IBS

Hi All,

I am not sure if I have IBS but after reading through a lot of information I am actually quite convinced I do have it,

It all started in April when I thought I have some kind of stomach bug as I had to go to the toilet ca 45 after anything I´ve eaten.

I than went to Asia for 2 month where again this struck me and I got diarhea. However, beeing in Asia I thought it is quite normal to get it at some point. Unfortunately it did not stop for like 3 weeks of my travels and appeared several times during my travels again.

When beeing back home it still kept on going and I have the symptoms that I have stomach cramps,relief after going to the toilet, feel like my bowels are never really empty.

I have started to check what I am eating and what food it usually triggers. Well, there is no real pattern to it but I am avoiding certain food and I do get along with it now quite well.Also eating every 3 hours small portions had a good effect.

I have not been to the GP yet and don´t really know if I should as I feel I have good control over it.

I was hoping you can maybe give me some advise and what you think.

I was also wondering what the "benefits" are to get diagnosed. What I mean with it, it obviosly does effect the quality of life and if you can get some kind of support when it hits you quite bad as I read about people who lost there job becasue of it. Also I am a student and have deadlines for assignments and I am already a bit worried that with more stress becasue of deadlines the symptoms will be worse, and if I just go there and ask for a extension beacsue of stomach problems they will laugh at me .

Hope this question makes some kind of sense to you....

thanks in advance for any advice

Constancia

Hi Constancia, sorry you are so poorly, digestive stuff is such a nightmare as you know.

I do think you need to go and get a check-up at your doctors. As you've recently returned from Asia you may have picked up a bug that needs anti-biotic treatment or you may have already had one when you left and it is continuing to cause you these problems.

This is not unusual and on top of an already gippy tummy/bowels would make life even harder.

It is also important to know what is the matter with you. If it is IBS and the doctors confirm it there are a few treatments and dietry advice you can try, as I'm sure you know from reading our recent posts.

A diagnosis is imperative to start getting better. As you are a student you are also under a ceratin amount of stress. Stress is a big factor in all illnesses.

I assure you no one will laugh at you. If you are worried about the consultation could you take a friend/relative with you? They could either come in or just wait in the waiting room. A bit of moral support is always nice and helps to keep us calm.

Yes you are very busy but to make time for your health is important. You may find you have a bug that will respond to treatment and be fine from then on.

So please consider getting checked over and let us know how you are getting on. Fanny Jane.

Hi Fanny Jane and Constancia

First my apologise for long delay in writting message been a crap week with ibs and family problems,

Fanny sorry to hear about your mother hope she gets well soon how can any humen person do this to people maybe their not human and should be treated that way.

Contancia it sounds like ibs but also can be intolarence in food that aggrivates the tummy,as well as stress as you may see from my thread have wheat, dairy intolarence as well as stress in my life which in time will get in control but it takes along while for a you to restrict foods daily to see what happens best to write a daily diary to see what you eaten and how it affects you, everybody is differant and there is no wonder cure. like Fanny says it may be a stomach bug you have picked up but if it has gone on more than three weeks see your gp explain you have had troubles explain all the facts to her if you think its intolarance i surgest excluding foods over a period of six weeks then introducing them again do each product one by one as you will not know what product is the problem it has take me over 3 months last year to see what was intolarant and endoscopes, colonoscopes, ct scans a god know how many blood test, but got to where i am and like you see from my pass threads its not easy especially if you end up seeing another doctor.

Anyway hopefully a better week coming cant be worse than this week but ha ho, just which every book i bought on amazon for 99p would read the same can only go by what i know, trying the fish diet this week for snack most of the books say mackerals good for the bowels so started today with crispbreads, rice cakes doing well for snack have made up advocado paste to go on top keep it in a little fridge i got for the car so can do my cleaning round that mostly now 8am - 3pm so can eat on the go, spose you could say im meals on wheels!!!!

Got to go as yabbering again

Take care both of you

Kaz xxxx

Hi Kaz, you get 10 out of 10 in my book for trying.. one day you will hit on the right diet for you.

Thanks for asking about my mum. She's much better and being spoiled silly by her family and friends.My feelings towards the human race sometimes are unprintable. Some people can really be selfish and disrespectful for no good reason.

However we must always look on the bright side whatever life throws at us and rise above the inhuman ingrates that litter our world.

I hope next week is a better one for us all. That Constancia sees the doc and we all have better tummys and other less delicate areas!

Take care, Fanny Jane.

Heya,

thanks for your quick replies!

From reading here in the forum and your advice I will definetly go to see my GP as soon as possible.

As I mentioned before I tried a few things over the last few months diet wise and got good results :-)

Its so hard to say what it triggers as its always something different and often things I have been eaten all my life and now suddendly make my tummy go mental.

