Is what I experience symptoms of IBS? Please help.

Digestive health
1

Hi All.

I was diagnosed with IBS about a year ago now, and I have these bouts of symptoms that I'm linking to IBS, but I was hoping some of you might be able to confirm that this is more than likely typical of IBS. I'll explain what has happened over the last few days so you have a picture of what I'm experiencing.

On Sunday, I woke up feeling ok, then I went to the toilet and my bowel movements were very loose, not diarrhoea, just very soft, loose, smellier than normal and there was a substantial amount. After passing these stools, I felt awful and experienced the following symptoms:

Nausea, feeling lightheaded / faint, bloating / burping, stomach cramps, feel hot but had chills / shivers, a slight feeling of finding it hard to breathe, increased heart rate, burning sharp pain in centre of chest, lump in throat, random lower abdominal pains and generally feeling ill for most of the day, but improving slightly as the day went on.

On Monday, I woke feeling fine and didn't have a bowel movement at all that day, and felt fine. Then this morning I woke feeling ok again, went to the toilet and passed a small amount of quite hard stools, almost like I was verging to the point of it being constipation, however still felt fine after this. A couple of hours later, I had a sudden urge to go to the toilet again, yet this time the stools were as they were on Sunday, loose, very soft, a bit smellier than normal and a substantial amount again. Following this bowel movement I am again experiencing the same symptoms as I was on Sunday after that bowel movement (symptoms mentioned above)

To me it seems to me that the symptoms I get that I have listed are linked to the loose, soft and substantial bowel movements I have. My IBS is alternating, for a few days I can have normal bowel movements and feel fine, sometimes I get constipated but usually feel fine as well, then I get these loose, soft, substantial bowel movements, and I feel awful after them, never before them, always after them.

Are these symptoms I mentioned indicative of IBS flare ups? What could possibly be causing the symptoms? Are there any other IBS sufferers that experience similar symptoms to me? I'd really appreciate your thoughts, views and comments on this.

Many thanks in advance

2

Hmm, I'd have this checked out, this seems strange to me and I have ibs, any differences should be reported to your doctor any way

3

Thanks for the reply Sam, I appreciate it.

Thing is these bouts aren't different, and have been normal to me ever since going through the diagnosis, and being diagnosed with IBS. I forgot to mention that I've been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, CFS/ME and Anxiety on top of IBS. My doctor has always said that the combination of an IBS flare up, along with Fibromyalgia and CFS/ME is bound to make me feel really awful now and again, and then the anxiety will kick in which adds a whole new set of symptoms. I can't remember how many times I've mentioned this to my doctor and he always says we've done as much testing and examinations on you as we can, and there is nothing serious we can find that is going on. I have to admit I have had extensively testing and numerous examinations from blood tests, to colonoscopy, to head MRI in the past 2 years. I just find it odd that this act of having loose, plentiful bowel movements leaves me feeling so grotty each time. Perhaps I'll just mention it again, but I know what he'll say!

4

Hello Paul let me tell you i have exactly the same bowel movements as you and have done for a long time. I have ibs and diverticular which was diagnosed a few years ago. I am fine if my bowels are normal but if they change to much loser then thats when i get the awful spasms and sweats whuch can last to an hour or so to most of the day. I have always had anxiety since a the age of about 14yrs. old and this has been with me all my life. So i have been prescribed anti depressive medication in the hope it will help with the pain and the only on which was wonderful and rid me of the pain was called Nortriptyline and they worked like magic but after taking them for a few monthe i had terrible side effects e.g. acid refulx which i have never had in my life and weight gain even though i watch what i eat and go to the gym. Anyway i am on different medication and that is helping some but it is early days. I tried evry single anti spasm tablets you could possible name Buscapam, just being just one of a long list but nothing worked. Anyway just to reasure you you are not alone. Good luck i hope you wil find something that works for you. 

5

Hi Susan

Many thanks for your reply, your words have been very reassuring. So sorry you are having to go through much the same as myself, it's definitely no fun at all.

I can't believe that 3 years ago there was nothing wrong with me. I had a job, I was able to drink anything, eat anything, go anywhere, I had a life. Now I'm just an almost constant groggy shadow of who I used to be. I'm trying hard to find solutions, but my anxiety is getting in the way of trying different foods, or different remedies as I don't want to feel any worse than I do at the moment. I'm caught between a rock and a hard place not knowing what to do, made worse by this being the longest period of my diagnosis' of me just feeling generally ill.

I'm currently taking Mebeverine (Colofac) to help with bowel spasms, which does work a bit. I'm also taking Omeprazole for keeping stomach acids down, due to heartburn and acid reflux, which I do still get, and probably contribute to a few of the symptoms I experience, but would be worse without it.

I'm hoping one day I'll pluck up the courage to try some changes, either that or I'll get so frustrated that I'll try anyhing and everything, but right now with the Fibromyalgia and CFS/ME, and these frequent IBS flare ups, I'm just too tired and weak to put my body, and mind, through more stress and pain.

