It all first started about three years ago when I was shopping and had a cheese burger, I started walking around and had the worst stomache cramps and kept needing to go to the toilet. Ever since then it had been on and off, and i'd noticed that if I got slightly nervous or anxious (some would call me a hypochondriac) I'd have really loose poos. Recently, it has been worse at night, I'll wake up with awful stomache cramps, gurgling tummy, uncontrollable shivering and have the urgent need to go to the toilet many times during the night until I fall asleep, I also have noticed a small amount of mucus- is this normal?. I am on day three of a 'suspected' IBS episode, and I am constantly going to the toilet and having loose stools and attached to a hot water bottle, I've eaten some dry toast and so far so good but it's really getting me down. I've noticed that my IBS is sometimes triggered if i've eaten a lot that day or a really big meal, is that normal? I have been to the doctors and she has done blood test, celiac test and thinks its ibs but has referred me to a specialist but thats not till the 18th of september!! I have my exams in the next few weeks so I am stressed anyway, but this is making it worse because I feel too ill to revise. Being the panicker I am, I always google and suspect bowel cancer and other sinsiter diseases and convince myself I am dying, which I know is bad but so difficult to avoid. If anyone has IBS and can offer me any advice or reassurance that would be really helpful as theres no one I talk to because no one understands it. Sorry for the mega long message, I just need some help 
Thank you, Maisie xx
Hi Maisie
I'm so sorry you're stressed. The first thing I want to say is Im not a doctor (but have done lots of research!!) and I REALLY don't think you will have cancer, you are far too young and it's EXTREMELY unlikely. But I was like you and have panicked and stressed about having it since I was 18 and I'm now 45!!! So I don't have it and have wasted years worrying and googling over nothing!
Your symptoms are most likely food/stress related. After years of suffering ibs symptoms, I cut out dairy as that made me really ill and it helped enormously! Dairy is hidden in lots of foods so check ingredients. I also cut out gluten even tho I'm not a coeliac. I take a strong probiotic and drink lots of water and I am soooo much better.
As boring as it sounds, try some relaxation exercises or go to a hypnotherapist who will give you a tailored tape to listen to every day.
I hope this helps but please try not to stress you have anything bad, it hasn't helped my stress levels over the years and it is not worth worrying over something that you don't have - easier said than done I know!!
S
Thank you so much for your reply- it's so nice to have some comforoting reassurance from someone who has suffered too. I am going on holiday for two weeks this summer with my boyfriends family and I really don't want this to take over my life- so im desperately trying to find ways to prevent it from happening. ALSO this may be a silly question, but I sometimes find that if I have had a rubbish night sleep, it brings on some of the symptoms of IBS is this normal? Thank you again, Maisie x
Try taking heyfever med like benerdryll BLUE PACKET
I could be caused by ulcerative colitis which can I often be cured with very cheap food grade
diatomous earth which usually cost £20 for 2 years supply
another cause can be clostrium diff , it's a bacteria the grows out of control in people who have had antibiotics , so look at that
Hey, I had this problem and tried so many things. Different things work for different people and I was lucky enough to find one that worked for me. Just shoot me an email at _____ and I'll tell you about how things are going for me with the stuff I've tried. I wish someone would have helped me out when I was struggling to find a solution so if I can help you then it would make my day.
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Hello Maisie,
Don't worry! What you have is not going to kill you...although IBS cramping sure feels like it will! My IBS started when I was a teenager and I was actually terrified to go out..especially with others. It was embarrassing to have to suddenly find a toilet, suffer agony until everything passed and then rejoin everyone pale and sick and having to deal with everyone's concern. It went on for probably 10 years until I myself figured out what the issue was. First of all, as Sue said, DAIRY! It is unnatural for us to eat the breast milk of another mammal. So many people are lactose intolerant which is understandable. Even calves don't drink their mother's milk after infancy. You need to cut out ALL dairy products. There are alternatives. I have almond milk instead and it is a mild flavour; very pleasant in tea, coffee, as a beverage etc.. You can do without yoghurt. If on occasion you really have to have ice cream, there are soy based alternatives which are very good.
But I think your main issue is keeping regular. That you can do through a good diet; 6 - 10 vegetables per day, keep away from sugars (which give you the runs), no juices which are high in sugar (carbs) and treat your insides well....and they will be happy. That means eat fried foods rarely.
Right now your bowels are inflamed and over reactive. If I were you, I would take mineral oil for a week, just so that everything passes through you with NO cramping. It will allow your bowels to relax and recover. Keep your diet simple during this period until your bowels calm down. No dairy of course, no fatty foods, no junk food! Once you are cramp free, realise that your body has been sending you a message loud and clear. And the message is aimed at you, yourself and it is "Help!" This is a blessing in disguise to improve your diet. It is all in your hands. Think of having a smoothie for breakfast every morning...but without juices. Here is a suggestion: a carrot, some walnuts, a handful of spinach, a few strawberries ground in a blender. Add protein powder (from your health store...but NON dairy), and top up with almond milk and some vanilla and there is your complete breakfast. You can make enough for two days. I call it swamp. It doesn't taste delicious but it is definitely okay. Your insides will thank you for it. I start every day with a smoothie. And I feel good with no food cravings. If you are overweight, you will slim down without even trying. Lunch can be a hard boiled egg, boiled and well drained leeks with a vinaigrette on it (yum!), tomatoes, rye bread, asparagus with mayonnaise (yum!), coleslaw made with Martha Stewart's dressing (yum!). Dinner is your protein choice (meat, legumes, eggs...no cheese obviously), and 2 or 3 vegetables. Snacks can be nuts and an apple or pear for example. As long as you have protein at each meal, your cravings for any sweet or greasy foods should diminish.
And very important: Start each day with 2 full glasses of water. If generally you have a tendency to be constipated between bouts of diarrhea, take a tsp of psyllium in a full glass of water, every afternoon.)
Let me know how you do. I am sure in one week (or less) you will be fine.
Good luck, Maisie!
Robin
Hi Maisie
i haven't personally experienced ibs with lack of sleep but I know people who have and I did a google and there are lots of sites saying there is a direct link with lack of sleep and symptoms.
i just read Robins advice and (again from my years of obsessive research!), it looks excellent! A big change in diet is very hard to do andit took me a while but if you at least start with the no dairy and lots of water, it's a something!
Hope you feel a bit less stressed knowing there are things you can do to help 
S
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regards. Brian
Hi Maisie, sorry to hear about your problems - there's lots of good advice here - mine is that I take a daily shot of Aloe Vera Gel as it looks after my digestive system and my immune system - it is natural and has loads of vitamins and minerals in it (many of which are missing in our daily diet) so it ges my systems balanced to where they should be. Feeling better helps you to feel less stressed too which I'm sure triggers things off into an ever decreasing circle ! Hope you find something that helps you too soon.