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My struggle with IBS

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poorlygirl93

Hi guys, basically I have suffered from a mixture of symptoms for the past 5 years. Im only 19 now so it feels like a lifetime to me!. It started through eating certain foods in my early years and has nowoprogressed to severely affecting my life. I explained my symptoms to my doctor who then diagnosed me with IBS. He gave me omeprozole, buscopan, mebeveine and lopermide. I used them all as directed and still no joy. The symptoms I generally get are..
. Severe abdominal pain to the point of screaming
. Bloating after meals
. Constipation
. Wind
. Severe urge to go to the toilet in contraction like pain which then goes after going to the toilet.
. diarrhea every morning
. Constantly tired
. Squeaking sounds from my stomach
. All symptoms get 80% worse while on a period

I have been for a colonoscapy and it was all clear. I need help so badly it's affecting my work life and my relationship. Can anybody relate to me and maybe had another diagnosis?

Thanks for reading guys and don't worry we are all be in it together!
 
TaylorLauren

TaylorLauren

Hi, poorlygirl93!

I'm twenty-two, and was diagnosed with Crohn's when I was eighteen. I have more or less the same symptoms as you - intense stomach pain, incredible amount of bloating (sometimes I look six months pregnant), lethargy, and so many issues going to the bathroom. What I've come to realize, for myself, is that my symptoms have everything to do with what I'm eating and what my mood is like. With Crohn's, pain can also arise simply from inflammation, though. But I think it's likely that you do indeed simply have IBS. My girlfriend has IBS, and I believe most of, if not all of, her symptoms arise when she is suffering from some emotional unrest (stress, anxiety, sadness, anger...) or when she has eaten something that just doesn't agree with her belly. I think most people have some form of IBS, in the sense that their emotions and what they eat affects how their bowel movements are, what their stomach feels like, etc., but I believe some people's stomachs are more sensitive to their emotions and diets than others.

This isn't professional advice at all, and I'm sure you've done most of this, but I would urge you to be mindful of the connection between your symptoms and your emotions and diet. For example, do you find yourself having intense stomach pain right after you received news that made you feel anxious or angry? Do you have an urgent need to go to the bathroom after you've been stressed or upset? Is your tiredness a symptom of something like anemia, or are you feeling exhausted by your current lifestyle? Is your diet giving you sufficient nutrition to feeling energized? I've found that my intense stomach pain can be helped and hindered by my emotions. If I am calm while experiencing a flare-up of pain, the pain is much more bearable and goes away more quickly. If I become very upset, I can without fail predict that stomach pain is soon to follow.

The bloating and some other symptoms, if you have IBD, probably are entirely dependent upon your diet. Eating junk foods, raw vegetables and fruits, and dairy products can all cause me bloating and gas pain. Do you eat a lot of junk food? Have you always consumed dairy? You might be a bit lactose intolerant, like me, which would lead to bloating and gas. It might just be mild enough intolerance to go relatively unnoticed. If I were you, I would try to pay close attention to what you eat and how it affects you. Sometimes it can take twenty-four hours or more for a food we ate to start affecting us, so maybe you should keep a food journal and keep track of what foods bother you and what foods make you feel well?

If you haven't done this before, I think being mindful of your emotions and your diet could really help you control your symptoms. If it seems like it's something more, definitely talk to a doctor about these concerns.

Good luck!

Taylor
 
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poorlygirl93

Thank you for all of your help Taylor! I think it's going to be a long hard struggle but when you have help and advise from people like yourself it makes it a whole lot easier. I will definitely be looking at my diet and stress and anxiety is a major factor with me as I'm a really shy person. Hopefully if I work on that side of things I may get some results!


Thank you once again and I hope your condition stays manageable and improves xxx
 
rygon

rygon

Moderator
Hi and welcome to the forum

It may be worth keeping a food/drink diary to see if you can find anything that upsets your stomach. With this you say what foods you have eaten and how you are feeling at points in the day. You may find drinking something will cause bloating within the hour, or maybe food will take 4-12hrs so a diary will help keep track of it better.

I find wholewheat, corn, lettuce irritates my bowels a lot (I think its because its hard to digest), as well as anything high in sugar. Some types of alcohol also play me up. I found this out just by trial and error really but it has helped a lot (allergies can be tested for but intolerance testig is not very accurate and a waste of money)

I would suggest drinking peppermint or ginger tea for the bloating and pain. Probiotic yoghurt is also good for this. Dont take any NSAIDs as these can irritate your stomach

It would be a good idea to check your iron, B12 and vit D levels as these could all be causing your tiredness if low.

Lastly its worth keeping some wet wipes, tissues and a spare pair of pants somewhere close by when you go out just in case you have an accident. I always have some in my car and does help with reassurance and the stress
 
Tazbopeep

Tazbopeep

Hi sorry your poorly. I have been suffering from some of your symptoms for around 3 years now and they diagnosed me with indigestion.. iBS..heart burn then I got referred to a stomach specialist who diagnosed me with cynic sickness syndrome ( google that) so I had meds for that for about a year and when I would have an episode I would take my and it would help me sleep through it but in the last 3 months I was in constant pain and couldn't eat a thing. My stomach hurt to touch so they sent me for an MRI scan and it showed up the crohn's ! Hope that helped x
 
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poorlygirl93

Thank you Taz! yes it really does help. I'm sure my condition is more than just IBS and have battled with the GP for years to push for more tests. He won't budge though just keeps pumping me with more antispazmodics and lopermide. I'm really sorry to hear about your diagnosis but at least now you know how to control it and speak to people like myself for support.

Thank you xxx
 
Tazbopeep

Tazbopeep

Yeah it is such a relief to know what's wrong. Just keep pushing at the docs...it's so frustrating. Every time I was at the hospital they would give me painkillers and send me home. They just want u in & out. I hope you get sorted soon hun x
 
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poorlygirl93

I know I have been in A+E so many times and waited hours to be told to take painkillers and rest urghh they just don't understand the pain and embarrassment! I suppose you can never understand until you have an illness like this. Thank you for your support hun I honestly really do appreciate it! Xx
 
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