1. Community
  2. Gut, bowel and stomach
  3. Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Possible IBS - need advice

Posted , 4 users are following.

becki_47293
becki_47293

Hi,

I went through a few weeks of having an upset tummy. After it didn't ease off As it was every day, went to the doctors and I provided a stool sample as they thought I might have caught a holiday bug recently in Cyprus. The tests results have come back all clear so I now have another appointment on Friday. IBS runs in the family and it does sound extremely similar but is it? I can be fine for 3 ish days then all of a sudden my tummy swells and then I have upset tummy for a day then I'm ok again?!?! No blood, just bloated and upset tum. I've tried to see if a particular food triggers it however it's not normally just after I eat and can be the next morning

Any advise would be much appreciated. I am also dead set against a endoscopy as I had one before and it was the worst thing one ever done - will I have to have another?

Am I stressing too much it could be something worse like the big C even though I know chances are slim and doctor doesn't seem too worried??

Thanks

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • astrozombie
    astrozombie becki_47293

    Posted

    I would say you need an endoscopy and colonoscopy if you really want to rule certain conditions out.

    My illness is mostly next morning and very rarely the same evening. 

     

  • Reetah
    Reetah becki_47293

    Posted

    Hi Becki,

    Yes all these horrible tests rule things out, but I like you have already have had one and it was disgusting and scary.

    But your symptoms sound strangely like mine, except I get a big constipated for three to four days, then like you a terrible rush one day, then I'll get a bit of tummy ache for a while as I am completely empty, it's not diarrhea, just loose.

    I am going to have a stool test that they do to test for bowel cancer , the acronym for it is FOBT, look it up as I am not sure what the I stands for, think you can guess the rest.

    Try not to worry Beckie, I suffer with anxiety and I am almost positive that being anxious upsets my tummy, then I worry about it and it gets worse.

    Chat to me if you want. Thinking of you, take care xx

    • becki_47293
      becki_47293 Reetah

      Posted

      Thank you- it's nearly always the next day and then I can also get constipated. My stool sample all clear so not sure what the next step is but I really don't want another endoscopy as I am still scared from my previous one.

    • becki_47293
      becki_47293 Reetah

      Posted

      I can then get constipated too it's driving me mad but j really hope I don't have to have an endoscopy as I am still scared from the last one

    • Reetah
      Reetah becki_47293

      Posted

      Beckie,

      I was supposed to have a second one, I started the procedure and stopped it, yes scared too it's horrible. I apologized to my GP that I wasted hospital time. And to be honest I wasn't that paranoid about the results, I really thought it was IBS and my thoughts were just running away with me. So I asked what could I have done? He said this FOBT test looks for hidden blood in the stool, do can detect first signs of anything. If it was negative it's fine, if positive then you might need colonoscopy. I had it done and mine was negative and I was happy with that.

      I still get urgent loo days, if you get what I mean :-) And don't get me wrong I still freak out and worry as I have to go three or four times on the trot that emptys me out and then not much for a few days, really weird. But you know the more we worry the worse it gets. I even start to worry after a few days, that maybe brings it on, who knows, at least it makes you feel better when you know your not alone. X

    • becki_47293
      becki_47293 Reetah

      Posted

      Our symptoms do sound very similar. I know me thinking about it all the time doesn't help but when the symptoms are there I

      Can't help it

    • astrozombie
      astrozombie Reetah

      Posted

      "I still get urgent loo days, if you get what I mean :-) And don't get me wrong I still freak out and worry as I have to go three or four times on the trot that emptys me out and then not much for a few days, really weird. But you know the more we worry the worse it gets. I even start to worry after a few days, that maybe brings it on, who knows, at least it makes you feel better when you know your not alone."

      I understand this and until I found this I thought I wa alone for a long time.

    • astrozombie
      astrozombie becki_47293

      Posted

      Better to get the problem sorted. I dislike the endoscopy too but had one a few years ago. Also a colonoscopy at the same time to get the full invasive feeling. 
  • philippa61759
    philippa61759 becki_47293

    Posted

    Sounds like IBS.  Have you got any nausea? Do you have any change in bowel habits?  IBS symptoms can come and go or be constant.  Do you get any pain that moves all over your stomach? You could have a barium meal instead of the endoscopy.  If you can't tolerate a procedure, then it is best to ask for an alternative.  I had an endoscopy years ago and had a very bad reaction to the sedation.

    Have you had ultrasounds,celiac testing done as well?

     

    • becki_47293
      becki_47293 philippa61759

      Posted

      Hi,

      No nausea at all. The bloating is all my tummy and cramps come and go. All the symptom checkers I have done leads to IBS I just worry myself it's something worse.

    • philippa61759
      philippa61759 becki_47293

      Posted

      You could ask your doctor for a pelvic ultrasound to rule out ovarian cysts and try eliminating gluten which can cause bloating if you are sensitive to it.
    • astrozombie
      astrozombie becki_47293

      Posted

      Do not worry unncessarily.  This is why you need the tests if only to give you piece of mind.
  • becki_47293
    becki_47293

    Posted

    Just been to doctors. He had a good feel of my tummy and said everything felt as it should do. He said is sounds like stress triggered IBS but wants to do some blood tests to check for celiac, under active thyroid, Anemia. He has proscribed me colofac to try help with the bloating and cramps. Feel so much better for taking to a doctor about it.
    • astrozombie
      astrozombie becki_47293

      Posted

      Sounds like we had the same doctor especially the feeling about bit. Joking aside it is exactly what he said to me re: stress and anxiety. At the time I was in one of struggling to go to the loo phases rather than can not get out of the loo phases, I swing between both, so he prescribed Lactulose which I did not have time to use as the stress of waiting 3 hours to see the doc resolved my problem.
    • Reetah
      Reetah becki_47293

      Posted

      Glad you feel a bit less anxious today.

      Get some good sleep x

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.