Gastro vs Rheumatology?

[KatyMac]

I've been having investigations for IBS with a Gastro doctor

I think everything is OK but I know have an appointment with the Gastro doctor at a Rheumatology clinic - what might be going on?

I do have CFS, FM & IBS so I'm an odd rag-bag of symptoms!

Anti spasmodics & no my B12 isn't low which is bollocks imo, sorry to be rude

Coeliac - 3 blood tests & 2 colonoscopies & 1 biopsy all negative

Oh, OP, I've just recognised you from a thread a couple of days ago - already talked about the coeliac thing then. I hope you are in an integrated clinic as it sounds like gastro/rheumatology combined is what you need to get to the bottom of it.

Sorry

I get really wound up about it - as I'm sure it's a 'something' rather than 3 or 4 'somethings' if that makes sense

Not being snarky, genuinely curious, but what makes you convinced they are related? I have a rheum condition and was later dx'ed with an unrelated GI disorder. I did (still do) wonder if they're connected but bodies don't always work like that.

My brother has RA - there was a significant Gastro part to his illness; in Sweden (where he lives) the Gastro element of AI illnesses are taken very seriously

I don't think I have RA - but I do think that a 'diagnosis' of CFS, FM & IBS, is merely an acknowledgement that 'there is something going on but we aren't really sure what'

All are diagnoses of exclusion - I am fairly certain that in the years to come they will be better understood and be clarified into actual conditions rather than "you're tired it's CFS" or "you have pain it's FM" or "unexplained tummy upsets/bowel disorder - I know it's IBS"

I have done FODMAP and eat a very limited diet but still have horrendous symptoms. It's all very well saying I have a "fast transit time" but tbh that is a symptom not a diagnosis, why do I have this, what is going on with my body to cause it?

Are you hypermobile at all? If you are, has anyone talked about Ehlers Danlos? That could tie together a lot of your symptoms (CFS in particular is often a "bucket diagnosis" in that they don't know what it is so are describing the dymptoms

Very hypermobile, in a not affecting me day-to-day basis

I do think B12 deficiency might be a possibility - I fit the tick list perfectly & my blood test is fairly low according to NICE but they helpfully say that different areas have different levels, so they allow local HA decide their own limits - I wonder how that works when you move to a new area?

It's all very well saying I have a "fast transit time" but tbh that is a symptom not a diagnosis, why do I have this, what is going on with my body to cause it?

I guess that in saying you have IBS, they are diagnosing. Incidentally, IBS dx has now changed and guidelines state that it is not a diagnosis of exclusion. I just think that sometimes we have symptoms that have no answer. It sounds like they've done pretty thorough investigations. I have IBS too btw, so not undermining what you're going through.

FODMAP is very very successful for 'typical' IBS, if you haven't tried, it might be worth a go....

The problem is my symptoms are indicative of many AI conditions

I'm on quite a restricted diet anyway due to my GI condition. It's not dissimilar to the FODMAP diet.