it lasted a few hours then went completely. The next attack lasted a full day and into the night. The next one lasted 5 days and I found that I was constipated during this flare up. I was in so much pain I went to the gp and they were convinced it was my gallbladder and referred me for a scan. By the time the scan came through I hadn't had any pains for a few weeks and hoped they'd gone for good and nothing showed on the scan so all okay. But then the pains returned worse than ever and I'm now on day 15 of this flare up. Been back to the gp, they're convinced it's ibs and not something sinister because if it was something sinister it would be constant rather than coming and going. I don't know if I should be pushing for tests of some kind though? It doesn't seem right to send someone away with an ibs diagnosis when no tests have been carried out. She prescribed buscopan which hasn't done a thing.

I know a couple of people with ibs and their experiences are completely different to mine. I know everyone experiencesibs ddifferently but. . They have both always suffered with digestion problems which then manifested itself into ibs. I have never had any problems with cramps, constipation, indigestion... I'm just worried at how sudden it came on and from nowhere. The other thing is that their flare ups last a couple of days at most so not like mine at all. They were also both investigated with barium meals and colonoscophy (sp) to rule out anything sinister before being diagnosed with ibs. Having said that they were a little older than me (both in their early 40s, I'm 32).

I am working myself up into a state, googling my symptoms and coming up with ovarian cancer, bowel cancer, colon cancer etc. Can anyone please give me some feedback on theor own ibs symptoms and whether they sound similar to mine? And also did your gp investigate other avenues first?

Sorry for the rambly, waffling thread. I'm in pain and really worrying. Any replies will be much appreciated.

[Pinkfrocks]

Google FODMAP diet for IBS and see if you are eating all the things that make IBS worse.
This is not some crack pot diet- it's been tested at Kings College and Guys Hospital London and is being recommended by some of the top gastro drs.

You really need to dit with expert help but it will give you some insight.
GPs are not too clear on it but they are being trained all the time.

for more info see //www.wisediet.co.uk

[Pinkfrocks]

IBS

[SalemsCity]

Thank you so much for your replies. My constipation seems to have gone now but my pains are still there and my stomach doesn't feel 'right', if that makes sense. Maybe I'm just sore from my bowel constricting before (that's how the gp described what was happening and why I was having the cramps).

The thing I worry about most is the fact that it came on so suddenly after nothig before. I literally had no problems in that 'area' ever. Everythig I read on ibs seems to indicate that it's a gradual thing - has anyone experienced similar to me and it's come on all of a sudden?

I've been taking the buscopan and it's done nothing whatsoever for me. The only thing that took the edge of the pain was codeine and a hot water bottle on my stomach, it's the only way I can sleep.

OldBag, I often have stressful, rushed meals because of the dc. I think I will try eatinfw after them and see if it makes a difference. Apart from the normal stresses of being a parent I'm not particularly stressed about anything, I've certainly had more stressful times in the past and it's never resulted in anything like this. I suffer from migraines and it's always my head that suffers when I'm stressed. I will also try the peppermint, thank you for the suggestions. Also, I really don't know what my triggers are. I eat quite well but maybe I'm intolerant or allergic to something? Does anyone know if gps can carry out allergy/intolerance tests?

We're skint at the moment but I'm so tempted to take out a loan to pay and go private, just to have a chat with.a doctor, maybe a scan? But I feel so rushed in the gp surgery, like they're not taking my worries seriously. But then maybe I'm being a hypochondriac?

Thank you for those links Pink, will have a read.

Does anyone else have any experiences to add? Any suggestions/advice will be very much appreciated!

[nicename]

Keep a diary of when it flares up - what/when yo have eaten, how long it lasts, severity etc. You may find a pattern linked to stress, certain foods etc.

Bloating/wind etc are usually helped by eating bitter salad leaves (red ones, roquet etc), eating early, small portions, avoiding stress when eating, cutting out white/processed foods, cut down caffeine, etc.

I'd push the doc to see a specialist, maybe even a nutritionist. I'm a great believer in diet being the caur/contributing to aches and pains etc.

[BIWI]

Have you been taking antibiotics recently? And/or, have you had an episode of gastric flu, or something similar recently?

[SalemsCity]

Hi, thanks for the other replies. I think I will go back to the gp, they're probably going to find me really annoying but I have spoken to yet another person with ibs who was also fully investigated for a more sinister cause for her symptoms before being given an ibs diagnosis. Ovarian cancer was something that was mentioned to her as a possibility and that's something that's been playing on my mind. So I'm really going to push for some investigations. Since I last posted I've been a bit bettet but the 'feeling' is always there on my right and when I eat I can feel a definite 'twinge' there. The only thing keeping me positive is that I recently had a scan on this area so hopefully anything untoward would've been picked up then. Really strange that it started and then went away before but has now come back as a continuous thing. nicename, thank you for the suggestion about seeing a nutrionist too, if my tests come back clear and it does appear to be ibs I will definitely do that. I haven't been able to pinpoint a certain food myself.

