Can this be IBS ?

First apologies for a long post, and thanks for everyone who cares to read. I have been having problems with my gut for 1 1/2 years now and don't even know where to look for answers anymore.

I am 28 and normal weight. Previously I never had any problems with my gut. I never cared too much about my diet, ate anything I fancied and rarely got ill. In fact I even complained that I couldn't burp. When I had a few pints I would feel bloated, full of air but couldn't burp.

Then 1 1/2 years ago I had a 24 tummy bug and after that it all started. When it cleared away I kept feeling nauseous all day. I started burping a lot and felt unwell every day.

After trying different medications that did not work I cut out gluten which helped to ease the symptoms a lot. But now 1 1/2 years the symptoms are still there, on and off they are getting worse and better. I cannot relate it to anything in particular and can't make out when and why it is going to hit me.

Symptoms

I have identified a cycle of symptoms: It starts in the morning when I feel very weak, and light-headed, like I am going to faint any second and also nauseous some times. but it means that I am hungry. When I then eat, I start burping a lot. In bad phases I timed one burp every minute for hours. It is just air, no acid, it is more of a gurgling that comes from the tummy and then air comes up. My tummy gurgles and rumbles all the time too.

When I cannot burp (for example in a meeting) I start feeling very nauseous. A few occasions where the tummy started cramping and I got all shaky as if I was about to throw up, but nothing has ever happened!! I don't get bad tummy pains or constipation & diarrhoea.

The only other thing that happened over the years is that my digestion has changed. Before I used to eat very little and have bowel movements like once every 2-3 days. Now I eat a lot, like all the time so I don't faint and have bowel movements at least once but up to 4 times a day. But I am not sure if that is related to not eating gluten maybe, not gained or lost weight either.

I have had all my bloods done. HPlori test and an upper abdomen scan. All turned out fine, they found a gallstone about 3mm thick but said it was too little to do any harm. I have tried all sorts of different anti-acids stomach tablets travel sickness and "IBS over the counter medicine" but nothing really helped. The doctor says it's IBS but I am not convinced. How can it come so suddenly from no symptoms to gurgling and burping all day long? And how is it that nothing seems to influence it?

Over the passed year I have changed my diet quite a lot but nothing seemed to have affected it at all:

- Cut out gluten strictly (if I accidentally eat it symptoms get really bad)

- Reduced dairy intake

- Stopped smoking

- Stopped drinking alcohol

- Stopped drinking fruit juices and fizzy drinks (just plain water nowawdays)

- Cut down greasy and fatty food

- Cut down sugar and salt

I am running out of ideas and things to try Has anybody got any tips what I could try? Or even what it could be? I would go to a private doc too just don't know where to start or what to test/look for.

Thanks a lot!

1 like, 19 replies