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Bad IBS flare up. Please help

Posted , 14 users are following.

vicky103
vicky103

Hi,

I've had IBS for jus over a coupleasure of years. I suffer with loose stools and diarrhea a lot, and take immodium a few times a week if it's bad. I've been off work this week so am having a break from taking the immodium. Over the last 6 days however, I have not been able to stop pooping all day long. I'll get most of it out in the morning, but for the whole of the rest of the day I keep getting cramps and feeling a despray urge to go. When I get to the toilet I feel blocked up, have a lot of wind and then usually pass a tiny stool, which is sometimes very watery, sometimes just mucus, but then sometimes it's solid. I might have a bout of diarrhea a bit later in the day, then it goes back to being more solid.

All day long though I have a constant feeling like I need to go, and I am passing stools literally 15 times each day. Each time I go, I still don't feel empty, and can get stomach pains straight away after I suffer from bad anxiety so I am wondering if this could be causing this as it's on my mind all the time. I can't concentrate on anything else.

It's really worrying me that this is never going to stop, or that I'm causing some damage to my bowels by going to the toilet so often. It has completely ruined my week off from work and I've got a wedding to go to next weekend and I am really anxious that this will stop me going.

I'm not sure whether I should take some immodium to stop it, or if that would make matters worse.

I would really appreciate some advice.

Thanks

0 likes, 31 replies

31 Replies

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  • looloo43
    looloo43 vicky103

    Posted

    Hi vicky. I agree with leeniepie. i know it sounds bizarre if you have lots of diarrea, but i too have colitis, bile acid malabsorption, fructose malabsorption & ibs-d. i was told my gastro dietician that many people with ibs-d can't digest/break down fibre properly & have lots of problems digesting vegetables & salad leaves too. Everthing white - rice,pasta, bread good so basically cut out fibre. even porridge gives me diarrea. the only salad i can eat without it coming out looking like it went in (undigested) is iceberg or cos lettuce. i can manage a small amount of cooked mushroom which seem to digest(have not seem them reappear in toilet). also when i have no appetite but should eat something, i hav half a pint of 1% fat milk as it soothes my tum, & it is a nutritious food in liquid form. hope this helps a bit hun xxx

  • Alancy
    Alancy vicky103

    Posted

    Hi Vicky,

    I am currently going through something similar. Reading your post has made me feel better in knowing I am not the only one with this horrible condition. It started about a month ago after I had a bad case of the stomach flu. After that passed my belly never seemed to go back to normal. I have bouts of diarrhea, loose stools, cramping and pain everyday. Just this morning the cramping pain woke me up and the diarrhea started. I don't have diarrhea every day but I do have the cramping and loose stools daily. I went to a clinic and they diagnosed me with IBS. All they gave me was Bentyl for spasms. Thats it. But now I am a nervous mess because its been over a month and my symptoms are not getting any better. I know I am going to have to see a specialist and find out exactly what is going on. I am always down too. I feel like this has just taken over my life.

    • vicky103
      vicky103 Alancy

      Posted

      Hi Alancy,

      Sorry it's taken me a while to reply. I know what you mean, definately makes me feel better too knowing that other people out there are suffering the same thing. Makes me feel less alone. I feel like my stupid stomach has also taken over my life.

      Have you tried immodium to help with the diarrhea? It helps me a lot, although doesn't always work, but definately enables me to go out more and get through the working day when my stomach is particularly bad.

  • vicky103
    vicky103

    Posted

    Hi everyone,

    Thanks again for all the replies. Just wanted to let you all know that after taking 3 immodiums, they finally kicked in after a few hours (longer than they usually take, but I think the brand my chemist gave me isn't as good as my usual brand). It settled my stomach down over the following days. I wish I'd have just taken it sooner instead of trying to take a break from it whilst I was off work.

    I took 2 in the morning the day before the wedding,and 2 in the evening, and then 4 the morning of the wedding. It kept me bound up, and I managed to get through the wedding, but the next day (sunday) I had terrible tummy ache all day. I did pass some stools, but they were all formed.

    Went to work this morning, and stomach was fine first thing. I did take a couple of immodiums as I have a meeting every Monday and can get a bit nervous. After lunch though, I had terrible stomach ache and was DESPERATE for the toilet! Had to make an excuse to leave work as part of my problem is that I have a bit of a phobia of doing a no. 2 at work as we've only got 1 toilet & it's opposite the staff room. I find it incredibly embarrassing. I had to rush to the shopping centre across the road and use theit toilet and had a case of diarrhea. When I got home 3 hours later had another bout of diarrhea. Not sure why this happened when I took immodium this morning! Has this happened to anyone else? Do you think it could be that the immodium has maybe clogged me up a little over the last few days (even though I have been going, but passing solid stools) and it's all just gushed out?

    I'm panicking again now that the immodium might not be working well anymore, and how aM I going to get through the rest of the working week.

    I saw the dr last week and he has prescribed me codeine phosphate. I haven't tried this yet. Has anyone else tried this and had good results?

    Sorry for the long message.

