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Sounds like IBS? Need Advice

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Devthedude
Devthedude

First off I'm a 21 year old male with anxiety and I'm quite stressed all the time worrying about my health.It started about a year ago when I went to the emergency room because my back hurt so bad I couldn't even do anything. They did a CT scan and told me I was just costipated. Everything went fine after that until about 2 weeks ago I got constipated again and went to the emergency room again. I was have really bad abdominal pain, back pain, and pain in my left side. Everytime I eat I get really bad cramps with a lot of gas and I can just feel and hear my stomach digesting. It feels like I always have to have a BM but I always have to strain and sometimes it's just really small, sometimes it's normal, and sometimes it's flat ribbon like. With this going on for weeks now it just worries me a lot. I don't have my medical insurance as of last week so I can't afford to have a colonoscopy and everything. I They ran blood tests, urine tests, and did an abnominal xray 2 weeks ago but not CT scan this time and said everything was normal. I keep stressing about it being colon cancer or something like that. I haven't had any blood in my stool so that keeps me at ease somewhat. I'm pretty sure my father has IBS and ik my grandmother has IBS-D but I never get diarrhea unless I drink prune juice. I'm only 21 so it scares me to have colon cancer or some kind of disease just because the chances are typically low. Just looking for any kind of advice or share some of the same symptoms you might have would be great because I literally can't eat a meal without having cramps and lots of gas, stomach discomfort, but no diarrhea like I said.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 Devthedude

    Posted

    It sounds like IBS. Try keeping a food diary to pinpoint any food triggers.  Has any doctor mentioned IBS?  When all tests are normal, Irritable bowel can be diagnosed.    If other close relations have  IBS, you are more likely to develop it yourself. Anxiety goes along with IBS and makes symptoms worse.Try getting your medical insurance sorted so you can get more tests to reassure you and confirm whether you have IBS or not.

    I have IBS and started with constipation, stomach pain, back pain, loose stools and nausea.  Anxiety triggers my symptoms.

    • Devthedude
      Devthedude pippa58442

      Posted

      Haven't talked to a doctor yet about it yet since it just started getting bad a couple weeks ago. I haven't noticed anything from certain foods. The only thing that I've had for a long time is the constant gas but not quite like this. Thanks for the reply

    • Margot49
      Margot49 Devthedude

      Posted

      Not impossible but unlikely it is colon cancer as your young age is in your side.  Sounds like it could certainly be IBS and anxiety will only aggravate it. Even though you may not think it is certain foods that may be aggravating this, it is often the first place many of us start to try to figure out a cause.  You might try following the FODMAP diet, cutting out dairy and sugar.  Try to stick to a bland diet and see if that helps. Try eating a few small meals a day rather then 2 or 3 large meals.  Try using Gas-X or Beano after your meals to see if that helps.  If you are constipated, ask your doctor about taking a Magnesium supplement.  Drink plenty of water.  I tend to suffer from anxiety too and take a low dose of Alprazolam daily. You might ask your doctor about trying an anti-depressant, low dose, for a short time to see if that helps.  Hope you can get your insurance sorted out and consult with a good GI Doctor.
    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Devthedude

      Posted

      Try reducing or eliminating gassy foods like broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts if you are having problems with gas.
    • Devthedude
      Devthedude pippa58442

      Posted

      I thought I need fiber and healthy foods to keep me from getting constipated. I've tried drinking probiotics like kefir and it hurt my stomach really bad ever since I drank it.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Devthedude

      Posted

      Insoluable fiber can be bad for IBS.  Sometimes you have to reduce it.  At lesst though you have found that kefir is a trigger food for you.
  • susand1408
    susand1408 Devthedude

    Posted

    It sounds like you need more fibre in your diet. I have a central frugal juicer which takes out the complex fibres which can aggravate your stomach and keeps in the less complex fibres.

    It might also be an idea to start taking probiotics.

    Hope this helps.

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