IBS - How does it make you feel?

Thanks for your reply Michelle

I had tests for collitis, celiac, signs of inflamation. I've been going back to the docs over and over as symptoms keep getting worse, only to be told it's only IBS 

I just feel awful pretty much all of the time. Do you get flare ups?

Thanks,

Penny 

 

Yes, I do get particular flare ups but the rest of the time still don't feel fully well. It's just that I felt really horrendous when it does flare up. I get very nauseated, can't eat and feel thoroughly exhausted and like I have fog in my brain. I've logged everything for months and the only link I can see is to my period cycle. I also have signs of silent reflux, so no particular pain.

Have you had any internal tests, like sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy? Xxx

Yeah i feel like that today. I feel sick, have a foggy head and have a very upset tummy

I had a sigmoidoscopy two years ago and nothing was found but then I had a really large cyst on my ovaries last year and they thought that was causing all the upset to my bowels etc

But even after the removal, my stomach is still upset frequently plus other symptoms mentioned

It's just awful. I'm having an examination next week to see if anything else is going on with remaining ovary but I just worry that there really is something more going on with my bowels and it's not getting looked in to because I have health anxiety

xxx

Penny I feel for you here. I know precisely what you are going through. What are you worried about specifically?

Have you spoken to your GP about the anxiety and are they sympathetic? I would suggest that if you are really concerned that you insist on a referral to a GI at the hospital, for no other reason than to put your mind at rest. I am doing this too. I know how debilitating even the anxiety can be. Have you had an ultrasound recently? Xxx

I'm worried it could be bowel cancer to be honest. Or endometriosis

The GP referred me to speak to someone about my anxiety which I'm doing next week

The only ultrasound I had was a year ago when they discovered the large cyst. The doctor mentioned today that I can have a scan of my stomach if things persist in the next few weeks but I might ask to be referred. I just never ever feel well!

Was just hoping to hear how IBS made others feel so I can compare. The info you find online is always so vague! X

This is exactly where I am with this too Penny. I hope that we can get answers. Do you get any pain?

I don't just really specific discomfort on my lower right side. I've had so many scans and all come back clear. Xxx

Remember also that our health anxiety is completely exhausting for our bodies. The amount of chemical changes produced particularly by long periods of intense anxiety will not be helping you. Stress can absolutely exacerbate existing symptoms and create new ones, particularly if you have a predisposition to GI disturbances. I spent about three weeks convinced I also had throat cancer because I felt like I had a lump in my throat constantly to the point I felt I was choking. Then it just went away.

Do seek help for the anxiety. Be very kind to yourself in the meantime. Perhaps try a low residue diet for a few weeks. That helped me hugely and gave my bowels a rest when the medication did nothing.

I constantly remind myself that likelihood of this being bowel cancer is minimal (how old are you, any family history?) Work on the basis of facts, your results have all been clear so far. My GP said cancer usually shows up somewhere in initial tests, even little hints. Push for further tests to reassure yourself but focus your energy on reducing the anxiety. Do not Google anything. This will make your anxiety worse. According to Google everything is cancer. We live in a world where the alerts to it are everywhere and it gives us a disproportionate view of the statistical likelihood.

Be kind to yourself. We forget to do this. Xxx

Thanks so much for that. I'm seeing a therapist next week about my health anxiety

I'm 30 and my grandmother died from bowel cancer. I've mentioned it to the doc and she's said it's very unlikely to be anything sinister

In just struggling with the reoccurring upset stomach I have. At least once a week I feel like I have a stomach bug and then the rest of the time I just feel bloated and uncomfortable

In answer to other questions here, I don't get pain every day. Usually only when I'm on my period I have excruciating pains and shooting pains in my bowels

Today I have a very upset stomach where I can't eat anything and have needed to go to the loo all day. I feel very sick and groggy and have pain on my right side when I touch it

I guess my anxiety isn't helping matters but I will push for more tests

Thanks everyone for replying xx

I'm 30 too Penny! I'm sorry to hear that's what your gran died of. Mine died of ovarian cancer so I understand how your worry works. Statistically at our age it is so very unlikely to be bowel cancer (how old was your gran when she died?) or anything of that nature. I too have had the excruciating pains in bowels only when on my period. I know how frightening this can be and how absolutely convinced you can feel that it's something sinister. The therapist will help, so that's a great thing you've done there.

