IBS symptoms?

Bowel habits can switch from one to the other with IBS.  I have switched from constipation to loose stools and then back to constipation/normal again.  Stress/anxiety will make these symptoms worse.  My loose stool fase started when I was waiting for diagnosis and I was panicking because no one was helping me.  Definitely try Fodmap to see if food intolerance is setting off diarrhoea.

Hi Adam,

I have been thru similar circumstances.i always had IBS issues. As a child I always had constipation. And finally was diagnosed as having IBS in the military. It subsided and after a while hardly any symptoms. Until I ended up with an allergic reaction from softshell crab. Then diarrea started. On and off with gas. So I experimented with

What foods worked and didn't work. I found that taking beano before a meal helped. It stoped the gas which stopped the frequent BM's. Try it. It can't hurt and might help you. Also find a way to relief stress. Exercise meditate or bike ride.good luck

Stress and anxiety directly affect most peoples digestive system in one way or another. I often have had symptons like youre describing. Ive had colonoscopy with normal results other than to be told I have a very long winding bowel. I have suffered daily with small nuggets of stool being expelled just about every time I go to washroom. I start with feeling of pressure and that there is something just inside my anus. I get short relief just afterexpelling but within 30-45 mins, I get same feeling and im off to washroom again. In a 4 week period, I usually have 3 wks of this and then the 4 th week I have a normal bm and my intestines feel decent for 4/5 days, then its back to discomfort again. over past 31/2 yrs I have had 6 episodes of vicious cramping, sweating, near fainting, nausea , tingling in hands and last time hands went spastic. I expel copious amt of stool which starts out as small hard lumps, then large amt of soft and loose stool. The only thing I figure is that my bowels become so full of stool that my body tries to get rid of it and these episodes are the result. The last episode was 12 days ago. It was the worst episode yet. I decided it was time to change my diet drastically because in the past eating lots of fiber abd drinking lots of water has made no difference. Nor has drinking prune juice or esting prunes or any of the regular advice for constipation. 12 days ago I researched the FODMAP dier. Since then, I have eliminated all dairy and gluten from my diet and a few other items that are high FODMAP. The first 4 days were difficult to get used to, especially eliminating bread as I love it! However, I found its just a matter of getting used to substituting other things instead. The first 3 days, my intestines were adjusting and I had a bit of mild cramping while expelling small amts of SOFT stool 2-3 times in a row. Otherwise, I feel much better. Although I dont have a BM everyday, I have had 3 soft normal amt bms in past 10 days- something unheard of for me!! My anxiety level has decreased I think because of the direct correlation between bowel n brain and its a vicious cycle that anxiety causes intestines to be fooled up and fooled up intestines cause anxiety. Anyway, I have decided to stay gluten n dairy free for life. I am also going to visit a naturopath for further advice. I find gps and specialists do nothing to help anyone with ibs mainly because it takes time to listen to and counsel patients and they either dont have the time or dont take it

very normal pattern for IBS, and stress is only going to make it worse so you need to rind ways to reduce stress. FODMAP is good for ibs but it isnt a cure all, there are also FODMAP free foods that are big IBS triggers, especially for diarrhoea so make sure you keep a food diary too.

If you are suffering Anxiety that can effect your stools.

i would suggest if you are anxious to see your GP once more and discuss your fears. If you are not showing any blood, hopefully you are ok and you are suffering Anxiety.

Sometimes we can concentrate to much on what is not wrong and we may overreact, I would want to put this concern to the back of my mind, hence talk once more to your GP 

BOB

Hi Adam, I was readying your post, sometimes I take peppermint tea at night it helps if you have constipation at the time or trapped wind , I hope that things get better for you, I have also been trying to cut out dairy, using alpro coconut milk at the moment and dairy free spread , I don't know if it is only coincidence but I don't feel as bloated , good luck,