Hi all! I'm new here. I'm 26 and have had 'ibs' since 2009! (I am not 100% sure it is ibs as i am still being tested by my doctor. I have read about coeliac diesase which is also a candidate for whats wrong with me.) I have been my doctor twice over the last 9 years for help. I have my symptoms near enough manageable now by avoiding certain foods, however I still get bad diarrhoea every morning (and usually ever other time i need to poo), and its so embarrassing. Its really affecting my life now as I can never go to the toilet without my butt singing the song of its people, which makes me avoid going to the loo at all unless its very private. How do you manage symptoms? Does anyone else get this, or have tips on how to help? Thanks in advance!
I have medically confirmed IBS which is in remission and only flares up when stressed. I don’t have IBS food reactions and my bowel has returned to normal. If I do get an attack, I take painkillers and an antispasmodic called Buscopan. If I get diarrhoea, I take Imodium. Morning diarrhoea is common with IBS.I think you are doing everything you can to manage your symptoms.
I am at the other end of the spectrum. I have chronic constipation and food intolerances. I have celiac as well but doctors still insist i have ibs with my celiac too. There doesnt seem to be much rhyme or reason to my triggers as ive eliminated all causes that my family and doctors can think of.
Hi Jeremy, i have exactly the same thing very constipated and food allergies and questioned coeliac disease, which i am still waiting for a camera for. The last one went wrong. IBS either leaves you bunged up or very loose. It’s just a pain in the bum!
hi pippa. i remember taking buscopan years ago i think i will try them again to see if they help. i have bought golden linseed which apparently can help which i had last night. also i had no bread yesterday. today i wasnt so bad-i use to take anti diarrhoea tablets my dr prescribed but i dont want to go down that route-id rather sort the problem out rather than taking medication which is going to make me constipated!
hi pippa. i remember taking buscopan years ago i think i will try them again to see if they help. i have bought golden linseed which apparently can help which i had last night. also i had no bread yesterday. today i wasnt so bad-i use to take anti diarrhoea tablets my dr prescribed but i dont want to go down that route-id rather sort the problem out rather than taking medication which is going to make me constipated!
To be honest there isn’t a lot you can do if you get diarrhoea with IBS other than taking medication to stop it. There is no real alternative to medication. I found this last year and the diarrhoea went on for three days and only stopped when I took imodium. The best thing you can do for constipation after Imodium is to try lots of fruit or an occasional laxative to get your bowel going again. This worked for me. This is the best way to sort the problem out.
Hi, have you been tested for lactose intolerance?, if you are lactose intolerant it can cause diarrhoea etc, a huge amount of people lack the enzyme lactase which is needed to digest lactose sugar, you can get lactose free milk etc.
Hi moonpig, i was told by my doctors a few years ago to try charcoal tablets. Have you tried those? Good luck, it’s not easy to cope with.
hi sam-no i havent tried those i wasnt aware they existed. i will be asking my gp about them when im next there thank you!
i have not officially been tested but i know some lactose products does worsen my symtoms so i havent had milk, ice cream, cream , cheese in years though i find some dairy products i am okay with like butter and some yoghurt. though my dairy intake is minimal.
Hey moonpig, It is quite a long struggle.
- Did you try taking antacid? Like ranitidine?
Actually IBS mainly accompany with gastritis ( Not always ) And it can cause gas, Bloating and change in stool consistancy. - You can try banana and yogurt (whichever suits u), Mix both really well and eat it on empty stomach in the morning every day.
It will help you to bind the stool and may help you in diarrhea.
It will take sometime to show its effect. - Another thing I think regarding food, You are already doing enough to avoid foods which triggers you.
- Initially when I was diagnosed with IBS I could not tolerate gluten, As it was really heavy on my stomach. But after 1 and half years I have started taking gluten in a small amount and now I can tolerate that small quantity. Although my coeliac disease test was negative, Still i could not tolerate gluten.
- The key is to eat in small portions frequently. that will make a huge change if you haven’t tried it yet.
6.You can also try over the counter digestive enzymes which will help you in digestion. You can experiment with that after asking your gp. - I have never taken any allopathy medicine for IBS as I was under the care of naturopath doctor for my IBS and that helped me significantly.
8.Try to take vitamin supplements like b complex and vitamin d. It is very very important which many people with digestive issues overlook.
Hope these will help you.
thanks jello thats really helpful. i dont have problems with bloating-i fart a lot but i can deal with that (my whole family are pretty gassy haha) i will deffo be trying the banana and yoghurt as i usually have bread in the mornings before work which is when im worst! i had an okay day today though i dont know if that was down to cutting down on bread or it was just coincidence.
Ah ok try your doctor or the pharmacist! Good luck.
May be you are right. As the same happened with me when I used to have gluten in my diet although I was not officially suffering from coeliac disease.
You should avoid the food which makes you feel bad immediately after eating, Sign of weak digestion.
Once you improve in your digestion then you can try to add those foods in small amounts, and after that it works.
So for time being you will have to be very careful in your diet and meanwhile try to alleviate your symptoms.
once you feel better overall, Try to add foods slowly.
Do some yoga and meditation to stay away from anxiety and help your gut to heal through your brain. Believe me it does help if you do it sincerely.
i am on anti anxiety meds to help anyway. i do avoid a lot of foods which trigger a reaction but im not sure if theres others as i never need the toilet after eating-its usually as i said first thing in the morning is my worst then if i do need again during the day -which isnt often-it will be very soft poop!! its not always been like this its only been in the last few months.
Y doctor won’t give me anti anxiety meds, only antidepressants. How do you pull that one off?
I told my doctor that sometimes my IBS causes anxiety when im in a meeting at work/in a classroom/in the cinema etc as I cant always have the freedom to go to the toilet frequently without people noticing/hearing. He made an appointment with the mental health nurse who I spoke to and she prescribed me anti anxiety tablets to take when im in a situation where i feel anxious. Sounds crazy I know but its what IBS is doing to me 
You must have a decent doctor, mine is infuriating she insists on antidepressants only.
maybe they have he same desired effects? if theyre not working for you could you request anti anxiety-surely your doctor would have to try something else