I am a 20 year old female who exercises daily and I have had IBS symptoms constantly for about 4 months now. At first I was being treated for a stomach ulcer but the symptoms did not go away. I have also had all blood tests which have come back normal. I am now being treated for IBS and I am currently taking Colofac 3 times a day 30 mins before meals. My symptoms are; constant rumbly upper stomach which makes me feel like I am constantly hungry including after eating a meal. I also wake up with a very windy stomach too as if I have really bad trapped wind. The Colofac tablets started to ease the symptoms but I am still in constant pain which is stopping me doing daily things as the pain gets too much. Does anyone have any recommendations to help ease the pain? Nothing seems to make the pain completely go! Thank-you for taking time to read this.
Hi, my name is Emma. I going to write my experience and tips that I use to combat IBS.
Eat at Regular Times to Relieve IBS
The human body is not only amazing in the way that it is designed and the things it does, it is also rather interesting. There are times whenever things that may go wrong with the body, such as irritable bowel syndrome, which may be able to be overcome. There are some things that can be done naturally, however, which have been shown to help in these cases. For example eating at regular times may help you to deal with the issue successfully.
Although this seems like it would be an easy thing to put into practice, the majority of us do not have an easy time eating at regular times. The reason why this is often the case is because all of us tend to be busy people and there are plenty of times whenever it is more convenient for us to put off a meal than to have it right at that time. For those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, however, it may be a small thing to do in order to overcome them.
Something else that you may need to do is to change the amount of times that you eat every day in order to help you overcome the symptoms. Since irritable bowel can cause a number of different problems in us that range all the way from diarrhea to constipation, varying the times that we eat from five times a day all the way down to two or three, may have an effect on it.
Most people find that if they have diarrhea, this is easily overcome by eating several small meals throughout the day instead of eating the typical two or three meals per day. The opposite is also true of those who suffer from constipation and eating a couple of larger meals every day which includes plenty of fiber may be able to help you in this instance.
It may seem unusual that this is the case but you would be surprised with how effective it can be to change the times that you are eating throughout the day or simply to just eat at the same time every day on a regular basis. Once the body gets used to something like this, it affects everything about us which would include our digestive process. It's a small price to pay to overcome something as uncomfortable as IBS.
More....
Do You Need More Stomach Acid?
Do you suffer from painful digestive conditions, such as bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation? You would probably be surprised at the number of individuals that suffer in this way regularly whenever they don't really need to. At times, the solution to this problem may be as simple as having more digestive juices available for you in order to help the process along. Since digestion is in its early phases whatever it is in the stomach, it is reasonable to conclude that having more stomach acid may be able to help us to digest our food more easily.
This can also be seen in another way. Believe it or not, heartburn is caused by a lack of stomach acid of the system and although many people would think that this was the opposite, that isn't the case at all. That is why most of the medications that you take for heartburn need to be taken for your entire life, because they don't really solve the problem of low stomach acid, they just really treat the symptom of heartburn you have because of it.
If you want to be able to overcome your irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, which could also include heartburn, one thing that you want to do is to build up the amount of stomach acid that you have in your system naturally. Believe it or not, this is not all that difficult to do as a matter of fact, any people find it to be a rather pleasurable thing once they understand the way to cure the problem.
Getting more greens in your system is one way for you to be able to build up your stomach acid to normal levels. This can be difficult, and it can actually be uncomfortable for somebody that is suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. That is, of course, unless they get those greens in the form of a green smoothie. Here's how you make one.
You start with two pieces of your favorite fruit, it really doesn't matter which two pieces you use. You would then mix those two pieces with a large handful of green, leafy vegetables and some water with ice in it. Blend it all until it is smooth a then add a little bit of honey if additional sweetness is desired. Drink one of these every day, and your body will get the greens that it needs in order to build up your stomach acid and get rid of your symptoms.
Do you crave sugar or carbs at all?
What you describe sounds similar to what I was like. I'd have a meal and my upper stomach would gurgle loads, then I'd feel hungry about an hour later (or so I thought). I'd get really bloated, foul smelling wind and diahhrea that used to burn...anyway turns out to be sugar in my diet. I quit fizzy drinks, regulated my sugar intake...all those symptoms went away. Don't get me wrong, I'm not cured and still get irritated, but lowering my sugar intake helped. I think it's been 7 or 8 weeks now since I lowered my sugar intake, each week seems better and better...like my body is slowly recovering.
