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IBS & Periods - Help

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georginie
georginie

Hi,

 

I am new on here and am looking for advice or someone who has also had this.

 

Right some general background, I am 22 year old female, university student, 5 foot 7, overweight, and I have always has problems with my stomach since I was a baby even. My granddad has IBS, and so does my mum. The doctor put me on buscopan originally, but changed it to Colofac about 4-5 years ago. I also have acid reflux, which I take omprezole for. I usually get stomach pains and an urgent need to have a poo especially in the morning. It’s not usually diarrhea (it has been though in the past), its usually soft & messy but not runny/watery.  Also I get a yellow substance from my anus. When I wipe, there is the poo and around it is a yellow substance. About 4 months ago, the doctors changed the colofac (once a day) to Mebeverine (once a day). Since I’ve been on these it hasn’t got any better I would say it may have got a touch worse.

 

I have also had problems with periods (my mum also has problems with hers but hers were more regular than mine, but still irregular for years).  I have my first period at about 13 or 14, it came for about 5 days one month, then the next month again the same, but after that it didn’t come back for about another year, where it came for about 5 days and went again for over year. Sometimes I find it starts when I do exercise etc.  It’s gone on like this until March this year. I did go to the doctors I think when I was about 18, he did a blood test (I think for hormones), and it was fine, and that was all I heard about it. In March, it came for 5 days, and then in April. Then I start spotting on about the 8th day before the next was due in June. In June it lasted for a whole month (varying from light to moderate). It stopped at the start of July. Then on the 15th I started spotting again, for a day or two, then the day after it was the tiniest amount. This time I got lower abdomen pain; off center to the right (it felt like pressure). The blood was brown coloured. Sometimes when my periods actually due I get it normal colour other days its brown. I was getting worried so on Friday I went to the doctors to ask about my IBS and Periods. I couldn’t see a doctor so had to see an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, who said that the problems with my periods spotting etc could be because of stress. I told her about the problems with sometimes when I do exercise it starts, she thought it could be an irritation with my cervix, she did a smear test (first one), but she said that my cervix looked fine. She said she would refer me to a gynecologist for ‘advice’, and for an ultrasound.

 

I asked her about my IBS, and she told me to stop taking the Mebeverine, and try Fibergel. Which I did and on Saturday and today I have more and more pains in my lower abdomen (center-ish, and left side), slight pressure pain in my groin and very tops of my legs, and pain in my stomach (about 3 inches below breasts). I have also found that I get a slight pain before peeing and a very very slight burning sensation. I feel I need to pee slighty more. I woke up this morning with a horrible taste in my throat and a very dry mouth. I didn’t take the fibergel today and haven’t taken the Mebeverine. It doesn’t hurt all the time, but the pain generally lasts for a few seconds, but my whole abdomen feels a bit uncomfortable, even cloths sitting on it makes it feel odd. I also have noticed that I am a burping a lot more but not farting.

 

I am a worrier and am really worrying about this, I have read that IBS symptoms have been mistaken for different cancers; I am worried that this is the case. I am a virgin, how likely is it to get some of these cancers? 

I was wondering if anyone had had this before. I have been under a lot of stress recently, what with university and my dog is really ill. My mum thinks it’s the stress and because I am worrying it seems to be getting worse.

I was wondering if both are separate or both due to stress or something worse.  Could it a reaction from the smear test etc?

I was just wondering if anyone could help, because I cant help but worry.

 Sorry about the all the writing. I know Its only been a few days but I would to know if other people have had this. 

Thanks. 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • AnonymousWoman
    AnonymousWoman georginie

    Posted

    To me, this sounds like stress-induced IBS and stress causing disturbances to your period. Try keeping a food diary to see if you have any food triggers. I found out I too after suffering from IBS for years. It is so much more manageable when I can avoid trigger foods. Also I found that food-intolerance reactions were much more severe than regular IBS and cause a lot of uncomfortable belching, bloating  and discomfort. I would bloat up really bad and then have a bout of belching until all the air was gone. And it was due to improper digestion of trigger foods. 

    Try checking out the fodmaps diet - it is all based on different types of carbohydrate that can cause food intolerance reactions: http://www.gidoctor.net/fodmap.php

    Also, perhaps consider starting therapy for stress? If you ignore your anxiety instead of learning how to cope with it, it will only get worse. 

    The good news is that you can start to gain control again now that you have ;realised your problems and are seeking help 

    Sorry to hear you are feeling so bad and are so worried. I really hope you start to get some positive results

    Agirl xxxxxx

  • AnonymousWoman
    AnonymousWoman georginie

    Posted

    Hi Georginie, 

     I had written a comment already but it's waiting to be moderated as I had linked to an IBS-information site. 

    Anyways, I think your IBS symptoms are just IBS and it makes sense then that your periods are irregular due to stress too. Don't worry about whether the blood is red/brown. Mine changes colour throughout the cycle too. Sometimes brown when it's light at the start, then red, then usually light brown towards the end. 

    Sorry to hear you are feeling so bad but please try not to worry about your symptoms as much as you can because that will only add to the stress and then you're in a viscious cycle. 

    I think you must deal with a lot of stress/anxiety if your periods have been affected this much and for so long. As well as the IBS. And it sounds like you could have health anxiety. Perhaps you could consider seeing a therapist to work on ways of coping with/reducing stress? 

    I hope you figure things out and start to feel better soon, 

    All the best, 

    Agirl xxx

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