Hi all, hello to everyone, I've been reading the forum for a number of months now, but this is my first post.
I began to develop abdominal pain following a course of antibiotics presecribed for an overactive gland back in October last year. Since then my condition has worsened to the point where I exprience lower abdominal pain on a daily basis. Often the pain can be present all day and I can find no way to relieve it. The only other symptom I have is occasinal bloating, but no consitpation or diarrhoea (always been regular and that hasn't changed). My health in general is very good and I exercise regularly (swimming and running).
At first I was prescribed Mebeverine but I found it had very little effect. I have had numerous blood tests, a urine test, and also an ultrasound, all of which were clear.
Around 8 weeks ago I was referred to a specialist gastroenterologist and my appointment is in 3 weeks from now. 2 weeks ago I visited my GP again because I was experiencing an unusually degree of pain. She said she would expidite my appointment with the specialist, however this is something she has been unable to fulfil, in part due to bad communication between them and the gastroenterology department and also due to the fact the specialist only works two days a week.
At this point I haven't been diagnosed as having anything specific, and If I'm honest I kind of feel like I've been hung out to dry by my GP whose answer on most occasions has been to wait and see, which suggests they aren't taking it very seriously.
My question really is, is it possible to suffer from IBS but only experience abdominal pain and bloating?
Communication broke down as well between my GP surgery and hospital, it was appalling. I was diagnosed with gallstones at Christmas, not sure how long I had had them. They eventaully got round to takilng my gallbladder out last week.
Not sure if I have IBS as well am going back to GP to have blood tests done for that.
Hope you get some answers
Take care
Sarah.
IBS symptoms vary greatly from person to person, bloating is normally caused by excess gas in the abdomen and intestines, which is why its a common symptom of IBS. Its also a symptom of other things, so dont be fobbed off, if you are unsure keep questioning until you get a clear answer. Unfortunatley it seems most doctors label people with IBS and are left pretty much to deal with it on thier own, it shouldnt be the way but we often like we are a nuisance to our GPs and they make us feel like its our heads. My advice would be to ask to be tested for food allergys, gallstones, thyroid and blood disorders, only once they have ruled everything else out can they then say with any degree or absolition that it is IBS. Good luck x
If his ultrasound has come back clear why could he ask to be tested for gallstones, I thought the result of untrasound was the test for gallstones?
sometimes things like gallstone and polyps arent always seen in an ultrasound either because they are too small or because gas obsures the view. I was just giving examples of things that people with IBSsymptoms are commonly tested for before given a diagnoses.
Hi Andrew
I am experiencing stomach bloat and tenderness in stomach. I went to the doctors and I am waiting for a scan appt, my blood tests have come back clear. I have looked at my diet which is not at all bad. I excercise 2-3 times a week, swimming and gym- well I used too, I can about manage one session a week while I have been feeling like,this, in the last 5 weeks, as my energy levels have considerably dropped, not being able to excercise the same
is not good for me as just trying to do the right thing, so for now
I have cut out altogether the odd treat I have and started to drink a lot more water, which I feel does help and looking
at advice from others, I have just started to take magnesium tablets, so I am going to see over the next few days whether I feel any better and see how things go. At this point, it may not have anything to do with what I am eating or drinking, but everything helps I guess.
Oh I see sorry. My stones came up on ulatrasound so I thought that was how it was.
Thanks all, I should also mention I am taking a number of medications on a daily basis to try and help; Buscopan, Slippery Elm, Liquorice DGL, Pepzin Gi and I drink peppermint tea and chamomile tea. Water consumption is, and always has been, around 2 - 2.5L a day.
The stress aspect that worries me most when trying to determine cause. I work in a highly pressured environment where tight deadlines are a daily occurrence. I also work as part of a small team so the workload is often heavy. I also have two young children who come with their own challenges.
