IBS and allergies plus intolerances ruining my life and I need to know of effective treatments

[IBSruining]

I haven’t worked in 2 years due to the above. I’m totally fed up. Some weeks I don’t leave the house.

Im prescribed antihistamine tablets , I was advised to buy otc buscopan. I take a lot of laxatives daily to manage severe constipation. Lots of creams etc for awful
skin issues due to it. My allergies I actually manage to totally avoid. I seem to have so many intolerances I keep reacting and the pain is horrendous and I can’t pinpoint everything although have a pretty good idea of lots of things I can’t eat.

Is there any better treatment than what the nhs have advised / prescribed. It’s taken over my life and it’s miserable

Have you properly ruled out a type of obstruction or narrowing of the gut - a physical issue? This could be a narrow colon, or scarring or another condition related to it.

Have you ever had abdominal surgery, even something fairly minor that you think is unrelated (a c-section, appendix out)? Adhesions would be an obvious thing to look at. Any symptoms of endometriosis - any fluctuations with your hormonal cycle?

The reason I ask is that a lot of the foods you have listed are difficult to digest and/or solidify stools making them harder to pass, these are foods that get stuck in the bowel. The mucas also hints towards this, as does the pain and constipation.

You need to get a GI referral, you need to drum home to the GP how much this is ruining your life. This is not a normal way to live.

Just another thought: sensitivity to quorn and to artificial sweeteners are super common and not worth mentioning because it may muddy the waters when coming to a diagnosis, I mean it's so common to react to them that they don't point to anything in particular.

Also coming to suggest MCAS. Mastcell360 website is very good and gives you an idea of where to start when everything is overwhelming.

You're not hypermobile, by any chance? Or perimenopausal?

Be very careful, you can spend a fortune on nutritionists/gut health specialists and make little progress. I've done it.

You can do all the medical exploration advised here and should do that.

But you can put yourself on a low FODMAP diet right now. I felt better almost immediately & had experienced a very dramatic change in how I felt after just a couple of days.

While low FODMAP isn't a cure it's a massive relief. It will create space to explore other options.

I will try it. It sounds silly but I’m almost getting scared of food as the pain of I react to something is just awful

Oh I get that. My problems weren't as bad as yours but I understand the fear of eating/food that develops.

But you still have to eat. So low FODMAP is worth a go.

I did it for several months & the started reintroducing foods one at a time to see if I could tolerate it.

I don't have much specific advice but I am sorry you are going through this. There's a lot of information out there to get lost in, and few medics who will help you understand it. My tips would be

• exclusion diets are great for identifying triggers or for healing the gut, but see them as part of a process and don't rely on them long term, unless advised to, they lead to other nutritional deficiencies, fatigue and fears about food.
• some reactions can be very slow or cyclical, so it's hard to pinpoint them but your instincts will tell you over time
• consider adding things in that are good prebiotics or probiotics
• I am not convinced allergy specialists or dieticians will have a lot to offer you, much as I respect them, guidelines are not well developed for allergy. The allergy UK forums can be helpful.
• I agree there's a mind body connection and it runs both ways, so finding ways to feel in control and address stress are important. Accepting a condition rather than fighting it can be a mind shift. Notice it like a curious investigator.

When I had what I now suspect was MCAS, I did spend a few months on elemental meal replacement drinks. They are almost impossible to have an allergy to. I think this is what you're getting at when you talk about resorting to just Complan (I tried that too). The drinks were prescribed by my GP. Expensive to buy yourself: https://elemental028.co.uk/product/elemental-028-extra-liquid-grapefruit

What helped me most in the end was the GAPS/specific carbohydrate diet:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Physiology-Syndrome-autoimmune-neurological-Neurological/dp/0954852079/ref=mpssa111?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.72GIAI3iSCiRPWIZNaPKsgc8ffebl7gUAHpP2Qq70x649CWrY1BiOXhMMA23aYkGPG6LJAfMoErlw0VmrrZYJZ3I4OriSyq1yHnHxDZJlW6T0JRwc2ftfMYl6GAhCc8HM6SqeJsgOOx1LIGHsvCV9RThvz0SbDcMSWM3A8lK4AXI1NCTK-dqYfnOddxouhfYzdfLQWxnl-6NPOvi2Q7g.hD5CHgsgv3--5rpyjt91fdfE-pN1K4D1KwW8TZccnno&dib_tag=se&keywords=gaps+diet&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1735907900&sr=8-1

It looks a bit woo, but she's proved to be right about guy permeability.

But I'm not sure how much you have had ruled out yet.

Once my gut had rested and healed a bit on the low FODMAP diet, it was taking homemade kefir everyday day for a couple of years that "cured" me.

I am still cautious but as long as I don't overdo anything I can now eat most food without issues.

Apart from plums and supermarket bread which remain the devils foods.

I don't have nearly your issues OP but can't eat anything with alliums - ie garlic, onions or leeks. Well known major cause of issues according to FODMAP researchers and in an awful lot of food.

So I would recommend a low FODMAP diet, the other thing I'd recommend is kefir, I have a little every day - unless of course diary is an issue. Finally the other thing that is quite a major game changer for me is a multi digestive enzyme formula tablet from Holland and Barrett.

i only have had Ibs with food going through me but not eating before 11am or after 7pm the majority of the time has made a huge difference. It has also made it easier to identify food which doesn’t agree with me which is basically pulses and beans.
intermittent fasting may be worth a try even if to just give your digestive system a break

I think you need to get a referral to a gastroenterologist for a proper consultation and appropriate investigations and treatment. You need to see someone who has up to date knowledge of IBS (there is more than one type) and some evidence based treatment to help you. They can also refer you to an allergy/immunology specialist- don’t rely on internet or complementary therapists for which there is no scientific basis.
Your life must be made miserable, I hope you can get it sorted soon.

This with bells on! I can only have one brand of levothyroxine because the others have acacia in them.

Best of luck OP, hope some of these suggestion help you.

I have read that those who are lactose intolerant can take dairy kefir as the fermentation process uses up all the lactose- but do investigate this further if dairy is an issue.

Kefir has been by far the most beneficial food I've ever taken.

OP, just be aware that low FODMAP and fermented foods aren't the best diet for histamine. Onions are usually fine for a low histamine diet, fermented food is not. I know it's difficult to know where to start and low FODMAP is a good starting point if you're unsure.