Thank you again for your comments / thoughts, I do appreciate them. All the best to you for the future and take care!

6

Your symptoms do sound like IBS.  Disorderly bowel movements can make you feel dizzy, sick or feel faint. I had an IBS A flare up recently and it has only just cleared up.. I had diarrhoea for three days and I felt dizzy and light headed for days afterwards. If you are stressing about your symptoms, this may increase your heart rate and make breathing difficult.  Anxiety will make your symproms worse.

If you have had a firm diagnosis of IBS from your doctor, trust what you have been told and accept your diagnosis. Have a look at the low fodmap diet and try a food diary.

7

Forgot to mention that Mebeverine causes stomach irritation.  This maybe is the cause of some of your symptoms.  A lot of people can't tolerate Mebeverine; I can't either.

8

Thanks for your comments Pippa, much appreciated.

I have had a confirmed diagnosis of IBS, as well as CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia by my doctor, Neurologist, Gastroenterologist and Rheumatologist.

Although, I wouldn't say I have disorderly bowel movements, I do only go usually once a day, very occasionally twice. It's the consistancy thats disorderly, and it always seems that when my BMs are very soft / loose and substantial, my generally illness level is worse. For me, I'm pretty sure the extreme bloating I experience is the reason for a lot of the faint, dizzy, sick feelings, I would hazard a guess as to say it probably affects my breathing too. For the last 2 weeks I've had serious bloating going on, to the point where I look like I'm in the early stages of pregnancy, and my upper and lower abdomen can be rock hard to touch. With the bloating, which will obviously be pushing against various internal parts of me, and the fact I have Fibromyalgia which is partly an illness that affects nerves, I'm guessing this is why I go through these serious bouts of feeling so weird and ill.

Thanks for the views on Mebeverine as well, I didn't realise they caused stomach irritation! I've been on them for probably over a year now and never thought anything of it. I'm not sure if they have actually done me any good or not, I can't really remember what I was like beforehand, but I'd rather not have my stomach irritated anymore than it probably is, so I've decided I'm not going to take them today and see what happens. Maybe they have been a factor in the cause of some of my symptoms for all this time!! Can you recommend any safer substitutes, just in case I need something?

9

I take Buscopan which is very mild and reduces the pain without side effects. Apparently Fibromyalagia, IBS and Costochondritis go together. I got severe muscle/joint pain and fatigue after chiropractory and deep tissue massage which lasted nine monrhs.  Then I developed costochondritis for three months.  I mistakenly had a blood test to diagnose the muscle pain and fatigue.  An untrained healthcare assistant left me in permanent pain and the stress led to IBS which took three and a half months to diagnose.

10

Sorry to hear how all your problems came about, like you, I believe my problems were influenced by outside factors. It all started with back pain from work, as I was being over worked and getting quite stressed as they wouldn't listen to my concerns of needing some help. In the end it got so bad I went to the doctor, who diagnosed a popped disc, and they referred me for physiotherapy. However I couldn't do the physio, during this time I also had very smelly, black / dark, tarry, loose stools, and was getting lots of heartburn, which I did tell my doctor and are classic symptoms of a stomach ulcer, which could also have been the cause of my back pain. The physiotherapist suggested I take Naproxen, so a doctor prescribed them to me, which I further learnt should be taken with a PPI as they can cause major stomach irritation. A few days after starting the Naproxen, I had severe, unbearable upper abdominal pains, it was agony, I thought I was going to die at points. Told my doctor who told me to stop the Naproxen, but the pains were still there. A couple of days later the doctor prescribed me Omeprazole, and the pains started to ease, and also my BMs went from being dark and tarry to normal, but every since then I've never been myself, and led to the diagnosis of IBS, Fibro and CFS/ME. I firmly believe the back pain was a misdiagnosis.

Thank you for the advice Pippa, if I need it I'll give Buscopan a go. I'm not sure how long it will take for the Mebeverine to get out of my system, but as I had to take 3 doses a day, morning noon and night, I'm presuming it's quite a fast release medication. I don't know if it's coincidence, but I didn't have my morning dose today and I feel significantly better than I have done for the past few mornings, still feel groggy and there is definitely something not right in my stomach, but a definite improvement, not getting as much of the shortness of breath, chest pains, dizzy, faint, spaced out feelings, just a few minor sharp pains in different parts of my upper and lower abdomen. I've got my fingers crossed!

11

I got problems within minutes of trying to swallow Mebeverine.  It felt like a stone.  I felt my food digesting for one hour. I have had upper digestion problems for years but this was significamtly worse. I got more and more constipated, felt sick and lost my appetite and my panic increased.  I stopped them and felt better immediately   I tried them again a few days later to see what would happen.  The symptoms began again so I threw them out.  My chemist told me these tablets were good and the doctor who prescribed them failed to tell me I shouldn't take them if constipated desptie the fact I had told her that I was struggling to have a bowel movement!

