Is This DD

Yes absolutely. Anything that gives me wind or big BMs sets my bladder off. I'm not convinced quite how that links to my DD yet though, but my bladder is always bad when my DD flares, but can also be bad when my DD is fine.

Hi Louise , It doesn't matter what size my BM 's are I still get debilitating pain .

Once it flairs up the pain continues for days, weeks , the often I open my bowels

the worse it is . The only time i get any relief is when I don't go for 2/3 days .

Once I open my bowels it all starts again. Are you the same ? Have you found

anything that eases the pain ? I've been told I also have Interstitial cystitis/ painful bladder syndrome but after the link with my bowels I'm not so sure .

I can't have complan has it flares me as does many foods .

Yes. The less often I have a BM the better off I am. I have had pelvic floor surgery in the past, and I've been looking into a condition called pelvic floor dysfunction which I think is what is going on. The only thing which helps me is sleep and going on liquids only for a few days. Diazepam works great for me but I'm too scared of getting hooked on it to use it more than once a month, and then only at a 2mg dose, but it's nice to know it's there and it works if I'm desperate.

I avoid tea and coffee and take probiotics , they do help

a bit but nothing eases the pain . I have to take diazepam daily due

to other issues , it doesn't help me with the pain.

This is for both Louise h73 and Linda 282930. I was very surprised to read your posts relieved that someone else might be having the same symptoms as me.

I am female age 70 and I have Ibs and diverticulosis ( never has an an infection) plus other health problems and anxiety. I too have been suffering from pain and soreness in the vulval area and bladder pressure and frequent urination. It seems to be connected to opening the bowels coming on after wards causing low back pain and sore pelvis. It also seems to be connected to passing wind. My gp has been treating it as thrush saying that it look as inflamed. The cream does not seem to be working though. I am very confused and frustrated. I have a problem with getting constipated and increased my fibre intake recently when helped with the constipation but seemed to me made the stools too big and bulky (sorry to be graphic). I am typing this in pain. When I mentioned this to my gp she suggested I try the low fodmap diet to get rid of the wind and bloating also increasing my fybogel. I have sort of started the diet but not properly but am worried about constipation and DD infection. I have thought the symptoms might be prolapse, UTI, intersial cystitis etc too. I am due back at gp next week and was going to ask for tests on urine bladder and so on. I try to drink plenty of water to keep urine weak. Could I ask if you think there are any foods which might cause it. I am finding it hard to cope with back and vulval pain on top of Ibs and arthritis etc. This is the first time I have seen a post describe these symptoms. Does yours seem to be a bit better after emptying the bladder (no pain like with cystitis). I have trips coming up and feel I may have to cancel if I can't get this sorted. It does not bother me at night just in the day. I am finding this hard to deal with and it is making my anxiety worse does not help. I am also scared off having more investigations having had both upper and lower endoscopists in the last year. Thanks for reading this.

Sounds very similar to me. I find fibogel makes things worse for me as it increases bulk, and latulose makes me windy so that's not good either. I stick to low FODMAP which dies help me to minimise wind. My dietician started me on a complan only diet, 6 drinks a day, then gradually added other foods. I'm now on solid food once a day. Touch wood it works but it's quite hard to stick to 100% of the time even though I know that straying causes issues (like at the moment.) I'm trying movicol to keep constipation at bay and so far it seems okay. I use glycerine suppositories to make BMs easier. I'm also okay with moderate amounts of leafy veg, but definitely no starchy ones. If you've got trips coming up you could discuss a short term liquid diet with your doctor maybe. It's the only thing that really guarantees me a pain free few days. I also have a prolapse (rectocele) and I'm sure that doesn't help. My bladder is relieved straight after emptying but painful as soon as it starts to fill when it flares up.

It has taken me about 6 years to properly make the connection between my bowel and my bladder problem. I took all sorts of horrible bladder medications which made me feel horrendous and definitely wouldn't recommend. Now that I know that I can control it mostly with diet, I am much more relaxed about it. I hope you get some answers x

Hello Thanks for your reply.  Lactulose and movicol caused me cramps and bloating although this may have been more IBS than DD.  Fybogel/mebeverine seems ok but I have wondered about it bulking up the stools too much although this seems less of a problems since reducing fibre.  I am still so worried about constipation and blood in stools which is why I had the colonscopy in the first place when the divertiulosis was diagnosed.  

I am though confused about low fodmap.  I have read that you should be under the care of a dietitian whilst on this diet.  My gp just said download the app and try it for 4 weeks.  I have had a test for gluten intolerance and it was negative but should I still eat gluten free bread.  I have not been able to go shopping due to the snow so have been just cutting the wholemeal bread by half using lactose free milk and staying away from high fodmap fruit and veg.  I must say the bloating is much better but stools are still lumpy although easy to pass.  We are pensioners so have a budget for shopping and don't want to spend money on things I don't need.

With regard to the bladder, back pain and vulval discomfort I think that maybe more than one thing may be involved.  It is good to speak to those suffering the same problems although I wish none of us were affected.  Which foods/drinks do you find affect the bladder/bowel etc.

I have 2 trips planned one for one night at the end of the month and a wedding for 2 nights in the summer both 4 hours drive away.  Although my husband would be driving I don't think I could sit in a car this length of time with these symptoms even with stops so I hope I can get it under control.  I have found that gp's don't really know much about DD/IBS and mine as nice as she is just says you need high fibre for constipation and if you have no temperature or feel ill then you don't need antibiotics.  I am sure you would agree it is not as easy as that and everyone reacts differently.  Sorry if I have gone on a bit just so down trying to get things right.  No one really understands how it affects me which is not that helpful although understandable.  Thanks for reading this.

I find food has a big impact on my pain . I don't eat anything acidic or spicy.

Potatoes are very acidic and make me burn . Can't Eat sausage, bacon , red meat, eggs , no veg only carrots . No cooked meats , no tinned soups because of the added spices . It's a nightmare having to read all the labels. I stick to

sweet potato with carrots and a little chicken . Only drink water and chamomile tea. It will be my 40th wedding anniversary this year and would love to go away

for a few days but daren't book anything as I don't know how bad my pain will be. It's making me housebound . GP wants me on Fibogel but I find it gives me constipation and take lactulose. I don't have UTI 's but get all the symptoms ,

the sore vulva is awful , can't sit in comfort . The medical profession seem baffled by it . I just wish I knew if the pain was coming from the bowel or bladder ,

feels like both so don't know how to treat . Very depressed with it all .