    Thanks again everyone

    • looloo43
      looloo43 vicky103

      Posted

      Hi Vicky, I'm currently having a colitis flare, & using cocodomol to slow bowels down & take the edge of the pain. cocodomol is codeine phosphate plus paracetomol. it can make you a bit drowsy, so dont plan to drive until you see how it affects you. if you take 3 or 4 doses in 24hrs it can have the opposite effect - constipation - for some people. i take 2 to 3 doses daily to take the edge of pain & slow bowels down & it still doesn't make me constipated!! but everyone is different-so see how you go. Because i am in using it to help with pain too (imodium doesnt help pain) i have to take a minimum of 45mg for it to make even a small difference to my abdo pain, but if i was not in pain, a lower dose would still slow my bowels down. What dose has your doc given you? xx

    • vicky103
      vicky103 looloo43

      Posted

      Hi LooLoo43,

      Thanks for your reply. I've just taken my 1st codeine phosphate today. My dr said to try just 1 30mg tablet at first. I haven't had loose stools today (actually the opposite) but thought today would be a good day to trial just to see if it made me feel drowsey etc. I seem to be ok. I had really bad stomach ache before I took it and iT seemed to get rid of it, but the pain came back a few hours later.

      Do you take the codeine everyday? I'm not exactly sure how often I should be taking it. A bit worried about addiction as read about that on the Internet. Do you find it to be more effective than immodium?

      Thanks again

    • looloo43
      looloo43 vicky103

      Posted

      Hi Vicky. I use the cocodomol at present, as it helps slow the bowels down plus it helps a little in taking the edge off the pain. If you need pain relief too, I would say the codeine is better for you at present. When I am not in pain, I find imodium syrup very good & quick acting as it's liquid, I always carry it in my handbag for emergency use! I get the imodium syrup several bottles at a time on prescription & I as I have a few prescription meds I get a 3mth prepay certificate for £29.40 which saves me a fortune when you think every prescription is now £8.40 a go. If you suffer with trapped wind too, the imodium plus are good as they also contain simeticone which helps relieve trapped wind, but you can buy simeticone separately in chemists too. I think if you have ongoing diarrea you would be better off getting a larger quantity on prescription as it can get very expensive buying over the counter. I have been relying on cocodomol since about mid may every day average 2 doses (I am sleeping for more hours while I'm ill, so manage most days on 2 doses), but when I am better, to come off them I will just gradually reduce them down to a stop over 2-3wks - I am not worried about addiction if I do it this way. My main problem at present is colitis, but when not flaring with colitis, I eat a low residue diet to keep my ibs-d in check. low residue diet is detailed by me & leeniepie earlier in this post about 14/15days ago if you want to look at it. Hope this helps hun. xxx

  • cbra83444
    cbra83444 vicky103

    Posted

    Hi Vicky, I am completely on the same page as you! I have been suffering from IBS for the last 5 years and it is honestly so awful! I take Imodium almost daily when I have work! My doctor said it is fine to take and will not make the IBS worse or any better all what will happen is once the tablet has stopped working will probably have the lose stools again! Also with the anxiety I have tried a variety of things and what worked best for me was the kalms and there is a brand called "rescue" if you haven't heard of it before, they have a variety of different things like chewy, tablets, a spray you spray on your tongue and pastelles I think they have other things the chewys work wonders for me! Hope this has helped you! Try not to panic smile

  • tracey21805
    tracey21805 vicky103

    Posted

    I feel your pain I'm

    At breaking point and totally over the ibs d and no one understands I've tried all the diets meds and period and ovulation time i dread 100% worse flair ups that I can't explain. I have colonoscopys ever 12 months due to high risk bowel cancer and I have removed polyps every time I don't need to take the full amount of medication for

    Colonoscopy due to never getting of the toilet anyway up to 12 times a day the pain is unbarable in

    Considering having my colon removed as its that bad but no dr will do it even though I ask every time I see the specialist. Due to left side mild heart failure Drs don't want to

    Risk the long surgery.All I can say is I've tried everything including meditation exercise what a joke makes things worse walking drinking water any thing and everything I'm on the toilet even fasting I get cramps and go and have green jelly like substance I just hope there is a cure soon cause it's horrible to live with and Drs don't get it cause they don't dealer th it and no one can comprehend what we are going through I've had 5 children and at least once the labour is done the pain is gone having ibs is like on of medium contractions on of daily 362 days a year with no days or weeks with breaks and having 5 children I know labour pains and this is like 2nd stage labour pains I've been searching 9 years for something including fasting and nothing works I'm

    So sorry to say

  • sue65645
    sue65645 vicky103

    Posted

    It's probably too late but I have been there. Things improved a lot when diagnosed with dairy intolerance but had a flare up recently. Buscopan and Colpermin and the Fodmap diet have settled me and I am going once a day and painfree.

  • bee99771
    bee99771 vicky103

    Posted

    I suffer really bad with IBS flare ups, I have the same flare ups as you but I’ve found out I’m also a celiac which is wheat intolerance. Have you tried eliminating certain foods? It may be wheat intolerance or dairy. Also drink a lot of bottled water, I find it really helps my digestive system. I hope this helps!
  • sue65645
    sue65645 vicky103

    Posted

    I have had really bad times. For me it islactose intolerance. My GP gave me the FODMAP diet and it’s transformed my symptoms. I was going twenty times a day but now twice an$ I feel WELL. Gibbs it a go, it’s on the Internet
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