Anyone had post infectious IBS?

[LashesZ]

DP had a bout of Norovirus (confirmed in stool sample) lasting 9 days. This was about 8 weeks ago. Since then he has had nausea, fatigue, chills, stomach cramps and loose stools every day. I can't remember the last time he ate a full plate of food or stayed up past 7:30pm. The GP suggested it was post infectious IBS from his bowels still having active inflammation.

Problem is, he said it can last MONTHS. Has anyone had this and found any tricks to improve??

[eurochick]

I had/have ibs following a bad bout of food poisoning. The food poisoning was twenty years ago. It left me lactose intolerant (which took years to diagnose) and with a couple of other triggers. It's well under control now I know to avoid lactose but my innards have never been quite the same. Not what you want to hear but it can happen.

[unfathomablefathoms]

If it's due to inflammation a low residue/low fibre diet for a few weeks might help. And plenty of water/clear fluids. (Remember fruit juice contains fibre, esp if lots of pulp.)

Short term a low fibre diet is ok but not long term without consulting a nutritionist/dietician as it can cause issues with malnutrition etc.

Eating little and often rather than three large meals may also help.

[unfathomablefathoms]

Oh and when coming off a low fibre diet do so gradually! And be mindful of the two different kinds of fibre: soluble and insoluble. The latter is tougher on your system, esp in large quantities.

[NymphInYellow]

This happened to DS at Christmas. I would say he didn't eat much at all for 6 months, had upto 6 bouts of diarrhoea per day some days and lost a ton of weight. Pale as a ghost and sometimes just lay there, too ill even for tv, he would disappear and just go to bed. The paediatrician advised us to cut out lactose for a while, which didn't help. Next he suggested reducing sugar intake, eating a high fat diet and taking probiotics. DS is much better, but has the occasional flare up now, for which he takes Buscopan and it seems to help. He is currently being investigated for underlying immunodeficiencies though.

[Nacreous]

I had that, combined with also entering a Very high stress work environment. It was really awful and I lost 25% of my body weight in 8 weeks, then lasted in very bad form for about 3 years. I now have foods in intolerant to and still need meds sometimes but not daily.

I think in my case it was hugely exacerbated by the stress v though, as it used to fade a lot when I was off.

I would look at which foods are high fodmap and see if any of those are a particular issue.

My dad also had an amoebic stomach bug and was unwell for six months after, but is fine now.

[Nacreous]

(low fodmap diet is shown to help IBS and trials are ongoing at university of Cambridge to establish the mechanism for this)

[LashesZ]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I will sort out some low FODMAP meals and hopefully he'll be on the mend slowly but surely

[RB68]

I have known others have this as its often due to the digestive system being stripped out so something to put right bacteria back is good (Probiotics)

[nutellalove]

Yep, gastroenteritis triggered my IBS. Didn't eat properly for at least 6 months, then for years had stomach problems. It's till not really the same and this was 8 years ago but probiotics/ all the remedies to manage IBS like FODMAP etc helped. I think it's quite common for IBS to be triggered by something like this, most of my friends who have it can pinpoint the trigger

[Shittyshittybangbang2019]

Would a course of flucloxacillin also cause a type of ibs. I’ve been have constant diarrhoea and mucus since taking it a couple weeks ago