I had the frequent bowel loose movements, (literally all my issues came on over night), discomfort on the right side (where I feel there's something good stuck in there), nausea and unable to eat for days at a time and weight loss (yeah, that really freaked me out thanks to the Googling). A host of stomach issues, burping included (lovely). So im taking omeprazole for acid. I've had every blood test going, 2 ultrasounds, stool tests and also a flex sig. All normal. Now I want an endoscopy and colonoscopy. I'm also waiting on a gynae referral. If they are normal I'll just have to admit the docs are right!

Is the nausea bad for you Penny? I can suggest some meds to ask for from the doctor. Also the low residue diet for 2 weeks may really help you. It did for me and I really didn't think it would do. Xxx

My gran was in her 50s when she passed. I think since I had the ovarian cyst and my ovary removed, I've just constantly been worrying that something else could happen to me because that was an ordeal in itself. Yeah it is unlikely at 30 but googling does come back with some scary stuff which doesn't help the anxiety!

I get burping and have acid reflux (only since starting mebeverine and peppermint tablets) and often feel like my throat and chest are very tight

I feel very nauseated right now and seem to get it at least once a week along with a very upset stomach and the foggy/groggy feeling. I feel exhausted when all these symptoms come together as well

I'll see what happens next week at the doctors but I really want more tests for peace of mind! What a life eh

Xxx

Ha! Indeed. I though the 30s were for being care free! And again, the anxiety over the cyst is also obviously exacerbating your worry generally. I don't know about you but I often feel like I have blinkers on, it's cancer or nothing else. That's nothing but destructive.

Does your nausea get worse with your period? Our symptoms seem so similar. I've not seen anyone on the boards with our exact combo of symptoms before. My upper gastro symptoms also came on after the mebeverine. I'd never connected them before! I'd also always been fine with peppermint before too. Now it makes me so burpy.

If the nausea gets bad you might want to try some buccastem tablets. You can get them OTC and they are usually for nausea associated with migraines. They work by blocking the signals from the vomiting centre in the brain. My GP recommended them. They give me relief for a few hours when the nausea is bad and longer at other times. You dissolve them between your upper lip and gum so you don't even have to swallow them. Ginger tea has been helpful if the nausea is mild. Good for the bowels too.

Keep on at the docs and I will too. Keep me posted if you get anywhere and I'll do the same. If you ever need to talk because you're worrying, send me a message. You're not alone and you don't have to be scared hun. Xxx

Yeah I always think I'm going to get cancer or have a tumour. I try not to google because it makes me so much worse. I used to be so logical then after my operation I just became an anxious mess!

Yeah all my symptoms get a million times worse the week before and during my period and my anxiety is even worse then too

I'll definitely try the ginger and low residue diet. Thanks a lot for everything you've said and I hope you find some relief too

Likewise, message me any time. You've been really helpful

Thanks again to everyone who has replied and I hope everyone feels better soon

Xxx

Thanks hun, it's somehow good to know someone else out there is going through a similar thing. Though I sincerely wish you weren't because the nausea is just blooming awful to deal with. I'll be thinking of you and willing you through it. My nausea is worsening like clockwork before and during my period.

Honestly, just do your best to stop googling. I've not found any answers in all the time I have (6 months). Stick with these forums instead. Believe it or not my job is in research, and I'll still believe any old crap I read on the Internet about health, rather than my docs who've been through years of extensive scientific training. That's actually ridiculous. I should definitely know to question my sources better! Hard I know when you've convinced yourself there's something wrong.

Willing you to feel better asap and get some relief. Be kind to yourself in the meantime and try and rest and focus on healing your mind too. Maybe try a hypotherapy/meditation app thst helps when my anxiety goes through the roof. You're allowed to not worry about this every minute of the day. I always wish someone would remind me of that. Xxx

Hi

What sort of symptoms did you experience with mebeverine? I don't think they work for me at all!

 I felt as if I had swallowed a pebble after taking one tablet,  my constipation worsened, I lost my appetite, and I was aware of digesting my food for one hour.  I stopped the medication and I felt 50% better.  I tried them again some days later to see if I was imagining my symptoms and the same side effects came back.  I didn't even finish the first slide of tablets; I put the straight into the bin.

Mebeverine did absolutely nothing for me at all. Stopped them after a week of feeling no different.

Yeah I've started getting indigestion and acid reflux since starting on mebeverine and peppermint

Neither help my stomach issues either

Peppermint is rubbish for me too. Ginger is much more helpful and can help mild nausea.