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IBS? Or something else?

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billahmed
billahmed

Hi guys, I'll start off by saying I'm 18, overweight, suffer from anxiety and asthma.

 

About 2 and a half months a go, I suffered from a bout of food poisoning, I think it came from some chicken or possible a kebab I ate on the day. Anyway, for the next 1 and a half weeks I suffered from diarrhea ( normally 2-3 times a day, normally first thing in the morning) stomach pain/ cramps and the occasional rectal pain (well it was a weird sort of stabbing pain, mainly when I was lying down). After this food poisoning, I recovered and went back to having normal bowel movements and solid stools. Now, about a month ago, I started having stomach pains, cramps and I have diarrhea again. With the diarrhea, I normally need it shortly after I wake up, I get a pain in my stomach notifying me that I need to relieve my bowels, and of course with it being diarrhea it's loose stools. But another thing I have noticed is that both my ribs have started hurting, it's hard to describe it but it's not a nice feeling. Also, the left rib hurts to touch, near the bottom of the rib, it feels like I have bruised it or something as when I press down it hurts, and a bit further I also have some pain, also hurts to touch it there. I noticed that when I do empty my bowels, the pain does slightly ease up but then returns later and also when I eat (I do eat quite a lot in a day, mainly fast food and fried foods and sweet stuff etc) the pain comes back a bit as my stomach is full. As far as I am aware, there's no blood in my stools, it's just normally quite runny, loose and brown and I haven't suffered from any weight loss as of yet. I am genuinely really worried because I always have the feeling that I may have bowel cancer, and because I suffer from anxiety, the pain gets ever more worse when I start thinking about it and worry. I haven't had the chance to see the doctors yet but I am definitely going to make an appointment soon. What do you think I could possibly have?Thanks people.

 

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • robin77577
    robin77577 billahmed

    Posted

    Hello Bill Ahmed,

    This bout of food poisoning could be a blessing in disguise. If your house was on fire, would you pour petrol on it? THat is just what you are doing to your insides. Your bowels were sick...and instead of helping them to recover, you add fuel to the fire; you put junk inside it. This is a golden opportunity to take care of your body and return it to health. If you want to be healthy and be attractive to the opposite sex, treat your body well. If you plant a beautiful flower and then pour garbage on it, it will grow unhealthy and die prematurely. Take care of your body. It is your temple. If you want to be healthy, attractive and have energy and vitality do the following:

    1. Eat 6 - 10 servings of vegetables per day. (cole slaw, broccoli with butter and garlic, salads made of GREEN leaves not iceberg, tomatoes, asparagus with mayonnaise and lemon juice, red peppers raw, celery and carrots. Eat an apple every day. It does keep the doctor away. Your dinner plate should be colourful...NOT beige!

    2. Get some exercise every day whether it be walking or a sport or an exercise class. 

    3. Drink plenty of water. (I have a pitcher by my computer so first thing in the morning I drink down 2 full glasses). For every cup of coffee or tea, both of which are diuretics (cause you to pee) you have to take one cup of water to replace the water lost.,...and then drink another cup of liquid such as water.

    4. Get out in the sun to get plenty of vitamin D...especially if genetically your ancestors were from a sunny country. Your needs are greater.

    5. NEVER go to a fast food place again. Those places serve nothing but disgusting food that make you feel sick afterwards.

    6. At least until your bowels are better, stop drinking and eating any dairy products...cheese, milk, yoghurt, cream, milk etc.. Instead buy a carton of almond milk. It is delicious in tea or coffee. 

    Keep away from foods that give you the runs such as greasy foods, dairy products and spicy foods.

    GOOD LUCK, Billahmed!

    Robin

     Lifestyle, lifestyle, lifestyle!

    • billahmed
      billahmed robin77577

      Posted

      Hello Robin, can I just say I greatly appreciate you taking your time to reply to me! I one hundred percent agree with what you are saying about the junk food etc, I got the food poisioning most likely from eating fried chicken from a fast food restaurant, and after I recovered I have started eating oily food and fast food almost everyday and I have noticed it makes me feel sick afterwards and almost always need to relieve my bowels a couple of hours after eating these unhealthy meals. Yep, I'm definitely going to start eating fruit and vegetables each day as I have to admit I barely ever consume foods like these, maybe through a fruit juice or the occasional piece of fruit. I do exercise around an hour most days so I think I'm not too bad on that front but of course I can still improve! And yes, you're right, my ancestors are indeed from a hot country! I will also start to cut out all fast food as I do notice that my stomach suffers alot after eating greasy food such as fried chicken and burgers/kebabs etc. In regards to the diary side of things, I don't really have milk apart from maybe a cup of tea once every 2 days, cheese is something that I do have a few times a week as well so I shall start to cut down on these dairy producs. I think at 18 years old I do need to start thinking about the future and my own health! Once again thanks Robin! Still worried that it maybe possibly bowel cancer still. sad

       

    • robin77577
      robin77577 billahmed

      Posted

      It is NOT bowel cancer. There are many, many other things that it can be before you should think in that direction. First of all you are too young to be seriously ill. It would be very, very rare to have anything serious at your young age. ONce you get 'regular', you will see that your bowels will stop reacting so strongly. Just listen to them. They are trying to tell you to treat them properly. When you do, they will simmer down. Don't worry! It is nothing that cannot be remedied by a decent diet. Watch that rice with your kebabs and falafel! It can be very constipating!

