I've suffered with bowel issues for almost 20 years, starting after a massive course of antibiotics for a serious cellulitis infection. Pain has never been a main feature of my IBS, more bloating, gurgling, wind and mushy bowel movements (sorry!). My GP recently repeated some blood tests, liver,kidney,FBC, thyroid,CRP etc, and all showed ok apart from a low Vitamin D level. But my GP couldn't really give me an helpful advice regarding the issue I went to him with, namely that my assumed IBS is really getting me down and making me incredibly depressed. He thinks my stress levels are to blame because I've had a lot of stressful events in the last couple of years, my partner of almost 10 years left me, I have to care for my elderly and unwell mother and more recently I have the threat of redundancy hanging over me. Any advice would be so appreciated as I'm getting to the point where I just don't want to eat because of the way my bowel movements are and as a consequence I've actually started losing weight which I can't afford to do as I'm only little. Please help if you can. Thank you for reading.
Your doctor is right in pinpointing stress as a major trigger for your IBS. I would say your doctor has been very helpful in identifying this. Sometimes, you can be unaware of how much stress you are under if it has been going in for a long time . I had had a lot of stress before my IBS struck biut hadn’t really noticed it until my final doctor recognised it when no other doctor had asked about it. It takes a good doctor to spot it.
Accumulative stress will make IBS worse. Try distraction techniques such as light exercise and your hobbies to reduce your stress levels. Doing things that you enjoy really helps. You will be able to manage your IBS better when you feel calmer.
Thank you Pippa. That makes a lot of sense.
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Hi Lisa, I know how you feel. My IBS was diagnosed (if that's what it is more tests coming up at the hospital), I have had a really rough year with my IBS. The problem I had was like you stress triggered my IBS but being under increasing stress has worsened it further this year more than others. I do yoga and will do anything to get there at any cost. I have just yesterday spoken to my chemist after a shxx doctor's appointment on Thursday, ask for pain killers to be offered antidepressants?! I know what is triggering this and came out of my doctors exceptionally disappointed. The chemist gave me something called biokult for my stomach to put good bacteria back, as it's got 14 live cultures in them, fingers cross that they will work. I am scared what my future holds. This tests are very scary in case they find cancer. I just don't want to know if that's the case.
Hi Lisa - sounds as if you're having a pretty rough time. I've had IBS for 16+ years and I think it was triggered by the death of my beloved husband, whom I had nursed through his bladder cancer. I've tried so many different medications, hypnotherapy and acupuncture, but nothing helped for long. My doctor has now put me on Nortriptyline which was marketed as an antidepressant but has been found to be helpful for IBS, and though I still get occasional flare-ups I'm really finding it more help than anything else. I think with IBS the more flare-ups you have the more you worry, which just makes it worse - it's a vicious circle, which you need to try and break. I have also cut out gluten and lactose, and try to follow the FODmaps diet, but it's a question of finding out what helps you by trial and error. I wish you all the best.
Hi, I started the Monash Low Fod Map diet. It is very good. Less bloating and gas. I downloaded the ap and follow the recipes. There are more recipes on line. Also, recently diagnosed with entercele. Good luck. I feel for you.
Also, the doctor told me my problem was stress . Don’t believe everything. Get it checked out.