Still suffering with "IBS" but now other symptoms too

Digestive health
1

Hi all,

I posted previously about not being satisfied with my soon to be IBS diagnosis from my doctor. I'm awaiting an ultrasound to see if there is anything more sinister going on  but I wanted to just list all of my symptoms and some other strange ones too which seem like so much for someone of 27, previous exceptionally fit and healthy to be going through:

Dizziness/lightheaded - Not often - put this down to low blood pressure

abdominal/stomach pains/sensations - daily, but have got better. But can also vary throughout the weeks

Dull upper and lower abdominal aches - Not often

Nausea - Almost daily

Burping - very often throughout the day

Bloating - once every few days

Missed period - not pregnant, checked many times.

Sore throat - this is a new one. 

Ear pain - this has been infrequent but is really bad today and seems like it's connected to my throat

Fullness in rectum - almost daily

Bowel movement - daily, seems normal. If I haven't eaten a lot I'll tend to be constipated.

Wind/bloating - this seems to be every few days but can happen after some meals and isn't overly umcomfortable

As you can see my symptoms are odd. My dietitian said that it's likely IBs and put me on this list of foods to avoid and also said it's likely I have acid reflux. I'm 27 and have not had a bad diet, in fact I'm underweight. Why would I all of a sudden suffer from acid reflux? 

I'm getting very impatient and very much feeling like giving up sad 

Any help would be appreciated. 

2

Hi, im like you i suffer with some days my pains just dull others its sharpe and can hurt. im always full of wind (which i persume doesnt help with the pains) ive never heard of sore throat or ear pain whilst having IBS that is a new one, i may say you might be coming down with something? have you looked into acid reflux i dont know much other than my baby had it, but still dont know much about that so i wouldnt comment. i would say all the things bowel related do seem like IBS. half the people with IBS tend to diagnose themselves because doctors seem a bit useless, mine is all stress related, have you worked out things that may trigger it? x

3

Your bowel/stomach symptoms sound like IBS but I don't know about the dizziness, sore throat and earache.  Menstrual disturbance is also common with Irritable Bowel but I haven't heard of missed periods being caused by the condition.   However, if you are anxious about your symptoms, this alone could cause you to miss them.  Acid reflux is connected with IBS and can be triggered by stress. As a student, I developed acid reflux because of anxiety.  I developed IBS in March due to stress with chiropractory, massage and a botched blood test and a nurse who laughed at my concerns last year.  I still have pain in my arm.

4

I'm not a doctor and not many of us are on here. But I'm pretty certain that your sore throat and earache are linked to winter colds that are going around. So try not to worry that they're connected because it's very likely not.

The ultrasound will help eliminate or identify other issues...like fibroids. Your symptoms sound like a digestive complaint...IBS being one such complaint. Those of us who have a 'digestive complaint' will tell you they vary from all sorts of severities and can be connected to all sorts of issues.

If you are usually very healthy, have you recently started losing weight or have you always been underweight? IBS affects all people of all ages and sizes. If you've lost weight recently, that could also be a sign of a digestive complaint where food, and more importantly nutrients, aren't staying in your system...again, classic symptoms of a digestive complaint. In fact, underweight could mean you've not been able to 'keep' the nutrients in your system for a long time now.

My advice, start a food diary, take multivits (not covered in lactose or sucrose) and consider following a low FODMAP eating plan to see if this helps. The moment I told the ultrasound technician, the gastroenterologist and then the colonoscopy doctor that FODMAP was relieving my symptoms, they assured me that it's likely I have IBS.

Wishing you good luck and improved health xxx

5

Hi my god what a list

I'm a male and can relate to the pain bloating constipation also acid reflux

All sounds like ibs which is only diagnosed after everything else is ruled out

I would maybe ask for an endoscopy which diagnosed any acid reflux etc hope your feeling better let us know how you get on

Take care

Kev

6

No idea why you would suffer from acid reflux but if you do then you do.

I find Omeprazole very good for this. Take 2 at night.

Sarah

7

Hi Sarah

Yes I take opeprazol in the morning and peptic liquid every night for the reflux due to the hernia

8

What is it that causes the shortness of breath with irritable bowel syndrome and away. Also you guys should only limit your omeprazole for a proton pump inhibitors to the two weak regimen they were intended, read up on the long term side effects and causes

9

Hi Search. Sorry you feel so unwell. Im kinna same. I went to endocologist 1 wk ago. For 3 months every day have irregular bowel movements, acid reflux and constant pain in left ear. A year ago I was given antibiotics for ear infection even thou gp said there was no infection. I now put this down to acid reflux. I am being treated last 10 days with augmentum and acid tablets (lantz). However I am still no better and my ear and nect pain came back with vengence yesterday. I am 39 years old. I had endoscopy 2 years ago showed mild acud reflux and h hernia. I am sick with worry now as pain in stomach, cramps all no beetter. Now I have sore thriat and that lumpy feeling. Hope you get well soon. Gill

10

You do realixe u need to get the H hernia fixed, stop eating trigger food and drinking alcohol or coffee, dont eat lare and elevate the head of your bed the acid is making its way to your eustation tube and damaging your esophagus and ear. You do realize all this rite.

11

Im leaving discussion due to nobody wants to do any research on thete own or take advice, or reply to comments. Just want to complaine, listen, research or get of discussion. Do you seriously think you symptoms are shocking when you have a H hernia and follow no advice, see ya.

12

Hi Yea I am aware of all above. And have done all above. But h hernia was seen 2 tears ago. So noe i am presuming that is the cause. However are my symptoms typical ie cobstupation deep ear sorness etc connected to h hernia. Thank you

13

Fireid13. Calm down maybe folk only have limited access to internet! Appreciate your feedback.

14

Ok thanks, sorry. From what i read and learn from docs, its all connected, one G.I disorder seems to lead to another. The ear pain, pressure, ringing in ears can be from silent or painful GERD, the acid comes up the esophagus at night while you sleep because easier you ate too late at night or your lower esophageal sphincter LES is weak and then travels to your eustachian tubes and causing ear infections and other damage to your ear you can go deaf from this or at least have serious hearing loss. It has happened to me before.