Ibs is ruining my life- worried it could be something else
Posted , 13 users are following.
Hi guys,
I'm a 22 year old female and I've had ibs for about 6 years. I've had MRI scans, blood tests etc and nothing sinister has shown. I have tried EVERYTHING and I'm having not much luck.. I went through a stage of it not being so bad and having an attack of sweating, cramps, nausea and diarrhea very occasionally and just everyday bloating (which I am now very used to) the last month or so I don't recall ever have a fully formed BM- they are always loose without fail and it's driving me crazy. I woke up this morning with the most agonising stomach pain, I felt sick and had diarrhea.. it passed after about 2 hours but it leaves me feeling weak and horrible.
I know that anxiety plays a huge part and that's something that I want to get rid of.. any big occasion and it's so bad- my graduation was spent on the toilet and crying in pain, trips to the cinema, my birthday, when I went on holiday I had diarrhea the whole journey there. It's ruining my life and making me nervous to do anything too far away from home- can I see a therapist on the NhS? To help deal with the anxiety? I'm basically just wondering if anyone has any ideas of things I can try- I rely on bucopan, peppermint tea and a hot water bottle when my attacks are bad. But I've tried- Colpermin, charcoal tablets, probiotics, Fodmap diet etc and I just want to feel normal ????
1 like, 27 replies
martin31040 HLMCX
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martin31040 HLMCX
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Anonymous111 HLMCX
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There are counselling services available n the NHS. Look up on the internet services near you - often they're self referral. If not arrange a telephone consult with your GP, so they can make you a referral.
The cramps are the IBS. Buscopan will help with these. Do you take buscopan everyday or do you just take it when you get a cramp?
The everyday bloating is most likely functional abdominal bloating. This is very difficult to do anything about - Charcoal is really all there is.
Alternatively it could be a food intolerance - so keep a food and symptom diary and try and notice patterns. If it were a food intolerance and you're getting symptoms everyday - it would be something you're eating everyday. So have a trial and error with these - I would begin with breakfast cereals if you eat those.
Guest HLMCX
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ElleJ22 HLMCX
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Hello,
You sound very similar to me. Feeling sick and the loose BM. Since it started with me I never have a fully formed BM either, even on the days I'm not feeling sick. No one has diagnosed me as to what it may be and I have had countless tests. Just possible IBS. I can't work out what I'm eating that's causing it and been tried on buscopan!
I would suggest keeping a food diary of everything you eat and note on the days you don't feel good and then check back the past few days what you ate to see if there's a pattern. You may have better luck than me! Ginger tea is quite good for the nausea.
Has your doctor tested a stool sample?
I understand where you are coming from with the anxiety, that doesn't help the issues you are already facing and I too experienced this but it can't be helped with the way you are feeling. Speak to your doctor. They can refer you for some CBT through the NHS. I found this quite helpful.
Good luck! Just keep at your doctor to do some more tests for you too! Let us know how you get on
meg29650 HLMCX
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Hi HLMCX,
Your description of this sound exactly like mine - I wish I could offer more constructive advice, and I'm hoping someone else will answer your post. I've been through all of what you've described, and never dreamed this could happen - I've had this for just over two years, and it came on suddenly (overnight).
It is worse than horrible - it runs your life, Doesn't it? Things I've tried - going to the hospital (they can find nothing wrong, despite every test imaginable, therapists, all the diets recommended, anti-anxiety pills (No wonder anyone with IBS is anxious), and even a psychiatrist, who told me it was definitely not in my mind (although I never suspected it could be). Our family doctor prescribed morphine, and right now I've made an appointment with the Legalized Marijuana here in Canada - and don't hold out much hope for this route either. My family doctor is at his wit's end, and after exhausting his supply of specialists, can be sympathetic but of no help.
I hope someone out there has some suggestions… my sincere thoughts are with you.. *HUGS*
Meg
LCat meg29650
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It is truly more than horrible and totally wrecks your life. It’s also heartbreaking that no doctor can help us. How are you doing these days ?
pippa58442 HLMCX
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LCat pippa58442
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I never had any anxiety before these stomach problems started. Therefore I’m totally convinced that it starts all physically and then the Vagus Nerve in the stomach gets irritated and causes all these other symptoms like anxiety, spells of dizziness etc. How can counselling help against an upset irritated stomach ??
pippa58442 LCat
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LCat pippa58442
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I don’t have any specific reason to be stressed except that my stomach causes so many problems that I worry whether this will ever stop . Whenever I have a reasonable day with my stomach and I can eat something, the stress or worry about the stomach is instantly gone! When I wake up in a horrible way with stomach pain and nausea : instantly the worry is back and I get palpitations and dizziness. I wonder whether this will ever ever stop.
pippa58442 LCat
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When the antispasmodics and distraction techniques start to work, you won’t feel the pain and you won’t have to worry about whether your pain will stop. If I get a flare up, I take Buscopan and sometimes nurofen on top and I tell myself that within fifteen minutes, my pain will start to die down and then stop completely and it does. Fifteen minutes is the length of time it takes for Buscopan to work. The trick is to take your pain medication as soon as your flare up starts and the quicker you will start to feel better. Try not to concentrate on whether the pain will ever stop. With IBS, your emotions are strongly linked to the nerves in your abdomen which are very sensitive to stress of any kind.
LCat pippa58442
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I’ve been on the low Fodmap Diet for more than 2 years and it didn’t stop me from getting ill again. I can see why the pain stops when you’re taking Buscopan and Ibuprofen: Ibuprofen is a NSAID which is chemically similar to Aspirin. Ibuprofen is a painkiller and will stop the pain. I would love to take Aspirin or Ibuprofen but the problem is that I have Gastritis and you’re not allowed to take any NSAIDs like Ibuprofen, Aspirin etc .... because the theory is that they damage the stomach lining .... and Paracetamol is allowed but it doesn’t help very much. The theory is that 80% of stomach ulcers are caused by Helicobacter and 20% are caused by NSAIDs like Ibuprofen etc. Do I believe this ?? It’s the general view amongst doctors. Do I believe it ? I’m not sure any longer
pippa58442 LCat
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I don’t know how true these percentages are that doctors give because one size doesn’t fit all; everyone is different. If paracetemol doesn’t work well, I would discuss this with your doctor
kelly81479 LCat
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