To see a doctor urgently about my IBS

[ninaaa]

I've had IBS for several years, and am having a very bad flare up at the moment (for the last week).

I'm taking medication (mebeverine), which is helping a bit, but I'm still in pain.

I could go to a walk in, but I don't really think the doctor will be able to do much, as I am already taking the medication, and IBS is one of those conditions that doctors don't really understand and have difficulty treating effectively.

As a fellow IBS sufferer I would do what you feel you need to do. If I'm having a flare-up I usually know the reason why (stress is the big one, but also eating the wrong foods, poor hydration, travel, etc). So can you identify the cause and do anything to alleviate your symptoms without seeing the GP? If the answer to that is 'no' then absolutely go and see the GP. You're unwell, you're distressed and you need medical help - that's what doctors are for

Does your GP run emergency appts? Or ring and ask for a callback to discuss if you need to be seen?

yanbu. The only way I ever got mine sorted was to pester the gp constantly until they investigated it properly.

The GP's emergency appts is the local walk in, it's based at my GP surgery.

I think know what initially caused the flare up (it happened just after going out for dinner, so must have been something I ate) but it's been a week and things haven't settled down and I'm still having symptoms.

Get checked. Mine developed into a full on major allergy to a specific food over the course of 3 years. If it takes a while to settle down you may have to do an elimination diet again to identify if you have any new triggers. The most common ares are: wheat, dairy, citrus, caffeine, alcohol according to my nurse. I was told to try and elimate one of these for 1-2 weeks and see what happened. It showed up the allergy pretty fast... T

IBS is a changing condition and can often lead to other allergies so please just go ask. Don't suffer in silence.

I suffer with IBS. Greasy food or food with lots of melted cheese (Can eat it when its solid) will set me off or anything with high salt. I'm currently testing of red meat is another trigger.