I feel like I am in a vicious circle. The condition I am suffering from is causing me a lot of stress, particularly the fact that it has not been specifically diagnosed as yet. I worry about that and I face waking up each morning with stomach pain. The things I would typically do to de-stress, things like exercise (running and swimming), sitting down in the evening with a glass of wine or going out for a meal have halted as a direct result of the pain I have, so I feel like I don’t have any way of getting any relief from it.
A familiar pattern has emerged when I feel very little pain and discomfort during Friday, and little-to-no pain over a Saturday and Sunday. I always feel buoyed by this but then get knocked back down to earth on a Monday morning when I get back to work and the pain slowly creeps back in.
It is incredibly frustrating!
Hi Andrew
I've just seen your post -you sound in a similar situation to me - extremely bad pain, bloating but no bowel problems. I've had a scan which was clear and Mebevrine and buscopan prescribed by the GP have had no effect.
I think mine is stress-related so I'm booked to see a counsellor I've seen before. It will be interesting to see what effect that has.
I really feel for you -with a stressful job and a young family, you can't easily use my remedy of crawling off to bed with a heat pack!
good luck in your quest for answers -and in answer to your final question -if this pain is IBS yes it is possible to have just bloating and pain .
Thanks Alison. I have read about people with IBS being prescribed anti-depressants and literally having no further stomach complaints. It's a route I'd probably look at if nothing else can be done. I'm no expert but I am pretty sure my symptoms are not dietary related.
Chamomile tea! IIRC this is a no-no for IBS, according to Monash University. Certainly I found that herbal teas in general were a definite cause of gas and bloating, and in my case that usually means pain as well.
Most people only realise they have a problem when they get the pain. I have noticed however, that some days I get the bloating without the pain - I still feel rather uncomfortable though.
You should try the low fodmap diet and also keep a "food diary" to see which foods you react badly to.
I think you might be mistaken. Type Chamomile tea for IBS into Google and it is recommended everywhere. I've not read one piece of advice that warns against it if I'm honest. It is considered one of the safe hot drinks, and I find it very soothing.
No, I'm not mistaken. I'll answer this twice as the site blocks external links, usually temporarily. High Fodmap beverages according to Monash University, the inventors of the low fodmap diet, include:
Chai tea, strong
**Chamomile tea**
Fennel tea
Herbal tea, strong (fruit-based with chicory root)
Oolong tea
I've also found that Liquorice Root has similar effects to chicory (not yet tested by Monash).
Thanks for that. Here in lies the problem, I've found so much conflicting information it's hard to know what to trust!
The FODMAP diet does look very interesting though and funnily enough I do eat a lot of foods on the avoid list, particularly things like broccoli, onions, and garlic.
I think I'll give it a go over the next few weeks and see if there is any improvement.
Thanks again.
Would be interested if you could expand on your assertion??
There's probably conflicting information for two reasons:
1. IBS seems to be a "go to" diagnosis for GPs these days. If the tests don't pick up anything else then, Sherlock Holmes style, it must be IBS!
2. Trigger foods seem to not be identical from person to person.
The reason I go with the Monash version, is that they are a scientific institution specialising in dietary-related illnesses and are the leading researchers in the area.
The Monash advice allows somewhat for the second by suggesting that once you have cleared the offending sugars from your system you can try introducing foods back. They also suggest some alternatives, e.g. I now use garlic-infused olive oil whenever I want a taste of garlic in my food.
Also keeping note of what you've eaten and comparing it to attacks you can see if there are any additional trigger foods - I've found that cornflour is a big problem for me even though it is low Fodmap.
A quick question on the FODMAP diet; bread looks like a no go area. Is that true, and if so are there any alternatives?
This sounds as if your illness might be partly stress related. I am not saying you are making up your symptoms but the stress of work makes them worse.
You are then expecting the symptoms to worsen when you are at work.
Is it possible to take a short time off work as sick to see if it settles down or to work part time for a bit.? I do not know what your job is but any reasonable employer should accept that.
I find Buscopan helpful, I have been on 8 a day for quite a while. Now I have had my gallbladder out I am trying to cut down on them.
Take care and keep in touch
Praying for you
Sarah