Hi another ibs sufferer here. Man it can be a lonely and upsetting thing. I've had ibs on and off since I was 14 after salmonella. For most of my twenties it was dormant apart from the odd attack it in the last 2 years it has been shockingly awful - coinciding with when I started trying for a baby (still trying
). I get the runs often but the worst thing for me is the pain after I eat, awful bowel cramps. It has ruined a lot of things for me and almost left me at a point where I get anxious to even go out. But I have found some respite and I hope it lasts. The thing about ibs that is so annoying is that what helps for one person is awful for another. I have spent the past year hopefully avoiding gluten and eating a full on fertility diet, loads of veg etc. last month I bought a book, ibs your first year. It explained why I get cramps after meals and heavy meals (so going out for a three course dinner with wine inevitably has me on the loo for hours). Ther bowel contractions are either more rapid or sluggish than in a 'normal' bowel apparently and high calorie or big meals sets the bowel on its raoid motion. So, here are some things I've gleaned. They may or may not be helpful but they do seem to have helped me a lot.
I'm eating smaller meals with snacks in between. The book advises soluble fibre which was
to me as this is white bread/pasta/rice cakes/baked snack (eg pretzels) white rice over whole grain. Ive found this counter intuitive to lots of other advice but figured I had nothing to lose, I'm not coeliac (tested) and I feel loads better so sticking with it for now.
I have cut out egg yolks. They really trap me in the loo. Its taken me a long time to figure this out and apparently they are a very common trigger.
I'm experimenting with low fodmap foods (charts on google)
I'm drinking a lot of peppermint tea, throughout the day.
I'm trying to tackle my stress. I swear it is linked as I've been so anxious with failing to baby make and it can't be unconnected as I was fine before. Yoga is helping me with this.
When things are bad I take buscopan. I've tried all antispasmodics and to be honest I don't find any of them amazing. But cons says this is ok when ttc after much of his own investigations. Not ideal, but sometimes I just have to take this, and loperamide. I find the buscopan works best when I take the full dose over several days, it seems to build up. Hot wheat sacks also really help, as does co codamol or paracetamol. It's felt important to have strategies but some days it is just awful still, I feel for everyone here. I also get very very nauseous and don't want any food but next time this happens I'm going to eat some soluble fibre type snack as I think the not eating makes it worse.
Sorry this is so very long. I'd really like it if this thread kept going, a supportive place would be so helpful.