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Struggling to cope with ibs

Posted , 9 users are following.

vixxy26
vixxy26

Hello, new to all this so bare with me.I have just recently been diagnosed with ibs after having blood test, stool test and ultrasound done, quite a shock to suddently be dealing with this, i'm 26 and feel my life is now on hold, I was put on mebeverine for a month and didnt stop the pains, so now on amitripyline for a month to see if this helps. Last month i was doing the low fodmap diet but as i was convinced i had an ovarian cyst i wasn't 100% strict with it, so started it properly now, I have been told to keep a food diary but my pain is constant i don't know how i can track this properly sad, since last November I have had constant pain, seems to travel all over, felt it in my thigh, and all over my back, upper and lower stomach, my ribs feel achy to touch, i find bending over i feel pain more, and when I am on the first day of my period it is very bad, had diarrhea with it, but calmed down to just once in the morning on most days, I worry about things like going to restaurants, and exercising again, i've read exercising helps i just worry it will make it worse, been advised by my doctor to go to holland and barrett and see what they have for ibs, anyone able to recommend anything?, I feel people arent taking me seriously like they see ibs as nothing and i'm always being asked why I am so quiet at times  sad 

1 like, 70 replies

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  • kevin30685
    kevin30685 vixxy26

    Posted

    Hi

    I know it feels like your alone but I promise your amitripTyrone acts like an anti spasmodic which helps to stop reactors from the brain making the colon contracting causing pain in the abdomine . I would wait and see if they help what dose are you on?

    I know I have prescribed up to 100mg at night before getting a right strength that works for certain people

    All your pains are real but exercise does help but generic loperamide tablets which will help with the diarrhea

    See how you get on with the medication it's trial and error sometimes but go back to your gp if there is no change or feeling any better

    • kevin30685
      kevin30685

      Posted

      Sorry abiut the spell checker I'm using my phone and it's changing all the letters
    • philippa61759
      philippa61759 kevin30685

      Posted

      Your phone must be on predictive text.  If you disable the function, your message will come out with no errors.
    • vixxy26
      vixxy26 kevin30685

      Posted

      hi, I am on 10g, starting me on a lower dosage at first, says to have one or two a night, starting with one for a week then il take two if that does nothing. I am going back to my doctors in a month see if they have worked. 

      I will go back to gym next week, take it easy at first, ive also been drinking peppermint tea after dinner as sometimes i feel that helps, just hope holland and barret have something that can help me. 

      I am going away this month and I am worrying what i can do about food.

    • kevin30685
      kevin30685 vixxy26

      Posted

      10mg is a very low dose I wouldn't try to worry as that will make you feel worse .

      Go away and just watch what you eat

      As I said take Imodium with you watch you don't eat greasy food

      The bending over you never said where the pain was but if it's higher up near the bottom of your neck can be a hiatus hernia but that will be seen when you get your endoscopy

    • vixxy26
      vixxy26 kevin30685

      Posted

      The pain when i bend over is in my lower stomach and lower back area only lasts until i stand up straight then it goes, I just didn't know back pain came with it, why i didn't think it was ibs.I haven't been told about having an endoscopy 
  • jan48389
    jan48389 vixxy26

    Posted

    If it is IBS , I have found that taking probiotics and sticking to the Low FODMAP diet has really helped me control and manage the condition. I know what you mean about exercise - I used to go to the gym 4 times a week for a fairly strenuous workout, but nowI I find a fairly brisk walk once or twice a day, coupled with swimming doesn't aggravate things , but keeps me feeling well. IBS isn't "nothing" - it's  a condition that you need to manage as positively as you as you can, recognising that the bad times will get better. Good luck and best wishes. You can deal with this!!