Well, that might then be a sign off a weird tummy bug... oh well, I hope I will find out soon as the last 6 month with this have not been fun and I am kind of scared of eating out.

My partner and family are very supportive with it and are worried and I am glad I have them.

Also this forum really helped me and its good to see that I am not the only one with a dodgy tummy!

HI both of you, it looks like we are on at the same time.

Glad your mums getting better Fanny, and hope you have a good week as well, Constancia very glad you have support from your partner and family, mine im afaraid let me get on with it as had it so long and they have seen my symtoms on attack days so much now thats its best they let me get on with it as techinqually there nothing they can do other than let my body run its course normally two days as a max that why im careful what i eat normally chicken fish wheat free crackers are my main exciting meals of each day, yeep its boring and you will find that all the good yummy foods are the ones you have to give up, i know i go on about my books but one author said that our stomachs and mind work together and we come addictive to foods ie like if you smoke you come use to it and your body craves it, not cos its good for you but because your body wants more of it cos it cant consume the ingrediants properly then cos of it if you take it away for health reasons you body and mind try its hardest to get it back ie cos your tummy hurts you think its needs more of it thats what your body wants but if you continue giving in it makes you worse. Hope that makes sense. mind over matter ive learnt to say, dont give in it takes time but if you health dosnt get under control you may become deprieved of vital nutrient values.

So thinking of a weekly moto we can have to keep us going ( one new every week )

Kaz xxxx

Just to give you an update, Ended up going to gp yesterday as the swollon rib left side and the pain got to much for me, doctor thinks its an enlarged spleen and sent me off yet again to the vampire for more blood test checking for c reactive protein, ferrintin, full blood count and esr, if it is that its so enlarged that surgury is the only option, doctor said no work till test back hopefully thursday if it is that im out of action for some while he has also said it may rupture so now worried about that so yeep had another ibs attack last night. Can anything go right for me !!!!!!!! how can i de stress when this is going on with me, still carrying on just no heavy lifting or any strain on the stomach glad in oneway im not constipated.

Good luck when you get your appointment Constancia, it's good to hear you have family support.

It probably is IBS but it's always best to get a proper check-up.

You need to be able to control whatever it is and get on with your life. Let us know how it goes once you've seen the doctor.

Take care, FannyJane.

Hi Fanny Jane

How are you ? as you can see things at great here, really panicking about this swelling and the wait is even worse NOT KNOWING>

KAZ XXXXX

Hi all

Yeep things can get worse, saw yet another gp at my surgury and she thinks its my b12 and folic levels that have dropped yet again have b12 12 weekly but she thinks its dropped on the 10th week so yet again for the second time went to the vampire hopefully get results back today cant ring till 2pm.

swelling on left side going down and pain has gone so think it was only a sprained rib, going relly dizzy now and feel so tired, have booked off work this week to get myself sorted, stopped taking my omeprazole to see what would happen ok for three days but this morning acid reflux back so have taken one this morning, only going to take when required can go up to three a day if neccessary but not long term,so the doctor says. weight loss still a problem lost another 3lb this week no d at all actually going well in that department.

keep you updated

Kaz xxxx

Hi Kaz, apologies for missing last week's post. My life seems to have speeded up a bit at the moment and time is something I seem to have lost somewhere.

I'm at a loss what to say to you... except many empathetic thoughts and sympathies with you increasingly difficult position.

My IBS isn't nearly so bad, as long as I stick to my very tried and tested and very basic diet. Just a flare up now and again mainly due to medications I have to take I reckon.

I take Lansoprazole, which is very similar to Omeprazole. I also don't take it all the time as a few years ago I had a build up and it really upset my system. By taking it in a flare or when I feel a bit 'gyppy' I'm much better on it, so your doc is absolutley right. Sometimes I take Gavison instead and if in a slight upset can help.

Really sorry this is still happening to you. Has your doc suggested a further hospital visit to check you over? A proper dietician?

Fingers crossed for your blood test results today, let me know how they go. I do so wish I could offer you more help, it's one of those helpless situations.

Take good care and hope today is a better day for you, Fanny jane.

