Is This IBS or Something More Scary?
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hello,
I'm looking for advice from other people in this forum regarding some unfortunate symptoms which has taken over my life since recently.
About a week and a half before April of this year I noticed a funny feeling in my stomach. It's hard to explain but the feeling was uncomfortable. When April began, I started experiencing mild abdominal pains and a change in overall bowel movements (sometimes solid other times loose).
I went to my GP who said I was saying I'm too young for these symptoms and even asked if cancer runs in my family (a bit odd but it doesn't). He sent off a CEA (cancer marker test) which came back normal and also did a Barium Enema test which also showed no abnormalities and that everything was normal.
Upon bringing the barium enema results to him he simply seems to suggest it could be IBS or something else, prescribed meds which he said I should take if I have "another attack".
What puzzles me is, what attack? I've pretty much told him that these symptoms have pretty much persisted from the start of April (some days it's hardly noticeable). After the Barium Enema test, my symptoms had eased about a week but they're pretty much back. I've also noticed pain near my rib section and on my left side and the mild pain in my stomach still continues.
Full Symptoms:
- Abdominal pain started around navel section but is now general throughout my abdominal area
- Growling stomach
- Diarrhea (semi-solid to diarrhea)
- Felt sudden pain in left side of stomach/rib area which was worst when lying down. That was just one night.
- Sometimes using the bathroom relieves me of symptoms for a while
- Mild pain usually comes on throughout the day but is never really felt in the morning when I wake
I really want to know for those with "IBS" does symptoms last this long? Based on research it seems IBS should not persist this long (typically 2-4 days then goes).. So, all in all, I'm confused and a little worried. I've booked myself to see a specialist since he wouldn't really recommend one but I'd like to know the thoughts of others.
Sorry for the long "essay", looking for some advice. Thank you for listening.
2 likes, 25 replies
kim59492 mike10657
Posted
Ibs lasts for always. It can come and go in severity with flare ups. Usually caused by stress if something you have eaten which didn't agree with you. But it doesn't just last for a time. You may get reucurrent flares.
You could ask the dr for a referral to a gastro dr who may give you an endoscopy and colonoscopy. That way once they have exhausted those routes it's only usually then a good dr will give you a diagnosis of ibs. Ibs is only diagnosed by process of elimination. There is no specific test for it. Try to cut out wheat and dairy for a while. See if that helps. You may have developed an intolerance for it.
mike10657
Posted
Just doing a follow up for those who had replied to me and you can all share your thoughts.
I got the opportunity to see the GI specialist and highlighted all my symptoms to him and presented my previous test results.
He didn't seem alarmed by any of my symptoms. He sent me to do a stool test for h pylori and I assume something else but today all results came back negative. I told him I just wanted to make sure it's nothing too serious.
His conclusion was that it just has to do with a change in balance of the good vs bad bacteria so he prescribed probiotics which I am now to take. I asked if it could be IBS but he said he wouldn't draw that conclusion at this point in time. It seems also from the negative barium enema and normal CEA test which the local MD had done (which I showed him the results of) was enough for him to conclude it's nothing serious.
I must say for the most part my symptoms have subsided I still feel the occasional very mild discomfort but nothing near where it was. The only issue I have now is inconsistent stools (sometimes normal, sometimes light in color, sometimes small etc. - it differs day to day).
Still unsure but I guess I have to now try and rest my thoughts. Thank you for all the input from everyone! Any follow up thoughts and/or discussions appreciated.
pippa58442 mike10657
Posted
mike10657 pippa58442
Posted
Haven't been back here in a while. Thought I'd give an update and get some feedback. Glad to see you're still on the forums giving advice pippa!
So for the latest update with me, after seeing the GI specialist and taking the prescribed probiotics (Enterogermina) things seemed to calm down a bit. The belly aches disappeared for a bit but I still had inconsistent stools throughout the whole time. Stools with moucus, sometimes floaters, sometimes oily stool, sometimes flat stool. The whole ordeal.
In October I noticed the lil nagging pain resumed and now in late November/December it seems I'm back to sqare one. I have belly aches almost daily which starts up mid morning and lasts throughout the day. My stool is stlil very inconsistent and has a pale appearance and sometimes floats. Researching online is terrifying with the serious illnesses (aka pancreas issues).
I wanted to know, did you ever experience pale/light colored stools with IBS? Did your stool ever float?
pippa58442 mike10657
Posted
My stools have never floated but I did go through a point when they were thin, pencil shaped and very light brown. Before they were tiny hard pellets and I once put my bad back out trying to pass one. IBS can cause all sorts of stool changes and they tend to go away for a while but can come back. Foods sometimes don't absorb well and appear in the stool. Fatty foods can be problematic for IBS sufferers. Have you tried the low Fodmap diet or a food diary to see if something is disagreeing with you? Stress and anxiety make IBS worse.
I had three and a half months of constant, daily pain and then after diagnosis, everything got better again. I wouldn’t google symptoms because Dr Google can be inaccurate and only gives general info and doesn't focus on the individual. I terrified myself with this and also feared for my pancreas. You could try an antispasmodic like buscopan. Fruit or an occasional laxative helps with constipation and imodium or codeine helps diarrhoea. Rice or bananas also help.
mike10657 pippa58442
Posted
I have tried Fodmap foods before but didn't really stick to it. I noticed back when I had the symptoms earlier this year some items would affect me more than others but when the symptoms went I went back to eating normally without any aches till later in the year.
I must admit thinking back to the onset of symptoms it happened when I was a bit stressed out (if its IBS then I can attribute it to that). I know Google an be so scary I guess not getting the conclusive answer that it is IBS by a doctor still drives me crazy. If symptoms continue I will just have to go back. I had ice cream earlier tonight and it doesnt seem to be affecting me much.
pippa58442 mike10657
Posted
A definitive diagnosis of IBS will help to ease your worries. At first I didn't see the connection between my stress and my symptoms and didn't mention any stressful episodes to the all the doctors I saw. In the end, on my eighth visit, the doctor actually asked me about my recent stress levels and diagnosed my IBS on that basis..
Sloganlogo mike10657
Posted
My symptoms then disappeared overnight and I mean almost all of them. Since then I have minor flare ups here and there but I can live with this compared to my past symptoms
mike10657 Sloganlogo
Posted
pippa58442 mike10657
Posted