    Jan

    • vixxy26
      vixxy26 jan48389

      Posted

      Definately know it is ibs now had all the tests done, I have only just started the low fodmap diet properly since Mon just gone so will see how it goes, yeah I feel people think as it isnt life threatening that it's nothing to take seriously, but it does affect me, I went through a stage in December where i was terried of being alone. and I wonder if i can ever go abroad with this, or do any type of physcial activity. I hope it gets better soon, want my life back, thanks for the encouragement smile 
    • vixxy26
      vixxy26 jan48389

      Posted

      Definately know it is ibs now had all the tests done, I have only just started the low fodmap diet properly since Mon just gone so will see how it goes, yeah I feel people think as it isnt life threatening that it's nothing to take seriously, but it does affect me, I went through a stage in December where i was terried of being alone. and I wonder if i can ever go abroad with this, or do any type of physcial activity. I hope it gets better soon, want my life back, thanks for the encouragement smile 
    • philippa61759
      philippa61759 vixxy26

      Posted

      I went abroad twice last year with IBS.  The first trip was for a few days after my diagnosis and the second was for 4 months.  I did a lot of walking and swimming and my pain was barely noticeable and didn't need medication.  It was such a relief to have a completely change of scene after three months of intense panic, terror, anxiety and despair while waiting for answers which I was sure would never come.
    • vixxy26
      vixxy26 philippa61759

      Posted

      Yeah maybe a change of scenary will help take my mind of things, as all i think aboout everyday is having ibs and every time i get a sharp spasm i feel nervous, i find playing boardgames helps takes my mind of thinking about it, i actually like going to sleep now as i feel no pain, then as soon as i get up i feel dull spasms just constant. 
    • p3t3r
      p3t3r vixxy26

      Posted

      The low FODMAP diet was the only thing that helped for me. But I found that I still had to cut a few other things out that were not on the 'banned' list. You do need to be very strict on the diet; if I hadn't been I wouldn't have discovered the other foods that I had a problem with.

      Luckily after being on it for several weeks I was able to start introducing small portions of some foods back (you're supposed to be able to after just a few, but that was not true for me). If you cook your own food you can work your way around a lot of things, e.g. onions and garlic are bad, but you can use garlic infused oil and the tops of spring onions. The most difficult one for me was fruit. Loads of fruits are on the "bad list" - just about anything with a pip/stone, although oranges are OK.

      Maybe one of the anti-spasm tablets will work for you; they didn't for me. Take a look at the side effects though; they all have several.

    • vixxy26
      vixxy26 p3t3r

      Posted

      I have been ok with fruit just been sticking to blueberries,strawberries,raspberries and grapes, veg i struggle with as i only like carrots and green beans on the list of veg i am aloud. do struggle with sauces i can have with my meat I have lamb,chicken and fish. 

      I am going to look around at other stuff i can take for ibs. 

    • p3t3r
      p3t3r vixxy26

      Posted

      Bananas are supposed to be OK; I found I was OK with a small one. Pineapples are fine and oranges. I took to eating Nairns Oatcakes or similar in place of bread. Fine with hard cheese and grapes or pate and cucumber; pickled gherkins are OK too. Pretty much the only cereal I could tolerate was rice krispies with a very small amount of skimmed milk. (Real) Greek Yoghurt was OK, because most of the Lactose is removed in the process of making it (just not with honey rolleyes)

      Veg is more difficult; luckily I like spring greens and cabbage (you can't have savoy cabbage though). Peppers are fine as are tomatoes, courgettes and aubergines, so you can also make a kind of ratatouille. Stuffed peppers are good; it's a dish I'm still eating. Surprisingly I found that canned beans in water were OK - the water leaches out the sugars, so if you give them a good rinse you should be able to have a helping. It's the opposite of what makes garlic infused oil work - the sugars won't dissolve into oil, so you don't get the bad parts of the garlic.

      Plenty of meals are OK. I do a sea bass with shredded ginger, chillies and the green part of spring onions. Serve with spinach and new potatoes sauteed with a few lardons.

      As you can tell, I did a lot of research. But then I like my food and I certainly wouldn't have coped with scrambled egg and lettuce every day.

    • vixxy26
      vixxy26 p3t3r

      Posted

      I am laying off dairy and wheat as i think i might have a problem with both, I'm going to have to learn how to cook properly, not good at being creative with meals and as I don't like much veg i'm finding it tricky rolleyes 
    • p3t3r
      p3t3r vixxy26

      Posted

      Dairy and wheat are two of the worst. Plus they get in lots of things, like snacks. The other bad things I found were members of the onion family, like garlic and leeks, and the fruits with stones, like cherries, apricots, peaches, mangoes - all favourites of mine.

      Luckily I now seem to be able to eat small portions of all of these again without too much problem.

    • vixxy26
      vixxy26 p3t3r

      Posted

      Yeah I am hoping I can have things in small amounts again, once I know what is causing the problems smile 
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