Any long term damage done if you ignore IBS?

[LoveBox]

I'm assuming I have IBS. Never been to GP about it, as he is utterly useless. Found myself having instant chronic diahreahh diareahh bowel movement and bloating within an hour of eating a large meal/ anything spicy/ hot food with a cold drink, plus some others. So I cut it out and was fine.

But TBH iv started to put on weight now that my bowel movements have regulated and are normal. And I miss spicy foods & fizzy drink a LOT. Will it cause me any damage, apart from uncomfortableness and short-term inconvenience, if I still eat my 'trigger' foods sometimes?

I have had ibs for all my life, It's horrible and you don't get much sympathy from the docs.The last time I went to the doctors with severe pain she suggest cognitive brain therapy?!?!?! She thought I was stressing my self out developing pain. The fact was the pain was there first. Bread made me feel worse so I had a wheat intolerance test done which was fine, I switched shop bought bread for a bread maker which is better. Have a test then you will know if to cut gluten out your diet. Also try these or some like them www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=753&prodid=809&sid=0 this is the one thing that has made a massive difference. Recommended to me by a friend who has suffered forever with ibs. If you want to eat the foods that trigger it just eat a bit and slowly. The spices in for are good for you, try home made versions then you know what's going in to what you are eating. I'm sure its the hidden e numbers that get me. Anything processed will cause me upset.
Hope you get it sorted.

You may have something else going on such as gall bladder problems, if those sorts of food upset you.

IBS is just a collection of symptoms but that's not the cause, iyswim - there is always a cause, whether it's a food sensitivity, or an infection or inflammation of the bowel, or simply stress.

You really ought to go and see the GP just for some routine testing to make sure nothing else is a concern, and if not, just reintroduce these things very gradually in small amounts and see how you get on.

The symptoms you describe are your body's way of trying to prevent/compensate for possible damage, it's trying to protect you, so clearly it doesn't like those foods but there could be any number of reasons so you need to establish that really.

There is a new "diet" for IBS which is having great results- ben researched at Kings College London and Guys/St Thomas' hospitals,

It's called the FODMAP diet- google it and you can ask for a referral to a dieitian trained in the treatment.

Googling now....

I have had IBS on and off for over 15yrs now.

I reckon it's why I have gallstones and need my gallbladder out.

www.kcl.ac.uk/medicine/research/divisions/dns/projects/fodmaps/faq.aspx

here you are.

Ask your GP for a referral to a dietitian trained in this.

My GP is utterly useless- I think I definitely have some sort of food intolerance, I was getting hives and swollen lips after eating (regardless of what I ate) must have gone to him 10+ times, was on steroids, went to a&e every time my lips swelled and got an epipen, had hives all over my body for 6months and the GP said food allergy tests aren't available on the NHS and I'd have to go private. Told me it was "idiopathic urtacaria" and there was no reason for it, and refused to do anything else. His attitude would be the same for my IBS I'm sure!

Will just try and limit the foods I know cause it, but good to know it won't cause long term damage if I do have some occasionally!!

lovebox you are entitled to a 2nd opinion via a consultant. If your GP has such an unhelpful attitude then you should consider changing- either within the practice or the practice itself.

It's not right that you have unexplained symptoms and cannot get a referral to help sort out your issues.

I know it is hard sometimes to make the point, but you have allowed yourself to be dismissed with quite serious symptoms, necessitating trips to A&E.