12

Sorry to hear the Mebeverine caused you so many issues Pippa. Thing is I've been on them for over a year now, and upon reading about it, they shouldn't be prescribed for so long, and the doctor should gradually ween you off when improvements are seen.

However, my trial of not having them didn't work out too well yesterday. I felt fine until 9pm last night, then I started to get this weird rising pressure feeling come from my abdomen, the feeling that gives me the shortness of breath. I then relieved some flatulence, that was incredibly smelly (sorry to be so graphic) and from then on had hot flushes, shivers and bad abdominal cramps. I got myself a hot water bottle, and curled up in bed with it, then after an hour fell asleep. I've woken this morning with mild nausea but nothing else, YET! I'm going to keep taking them, but not take the morning dose, I'll just have 2 doses a day and see how that goes.

Getting pretty fed up now, been feeling generally ill for almost 3 weeks now, and can't seem to shift it. Normally I'd have good patches then bad ones, but this is the longest stretch of being ill I've had.

13

I find a lot of prescription medication upsets my stomach and OTC medication is less toxic for me.  I find swallowing tablets difficult too so they have to be small enough for my throat to accept.  Buscopan is very mild but it does work and the tablets are small,

14

Hi paul, well im so glad i come on here as i to have been going mad with worry. I have been getting the same symtons as yourself including not having BM for days. Today my symtoms are under my ribs lower back and the feelin of tirdness in my eyes. Its all very worrying

15

Hi John

You're right, it can be very worrying, and can sympathise totally. After a few days of actually feeling ok for a change, all the symptoms came back with a vengence. I went for a bowel movement first thing this morning, which wasn't much and looked like I was verging on constipation (I didn't go yesterday, but did the morning before which was normal). Then about two hours after, suddenly felt faint / dizzy, had nausea, felt like I was slightly finding it hard to draw breath, and then the sharp, lower abdominal pains started, followed by a lot of flatulence. Then I felt like 'I've got to go!!' I went to the toilet and had awful diarrhoea. Since then I just haven't felt right, with all the symptoms I mentioned earlier, however I have improved a bit now, but have sharp lower and upper abdominal pains that feel like I'm sore inside.

This is so demoralising, thinking you're going to have a good day, and in the space of a few minutes it all changes and end up having to spend the rest of the day led up on the sofa with a hot water bottle, feeling terrible.

Just wondering if you have seen a doctor about your problems? Have you had any diagnosis?

All I can say is you are not alone, which can be comforting to know, even though there's not usually a solution to stop the symptoms. I've only just started to get used to IBS causing such severe symptoms after 3 years (ish) of experiencing it.

Take care and try not to worry too much. If you can accept the fact that IBS is causing your symptoms, it makes it a lot easier to cope with.

16

Hi, well on an off ive been to the doctors had a number of tests including bloods ct scans head scan and xrays. All come back ok. This was going bacl a few years now. Recently had bloods done and getting a scan done again in a few weeks as i geta direct pain on and off on the left side adomin and in my lower back. I also get pains that can only be described as traveling up under my ribs and to the top o my legs. I get headaches on and off through some days and lately it feels like its getting worse. I worry about cancer and life threatening things i know i shouldnt be it worries me alot. Would love to speak directly with people that are goig through the same as i know no one that does and deep down i think people think im a hypercondract. Thanks for replying to me paul it means alot

17

No worries John, just hope I can help in some way.

Like you, when I first started getting ill, I worried about having a severe condition, and on my worse days I still do. There's always that worry in the back of my mind that the doctors might have missed something. But the more tests I've had done, and the more I have spoken to fellow sufferers that have had the same diagnosis as me, the more I've learned that even something like IBS, that some people might think as trivial and laugh about, can be severe enough to make you feel incredibly ill, and make you think there must be something else wrong. But as my partner keeps saying to me, if there was something really bad going on with you, you'd know about it by now, which I do agree with.

It sounds like you are under investigation and I would persevere with going to the doctors and keeping on at them, and if you aren't happy with your treatment, get a second opinion, I did and it was only until I did that I started being taken seriously, and the tests / examinations started happening. The more tests and examinations you have done, the more it'll put your mind at ease, not that it helps you symptoms, but fretting about something that probably isn't there will only make it harder to deal with your symptoms.

Try to take it easy, try not to worry about what others think, and if there is anything I can help you with, don't hesitate to ask, and I'll try and help in any way I can.

All the best!

18

Thanks paul. I just want to ask when you have a bad spell of ibs how long it lasts etc. Ive been made aware of having ibs for say 4 years and have on and off good and bad times. Months feeling ok the months (like now) of bad attacks on and off every day. Its been bad for 5 weeks or so now. Lower back pain tummy pain up under my ribs and even some days headaches. In all honesty ive never changed my diet, i think i really should try. This bad spell is the worst ive had of it. Again thanks for your replies paul