Hi all well blood test come back that the b12 is lower but still in range and folic acid is getting better thats the good news bad news is yet again cant talk to my normal gp as gone on sick leave dr i spoke to just passed the buck till thursdayand said shes not sure why my red bloods are enlarged so tomorrow thursday going to have to talk to the doctor from hell that told me its all in my mind last time i saw him, really getting peeved off with my surgury one minute you see a doctor that undertands then says if not better go back then when you try and see the same one there fully booked up to three weeks, ive asked for ring backs and you get another doctor that gives you pills that had before that react with me, oh god i feel so terrible, not worse just generally fed up that nothings working, doctors just keep saying cut out foods if i cut anymore out i wont be eating, dont take meds if not required problem is meds just seem to ease the problem. How do the doctors know if my stomach has to much acid or to less when no test done, why do hospitals say when had 4 different xrays that i have chantiliti syndrome then after endoscopes never mentioned again, then i have ibs then i have gerd then i have possible hernia, why isnt there something that drs can do once and for all for me. the only test done to date is standard xrays, blood test, colonascopes, endoscope, ultrasound, and ct scan. now lost two weeks of work due to this and looks like another one or two weeks to go weight loss still going on yet another 2lb lost in four days . Heeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllllppppppppppppppp

Hi Kaz, you really do have it rough and such bad luck. It's hard to know what to say. I have a good relationship with my gp, thankgoodness and even when I get a different one they've all been ok so far. Well except for one nurse I could have throttled.

I think that after the basic tests the docs are not always prepared to go the next step, which is send you to a more specialist unit, in London for instance. It all costs money for the practice and they have endless discussions on the costs to the practice.

Have you thought about changing your doc? I suppose it's a bit drastic but could make a difference.

My only advice is to go in tomorrow and be brave and point out that there are abnormalities in your tests both at the hospital and the recent blood test you have had. Tell him how worried you are, particularly about the food and weight loss, that all you want is to be normal again. That you have lost out at work and really fed up with it all. Appeal to his better nature, there's got to be one in there somewhere.

Whatever happens, chin up, you are not alone as thousands of people are out there feeling as you do. It's no consolation though I know.

I'll be keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you, so sad for you, Fanny Jane.

sorry for delay in writting back with the report from doctor, wasnt as bad as i thought he was going to be. Hes actually listened examined me and even went through my years past history was in for 30 minutes going through everything.

during my last year everyone had forgotten or even read my report on colonoscope and enderscope, which stated diverticulitus present and small erosions blood test back show large red cells present, but b12 in low bracket but folic acid slightly lower than last tesT BUT UNSURE WHAT COULD CAUSE LARGE CELLS.

he sent me for xray which i had last friday morning to check the chantilaidti syndrome out problem is radiology actually asked me what to look for, and where googling to see what they should look for not very promising outlook, got to wait 10 days going to have my b12 jab on the 1st november just to get it up to scratch, hes also going to order flolic acid injection for me to have as liquid and pill form make me ill, had another two attacks since friday was constipated for three days think the pressure was the blame this time and the hot flushes at night started again, all i can do know is yet again wait going to decide later this week weather to close my buisness down for good, only got three clients now and well havent cleaned them for three weeks because of this and it only be fare to them to get someone else, may releive the stress abit on not worrying about them. taking omeprazole every other day one in the morning when i rise then go back to sleep for another hour whilst it works, taking amitriotyline every other day as well as 25mg dose is so strong makes it hard for me to awake and feel light headed during the day, may go back to 20 mg dose least i could handle that. just still getting my food intake wrong, if i have low fibre have d for four days if i have high fibre get c for three days if i mix fibres feel really terrible get gas bloating vomiting and well stressed if i try new things like pineapple like i had yesterday feel ill this morning, tried papaya feel crap, ad sweet potatos feel crap, just cant get it right, like doctor said cos of ibs that requires certain foods to help these foods upset the diveticulutus he also said that i may be like this for quite a while and that i will have to work out a diet that helps both symptoms now on a research plan on ibs good foods and take out the bad diverticulus foods hat dont contain wheat dairy or nuts, beef, pork and processed foodsmaybe that will work if youve got any good tips on good foods that help im glad to try them hopefully jab will pick me up on thursday.Cant refer me to dietian yet till hes got all the results which is fare enough wants me to phone him when results in as like he said he knows the symtoms just needs the results to confim problem then he will take the next step in the mean time im on the karen sort me out diet plan which means loads of writting and crossing out foods, Hope all well take care Kaz xxxxxx

Hi Kaz,

Good to hear from you and what is really a quite positive post. The old' Rome wasn't built in a day'- adage comes to mind.

I'm so glad your doctor's visit went so well and you are slowly getting there. I'm sure you'll get to a dietician one of these days, just make sure once all your results are in you remind them about it.

In the meantime lowering your amitryptyline a bit is probably a good idea. We are all different and sometimes it takes a few tries to get to the optimum dose of any medication, whatever the reason we are taking it.

I'm sure that eventually you will start to recover from what has been a very difficult time for you. Keep on checking and being careful with your food intake, again only you can know what's best for you after all.

I'm thinking about you and always hoping the next post will be a positive one. Everything passes in the end and one day you will look back at this time and appreciate how much better you are.

keep in touch, my very best wishes to you, Fanny Jane.