Hi guys,
I've had a number of stomach problems since having a large ovarian cyst and my ovary removed a year ago. I've been diagnosed with IBS and I'm taking mebeverine. I also have acid reflus and dizziness due to low iron.
My question is, how does your IBS make you feel? I seem to have discomfort and bloating most days and have flare ups where I feel incredibley sick with frequent loose stools along with just a general feeling of groginess, tiredness and feeling unwell.
If you do have flare ups, how often do you feel unwell?
I'm suffering from quite a bit of anxiety and I feel like there is something that is being missed. I would just like reassurance and to hear some of your stories if that's okay
Thanks 
Hi Penny
I'm undergoing testing at the moment too and all results have been clear so far, so looking like IBS. I too have been feeling extremely anxious and have often felt as you do that something has been missed. In fact my primary symptom is feeling extremely unwell (very nauseous to be precise), so I hope that provides some reassurance.
What tests have you had yet? Xxx
Thanks for your reply Michelle
I had tests for collitis, celiac, signs of inflamation. I've been going back to the docs over and over as symptoms keep getting worse, only to be told it's only IBS
I just feel awful pretty much all of the time. Do you get flare ups?
Thanks,
Penny
Yes, I do get particular flare ups but the rest of the time still don't feel fully well. It's just that I felt really horrendous when it does flare up. I get very nauseated, can't eat and feel thoroughly exhausted and like I have fog in my brain. I've logged everything for months and the only link I can see is to my period cycle. I also have signs of silent reflux, so no particular pain.
Have you had any internal tests, like sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy? Xxx
Yeah i feel like that today. I feel sick, have a foggy head and have a very upset tummy
I had a sigmoidoscopy two years ago and nothing was found but then I had a really large cyst on my ovaries last year and they thought that was causing all the upset to my bowels etc
But even after the removal, my stomach is still upset frequently plus other symptoms mentioned
It's just awful. I'm having an examination next week to see if anything else is going on with remaining ovary but I just worry that there really is something more going on with my bowels and it's not getting looked in to because I have health anxiety
xxx
Penny I feel for you here. I know precisely what you are going through. What are you worried about specifically?
Have you spoken to your GP about the anxiety and are they sympathetic? I would suggest that if you are really concerned that you insist on a referral to a GI at the hospital, for no other reason than to put your mind at rest. I am doing this too. I know how debilitating even the anxiety can be. Have you had an ultrasound recently? Xxx
I have IBS C and my main symptom is pain. Initially, I had four different types of pain for two months with on off nausea and a spate of IBS A. I had deep grinding pain, dull pain, sharp stabbing sensations and neuralgic sore to touch pain. The pain used to wake me at night; now it doesn't. I rarely need medication. I experience daily pain in varying degrees but I only have an agonising flare up if I have intense stress.
I had to wait three and a half months for diagnosis. I had severe health anxiety that something was being missed due to the lack of knowledge of the doctors and the number of tests coming back negative. I saw eight GPS and only one recognised my symptoms. I was tried on Mebeverine and within minutes I developed 5 new symptoms and felt 50% worse. I had no improvements in symptoms with this medication. I have since discovered that Mebeverine is known to produce very nasty side effects.
This intensified my panic that something was seriously wrong. I then tried Buscopan and it relieved my symptoms without side effects.
I'm worried it could be bowel cancer to be honest. Or endometriosis
The GP referred me to speak to someone about my anxiety which I'm doing next week
The only ultrasound I had was a year ago when they discovered the large cyst. The doctor mentioned today that I can have a scan of my stomach if things persist in the next few weeks but I might ask to be referred. I just never ever feel well!
Was just hoping to hear how IBS made others feel so I can compare. The info you find online is always so vague! X
Hi
What sort of symptoms did you experience with mebeverine? I don't think they work for me at all!
I think there are 2 types of IBS. With one you get diarrhoea and with the other you get constipation. My GP thinks I may have IBS and mine is the type that I am constipated with.
I had my gallbladder removed 6 months ago due to gallstones.
I get quite a bit of pain in my stomach and right side.
The thing that made my GP think i may have IBS was shen I told her I was also getting pain in my back passage (no bleeding though)
The other thing with IBS is that with most people symtoms are relieved after a bowel movement.
Mine is the opposite!
Hope this settles down for you.
Take care and keep in touch
Sarah xxx
This is exactly where I am with this too Penny. I hope that we can get answers. Do you get any pain?
