IBS/anxiety- pregnant and massively struggling. Please help!

[MothersJumpers]

Currently 9 weeks pregnant and at my wits end.

Long story short- 2 years ago on holiday abroad, I got a really bad diarrhoea bug and my bowels have not been the same since. Flare ups were every 6 months or so but lately they are much more frequent to the point where I’m having problems every month.

Flare ups used to be loose stools once a day, that panicky clammy feeling as soon as I wake up and rushing to the bathroom.

This flare up is very different. I was taking Symprove for the last year (first 5 months were fantastic) but it doesn’t seem to be effective anymore, the loose stools were becoming more and more frequent so I stopped taking it, this led to me being a little constipated, so I had some prunes for a few days, back to the loose stools, stopped the prunes and now back to constipation.

I am able to pass something but a lot of straining and nowhere near the normal amount. I am also having intermittent pain in my lower left abdomen.

Over these 2 years, I have seen around 6 different doctors about this and had 3 Fit tests, 2 Calprotectin tests, plethora of blood tests and a camera down the stomach. Thank God results have been ok. I do have low ferritin off and on since my first pregnancy in 2018. They all say it’s most probably IBS.

All of this has led me to become incredibly anxious. As soon as I wake up, I wonder what kind of day I will have. I spend ages in the bathroom checking the toilet bowl, I am constantly googling every chance I get. I am petrified of bowel cancer. When I have the loose stools, I worry it’s bowel cancer. When I have the constipation, I worry it’s bowel cancer and a tumour is blocking my colon.

I have had CBT for the health anxiety and it taught me some nice techniques but when I’m in a spiral like this- nothing helps. And I don’t know which one is worse, which one I’d rather have: the loose stools, panic and urgency or the constipation and the horrible pressure and blocked feeling? I don’t know if it’s my anxiety making it worse or a mixture of IBS or the pregnancy hormones or if it is something much more serious.

Please can anyone help me rationalise what’s going on and what I need to do next.

It's very common for diarrhoea to wipe out a lot of the bacteria in your bowels.

The general advice is to take probiotics, eat things that are bland and unlikely to cause problems.

People can often develop temporary intolerances after a bug as well so it may be worth trying cutting out caffeine, dairy and maybe gluten.

Try to keep a food diary and see if you can identify any food triggers.

(I have IBS)

Thank you for your reply @Octavia64

Symprove was like a miracle cure for me the first 5 months that I took it, but lately it seems to be making the looseness worse. So I have switched to Bio-Kult- early days yet but this constipation is really throwing me as it’s not something I usually experience.

I think you’re right about the food diary, I need to see if I can spot any patterns/triggers.

I’m sorry to hear that you have IBS too and I hope you’re doing okay.

Have you had a scan or camera to rule out diverticulitis? You sound exactly like I did. For 20 years I was told it’s IBS, you’ve got a stressful job. Then had camera followed by a scan. I can keep it under control and can now go years between flare ups.
You could try cutting gluten out of your diet, that has been the main thing that’s helped me.

Hi @Allthehorsesintheworld thank you for sharing your experience.

I have only had an endoscopy which was clear. I have read about Diverticulitis and definitely some of my symptoms match but strangely have never talked to a GP about it. They seem happy to not probe any further given previous test results.

Glad that you are feeling better- how long after giving up gluten did you notice a difference? I guess even though my coeliac tests were negative I could still be intolerant to gluten?

I’m around 10 weeks pregnant and also have IBS. Kefir and prunes everyday help things to keep moving along. Plus plenty of liquids.

Thank you @ByHardyRubyEagle can I ask do you make your own Kefir or buy it from the supermarket? Also congrats on your pregnancy- This is my first time experiencing IBS whilst expecting and it’s making me so down and so worried.

Congrats to you too, albeit with the delights of IBS! I literally buy Aldi plain kefir and that seems to work for me. Two spoonfuls every morning. Give the strawberry flavour to my son too.

Thank you so much- will let you know how I get on!

I tested negative for coeliac but definitely think I’m intolerant. I can eat only a very small amount of bread and pasta is never a good idea!
I’ll tell you what I did but as you’re pregnant, congratulations btw, you’d have to get advice from your midwife.
I cut out all gluten.
I ate rice or potatoes, steamed vegetables, eggs and bland fruit like bananas for 4 - 6 weeks ( it was so boring) But all the symptoms stopped. I’m vegetarian hence why I didn’t add in chicken.
This diet really wouldn’t be suitable for you at the moment, but cutting out the gluten won’t harm and I think that helped me most.
I hope you find what works for you. It’s such a miserable condition.

Thank you so much @Allthehorsesintheworld really appreciate your post and advice. Will speak to GP/midwife at my next appointment to discuss diet changes etc.

Today I’m back to the loose stools- only had 2 prunes yesterday to help with the constipation! Just feel like I’m swinging between the two extremes!

Really having a bad day today. Last night I forgot to eat a prune and have struggled to go this morning… I don’t understand how one prune can make a difference. It makes me worry that something serious is going on. I’m thinking really horrible thoughts that just make me want to cry.

I eat 2 a day if that helps! It doesn’t make a difference for me. It’s not comfortable I know!

Thank you @ByHardyRubyEagle do you have them in the morning? I usually eat them last thing at night and have to use the bathroom in the morning.

I know it sounds so silly and if someone told me I would be panicking like this about my toilet habits I would never believe them, but honestly these last couple of weeks are really starting to take a toll on me. When I wake up I’m hoping and praying that I don’t need to rush to the bathroom, if I manage not to, then within a couple of hours I start worrying that I’ll be constipated and I literally have to force myself to go!

I’m making myself ill.

It’s tricky as on my work days I do feel I have to avoid eating prunes in the morning or else I will worry about needing to at work, so I eat them in the evening instead. I always have kefir in the morning though and a big drink of water with my vitamins. I do have an active job so maybe that helps things move along. If I’m off work I’ll have them in the morning but I have to eat two per day and find that works for me! It is a pain always having to think ahead with things. Sorry I meant to put I my post above that it does make a difference!

Thank you @ByHardyRubyEagle that makes a lot of sense and I’m glad you’ve found a process that works for you.

I am still having some issues- I’m now straining to pass soft stools (sorry TMI)…. just feeling all over the place, it’s all I can think about all day long.

Can IBS symptoms change so quickly?

Hormones can play havoc with IBS, you will have your hormones rising a lot at the moment. Things might calm down after 12 weeks.
I know it's miserable but stress will also aggravate it so try and stay calm. Talk to your midwife about what you can take to try and help, ask about Fibogel as that can help the symptoms you describe.