      Robin

    • billahmed
      billahmed robin77577

      Posted

      Thanks for re-assuring me, I was genuinelly very worried for my health, being at such a young age despite my weight I did feel I would be very unfortunate if I did have bowel cancer!  And I shall definitely start eating healthily from now on! One quick question, could my suffering from anxiety make my pains even worse? I noticed that when I'm busy and I don't think about it, I feel slightly better at times. Also, I feel pains under my ribs after I eat a fairly big portion of food, is this normal?

    • robin77577
      robin77577 billahmed

      Posted

      Yes, of course. If you stuff lots of food in your stomach, it pushes against your ribs, especially if you are sitting down. Eat less food and you will feel much better. Drink more water to make you feel full. When you are hungry reach for a glass of water. Wait 10 minutes and see if you are really still hungry or if it's just cravings. If you do decide to eat, because your stomach has water in it, you will be less inclined to over-indulge. 

      Do you suffer from social anxiety? You feel ill at ease around others? Go to your local health store and speak to someone who is knowlegeable. Don't take anything homeopathic. It's phoney. Take St John's Wort...if you decide to take anything at all. Magnesium will also relax you at bedtime so that you sleep well. Playing sports or going for a huge walk every day will help dispel tension and anxiety.  

    • billahmed
      billahmed robin77577

      Posted

      Yeah, I do get this rib pain mostly when I sit or lie down or breathe in etc. I shall start drinking more water because I mostly drink fizzy drinks instead. And no, my anxiety is the sort where if I feel like I'm in a slightly scary situation, I'll have a bit of a panic attack then suffer from the symptoms (chest pains dizziness etc)
  • robin77577
    robin77577 billahmed

    Posted

    Hello again billahmed,

    I wanted to mention that asthma and being overweight go together. Apparently the latest research shows that losing weight means losing the asthma. 

    My own experience is that I suffered from asthma for years. It took me 20 years to figure out that MILK and other dairy products caused my stuffy nose, tight chest and crazy coughing bouts. My coughing was so bad at times, I created a scene in public and couldn't attend concerts and that sort of thing. And these coughing bouts came on after ingesting dairy products in any form. I wish I had realized the connection years ago. You can live quite happily without drinking milk and it's derivatives. Even cows only nurse their young during infancy. It is really strange when you think about it that humans drink the breast milk of a cow. We are the only mammal that does this; drink the breast milk of another mammal...AND in adulthood. So kick the milk bucket and switch to almond milk. It's delicious. As far as cheese goes, you can live wihtout it...besides, the consequences (ashtma) are just not worth it.  Improving your health is in YOUR hands only.Good luck Billahmed.

    • billahmed
      billahmed robin77577

      Posted

      Yep, until about 1 year a go or so, my asthma had gone for a few years, only suffered from it until about the age of 12 but now I have found it has come back and can get quite bad. I shall start cutting out dairy from my diet, thanks once again Robin!

       

    • robin77577
      robin77577 billahmed

      Posted

      Just cut out dairy products completely not even any in tea) for a week. I can guarantee your asthma will stop. Also remember, tea is constipating. Take the magnesium citrate (2 -3 tablets) before bed OR fybogel; a tsp in a big glass of water maybe before dinner if that is convenient. Magnesium citrate is a mineral...like taking calcium for example. It is good for your overall health; especially for your brain! That's good when you are a student. I used to give it to my daughter in high school during exam period and she swore that she found tests easier to study for and to write. You will be FINE.
    • billahmed
      billahmed robin77577

      Posted

      Oh right, well I shall do this soon! And do these medications help the stomach etc? Thanks once again!

       

    • robin77577
      robin77577 billahmed

      Posted

      Magnesium citrate isn't a medication. It's a mineral; in other words like a food. It is like calcium. As a mattter of fact you can buy calcium and magnesium together in one tablet. But since calcium is so constipating, it's better to take magnesium alone for now. You can get it at your druggist. You don't need a prescription. Ask the druggist about it if you need reassurance that it's the right thing for you. I have been taking 400 - 600 mg daily for quite a few years and I rely on it to have an easy, quick, soft, pain-free BM first thing in the morning...which is when one should empty one's bowels. Good luck!
    • billahmed
      billahmed robin77577

      Posted

      I'll definitely pursue this mineral then if it's a good help, thanks Robin!
    • robin77577
      robin77577 billahmed

      Posted

      If you really NEED fizzy drinks, you can buy club soda and add 1/4 cup of juice to it. Otherwise, fizzy drinks are loaded with sugar; VERY bad for your health. I am sure if you cut out fizzy drinks and drank water, water, water...or maybe with a bit of added fruit juice, you would lose a lot of weight with no effort whatsoever. Just don't drink full glasses of juice. They are VERy high in sugar.
    • billahmed
      billahmed robin77577

      Posted

      I used to drink around 2-3 litres of water everyday but now that I eat from fast food places a lot, I buy a can or a bottle of coke etc instead of water! I will definitely cut out sugary drinks and start drinking lots of water like I used to.
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