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Do my symptoms sound like IBS? I have some questions...

Posted , 7 users are following.

emma492
emma492

I apologize in advance about this being a bit long, I have a quite a few questions and I would really like to know how likely it is that I have IBS or if my symptoms point towards something else.

So I'm 23 years old and since about January this year I started having the problem of alternating between having diarrhea and being constipated. Before this year my bowel movements have always been normal (I very rarely ever had diarrhea). It wasn't until I was in the car with my boyfriend and I started having a really agonizing stomach ache that I got really worried. Also I don't know if it could be related at all, but around April last year I had suddenly had overwhelmingly bad stomach pain, so bad that I called an ambulance. The doctor at the hospital said I probably had an ovarian cyst that burst as my mum has had ovarian cysts. The pain went away after taking panadeines. (When I went to see my doctor she was pretty unhelpful and just said it may not have been an ovarian cyst and it could've just been a one off thing that can happen when a woman has her period).

So anyway after the bad stomach ache in the car I got a blood test done and everything came back normal, and then I eventually had a stool test and it came back saying I had Salmonella, but just the regular type that is meant to come and go within a week or so. Because my stomach problems were already so bad I didn't even notice any difference having Salmonella, as I wasn't vomiting. Anyway these are the symptoms that I've been experiencing constantly for the last 3 months:

- Alternating between diarrhea and constipation, having severe stomach aches and diarrhea usually every 2-4 days and usually being constipated the rest of the time. The stomach ache eventually eases after going to the toilet about 1-4 times

- Sometimes nausea, feeling very tired, occasional headaches

- Often having little appetite and getting full quickly when I try to eat a decent sized meal (but I'm not sure if this is just due to the fact that I often go days eating very little)

- My stomach gurgles and churns constantly especially when I eat/after I eat, and sometimes when I need to eat - I'm curious to know if people experience this a lot as I haven't really seen it listed as a common IBS symptom? and I find it quite uncomfortable

- Occassionally I experience this odd feeling in my stomach that sort of feels like a small throbbing sensation, it usually only lasts a few seconds... Does anyone else have any idea what I'm talking about/experience this? It may just be part of my stomach being unsettled but it's an odd feeling.

- At times I've had pain/discomfort in my very lower abdomen, lower than where I get stomach aches, although I haven't noticed this very much in the last month or so.

Other things I want to mention..

I don't have any acid reflux, I never have any pain in my chest it's always in my stomach.

Sometimes when I have a burning, less severe stomach ache, I find that passing urine helps. Is this odd?

I also find that when I have very severe stomach aches, the only thing that seems to help a bit besides using the toilet, is drinking water. Is this usual/do other people found this helpful?

I haven't tried any sort of pills to help with the stomach aches yet but my doctor prescribed me Colofac tablets. Are these likely to be helpful?

I also have a lot of anxiety and tend to worry a lot about things in general.

I managed to go a whole week I think without having any severe stomach aches and I was eating very bland foods mostly, though I still draink fizzy drinks. Then I ate some chips and two chocolate biscuits, and bam, two hours later I had a severe stomach ache and diarrhea. So I've decided I'm definitely cutting those two things out of my diet, and I'm going to look into doing the FODMAP diet thing.

But I feel like I need to get more tests done as I'm still worried it could be something more severe causing my problem. My doctor is quite useless and hasn't suggested getting more tests done but I'm going to ask to next time I go. Though I'm really not sure what other things I'd need to be tested for. But with everything I have described, does it sound like it's very likely IBS?

One other question I had is, I've also had pinworms for the last two years (haven't been able to get rid of them due to my current living situation). Could this be likely to be causing my stomach problems? All my doctor said when I asked her was a very vague "yes it could be".

Thankyou very much in advance to anyone that replies

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • TCM123
    TCM123 emma492

    Posted

    I have pretty much the same symptoms and my doctor said it was IBS
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 emma492

    Posted

    This sounds an awful lot to be dealing with.

    I have some of your symptoms but not all.

    I have gallstones. Before I was diagnosed with gallstones one doctor thought it was either gallstones or IBS so the symptoms are obviously similar.

    It may be worth having an ultrasound scan to see if you have gallstones.

    If so you will need to be on a low fat or even no fat diet.

    Good luck with all of this.

    Take care and keep me posted.

    Praying for you

    Sarah

    • heather21544
      heather21544 sarah87162

      Posted

      I have herd lemon juice is good for gallstones and other foods I wondered if foods could be good for that.

      Have a lemon a day but for how long and what are smytons of gallstones all tho I suspect I'm poisiend

    • sarah87162
      sarah87162 heather21544

      Posted

      Symptoms of gallstones can vary from person to person.

      Basically I have bad stomach cramps (like if you are constipated) though I am opening my bowels most days.

      Also pain in my right side (towards the back)

      Some people have pasin quite a bit higher up than me but a GP said the pain can be in different places for different people.

      Regarding food it is low or even no fat.

      Hope this answers some of your questions.

