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Do I have IBS?

Posted , 2 users are following.

Alf1234
Alf1234

One night about a month ago I had to keep running to the toilet with diarrhoea. I didn't feel sick in any other way, but just had diarrhoea and couldn't seem to relieve it. Out of desperation I took several Imodium. As expected, this made me constipated, however what made it worse was that I had this constant discomfort in my stomach/lower abdomen.

Just to be safe, I saw a doctor, who said that the discomfort was just due to the Imodium. A few days later, the constipation ended, but the uncomfortable sensation remained. On top of that, while I was able to go to the toilet, I always felt as though I could not entirely empty my bowels, and this was highly frustrating. Nevertheless, I left it for a couple of weeks and went back to the doctor, however this time it was a different one. I explained the symptoms to him and said that the main reason I was concerned was because it had been so long and nothing had changed. He didn't seem to think it was anything too serious, and said, like his colleague, that it was likely just the Imodium taking time to get out of my system. He told me to get Lactulose, and take it twice-daily. I did this, but after four days it still felt as though I couldn't entirely relieve my bowels.

It has now been over four weeks since this occurrence and, although the symptoms have gotten more bearable, the constant discomfort and inability to completely empty my bowels has been making me feel depressed and has been causing me to have broken sleep and wake up early. I have looked online (which I know is generally frowned upon), and it seems possible that I have IBS. However, neither doctor ever mentioned it. I am about to go on holiday for a couple of weeks (the sickness came at a really inconvenient timing), but will see a doctor when I come back, assuming the symptoms have not disappeared.

But in the meantime, do I have IBS? I think it's quite possible, but my mum believes it is too much of a coincidence for it to happen at the same time I had the initial diarrhoea, and she believes it to be a stomach bug of some sort. Although I am not in pain, thought of having a long-term illness and having to deal with this constant discomfort possibly for the rest of my life is quite scary, and it's all I can think about. 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Dorset87
    Dorset87 Alf1234

    Posted

    Hello,

    Quite possibly, ibs symptoms do tend to come and go, it is rare that ibs wakes you up in the night to have to goto the toilet (so my dr said). Possibly push for blood tests and stool samples to rule anything else out. I've also been told Imodium is safe to take on a daily basis but obviously it affects people differently.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Dorset87

      Posted

      When my IBS started, my stomach pain woke me every night and it changed my sleep pattern for a while.  Now this has stopped.
  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 Alf1234

    Posted

    It does sound like IBS. I would see a different doctor and ask about IBS and tests to rule out anything else.  Do tou have any food or stress triggers?
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