BIWI no antibiotics or gastric flu. The only difference in anything was that my dh was diagnosed with celiac disease last year so I was cooking gluten free meals for the whole family and that's been the only change in my diet/lifestyle so I did a bit of google research and found a few articles saying that gluten free food can cause constipation so maybe that's how it started. But I haven't eaten any gluten free food since before my last 2 attacks and they have been my worse ever. Thougj I remer reading that once you've had constipation once you are more prone to sugferigw recurring bouts.

Thank you oldbag will check the toilet and I'm definitely going to ask for a colonoscophy.

Any more advice or experiences from people with ibs would be gratefully received.

[KissMyFatArse]

I would ask for your bloods to be checked the next time your at your gp.

I have IBS and also severe pain in the right hand side under my rib. Had my gallbladder out 6 mths ago (didn't have stones, but they thought it may have been the prob as it was non functioning) however still have pains and flare ups.

I'd Defo go with getting bloods checked first x

[SalemsCity]

Thanks kiss.If you don't mind me asking, how did they find out your gallbladder was non functioning? Was that through blood tests? And what should I ask them to check my bloods for or will the gp know? Thanks.

[KissMyFatArse]

It was my lft's in my blood (liver function test) that were raised. I had scans, MRI, endoscopy, liver biopsy and a hida scan. The hida scan showed my GB was non functioning.

They thought this might have been upsetting my lft's so I had my GB out but have had 2 more instances in the last couple of mths where it flared up so bad I was taken by ambulance to hosp twice.

With my IBS I have really really bad stomach cramps and then either diarrhea or else constipation?!

With the pain under my rib that was so sore and it radiated through to my back and my shoulder. No position relives the pain and it's agony.

Are you going to make another appointment? X

[BIWI]

What is your diet like now? What would be a typical day's food for you?

[KissMyFatArse]

It's all over the place just now tbh. I've got another hospital test tomorrow morning to check my stomach now.

This won't be the name of the procedure I'm guessing but it's been described as a gastric flush? I'll eat something like scrambled eggs (bolk!) with a substance in it and they can see how that goes through and is processed.

Mostly I am sick after anything heavy or else unbelievable stomach cramps. I do know I need to avoid KFC as that literally runs through me! TMI I know

Anything spicy is a trigger. Nandos sauces, jalepenos, Indian food all the good stuff really!

[BIWI]

Are you the OP?!

List out your typical day's meals. Let's see if we can help

[KissMyFatArse]

Oh sorry I didn't check the name and thought Salem had asked me question! Ignore my own response!!

Whoops!!!

[SalemsCity]

Thanks Kiss, that gave me a giggle . I actually had a livet function test (I think, I'll have to check for certain) as both the gp and I were convinced it was my gallbladder at first but the test came back clear. Oh it's agony isn't it. Hard to believe you're in that much pain and it isn't going to kill you. I'm baffled by mine because even when I don't have the pain I have that 'feeling' there in rhe right, especially when I eat. I feel like there's a bulge that twinges in there but nothing was picked up on the scan . Having said that I wasn't having any pains (or twinges) when I had the scan, maybe something forms and then goes, I don't know. It's so bloody confusing.

Thank you BIWI for taking the time to listen and help, and to everyone else. It feels reassuring to know someone is listening and might know something that can help me.

At the moment I'm eating porridge for breakfast with berries and grapes. For lunch either soup or a muller rice. For dinner jacket potato, cheese, beans and salad or veggie sausages, veg and gravy. I'm snacking on ice lollies, cashew nuts, carrots and houmous. My diet used to be quite varied but I'm stuck eating plain boring food because I barely have an appetite and because I'm scared that anything too heavy will make the cramps worse.

[SalemsCity]

Prior to these pains starting though I did eat too much cake and chocolate (although I always ate healthy, homemade meals). Maybe that's what caused this. Or maybe it was eating all the gluten free food.

[Eve]

I have had ibs for a long time now but only ever get the flare up you described.

Was hospitalised with the pain a few times as it was so bad and had all sorts of scans for gallstones etc.

I am now aware of the pain beginning & straight onto painkillers .

I need to avoid too much fibre in my diet & too much fruit - can't eat apples.

[stargirl1701]

It sounds like my IBS. There are quite a few types. My trigger is usually stress. I can't really eat fibre without a flare up so I stick to high soluble fibre foods. I need daily exercise too. I get no symptoms when pregnant - I assume this is related to the higher levels of relaxin.