Maybe worth a try
Hi, thanks, maybe Lactosa Intolerance.
IBS, Lactose Intolerance or Both?
There are a number of different conditions that can occur within the human body that, although they are not deadly or dangerous, they can be quite uncomfortable. A good example of this is if you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome but you might be interested in knowing that even though it may hurt to suffer from this, it is not something that is going to cause any permanent damage to us in most cases. Not only that, medical science is really unable to tell exactly what causes your irritable bowel syndrome, but they do recognize the fact that there may be triggers which can cause it to get worse.
Whenever you go in to have a test done in order to see if you have irritable bowels syndrome, it is going to be determined by a process of elimination, rather than being a part of a test that will actually help you to determine if you have the problem. As a matter of fact, many of the problems that can be experienced by IBS sufferers may also be the exact same problems that could be caused by a number of other health issues, some of them which are rather serious.
One of the things that may mimic irritable bowel syndrome in us is an intolerance for drinking cow's milk. This is actually a fairly common problem and many of us are unable to digest the proteins that are in the cow's milk and we have a condition that is known as lactose intolerance. It could be that you are not suffering from irritable bowel syndrome at all but, in reality, you are suffering from an inability to digest milk. If that is the case, the cure for your irritable bowel syndrome symptoms is rather simple, you just need to avoid milk.
There may also be times, however, when you are suffering from a lactose intolerance along with a problem with irritable bowel syndrome. If this is the case with you, the lactose intolerance will act as a trigger that can cause the irritable bowel syndrome symptoms to get much worse. In order for you to overcome it, you can either reduce the amount of milk that you are drinking or get rid of it altogether, and you should see some significant relief. There are also some natural ways for your body to be able to digest the proteins that are in the milk and this can help as well.
Hello emma28079, Thank-you for your reply! At the moment I eat three meals a day and have one mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack if I feel really hungry - you think it would be better to eat little and often? I have had a blood test and was tested for pretty much everything e.g. diabetes, celiac, lactose intolerance etc and was told there was no signs of anything being wrong. Is it possible to be lactose intolerant without it being picked up in my blood?
Hello ned7744, Thank-you for your reply!
I don't really crave sugar much anymore as I have been going to the gym most days for the past year so before I had all of these symptoms I had already cut out fizzy drinks, chocolate, biscuits, cake, crisps and also caffeine (now drinking de-caff tea and coffee). I tried having sweeteners in my hot drinks but started getting headaches but not sure if that was related. I also find that eating bread and pasta that my symptoms worsen too so I have also cut these out of my diet. Do you know of any herbal remedies that may improve symptoms?
I'm the same as you...pasta, bread, cakes, pizza, fried food, spicey food gave me issues. What you describe on your first post sounds similar to bypass diahrrea. I'd wake up in the middle of the night with sharp pains and pass really hard pellets with loads of mucus. Not good.
Enteric coated peppermint is meant to be quite good.
I have started taking VSL3 probiotic...seems to be helping quite a bit.
Thistle milk is also meant to be good
Then again...anyone and everyone I've spoken to about this all have their opinions, seems to just be trial and error. :-)
And all these products which affect you also contain gluten. Take note!
See Coeliac Org UK for more information - and I quote:
"Keep eating gluten throughout the diagnosis process
If you think you may have coeliac disease, it’s essential to continue eating gluten until your doctor makes a diagnosis.
The diagnostic tests for coeliac disease look at how the body responds to gluten. Some people may start to reduce or eliminate gluten from their diet because they feel ill. Unfortunately this is very likely to cause an inaccurate result for both the blood test and the gut biopsy. Therefore, it’s very important to keep eating gluten throughout the diagnosis process.
If you've already reduced or eliminated gluten from your diet, you will need to reintroduce it to make sure you get the most accurate test results. While it may be difficult and uncomfortable, it’s essential for your long term health.
As a general guideline, the recommendation is to eat some gluten in more than one meal every day for at least six weeks before testing.
