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IBS and a lost appetite.

Posted , 38 users are following.

kb10
kb10

Basically my IBS only started a few months ago. And it started with my appetite disappearing completely and a LOT of mucus, both when passing the stool and on its own. Then the diarrhea, cramps, bad wind and everything else started. 4-ish months later my flare-ups come and go, but on a normal day I still go to the toilet about 4 times a day. I know that this is a lot better than most people and I’m lucky as my Mebeverine controls the cramps quite well most of the time. But the thing is, I still don’t have a proper appetite. Is this normally a symptom of IBS? I cant really find any answers anywhere. My doctor thinks it might be a psychological thing (?) where I associate large amounts of food with pain but I honestly do not agree.

I’m eating like once a day, and going to the toilet 4 times, how does that even work!? Until yesterday I went nearly 48 hours without eating and I didn’t even realise. I know that it sounds stupid, but literally no food appeals to me, I go to the shop, walk around and leave because there’s nothing I want to eat. I try to eat fruit and veg and yogurt when I can but the only thing I have actually WANTED to eat in weeks is crisps and tuna. So I was just wondering if anyone else has had the same strange loss in appetite. Or if anyone has any help they could offer?

My doctor said she might send me to a dietician, but I feel like my friends and family almost think I’m exaggerating things and I’m a bit worried if I go to a dietician then they’ll just think I am playing on things. So I want to try other things before I go back to the doctors.

Thanks for reading at least !

4 likes, 40 replies

40 Replies

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  • rosie123
    rosie123

    Posted

    I too loose my appetite, but, only when i have a bad flare up (which i have at the moment) I take Buscopan on persciption,also Aloe vera, i have suffered all my life with it,unfortunatly have not found anything that stops it completly, I think its trial & error unfortunatly, good luck hope the dietician can help, let us know.
  • Ria267
    Ria267

    Edited

    Wow I swear I was just reading my life completely. All the symptoms and worries you have are exactly what I have too. I am 30 years old and I have suffered with IBS since I was in my twenties. I lose my appetite all the time and my family think it is a worry thing. When I am nervous or worry everything effects my belly. I can be ravenous when I am having a really good day or I can go off my food. They say that stress and behavioural patterns can effect IBS. I don't think you have anything to worry about at all. Sometimes all I eat are crisps and anything easy. Maybe the fact that you are worried is effecting your stomach too. Hope I have helped a bit. I know what you are going through and understand.
  • kate711210
    kate711210

    Posted

    Hi there,

    My son who is 22 years old has lost his appetite for almost 1 year and a half.No appetite at all.If he start eating his face gets bloated and get nauseous.Now he is on gluten free diet but does not help.His doctor is thinking he is exaggerating,which is so frustrating.Nobody helps.He even gets bloated when he start brushing his teeth.His abdomen area distended.So we bought special toothpaste from healthy store without fluor.its a bit better but still sensitive. he got colonoscopy,gastroscopy,ultrasound ,blood test .All test negative so they said is IBS-D.

    As a mother i went trough the hell .No appetite at all.I was thinking all the bad things.Its difficult .He can not study .Also not working.He is trying to maintained his mascular body,but he is tired all the time.The problem is sometimes he is smoking pot to eat.That is killing me .He has been through a very dificult stress time.Any suggestions from anybody could help.

    One frustrated mother

    • Sanjeet
      Sanjeet kate711210

      Posted

      Hi mam...my condition same like ur son..am 20 years old...Alwys feel like am in HELL...i can't eat anything from 1 year...IBS...mam plz help if u get some help for ur son...I don't wanna live...i wanna die...am unable to gain weight bcoz i cant eat anything

  • rosie123
    rosie123

    Posted

    Hi I went to see a dietian, but because I wasn't having a flare up at the time, she couldn't really help me, at the moment I'm going through hell for the past 3weeks, normal toilet bad pains, loss of appetite, feeling really frustrated as thers no help out there from G.Ps. I would like to seek another opinion, but by the time the appointment comes if you got no symptoms at the time, they can't help what are we suppose to do ? Suffer in silence, good luck to all x

  • andyglavesy
    andyglavesy kb10

    Posted

    I am exactly the same, I haven't eaten properly for over a month now and subsequently lost at least a stone.

