IBS? please help

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I am a 22 year old female, 115lbs 5’1. Since i was about 15 i started experiencing these “episodes” where after i eat something that might trigger my stomach i would urgently need to run to the bathroom and have diarrhea. This would happen every now and then and i figured it was just something i ate.. time went on and i started to notice that i could eat a certain meal and be completely fine and the next day eat that same thing and be rushing to the bathroom. I breifly visited the stomach doctor being diagnosed with IBS and never doing further testing, just some blood work. Fast forward to college and stress would trigger my episodes, but also times when I was carefree i would still have these explosions and then go 3-5 days without bowl movements. I never seemed to realize if a certain food caused this. The past 2 months have been significantly worse and within 10 minutes of a meal i would be sprinting to the bathroom, often throwing up whenever i had alcohol. I had a few drinks this past thanksgiving and threw up close to 9 times the next day. My life has been altered by this in the worst way. I am incapable of eating big meals because i get full so fast. i am hungry very often and do have a big appetite though, i am a big snacker. I am scared to travel far without a bathroom, i cannot order at restaurants what i desire because I’m scared it will upset my stomach. I am nauseous very frequently, (I am not pregnant) I just visited a gastronoligst and what was done initially was blood work to test my blood count, for celiac disease, thyroid and liver. The doctor told me to stay away from milk/icecream- i now drink almond milk. He also suggested citricel from cvs that can help regulate my bowl movements. These things have helped a little but not significantly, i still have this horrible urgency to go to the bathroom here and there. I went back for my blood work to find “numerous abnormalities” in my labs, turns out i am very anemic and he said i was down close to 3 pints of blood. I was never able to donate blood at a blood drive because of low iron but whenever i went to my MD this was never a huge concern just a suggestion for iron pills. I was now drawn blood again to see what type of anemia and check my iron. I was not prescribed iron pills (told me may cause constipation) I don’t know how i feel about taking these. The doctor is leaning towards IBS and i feel slightly rushed and i have more questions then answers after visiting the gastrologist. He has mentioned not wanting to do invasive tests but I can not continue to live my life this way with just the advice to tweak my diet. Even after eating bland meals I can still experience this. If anyone has any advice or suggestions please help. Is there relation of this anemia and IBS? can it be something worse than iBS? I have read many articles how many stomach problems can be mistaken for iBS.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    Please make food alergy tests (from blood) for all products you will find. You can also make DAO enzyme test. Chek also if you have no allergy for nickel. I've healed my IBS by taking probiotics for very long time (now it's 6'th month) - especially Lactobacillus plantarum - you need to takie it at least 3 month. I've startet getting better after first month. Ask your doctor about probiotics - better ask about that your dietician.

  • Posted

    Did you check for hpylori?

    • Posted

      Not that i know of, i will definitely talk to my doctor about it. Thank you for the suggestion!

  • Posted

    You may have IBS and anemia. Food intolerance can go with IBS?

    • Posted

      I think it is a possibility. I need to get tested for food allergies and intolerances. I am just nervous to miss something and mistake it for IBS because of similar symptoms.

    • Posted

      Your doctor will first run tests to rule out other causes that may mimic IBS to make sure nothing is missed.

  • Posted

    I meant to say i was NOW prescribed iron pills. 325mg once a day.

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