Is it IBS? What are your pain areas??

Posted , 8 users are following.

Hi all,

I have been posting on other groups for a while now. Long story short is that I have been having upper left pains under my ribs that radiate around into my ribs at the back. I have upper right pains that radiate into my shoulder. I have lower back pains. I have pains in my lower abdomen. To an inch right of my belly button. Then it moves to and inch left of my belly button. I have stabbing below my belly button too.

I am windy, bloated. I have had loose stools for the past 7 months. These are ribbon thin, ragged edges but normal stool colour. Sometimes they may go a little lighter if the pain on my right has been bad. My weight fluctuates badly. I can be 8 and 1/2 stone one day and 9 stone the next. My weight day by day fluctuates by 2-3kgs. I can loose weight really fast. But really struggle to put any on.

I have some heart burn with spicy foods and if I take ibrofen.

I am vitamin d deficient - on maintenance therapy.

I am not suffering from malabsorbtion (ive been tested)

I have had numerous scans and blood tests - all normal. Including a stool sample for IBD.

I saw the consultant as it had prevously been thrown in the mix that I could have chronic pancreatitis. But the consultant I sae yesterday said no its IBS. He's doing endoscopy and colonoscopy to check but he's pretty certain on his diagnosis.

I have tried buscopan with no real effect. I tried symprove as I had read this is good. Saw no real benefit. I have tried live natural yoghurt.

Does this sound like IBS? Does anyone have any identical pain zones as me? Anyone have any other ideas of what it could be? (Gallbladder, liver and kidneys were all nornal too)

Thank you for reading smile

Gem

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Posted

    Yes I have this joint pain too.

    I think joint pain can come from quite a few things like lack of vitamins and nutrients

    Also bloating have you trywd soaking any foods you eat that are high in phytic acid over night in either lemon juice apple cider vinegar or salt.

    Seems to working for me right now.

    I also have chemical allergy to so started on some anti histamine tabs today.

    Have you tryed sprouting nuts or grains or soaking them in salt IRS Gerry good for removing phytic acid and getting more nutrient and vitamins out of them.

    I'm trying making sour doe bread from wheat to morrow too.

    Apparently one slice of bread made this way equates to ten slices you would buy from the supermarket in terms of fibre and nutrients.

    • Posted

      Hi heather,

      Thank you for your reply.

      No I haven't tried soaking my food. I have been drinking lemon in hot water with ginger I've also tried with honey and I do put lemon juice on salads. I will look into soaking my food.

      I have read about apple cider vinegar but never tried it. I think I will give it a go!

      Thank you for your information smile

  • Posted

    Hello,

    I've had numerous tests too...everything except for a colonoscopy (I did have a endoscopy that was clean). My doctor suspects ibs. I never really get diarrhea. My stools are always yellow though. They are normally soft but can be hard at times.

    I don't think I have malabsorption. They tested my vitamin levels and tested me for arthritis (I'm 26 but I'm having bone pain! !!). Everything came back normal except for my vitamin D which causes bone pain! ! So that is probably the cause of your joint pain.

    Okay well my ibs pain is on my upper left abdomen under my ribs and also on the other side, the right under my ribs. Also I get THE EXACT PAIN you're experiencing around the belly button..mostly an inch on the left of my belly button...but I can also (rarely) get it on the right too. I'm still new to the pain of ibs. (Only started a month ago after taking antibiotics.) Before the antibiotics I wouldn't get pain just random pricks that I wouldn't really call pain, just discomfort.

    If I keep a good diet (no excess junk food) then I do pretty well. I can have a bite or two of cake or ice cream but I can't really eat a whole cup of it. /: Right now I'm focusing on taking probiotics EVERY DAY. I just started but I think I'm a little better. ..I guess time will tell. On another forum I read of an Ibser who basically cured herself with L Glutamine & probiotics (its been 3 months) and she says she used to suffer from bad diarrhea but now she had have anything she wants but of course she tries to do it in moderation (Maybe bc she's scared it might come back). I asked her if she kept a specific diet during the time she was trying to heal herself and she said no. ..so I'm determined to buy some L glutamine myself.

    • Posted

      Just a quick question, how did your ibs start?
    • Posted

      Thank you for all your info smile and for sharing your experience! It's kinda good to know there is some other people like me out there and it's not in my head!

      I will look up the L glutamine and I am looking for a good probiotic. I had read about symprove, I tried it for a wek but at £18.99 a bottle it's a bit expensive for me to buy each week! So I stopped after a week but it's supposed to take 12 weeks to work.

      My joint/bone pain is horrible! I've moaned about it on here before. When it's at its worse I can't think of anything else!

      My pains just don't feel like IBS, if that's makes sense? But I guess I don't know what it's supposed to feel like.

      I've had mild IBS when I was younger but I was diagnosed with endometroisis just after so I don't know if I was originally misdiagnosed. I never really noticed anything more until after my 2nd c-section in May 2014. Things just got worse from that. I lost my nan on October 2014 and in the hospital I was just hit with this pain on my left side that's never gone! My right side pain started in my 8month of pregnancy and hasn't stopped since. I lost 3 stone in weight, exercised, lived on chicken and salad and it still didn't make any difference! sad

      How did your start? Do you have any triggers?

    • Posted

      Yes, I know how you feel! I have my bf and my parents tell me all the time to just stop thinking about it and that it'll go away...as if it's all in my head! I'm not saying that maybe it might make it worse by over thinking but it definitely doesn't start in my head! !

      I've never heard of Smyprove but I'll look it up if what I'm taking doesn't work. I'm currently taking VSL3...it was recommended by my gastro. It has I think about 100million bacteria and about 12 different strains, I believe. It's supposed to be really good but it isn't cheap. I think it's $40 for 30pills but supposedly it's really

    • Posted

      Sorry I clicked reply without finishing. But supposedly its really good. L glutamine is supposed to heal the intestines.

      And about the pain. ..everyone is different that's why one thing works for someone with ibs while that same thing won't work for someone else. I've read numerous people say that ibs pain can be different for everyone. And it can occur anywhere in the colon and the colon outlines the abdomen so pain can be felt anywhere in the abdomen.

      My digestive problems started after getting sick while traveling out of the country. ..I got pretty sick. I was so healthy with ZERO digestive problems and now I can't digest food so well. /: After that I've gotten sick numerous times with stupid infections I've taken so many antibiotics without knowing how bad they are. .. so my last round ruined me. Now I'm more determined than ever to fix my gut. ....it's so damaged. ... I know it is. But I've read that it can be healed so hopefully I can do it in the next few months!

    • Posted

      My Specialist just gave me VSL3 too. So how was this probiotic going on? I have this pain on my abdomen since late January after taking a specific probiotic which caused this pain ever since and loose stools every morning. I felt regretted taking that brand! 
  • Posted

    This sounds as if it could be IBS. It could also be gallstones but this is unlikely if gallbladder is OK.

    You mention having various scans.

    Have you had an ultrasound scan to check for gallstones?

    If not it may be worth you having that.

    Hope this helps

    Take care

    Sarah

    • Posted

      Hi Sarah,

      Thank you for your reply.

      Yes I've had 2 ultrasounds that have come back clear. I've also had 2 MRIs and and MRCP.

      I thought it might be gall bladder dysfunction but my consultant didn't really think much of that!

      If I get another flare up of pain on my right side I will go to a&e and see what happens.

  • Posted

    Hi Gem! How are you? I'm experiencing the same thing since February. Consistent lower abdominal pain and diarrhea. The doctor say it might be IBS but still need to undergo colonoscopy just to be sure. Thank you!

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