I don't just really specific discomfort on my lower right side. I've had so many scans and all come back clear. Xxx
I felt as if I had swallowed a pebble after taking one tablet, my constipation worsened, I lost my appetite, and I was aware of digesting my food for one hour. I stopped the medication and I felt 50% better. I tried them again some days later to see if I was imagining my symptoms and the same side effects came back. I didn't even finish the first slide of tablets; I put the straight into the bin.
Mebeverine did absolutely nothing for me at all. Stopped them after a week of feeling no different.
Remember also that our health anxiety is completely exhausting for our bodies. The amount of chemical changes produced particularly by long periods of intense anxiety will not be helping you. Stress can absolutely exacerbate existing symptoms and create new ones, particularly if you have a predisposition to GI disturbances. I spent about three weeks convinced I also had throat cancer because I felt like I had a lump in my throat constantly to the point I felt I was choking. Then it just went away.
Do seek help for the anxiety. Be very kind to yourself in the meantime. Perhaps try a low residue diet for a few weeks. That helped me hugely and gave my bowels a rest when the medication did nothing.
I constantly remind myself that likelihood of this being bowel cancer is minimal (how old are you, any family history?) Work on the basis of facts, your results have all been clear so far. My GP said cancer usually shows up somewhere in initial tests, even little hints. Push for further tests to reassure yourself but focus your energy on reducing the anxiety. Do not Google anything. This will make your anxiety worse. According to Google everything is cancer. We live in a world where the alerts to it are everywhere and it gives us a disproportionate view of the statistical likelihood.
Be kind to yourself. We forget to do this. Xxx
Thanks so much for that. I'm seeing a therapist next week about my health anxiety
I'm 30 and my grandmother died from bowel cancer. I've mentioned it to the doc and she's said it's very unlikely to be anything sinister
In just struggling with the reoccurring upset stomach I have. At least once a week I feel like I have a stomach bug and then the rest of the time I just feel bloated and uncomfortable
In answer to other questions here, I don't get pain every day. Usually only when I'm on my period I have excruciating pains and shooting pains in my bowels
Today I have a very upset stomach where I can't eat anything and have needed to go to the loo all day. I feel very sick and groggy and have pain on my right side when I touch it
I guess my anxiety isn't helping matters but I will push for more tests
Thanks everyone for replying xx
Yeah I've started getting indigestion and acid reflux since starting on mebeverine and peppermint
Neither help my stomach issues either
I'm 30 too Penny! I'm sorry to hear that's what your gran died of. Mine died of ovarian cancer so I understand how your worry works. Statistically at our age it is so very unlikely to be bowel cancer (how old was your gran when she died?) or anything of that nature. I too have had the excruciating pains in bowels only when on my period. I know how frightening this can be and how absolutely convinced you can feel that it's something sinister. The therapist will help, so that's a great thing you've done there.
I had the frequent bowel loose movements, (literally all my issues came on over night), discomfort on the right side (where I feel there's something good stuck in there), nausea and unable to eat for days at a time and weight loss (yeah, that really freaked me out thanks to the Googling). A host of stomach issues, burping included (lovely). So im taking omeprazole for acid. I've had every blood test going, 2 ultrasounds, stool tests and also a flex sig. All normal. Now I want an endoscopy and colonoscopy. I'm also waiting on a gynae referral. If they are normal I'll just have to admit the docs are right!
Is the nausea bad for you Penny? I can suggest some meds to ask for from the doctor. Also the low residue diet for 2 weeks may really help you. It did for me and I really didn't think it would do. Xxx
Peppermint is rubbish for me too. Ginger is much more helpful and can help mild nausea.
My gran was in her 50s when she passed. I think since I had the ovarian cyst and my ovary removed, I've just constantly been worrying that something else could happen to me because that was an ordeal in itself. Yeah it is unlikely at 30 but googling does come back with some scary stuff which doesn't help the anxiety!
I get burping and have acid reflux (only since starting mebeverine and peppermint tablets) and often feel like my throat and chest are very tight
I feel very nauseated right now and seem to get it at least once a week along with a very upset stomach and the foggy/groggy feeling. I feel exhausted when all these symptoms come together as well
I'll see what happens next week at the doctors but I really want more tests for peace of mind! What a life eh
Xxx
My GP never told me anything about the different types. Mine is almost always loose and frequent stools with discomfort and nausea
Thanks for your reply Sarah. Hope you feel better soon
X