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
anna6767 HLMCX
Posted
Honestly, probiotics have not worked for me, when I go high fiber, it affects my colitis. I have both. My coloitis has been in remission thankfully but not my IBS. I have been so sick with it this week, especially the last three nights. I am admits IBS with constipation and I get up with the urge to get to the bathroom, go very little, then at the same time have dry heaves. It is horrible. I am so wiped out that I can't function I just took Librax. So far, that is the only drug that has been given to me by my doctor. Look it up, I do take the generic. Might be worth a try. I have been where you are with all your experiences. Just putting a morsel of a cracker in my mouth would drive me to an urgent bathroom run. Two weeks ago I had to go to two different events and I was desperate on what to do so I took Imodium which did help at the moment but also I think it put me over to the other side, constipation. Ask your doctor about Librax. It might be worth a try to get through your attacks.
heather59891 HLMCX
Posted
Hi I've had IBS D for 7 years now. I am only 27 and I feel like im always suffering. I miss alot of work and always in pain or uncomfortable. I hear your pain an i feel it too. I use ib guard everyday. I drink teas an avoid caffine with taking these stupid anti depressants that my doc swears help. At first they worked magic now nothing. If you find releaf please let me know.
pippa58442 heather59891
Posted
LCat heather59891
Posted
I have also always been wary of antidepressants. Medium long term many people don’t seem to get relief from them. They have side effects as well. GPS seem to give them for god knows what kind of conditions. A friend of us got them prescribed for problems in his foot . How are you doing at the moment?
jeanette91263 HLMCX
Posted
I know that anxiety and stress are one of the reasons for my IBS. I just try to avoid stressing situations but there are things like mindfulness where you concentrate on what is going on in the moment. It works for some people.
Can't think of any thing else, perhaps going to see your doctor and ask about anxiety and sress and how to deal with it might be a good idea.
LCat HLMCX
Posted
HLMCX LCat
Posted
Less of the anxiety and pain as I’ve joined the gym and practise meditation and mindfulness (thought it was rubbish at first but it has helped). I still have the loose bowel movements, very very very rarely have a formed one, that’s what I’m trying to focus on at the moment. I wake up and within 10 minutes I get the urgency to go for a BM or which is loose. And then I am ok the rest of the day until I go the next morning (unless I’m having a particular bad day).
I’m interested in hearing about your experience. Thanks x
LCat HLMCX
Posted
I’ve been through hell and back from 2012-2015. I was unable to eat and lost 2 1/2 stone, couldn’t breathe, nausea and palpitations. I had also all sorts of tests, Sinus, lungs , heart, etc. Gastroscopy. I had tough antibiotics but didn’t feel better afterwards. I tried the Probiotics but they made me even more sick. I Was told to do the FODMAP diet. I was on this diet for months and months. Not sure whether it helped. After 7 months on this diet I recovered. I wonder whether that was coincidence. I had 2 wonderful years without any symptoms. I gained back some weight. I thought I was cured. How wrong I was! October 2017 it came all back with a vengeance. Since then I’ve had nausea, agonising pain, feeling sick, spells of dizziness, unable to eat anything for weeks, lost all the weight again. Since January until a few days ago I was only able to eat Yoghourt and milk. Now I can also eat a few vegetables. I have the same thing like you in the morning. I wake up and have to instantly go .... but I’m grateful .... as long as I don’t have the anxiety and nausea and dizziness and stomach pain. I’m very keen to learn from you the type of exercises you do in the gym : I have been worried 😟 re exercising whether ‘shaking your stomach’ and guts could irritate them. I must admit I also thought that meditation and mindfulness was a lot of rubbish. But after what you said I want to also try it. HLMCX, where should I try thes ‘things’ i e meditation and mindfulness ?? I wouldn’t know where to start . Can you give me some ideas? How didn’t you find the fodmap diet ?
LCat HLMCX
Posted
connie81586 HLMCX
Posted
I can relate to this, and am getting CBT for it at the moment. One thing that my councilor said was that the fact my world is so small (I'm not very sociable and am mostly either working or at home) means that food and my symptoms make up a large part of it. She suggested finding events/groups to go to to distract me.
In terms of symptoms, not eating too much fibre/fermentable carbs has really helped me. I tolerate white jasmine rice well, and don't eat any beans, wholegrains or nuts as they make me really ill.
LCat connie81586
Posted
I couldn’t agree more ! I was shocked to find out that whole grains made me sooo I’ll... I couldn’t even tolerate porridge. I also got very ill from eating Uncle Bens Rice. I finally found out why after I read a book about this subject re all sorts of different fermentable and hard to digest fibres. I was surprised to read that there are different types of rice. Uncle Bens and Basmati rice are 14 times more fermentable than Jasmine and sticky Sushi Rice. For decades we have been brainwashed into believing the more whole grains the better. It certainly helped me to drop the high fibre aspect of my diet. DId you find events and groups to distract you ? Are you also in the UK?
connie81586 LCat
Posted
I've found groups and events unrelated to my IBS problems, like an 'Introduction to Sewing' (really enjoyable), and am also planning to go to a meetup for introverts (meetup.com) when I'm free
I just went on facebook, clicked on events, then discover, and then I selected my area. Yes I'm in the UK too 
I'd recommend meetup.com for finding groups that interest you. I hope we both get some help for our symptoms though...I'm so underweight that it's scary.