Hello all, I am a 26 yr old male and I have a couple of questions. About a year ago, I noticed a change in my bowel habits and I also got really bloated after going on a run of eating not so healthy foods. It turns out I was constipated so I took a laxative and felt some initial relief but on and off for the last year, I've experienced the above symptoms off and on. Ive experienced both loose stools and constipation during this time. No blood or mucus have been in my stools. A lot of times it feels as if my bowels don't empty completely.
I will admit that until this week, my diet has been poor. I drank way too much pop, ate out too much and I've never been a good fruits and veggies eater. I'm 6' and weigh about 245 but have weighed as much as 258 this past year. I also get stressed real easy and I'm a worrier so I figured I'd reach out on here.
Do I have IBS? Am I overreacting to something that I can fix with a change in my diet? Should I worry about possible diseases worse than IBS such as colon cancer? I can say that within the last year I've taken a physical and the blood work came out normal.
Thanks All
Hi Alex,
nithing is jumping out at me that is serious but I am not a doctor. You may have answered your own questions. You may have IBS. Have you discussed these symptoms with your doctor? Have you ever had a colonoscopy? You might try looking up the FODMAP diet. Try cutting out the soda and try drinking more water. Hard, I know! You could try taking a daily fiber supplement. You could try taking Magnesium. Talk to the Pharmacist fir a recommendation. Try eating smaller meals more often rather then large meals. You can trying Gas-X or Beeno for the bloating. Try a change for at least a week. If no improvement, consult with your doctor.
Your symptoms sound like IBS but you should see your doctor for tests to rule out other conditions and diagnose you officially. Try cutting out processed foods and fizzy drinks and gassy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts. Have a look at the Fodmap Diet. Do you have any stomach pain?
Anxiety goes with IBS and makes symptoms worse. Anxiety may be a trigger for you. You should not worry about other possible diseases or google them. I did this to give my doctors something to go on because they couldn't disgnose me for three and a half months. It turned out I had IBS.
I started with constipation, stomach pain, back pain, nausea and loose stools all caused by stress. Food poses no problems.
I like what Margot49 said. It's good to be asking questions and taking some actions with your diet. The human body has a way of sending signals (like pain and discomfort!) to get our attention. As an older gent who has suffered greatly from anxiety and it's effects on my body I can tell you that if you make needed lifetsyle changes at your age you WILL NOT REGRET IT. Let me say it again. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! From what you have said I would be optimistic that you are catching things early enough to avoid many of the complications that come with a lifetime of neglecting dietary and other health issues. Remember that your mind and body work together. So consider your emotional/spiritual life as part of whatever treatment you pursue. I sincerely hope you continue your inquiry with this forum and with people who are well-trained in IBS diagnosis.
ANd as I like to tell people, I find that a daily teaspoon of psyllium husk in 8 oz of juice or water has done more for me than anything else.