I'm a 22 year old female and I've had ibs for about 6 years. I've had MRI scans, blood tests etc and nothing sinister has shown. I have tried EVERYTHING and I'm having not much luck.. I went through a stage of it not being so bad and having an attack of sweating, cramps, nausea and diarrhea very occasionally and just everyday bloating (which I am now very used to) the last month or so I don't recall ever have a fully formed BM- they are always loose without fail and it's driving me crazy. I woke up this morning with the most agonising stomach pain, I felt sick and had diarrhea.. it passed after about 2 hours but it leaves me feeling weak and horrible.
I know that anxiety plays a huge part and that's something that I want to get rid of.. any big occasion and it's so bad- my graduation was spent on the toilet and crying in pain, trips to the cinema, my birthday, when I went on holiday I had diarrhea the whole journey there. It's ruining my life and making me nervous to do anything too far away from home- can I see a therapist on the NhS? To help deal with the anxiety? I'm basically just wondering if anyone has any ideas of things I can try- I rely on bucopan, peppermint tea and a hot water bottle when my attacks are bad. But I've tried- Colpermin, charcoal tablets, probiotics, Fodmap diet etc and I just want to feel normal ☹️☹️
Hi check out the FODMAP diet lots of info online, get multi strain probiotics, check out China seeds and soaking China seeds to get the gel good for your digestive system.
There are counselling services available n the NHS. Look up on the internet services near you - often they're self referral. If not arrange a telephone consult with your GP, so they can make you a referral.
The cramps are the IBS. Buscopan will help with these. Do you take buscopan everyday or do you just take it when you get a cramp?
The everyday bloating is most likely functional abdominal bloating. This is very difficult to do anything about - Charcoal is really all there is.
Alternatively it could be a food intolerance - so keep a food and symptom diary and try and notice patterns. If it were a food intolerance and you're getting symptoms everyday - it would be something you're eating everyday. So have a trial and error with these - I would begin with breakfast cereals if you eat those.
Hi there,I do sympathize with you ,I was diagnosed with Diverticular disease in 2014 and have had the same symptoms as you on and off all that time, I was told initially to up my fiber but was getting slowly worse ,I’ve since seen a Gastroenterologist who diagnosed IBS and to cut out most of my fiber and take Imodium type tablets which I do most days and I’m almost normal and can get on with my life ,all this has taken 3yrs ,Try the Imodium and see how you do ,I was told if a whole tablet constipates me to open it and tip some out and put it back together,the amount to take is trial and error I’m afraid,good luck.
You sound very similar to me. Feeling sick and the loose BM. Since it started with me I never have a fully formed BM either, even on the days I'm not feeling sick. No one has diagnosed me as to what it may be and I have had countless tests. Just possible IBS. I can't work out what I'm eating that's causing it and been tried on buscopan!
I would suggest keeping a food diary of everything you eat and note on the days you don't feel good and then check back the past few days what you ate to see if there's a pattern. You may have better luck than me! Ginger tea is quite good for the nausea.
Has your doctor tested a stool sample?
I understand where you are coming from with the anxiety, that doesn't help the issues you are already facing and I too experienced this but it can't be helped with the way you are feeling. Speak to your doctor. They can refer you for some CBT through the NHS. I found this quite helpful.
Good luck! Just keep at your doctor to do some more tests for you too! Let us know how you get on
Your description of this sound exactly like mine - I wish I could offer more constructive advice, and I'm hoping someone else will answer your post. I've been through all of what you've described, and never dreamed this could happen - I've had this for just over two years, and it came on suddenly (overnight).
It is worse than horrible - it runs your life, Doesn't it? Things I've tried - going to the hospital (they can find nothing wrong, despite every test imaginable, therapists, all the diets recommended, anti-anxiety pills (No wonder anyone with IBS is anxious), and even a psychiatrist, who told me it was definitely not in my mind (although I never suspected it could be). Our family doctor prescribed morphine, and right now I've made an appointment with the Legalized Marijuana here in Canada - and don't hold out much hope for this route either. My family doctor is at his wit's end, and after exhausting his supply of specialists, can be sympathetic but of no help.
I hope someone out there has some suggestions… my sincere thoughts are with you.. *HUGS*
You should not worry that you have something else because you have had all the tests and they have been negative. You have also had a firm diagnosis of IBS. Trust your doctor. Anxiety will be causing your IBS to keep flaring up. Ask your doctor to refer you for counselling; this is your best option for controlling your symptoms. However, NHS counselling sessions can take a while to come through so it may be worthwhile finding a private therapist and you will get your appointment much quicker.