For children, you can mix wheat flour into foods such as yoghurt or baked beans to add more gluten into their diet.
If you are reintroducing gluten into your diet, you should discuss how best to manage your symptoms with your GP. Your GP will be able to arrange for you to be tested for coeliac disease as soon as it is appropriate.
We understand how hard it is to get diagnosed if you have started a gluten-free diet. Getting a medical diagnosis, however, is important to ensure you get the medical follow up and support that is recommended for people with coeliac disease. Unfortunately, there are no other tests that can diagnose coeliac disease other than the antibody blood test and the gut biopsy. These tests depend on people eating gluten.
If you suffer from the symptoms of coeliac disease, you should discuss your concerns with your GP, who may then offer you a blood test. NICE has advised that your doctor should also offer you a blood test if you have:
Type 1 diabetes
other autoimmune thyroid disease
dermatitis herpetiformis
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
anaemia without an obvious cause
certain symptoms related to your digestive system (such as frequent diarrhoea, abdominal pain or vomiting, nausea or sudden weight loss)
close relatives (parents, children, or brothers or sisters) with coeliac disease
if you are tired all the time
or for a child who is not growing as fast as expected.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Almost a quarter of people with coeliac disease had previously been told they had IBS or were treated for it before they were diagnosed with coeliac disease, according to recent research1. It is important that the NICE Guidelines are followed and that coeliac disease is screened for before a diagnosis of IBS is given"
Talk to your GP or request a referral to a Gastroenterologist if the GP did not offer you the Coeliac test first of all - they are required by NICE Guidelines to do so in order to get a correct diagnosis.
Many Coeliacs are Lactose intolerant when diagnosed but as the gut heals and begins to work properly again (on the gluten free diet which has to be followed exactly - even a crumb can reverse the benefits - see Coeliac Org UK for symptoms, diagnosis and how to follow the diet safely) after a couple of years normal milk can sometimes be consumed again. However, it is important in this case to be diagnosed before eliminating anything from your diet and to then get a copy of the Food Directory from Coeliac UK as without it you will still be eating gluten without knowing! It is in so many every day thing - you need to check every ingredient list of every product - but the Directory helps enormously in the early days.
Thank-you all for your advice! 
I have been tested for lactose intolerance via a blood test and the results came back fine. Is it possible to be lactose intolerant even if the blood tests showed I wasn't? As a trial and error test I have bought lactose free milk and I am going to cut out everything that contains lactose for a week to see if I see any improvements.
alison81024, thanks for your response - I am going to look into purchasing some Aloe Vera drinking gel but after I have tried this lactose free test for a week (I obviously don't want to try two things at once because if my symptoms improve I won't know what's helped.
A lot of Coeliacs have problems with milk - sometimes after a year or two on the gluten free diet this improves. I was tested for Lactose intolerance and that came back Negative. However I find I am still best to limit normal milk as much as possible as it always slows up my system to put it politely! Constipation. I drink Tesco Unsweetened Soya milk which I find most palatable in my tea and other things - better than any sweetened version! So long as you do not have problems with soya it is fine....it may help you.
93Laurant93 - I did not know they could test for Lactose intolerance via a blood test...? It was always a Breath test - meaning a couple of hours at the hospital to have it done...that was the only way to diagnose I was told.
A gluten free diet can really help, I run a lifestyle blog and have recently begun blogging about my struggles with IBS (prior to this I've kept it really private) and so I'd love for you to have a read if you get a chance. I don't actually know anyone personally with IBS and it really helps (surprisingly) to talk about it publicly and get others support. It's IBS Awareness Week in April and since my blog has a pretty big platform to influence I am doing as much as I can to reduce the stigma surrounding it and get people talking about it. It affects our everyday lives and is no different to asthma, back pain or a bad knee - so we shouldn't be embarrassed to talk about it!
Patient forum won't let me post links but it's scarlettlondon(dotcom). Would love your support on this one!!