    I've been put on buscapan and anti depressants and I'm also having counselling and Accupuncture for anxiety and panic attacks.

    If a large meal is put I front of me I start to panic, cold sweats and cannot stop shaking, it's like I'm going into shock.

    The buscapan has taken the bloating and cramps away, but, I'm convicted the loss of appetite is pyscological... It's a horrible time as no one in my immediate family understands what I'm going through.

    Any suggestions would be brilliant on how I can get through this.

    • nadia95983
      nadia95983 andyglavesy

      Posted

      Hiya Hun ... Hope your ok how did you get ??? I feel your pain your the same as me
    • ellie12966
      ellie12966 andyglavesy

      Posted

      Hello! Sorry I know you posted this a year ago but wondering if you are any better?

      Your situation sounds the exact same as mine & im really struggling to find someone who understands! Wondering if anything has worked for you?

      Thanks!

    • nathan61893
      nathan61893 ellie12966

      Posted

      Hi Ellie I've just read though this post too, I've been told I have a post infectious ibs after a stomach bug, I too lost my appetite and found my self force feeding and still lost around 1 stone in weight, I've had all bloods done and calprotectin and all normal, in sure the docs think I'm nuts as I am worrying about the weight loss more then anything, I used to eat everything I wanted but am now trying different things cut out on top of a 4000 calorie a day diet to build my self back up again, I hope you are feeling well today smile

    • rhonda19552
      rhonda19552 nathan61893

      Posted

      hI, Just scrolling through posts.  I too have no appetite.  7 months ago i contracted semonella poisioning - and have never been the same since. Lost around a stone as well.  I've had a colonoscopy and endoscopy nothing serious found but bowel motions also have not been the same since either.  Its a mindfield of anxiety and depression.  All I want is to be normal again.  I am on the fodmap diet (boring) but trying everything. Feel for all those with this.  

    • Dbmetsfan
      Dbmetsfan rhonda19552

      Posted

      I too have no appetite when ibs flares up. I have been going through a bad bout of ibs on and off for about a month now and I think the lack of appetite is because I am afraid to eat because I am not sure if all of a sudden certain foods could trigger an attack. I have had ibs for about 10 years and I get maybe one or two flareups a year that last one day and maybe once every two or three years a flareup that lasts at least a week and with the pain in my lower left abdomen it becomes along week if hell. This has been the longest flareup ever and I am tired of the pain and at the same time hoping it’s not something else but with everything I have read I have the classic ibs symptoms 

       

  • nadia95983
    nadia95983 kb10

    Posted

    Did anyone get any answers or feel better
  • imelda16796
    imelda16796 kb10

    Posted

    i have ibs a lifetime, i take mebeverine and buscopan but still open my bowels at least 3 times before 10 am every morning, normal stool but like turning on a tap, does not effect my eating, i have a normal diet
  • alixlouise19
    alixlouise19 kb10

    Posted

    I lost my appetite at the start of being diagnosed with ibs because I was so confused about what I couldn't eat and what I could and it literally started putting me off food because of the stress of it all. But then I started eating normally by having smaller portions of the things I enjoyed eating even if they did trigger my ibs, but then even that started to stop me because I couldn't handle the pain anymore. Ive been taking buscopan now for about 5 months and I got my appetite back, but now I've torn my ligament in my knee so my appetite as gone again which is stupid and I don't know why.

    What I would do is try and eat dry food, like dry biscuits or weetabix and sometimes fruit is easy to eat when you have lost your appetite such as apples, they work for me.

    • jajalye
      jajalye alixlouise19

      Posted

      Just reading through and I know these are old post but according to fodmap diet(low) for ibs sufferers weetabix is a nono due to the wheat in it. I stopped eating that and most cereals(skipping breakfast basically) and find that it eliminates having to go at work. Buscopan/Mebeverine; am I meant to take this everyday to control my daily symptoms of bloating, gas, nausea, the urge and cramping? It just doesn't make sense to me still that I can basically eat nothing, have no appetite and all these symptoms but I'd have to buy buscopan on a regular basis. If anyone is from london, how do I get this on prescription please.

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