Honestly, probiotics have not worked for me, when I go high fiber, it affects my colitis. I have both. My coloitis has been in remission thankfully but not my IBS. I have been so sick with it this week, especially the last three nights. I am admits IBS with constipation and I get up with the urge to get to the bathroom, go very little, then at the same time have dry heaves. It is horrible. I am so wiped out that I can't function I just took Librax. So far, that is the only drug that has been given to me by my doctor. Look it up, I do take the generic. Might be worth a try. I have been where you are with all your experiences. Just putting a morsel of a cracker in my mouth would drive me to an urgent bathroom run. Two weeks ago I had to go to two different events and I was desperate on what to do so I took Imodium which did help at the moment but also I think it put me over to the other side, constipation. Ask your doctor about Librax. It might be worth a try to get through your attacks.
Hi I've had IBS D for 7 years now. I am only 27 and I feel like im always suffering. I miss alot of work and always in pain or uncomfortable. I hear your pain an i feel it too. I use ib guard everyday. I drink teas an avoid caffine with taking these stupid anti depressants that my doc swears help. At first they worked magic now nothing. If you find releaf please let me know.
Sometimes you can build up a tolerance to anti depressants and after a while they may no longer work. I have IBS C and sometimes A and Buscopan and Nurofen really help. Sometimes I need Imodium.
I know that anxiety and stress are one of the reasons for my IBS. I just try to avoid stressing situations but there are things like mindfulness where you concentrate on what is going on in the moment. It works for some people.
Can't think of any thing else, perhaps going to see your doctor and ask about anxiety and sress and how to deal with it might be a good idea.
Hi HLMCX, how are you feeling now? Are you still unchanged? I’ve the same symptoms . I know this is an old post. If you’re still getting this message .... I can tell you my experience so far.
I never had any anxiety before these stomach problems started. Therefore I’m totally convinced that it starts all physically and then the Vagus Nerve in the stomach gets irritated and causes all these other symptoms like anxiety, spells of dizziness etc. How can counselling help against an upset irritated stomach ??
I have also always been wary of antidepressants. Medium long term many people don’t seem to get relief from them. They have side effects as well. GPS seem to give them for god knows what kind of conditions. A friend of us got them prescribed for problems in his foot . How are you doing at the moment?
Less of the anxiety and pain as I’ve joined the gym and practise meditation and mindfulness (thought it was rubbish at first but it has helped). I still have the loose bowel movements, very very very rarely have a formed one, that’s what I’m trying to focus on at the moment. I wake up and within 10 minutes I get the urgency to go for a BM or which is loose. And then I am ok the rest of the day until I go the next morning (unless I’m having a particular bad day).
I’m interested in hearing about your experience. Thanks x
Conditions like gastritis and IBS are often brought on by stress. The more stressed you feel the more these conditions will flare up. My IBS was caused by intense bouts of anxiety and will flare up when I get uptight. When I distract myself with things I enjoy, I feel more relaxed and my symptoms disappear. If you have difficulty doing this on your own, counselling can help you practice these techniques. The brain and the gut are linked and when we experience stress, this can disturb the nerves in our gut which are highly sensitive.
I can relate to this, and am getting CBT for it at the moment. One thing that my councilor said was that the fact my world is so small (I'm not very sociable and am mostly either working or at home) means that food and my symptoms make up a large part of it. She suggested finding events/groups to go to to distract me.
In terms of symptoms, not eating too much fibre/fermentable carbs has really helped me. I tolerate white jasmine rice well, and don't eat any beans, wholegrains or nuts as they make me really ill.
I’ve been through hell and back from 2012-2015. I was unable to eat and lost 2 1/2 stone, couldn’t breathe, nausea and palpitations. I had also all sorts of tests, Sinus, lungs , heart, etc. Gastroscopy. I had tough antibiotics but didn’t feel better afterwards. I tried the Probiotics but they made me even more sick. I Was told to do the FODMAP diet. I was on this diet for months and months. Not sure whether it helped. After 7 months on this diet I recovered. I wonder whether that was coincidence. I had 2 wonderful years without any symptoms. I gained back some weight. I thought I was cured. How wrong I was! October 2017 it came all back with a vengeance. Since then I’ve had nausea, agonising pain, feeling sick, spells of dizziness, unable to eat anything for weeks, lost all the weight again. Since January until a few days ago I was only able to eat Yoghourt and milk. Now I can also eat a few vegetables. I have the same thing like you in the morning. I wake up and have to instantly go .... but I’m grateful .... as long as I don’t have the anxiety and nausea and dizziness and stomach pain. I’m very keen to learn from you the type of exercises you do in the gym : I have been worried 😟 re exercising whether ‘shaking your stomach’ and guts could irritate them. I must admit I also thought that meditation and mindfulness was a lot of rubbish. But after what you said I want to also try it. HLMCX, where should I try thes ‘things’ i e meditation and mindfulness ?? I wouldn’t know where to start . Can you give me some ideas? How didn’t you find the fodmap diet ?