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Does this sound like Ibs?

Posted , 3 users are following.

Markb03
Markb03

Hey all,

A little about me before my main issue.

Age: 43

Sex: Male

Height: 181cm (5ft 11 inches)

Weight: 109kg (17st 1lb)

Location: UK

So back in August/September 2023 I remember suffering with real bad constipation. Was getting bright red blood when wiping and also blood in the toilet water and on the stool. Also very very painful to pass.

My diet was pretty bad tbh. Processed food, fast food stuff and loads of Pepsi Max. I did try fasting in the day to try and lose weight and this worked but I was still drinking pepsi max and having one meal a day.

Fibre intake was obvious poor and drinking pepsi didn't help with my bowel movements.

At the end of September I went to my doctors who gave me some Laxido. These are a powder laxative that's taken twice a day with 125ml of water. When they started to work. I passed stools perfectly. No pain, no blood and once a day.

I was taking these up until Christmas. I then started to get stomach pains, more wind and back pain. The stomach pains where located all over but more located above the belly button area and down below the belly button. These lasted about two weeks and have now gone for now. I did notice one period they got worse after having a curry.

Over the past 3 days I have passed stools twice and noticed it's hard again to pass stools. Only the first push. After that it seems OK. There has been a bin of blood again. Tonight I have also noticed my stool has had two colours. A light brown and a dark brown.

Is this normal?

I have also made the decision to change my diet. Started to eat more fruit and better meals at home. And drinking 2L of water a day and trying to cut out the Pepsi as much as I can. I started this 2 days ago.

As any worried person does. I went on Google and googled my symptoms and saw bowel cancer can produce the symptoms I have. So really started to panic to be honest.

The bleeding only happens when it's hard to pass stools. But I am hoping the more water and fruit will start to help.

I do have a blood test scheduled in for my doctors on the 23rd Jan and I have a telephone appointment on the 9th so will ask them if I can do a stool sample. When I spoke to my doctor about the possibility of cancer and he said its very unlikely.

Does this sound like Ibs?

I have had diarrhea but it's few and far in between. The constipation has been more active.

Do I need to be worried?

Sorry for the long post and many thanks for reading and any replies.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • sam18386
    sam18386 Markb03

    Posted

    hi markb, ouch! what you describe is what i used to have, pain, soreness, straining to go etc. i was started on laxido, which were then increased in quantity, did you know you can get something different called fybogel that has different ingredients and in my opinion work slightly differently. you can buy these over the counter at the chemist so i believe..... if you're bowel habits have changed again go back to your doctor's. have they ruled out all other causes of this problem? doctors are quick enough to say i.b.s it means they don't do anything, to have a firm diagnosis you have to discover whether this is anything else first..... good luck, let's hope you get the answers you need.

    • Markb03
      Markb03 sam18386

      Posted

      I will have a look at fybogel. Is it OK to take these on a long term basis?

  • Marina_Dee
    Marina_Dee Markb03

    Edited

    I agree with Sam. IBS is just a cover all term when doctors cant find any explanation for whats going on in your bowel. All that is obvious is you have a problem

    I think your main problem is your diet, which you seem to understand and you are trying to correct. Your bowel has become lazy due to a poor diet.

    Yes try Fybogel on a daily basis , not just when you are constipated. Take it at the same time each day. Try to have regular meals, not eating in a rush and try to chew your food as the enzymes in saliva will start the correct breakdown of food.

    Well done for adding fruit and vegetables to your meals. You havent mentioned bran added to your breakfast...or do you skip breakfast altogether? Thats not a good idea. Try to have a cereal made with bran, that should help your gut a lot. You could try adding tinned prunes to the cereal...only one at a time until you find the right amount for you.

    Try taking a daily probiotic. It will add add some necessary flora to your gut. you can buy them in most health food shops.

    That bright red bleeding may mean you have haemorrhoids /piles in your rectum. A softer stool and no constipation should ease that problem. The pains are probably trapped wind moving along your gut. Or possibly hard faeces. Stools can be different colours according to what you have eaten. Fasting is not a good way to lose weight. You need to eat three meals per day at regular times . Try getting to know the calories in food, but first get your gut back to a healthy state.

    • Markb03
      Markb03 Marina_Dee

      Edited

      Hi,

      I didn't have breakfast for years. Absolutely ages. But started to have weetabix or oats in the morning before work now.

  • Marina_Dee
    Marina_Dee Markb03

    Posted

    Yes its ok to take Fybogel everyday for as long as you like. Once you get your bowels under control you can take daily or as little as you want.

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