      Sarah

    • emma492
      emma492 sarah87162

      Posted

      Hi Sarah, thanks for your reply. I'll add gallstones to the list of things to mention to my doctor. Thankyou for the suggestion and your support smile
  • leeniepie
    leeniepie emma492

    Posted

    it does sound like ibs to me. colofac is good for bloating though i find buscopan is better for cramp, tho neither excellent. is the pain in your stomach or intestines? i used to get doubled up with stomach pain and it was chronic dyspepsia. but then when i need to go toilet i get bad cramp too.

    why cant you take medication to eradicate the worms? they cat be doing you much good

    • emma492
      emma492 leeniepie

      Posted

      Hi there, thanks for your reply. I'll try buscopan if I find that colofac doesn't help. The pain is in my intestines I guess? It's in my lower abdomen area. I never seem to get heartburn or acid reflux.

      It's not really possible for me to get rid of the worms where I'm currently living as I can't wash my underwear and bedding in hot water which I believe is necessary to get rid of them. I tried taking the medication but it didn't work. So I'm trying to find a new flat to move into at the moment.

    • leeniepie
      leeniepie emma492

      Posted

      i find a good old hot water bottle works wonders for cramps, and stomach massage.

      no hot water? def. move house!

  • gale99224
    gale99224 emma492

    Posted

    Hi Emma, your symptoms could be a result of Celiac Disease  or Coeliac as some spell it... there are over 300 different symptoms & it's not one that the medical community is really up on. IBS is a symptom as well as diarrhea, constipation, gurgles, abdominal pain, nauseousness, lactose intolerance, cramping, and these are just some of the digestive disorders. Because CD is an autoimmune disorder, it's hard to pinpoint & may actually lay dormant for a season in the body then flare up again for what would seem no reason. Gluten (the natural protein found in wheat, barley & rye) triggers a response where the body attacks in inner lining of the small intestine. Gluten is in most of our processed food, toothpastes, lipsticks, lip balms, some mouthwash too. Because of the damage it causes to the sm intestine, almost every system of the body can be affected. Drs aren't good at connecting the dots but rather treat the symptoms. They also receive no incentive for diagnosing someone with this as there's nome divine they can prescribe only suggest a strict gluten free diet. 

    There's a blood test that your Dr can order. If you take it, load up on gluten foods as much as possible weeks before. Sometimes the test is not accurate, then ask for an endoscopy which will include biopsies of the duodenum. You have to be very proactive bc your Dr will not. I suffered for many many years with over 50 symptoms. I now have a life eating GF. Man! Didn't know how sick I was!

    live long & prosper!

     

    • heather21544
      heather21544 gale99224

      Posted

      gluten is evil it sticks to everything in the bodie if the patient has trouble digesting it but i have severe abdominal pain this morning

      I had gluten last night in the form of mcvitie digestive biscuits again and plus a glass of red wine I'm so annoyed with my self I must be more ruthless in future its just with the sugar craving I'm getting at times is umberable and for me its hard to decided whether its the carb intake from wheat or the gluten or a wheat allergy.

      I have a toe nail fungus which is a sign of candida and I have problems with to much sugar

      I was diagnosed with a border line positive for cd but refused a camera test

      As back then the camera down the throat was huge and it heart.

      So I was reluctant of the endo too

      But since I have learned there very small cameras now and pain free.

      So must get them as soon as poss

    • gale99224
      gale99224 heather21544

      Posted

      Hi Heather, so Sorry you are feeling poorly. I also had much problems with toe nail fungus bc CD actually can run down the immune system to a point that skin disorders are the norm. I happened upon a great home remedy for that though... Vicks Vapor Rub. Works great!

      as far as the endoscopy goes, the only pain. I suffered was when they gave me a cracker & juice afterwards. Oh my cow! That hurt soooooo bad. Kind of ironic... The specialist came out & told me it looked like CD which. I had never heard of... Didn't even know what gluten was. He said until the biopsies came back, he wouldn't know for sure. But I was so groggy, it never occurred to me that the tiny little graham cracker would do me in hahaha! 

      Feel better...

    • emma492
      emma492 gale99224

      Posted

      Hi Gale, thanks for your reply. During the week that I was eating bland foods and didn't have any bad stomach aches, I ate bread quite a few times, and my stomach didn't react to it at all. But then as soon as I ate the chips/biscuits my stomach got really upset, which makes me thinks its more linked to eating foods high in fat than gluten.. But I could be wrong of course. I will definitely get tested for it anyway.
    • emma492
      emma492 gale99224

      Posted

      I didn't mention it as I didn't think it was related, but I also have fungus on one of my toenails.. is that a common thing for people with celiac disease? Or just people with low immune systems in general?
    • gale99224
      gale99224 heather21544

      Posted

      I don't know what butties are but oats aren't always gluten free bc of cross contamination. The way they're stored, handled, processed on equipment that's also used for other grains. So unless they are certified GF, I can't eat them. 
    • gale99224
      gale99224 emma492

      Posted

      It can be a problem for people with run down immune systems in general.
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