[stargirl1701]

NHS info:

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/Treatment.aspx

[BIWI]

My IBS was triggered initially, I think, by a severe bout of gastroenteritis. I also think, from what I've read, that long term antibiotic use when I was a teenager (for acne) may have contributed, and that my gut flora became compromised.

As well as IBS I also started to suffer from thrush. Both conditions are linked, from what I've read, and are caused by an overgrowth of candida albicans. (One of my smear tests confirmed the candida)

My symptoms are horrible stomach cramps (worse than labour pains), followed by diarrhoea. I tended to have an episode after periods of emotional stress (not so much when I was stressed at work) - e.g. arguments over my wedding arrangements with my mum!!!

The only thing that really relieves it is a hot water bottle. So it sounds a little similar to yours. I was prescribed Colpermin - peppermint capsules - but never really felt that they did much. And now there's Buscopan (not sure if that's the proper name or spelling!), but not really sure that helps either.

For me, though, it was switching to a low carb diet that cleared it up. I didn't switch to low carb for this reason - I switched because I wanted to lose weight. But I realised, after a few weeks, that my IBS had completely disappeared - along with the thrush.

Your diet, even if it's gluten-free, is pretty carb heavy - it might be worth cutting down on your carbs for a couple of weeks just to see if that helps you?

[SalemsCity]

Thanks BIWI. Funnily enough I had a bout of thrush a few months ago. Had never had it before.(Didn't use antibiotics for it though, luckily the canesten cleared it). I know 3 people with ibs and one of them I know suffers with a lot of thrush (the other 2 I don't know well enough to ask! ) It's funny you mention emotional stress. I've had a bit of that lately with a family member - asked to stay the night as they were feeling down and are still here. She's lovely but having an extra adult in our already cramped house is making me feel quite tense and anxious. I feel silly for feeling this way though, I've had much bigger stresses in my life than this and generally things are going well for me but it could be this constant simmering tension that's causing my problems. What sort of low carb foods do you eat.if you don't mind me asking?

[SalemsCity]

Thank you Eve, interesting that you can't eat too much fibre and apples! - never would've thought those kind of foods could cause problems. It's good that you know what can trigger your symptoms. I really want to pinpoint my trigger foods. I think I am going to dp the same as you and go straight onto painkillers as soon as I feel a bad bout coming on. Gp said best not to as painkillers can causr constipation but so far haven't noticed painkillers making it any worse.

Thanks stargirl, really interesting that you had no symptoms when pregnant! Another poster upthread said the same. And I was the same with my migraines. It's reassuring to know that you have similar symptoms to me. I'm going to try and exercise more too I think.

[RawCoconutMacaroon]

What BIWI said.

I have a similar tale to many pp on the thread (ibs diagnosed early 20s, worsening list of symptoms of allergy/intolerance/autoimmune issues over the next 20years). Now wheat and gluten free (grain free apart from occasional white rice) and HEALTHY!

Your comment about your DH being diagnosed coeliac and you now gluten free products really jumped out at me - your increased symptoms could be related. Gluten free replacement products are usually utter shite, have a read of the ingredient lists. There are several things usually in them that I found really set me off, Xanthan gum for example. Nobody needs to eat gluten free products (and actually many ceoliac and intolerant people cross react to other grain proteins and soy proteins in these products!), just eat different, (real)foods. I realise that's not easy, it took me several years to come to that realisation!

It would be well worth you googling FODMAPs, at least some of these foods are likely to trigger your ibs, and well worth reading MarksDailyApple blog which is sensible, informative and has a searchable archive so you can look up your particular issues. Plenty of recipes (everything is grain free so 100% suitable for your DH coeliac diet).

[RawCoconutMacaroon]

Gallbladder pain... Can be inflammation caused by food intolerance (which can slow the emptying of the gallbladder and cause stone formation), this is why many people continue to have pain after the removal of the gall bladder (the gallbladder is just one part of the bile production/storage system). Unfortunately "chop it out" is the first reaction of the surgeons rather than "let's try an exclusion diet before we chop it out"! I am very luck to still have my gallbladder after radically changing diet a few years ago (grain free and gradually increasing fat as my gallbladder recovered, to a high fat, moderate protein low carb diet).

Migraine - your comment on migraine adds to the overall picture of an allergic/intolerant person who may have gut dysbiosis (leaky gut)! another interesting term to read up about. A broad spectrum probiotic (such as Bio Kult broad spectrum which I get of Amazon), may help rebalance your gut bacteria... You sound a lot like me a few years ago , poor you !!!

Pregnancy dampens down the whole immune system and that includes how you react to things you are allergic to or intolerant of, lots of conditions with an autoimmune or inflammatory component tend to improve during pregnancy and sometimes for a long time after. Which is very interesting.