IBS is ruling my life! Could be TMI so read with caution!

[Carparkbarker]

Does anyone else suffer from IBS and if so have you found a medication to help?
I have IBS which manifests itself predominantly as diarrhoea intermixed with the odd day of constipation.

My anxiety is now through the roof with work as my stomach is worse in the mornings and im in a job which requires me to be on a phone taking calls. Because in the past I’ve been caught out or been very close to being caught out and had or nearly had an accident I’m sure a lot of what is causing it is anxiety.

When I do go then it’s never all gone the first time, I need about 3 trips to the toilet to settle my stomach back down. I’m really embarrassed by it as I work in a small team, all younger than me and I’m sure they are noticing my many trips out of the office, sometimes one after the other. If I’m on a call I cannot concentrate, just breathing and hoping they’ll make get off the phone so I can dash.

If I eat vegetables then I get embarrassingly smelly wind and diarrhoea, eggs do the same, bread can trigger me, milk also seems to be an issue, the list goes on. I honestly cannot pinpoint if there is one particular trigger, it could be anything. If I eat too much it’s a problem - too little then food on an empty stomach then bang I get caught short again. When I do go it’s awful and I’m embarrassed to say the work loos stink, I’m just so embarrassed to show it’s me.

Sometimes I have no warning, just a familiar, low down cramp and then there is no warning, just liquid that I can’t control.
I have the odd day where I’m constipated (but at least I feel safe) then the following day I’m on edge as I know it’s due.
I’ve resorted to taking an anti diarrhoea tablet if I know my stomach feels a bit dodgy before I leave for work but that just bungs me up and then I have an awful day the following day when I go about 6 times in the day.

The GP is almost impossible to get to see and when I’ve gone before I’ve just been told to keep a food diary, well that’s a waste of time as anything and everything triggers me.

Has anyone taken an OTC medicine, vitamin, supplement or SOMETHING that helps regulate and stop this? I’m currently safe eating bland food like crackers, chicken, white rice etc but it’s not a heathy diet - I ate an apple this afternoon and it resulted in 3 very quick, horrendous trips to the loo. I’m so fed up!! I’ve even stopped walking too far and shopping as it’s as though that triggers my bowel and I’m needing the loo, often where there isn’t one or I’ll need 2 or 3 visits to clear out.

Sorry it’s long but I’m at the end of my tether!

Have you tried the FODMAP diet? It changed my life!

Monash have and currently do all the research.
Apples are a high fodmap food so it may be a trigger for you. Your GP should be able to refer you to a dietitian.
www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/starting-the-low-fodmap-diet/

You poor thing,that’s no way to live your life. You can’t carry on like that. I’ve got Crohn’s disease so I know how you’re feeling and the psychological damage it does. Please do go back to your gp. Have you been tested for Crohn’s/colitis cause your symptoms sound pretty bad for IBS.

Oh that sounds miserable. Very similar to me but then I was diagnosed with IBD (not IBS) ie ulcerative colitis.

After getting it into remission I've been free from a flare up for 5 years now. Changed my life. I was triggered by anxiety too and was getting panic attacks when I wasn't near a toilet, or didn't feel I could get to one (like if I was stuck in traffic or in the supermarket queue where you can't just dash off quickly)

Might be worth pushing for a referral for a colonoscopy? I was told it was "just" IBS and paid privately in the end for a colonoscopy and was told my bowel was in tatters (i was bleeding quite a bit by then too)

I feel so sorry for you OP as I know exactly how you feel. Everything you write resonates with me. So embarassing isn't it on top of everything.

Does your poo smell of ammonia? My relative had huge success with goats milk kefir (you can make it yourself) and the change for the better was very quick too.

I wish I could say I have a cure but I too suffer with this. Severe diarrhoea on a daily basis sometimes up to 8 times a day. I work from home so am lucky in that respect but also resort to taken anti diarrhoea tablets if I have a busy weekend etc.
Did fodmap and it didn't really show triggers apart from onion and garlic. Sweetness are also a massive trigger. Literally within 10 mins of drinking anything with sweeteners in can make me run to toilet! The sugar tax is hell!!!!!

I was similar to you OP and it is throughly miserable! I really can't recommend FODMAP enough! It can be a bit daunting to start with but it soon becomes "normal" and it really does make a huge difference

Kefir, as mentioned above. Worked wonders for me.

My mum suffers with this, I don't have any advice about food,
I just wanted to let you know that she has a key for locked disabled toilets and a credit card type thing that she can show in shops without customer toilets (b&q is one) and they let her use staff toilets.
She got it from a referral from her GP.
I feel for you op and all pps who suffer. I see how it's affected my mum and it's not right for anyone to suffer.

I've been trying kefir for mine. Not sure if the results yet.

Kefir, saurkraut, miso soup. A really really good pro-biotic. Consider seeing a nutritional therapist, and maybe seek some counselling to help with the anxiety because it sounds like you're stuck in a vicious circle- anxiety = diarreah = anxiety etc

Keep going back to your GP and ask for further help. Try another GP if yours is unsympathetic. It’s really not a way to live!

My GP eventually sent me for a colonoscopy which drew a blank (but it’s a v important starting point). Then I did the FODMAP diet which only pointed out the obvious (such as I have trouble digesting pulses) And now I’ve worked out through trial and error, and a simple food diary, what I should and shouldn’t eat.

FODMAP diet has proved to be massively helpful to manny people, so it’s worth considering. As ppl have said, you need to be referred and do it under a dietitian.

Lastly, may I suggest that instead of kefir, that you start taking some probiotics? (I always get pre and probiotics muddled up...). It’s in the form of a capsule called BioKult. I take one a day, and it’s changed my digestive system hugely. Certainly most health food shops stock them, and Amazon too.

Just take one a day to start. That may help. It’s one of my lifelines!

Lastly, I’d suggest you stay off any foods that trigger you, but just make sure your GP won’t send you for coeliac (gluten) testing, as you will need to be eating gluten for the test to work properly.

Good luck.

I’ve just been through a private consultation process for IBS. Things that have helped me immensely:-

• cutting out caffeine. Apparently it makes your gut spasm. Don’t forget fizzy drinks too.
• cutting out dairy. Again very irritating to the gut.
• cutting out onions and garlic in cooking. Use garlic oil instead.
• limiting processed food. Trying to eat and cook from fresh as much as possible.
• taking probiotics
• practicing mindfulness/meditation to calm the anxiety

I can go onto the full low FODMAP diet if I want but I don’t think I’m going to need to as these things have had a massive difference. Good luck OP because it really is miserable

Yes to the 'back to the GP' messages. I don't think IBS presents as severely as this and you need investigations to rule other stuff out. Take someone with you and make sure the GP is aware of the severity of your symptoms and how they are impacting your ability to do your job.

Please see the doctor again I was told IBS for ages and eventually diagnosed with microscopic colitis.

I was going up to 20 times a day at my worse moments and I know how draining it feels.