Tell me about your IBS

[mandmsmummy]

Hoping that's what I have, waiting for gastro appt.
Been on anti imflammatories (diclofenic) and bowels changed to diarrhea 5-6 times a day. Came off and never gone back to normal. Now my symptoms are:
Poo as soon as I get up (mushy like number six on the Bristol stool chart!)
Tummy aches before a bowel movement. (Relieved after)
Lots of wind with the bowel movement
Feeling of not being finished.

It's really getting me down xx

My symptoms exactly, I always need to go urgently in the morning. Feel much better after going to the loo and having breakfast.
Mine is much worse if I am stressed, have you been under much stress lately?

Hi, you must get 'irritable bowel solutions' by professor John hunter...... Brilliant book.... Provided you have had other things discounted eg. Crohns or colitis, it will help you sort your own type of ibs.... There are 5 main causes..... Hope this helps

I've had terrible IBS for years but it eased up dramatically after I came off the pill. It's not perfect but 1000 times better than it was.

Yes completely stressed!
Have been ill for ages with an imflammatory arthritis which I can't get relief from at the mo. Always have that poorly feeling and have two small kiddies so not much time to rest. Hubby is fab.
Hubby had it years ago before kids and remember him being wiped out and resting lots. Do get myself in a state sometimes about it. X

Moonshine, how do you cope when out and about with it? X

Thanks Gastro, will look into that once I've got my appt x

Pickled, I'm not on the pill. What are your symptoms? X

My pain seems to be on the left, the last bit of the colon x

Have you had blood test to check for coeliac disease? Guidance is that must be tested for before IBS is diagnosed. Treatment is gluten free diet.

It is also an auto immune disease.

Yes I don't have that. My imflammatory arthritis (ankylosing spondylitis) is an autoimmune disease x

My symptoms are painful cramping which I know will lead to diarrhoea within about 10/15 mins. Occasionally I'm completely caught out and it can happen much quicker but that's rare. Once I've 'cleared out' everything I go completely back to normal, just feel hungry. Some days it's absolutely fine but I can definitely link it to my anxiety level.

When it got really bad I used to avoid staying at other people's houses, going anywhere without an easily accessible toilet and I found it controlled me. When I met my dh he was amazing though and encouraged me to talk about it with people. I let the fear of them knowing increase my anxiety which made it worst but I found that when people already knew it was much easier. Hope that makes sense!

I should add I tried everything to cure it! Gluten free, dairy free, egg free etc etc but it was coming off the pill that made the huge difference. I now eat everything I want with plenty of Imodium in my bag just in case! You'll need to find what your biggest trigger is. A food/bowel diary helped me a lot.

Oh and simple yoga helps calm me which I also think has an impact. I just do this at home from YouTube.

Thankfully mine seems to occur mostly in the morning or last thing at night. I am currently under investigation for a possible auto immune disease as I have a high rheumatoid factor so no doubt it is all connected!

Thanks Pickled I feel just the same. Fine after going, sometimes a bit nauseous and washed out but can mostly get on. I am finding though I am avoiding certain things, eating out, staying at friends just because it's so unpredictable. Always have that feeling of 'coming down with something' but generally never do x

I'm sorry it's getting you down op. It will get better when you start to understand it more. And make sure you talk to people. I honestly can't believe how brilliant my friends and family are about it, just wish I'd told them sooner!

Thanks pickled xx

I used to have really really bad IBS, and I've found that intermittent fasting has pretty much cured me. I've tried all kinds of exclusion diets and seen no real change, but following the 5:2 way of eating and having 2 days a week with only 500 calories has sorted me. I usually have all my 500 calories as an evening meal, thereby creating a 24 hour liquid only fast from the last day's dinner time. I've been doing this for a year now and my IBS has virtually gone, even when stressed. Worth a go? I also lost a stone, though it was the IBS that was my motivation for trying (and now maintaining) the diet.

Hi
I had been doing the 5:2 a while back and wondered about getting back on to it.

I seem to rush straight after a meal but it can't be that food can it? X

Ok sorry for tmi! But...

I've got that urgency to go, tummy ache then sit down and it's explosive wind and not lots of poo. Like a phooey snot! Sorry!

Bit worried x

Pooey snot!

I found cutting down on certain types of fibre really helped - I seem to be fine with vegetables but too much fruit has very unpleasant results!

I won't bore you with too many grim details but I've lived your life bowel wise for several years now.

Lactofree milk made a big improvement and keeping a food diary. I discovered the FODMAP diet a couple of years in and realised I'd already been doing 80% of it by a process of trial, error and pain.

I've now ditched gluten and chilli as well after kinesiology food testing and a strict elimination diet. It's not perfect but it's way WAY better and less painful than it used to be. I know if I've got it wrong by the size my belly inflates to!

Low carbing sorted my IBS out.

Thanks all, amazing how many it affects.
Moonshine keep me updated, I think mine is related to my arthritis x