IBS sufferers - please gather!

[BearSoFair]

Is anyone else feeling like they're stuck in a constant loop of flare-ups since the whole covid situation began? I can't remember the last time I had a week where I felt well every day I only have to think about a change in routine to end up on the loo, it seems, and at the moment routine is still out of the window!

DH and DC are sympathetic but I don't think they really understand that it's not just an upset stomach, it really wears you down when you never know if you might have to dash for the loo in 2 minutes time or spend yet another day hunched over a hot water bottle trying to ignore the cramping.

And meals...DH and DS1 are very good with stepping up to help with the actual cooking but meal planning is usually me and I'm tired trying to plan nice dinners when I never know if I'll be able to eat normally, or need to have a few days on toast, bananas, and plain crackers.

It's just getting me very down at the moment and I'm hoping there will be some people here who understand what I mean.

I wish I could say I agreed, but mine has remained constant and does not seem to have been affected by lockdown (for which I am VERY thankful) BUT I DO agree that it is more than just an upset stomach. An attack really drains you both physically and mentally. If you are having them as frequently as you say, you have my sympathy and and I only wish I could give you some worthwhile advice or remedy.

Have you tried buscopan as I find it really helps to take the edge off the cramps and general sicky feeling.
I can’t drink alcohol anymore or have caffeine as they both make me feel like I’m dying. I also have to watch very fibrous meals, spice and too much sugar in one go.
It might be worth getting a blood test to check for vitamins and minerals as the IBS could mean you don’t absorb nutrients from food easily. Being deficient in certain things will make you feel like death warmed up.
Do you get gassy? Activated charcoal tablets can help with that a bit and a probiotic can also help (although you might feel worse for a few weeks when you start taking it while it clears out all the bad bugs).
I also have to do all the advance meal planning and find it exhausting as I never know How I’ll feel from one day to the next. We can’t do our grocery shopping daily as we live nowhere near a supermarket and I don’t drive.
Have you had further investigations done such as a colonoscopy? Have you been checked for things like celiac disease and lactose intolerance?

Checking in - mine has just been it’s usual horrible unpredictable self. I have found that one capsule of loratidine a day seems to stop the cramps and desperate need to get to the loo. The Dr seems to think it is okay to take it long term, so that is progress. Much empathy to all fellow sufferers

Luckily not too gassy! Buscopan cramps in the gold box definitely does help to take the edge off on the worst days. On a 'normal' routine I'd maybe have one or two bad days a month, at the moment it's one or two bad days a week!

Had it bad last week, 4 nights running up between 3am and 5am with diarrhoea

Im constantly eating buscopan, immodium and rennie deflatine.
My IBS is hideous.
I only eat one meak a day and have for years, I just cant tolerate more than that.

I get constipation n the cramps last night felt like labour pains ! Almost called 111 was in that much pain

Bought buscopan today for first time, hope it helps

1 loperamide a day stops me feeling like I permanently need the loo. Dont get cramps unless I have dairy but mines played up over lockdown. I'm not even stressed about covid and have worked right through but nobody told my stomach that!

Mine's the opposite, not being at work and being in the 'safety' of home (ie near a toilet) means I'm fine, proving to me it's largely psychological for me.

Sorry you're suffering. It's horrid. The absolute worst.

There are better anti-spasmodically than Buscopan available online prescription so perhaps ask your GP?

Mine was awful for the first few weeks of lockdown but then settled. Until this week when it's back with a bang but I have been doing a lot more this week and stressed with DS's bad health so I'm not surprised it's worse this week.

Mines been playing up, the back pain has been awful, I want to try cry. I know I really need to go as well but it won’t come, it’s been days and my lower back is so painful. I hate taking laxatives as they never seem to change anything anyway.

Have you heard of the low fodmap diet? Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, mono-saccharides and polyols. i.e - foods that are known to cause IBS symptoms

Even your 'safe foods' are considered foods that might set off an ibs sufferer. Bread and crackers, presuming they're wheat/gluten are very high in fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides, and a ripe banana is high in fructans.

Look into the diet. If you're interested in following it, the monash university (who discovered fodmaps) app is well worth the £7 or so.

*Banana is high in fructose, not fructans