Hello to all,I'm relatively new to this site,but what information from others is a godsend,this has always been a difficult subject to discuss I'm glad it's not anymore I got a virus 8 yrs ago, and amongst giving me my second time round with menopause symptoms, I also got IBS along with it and anxiety to ,is it stress related the IBS,these days I monitor what I eat and drink etc sugar is a definite no go area .aloe Vera not tried but will do.My daughter has IBS ,I will tell her about this site regards to all x
Many people find that a virus can kick start Coeliac disease. Epstein Bar virus (a member of those connected to Glandular Fever) is well know for it.
Read up on Coeliac disease ....before you eliminate anything from your diet...especially gluten. Request the initial blood test - once you have eliminated gluten it is too late to find out and get a correct diagnosis.
Thank-you all for your suggestions! Yes, I agree! None of my family and friends have IBS so they don't understand how badly it effects our everyday lives! I try and go to the gym at least 3 times a week (before I would go every single day) and as I am body conscious I am feeling really upset at the moment as I am bloated from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep despite what foods I eat! I try so hard at the gym but it doesn't seem worth it!
I am thinking about asking my doctor to refer me to a stomach specialist for further analysis. I am also considering CBT therapy to control my anxiety and stress.
caro13: When I had my blood tests I was told that I was being treated for everything possible (diabetes, coeliac, lactose intolerant etc) and was told they all came back normal...unless I was lied to? I may go back and ask for a second opinion and breath test!
Does anyone have any suggestions to stop the bloating?! I've heard probiotics and peppermint tea are supposed to be good...has anyone tried this?
Thanks again for all of your suggestions, I don't feel alone anymore and feel I have people to talk to who understand exactly what it's like!
comments to IBS as after the pains of the virus went the first GP I saw said that I had post virus syndrome and a low immune system due to the 4 stone loss of weight in 4 months when I saw the GP it was because I had facial pain from that bug .I didn't know what rhinitis was .if I'd just popped in to the chemist shop and spoke to the pharmacists he would have put me straight on the facial pain instead of then getting put on these meds, I now know was my first mistake I didn't have any other health issues till those meds from GP then all of it began tinnitus, menopausal symptoms, IBS then 3years later balance problem So did the meds start this all going my female gut feelings say yes.I have never Googled symptoms at all I know how I am and was ,prior to virus.,as I'd only seen a GP 3 times in 7 years now it's a case of sorting this out . I will be wary from here on in that's for sure especially any tests etc CBT twice no help from that for the anxiety it's left me with and the stress of it all .its a personal choice Lauren but go easy think things over before deciding anything I wish I had is my advice , take a look at charcoal tabs for bloating health food shop helps with the gas you tend to build up with bloating best wishes to you .
A referral to a Gastroenterologist would be wise - for anyone suffering these symptoms. Read up on the Coeliac links on this website as well as Coeliac Org UK - to be much better informed before you visit your GP again!! Another test for Coeliac disease would be appropriate - there is more than one blood test available these days - as well as the gut biopsy which confirms or otherwise. So many people get negative results because they have been trying to treat themselves and get well (due to little help from GP!) and foods have been eliminated from the diet causing an unclear result - which they interpret as Negative! Also a lot of people are making money out of supposedly treating IBS symptoms - which rarely do any long term good - probably due to another underlying cause. Persist with visit to your GP - request a referral to a Gastroenterologist as they will know what they are talking about and what to look for! What you relate Marlene is typical for many coeliacs - I was told the same - post viral syndrome - loss of weight over two years - finally anaemic to blood transfusion level. If we had not moved house and had a change of GP I think I may well have been dead by now! Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease (not an allergy) so in view of what you were told one would have expected a CD test straight away. Balance problems are also indicated in Coeliac disease. The situation you are in makes you anxious ....go back and ask for the Coeliac blood test. Make sure you eat plenty of gluten until after then. Read Coeliac Org UK website for details of the disease, symptoms and diagnosis....it is very important for you to know about it.
Hi Lauren
It's possible that you tested negative for Coeliac's but have an allergy to wheat (rather than gluten). This wouldn't show up on your blood test.
I've had good results from taking probiotics and digestive enzymes (which you take before your meals). If you have access to a health food shop, maybe you could go and talk to someone in there. There are SO many alternative and complimentary remedies that can help you. For example, cider vinegar is really good if you have stomach cramps or trapped wind. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that there are other sources of help and info on stuff like this out there and very often they really really work.