IBS, teenagers, and stomach/bowel 'noises' in the classroom

[SirChenjin]

Poor old DD is having a really awful time of it right now...she's 15, and just been diagnosed with IBS. She's always had a v noisy tummy, and has suffered from stomach pains whenever she's nervous.

Things have got much worse recently - probably with exams looming - and she now has a mix of diarrhoea and constipation (sorry, tmi), along with stomach gurgles and bloating. This in turn is causes horrendous anxiety - she's so worried that she's going to make noises or break wind when it's quiet in class that her anxiety levels soar and she has to leave the class. It's been so bad that she's not been able to go to school on some days, she's been crying a lot of the time, and I'm getting regular phone calls from the school asking if she can go home.

She is on Mebeverin, but that's just been making the diarrhoea worse so she refuses to take them as she has to leave classes multiple times. I bought some Buscapan and they seem to be helping a bit. I've got another appointment with the GP tomorrow and I think we need to address the anxiety.

Does anyone have experience of this, either with their own DC or themselves? It's the silence she is particularly worried about. Any advice very gratefully received

Has she tried charcoal tablets? I've found they have really helped me with gas and burbling.

Have you tried the IBS diet?

I have had exactly this.
She needs CBT.
It will take 8 - 10 sessions to sort so something like an Imodium plus every morning could help in the meantime by stopping all the rumbling, or even beta blockers to at least quell the panic.
Please please get professional help, I got severe social anxiety and agoraphobia which started exactly like this. PM me if you want

Mint tea and mint capsules helped me a lot.

Immodium is my friend on really bad days.
Poor thing I really feel for her.

Thanks so much all of you for replying

She hasn't tried charcoal tablets - where would I get them from, and do I just ask for charcoal tablets?

No, haven't tried the IBS (it's all very new to us and we're scrabbling about in the dark a bit) - what is it, has it got a name?

Taking - am just about to PM you, thanks.

She tried peppermint capsules, but they didn't help. She took Immodium recently and then didn't poo for 4 days - in the meantime, her bowels were very noisy and she was very bloated, so she's now worried about taking them.

She's now worried about eating in case she bloats and her stomach makes noises - but I'm trying to tell her that it will rumble as she's hungry. She's just back from a social thing that she normally loves - but texted me earlier in a panic as the room had gone quiet while they were explaining something and she had to leave as she was worried about stomach noises

Oh the poor thing.
I had this - undiagnosed when I was her age. The fear of the embarrassment is crippling, you can't concentrate, can't focus and it becomes overwhelming. So you leave. I can quite understand everything you describe.
Mine came to a head when I sat my O levels (so 400 years ago!), I actually walked out of my maths exam and was diagnosed with depression - all because my tummy gurgled so awfully
All I can advise, as I had no medication apart from sleeping pills which terrified me, is I used to concentrate on breathing really deeply, I kept my belt really really tight - almost no room for gurgling!
I kept a polo in my mouth nearly all the time - so I felt as if I was eating and could fool myself I couldn't be hungry. If I was fully engaged in something I didn't think about it, that was the only relief, so I think getting some help with coping strategies and the CBT is an excellent idea.
It still bothers me, I eat little and often, I eat as healthily as I can and can now get through business meetings without embarrassment - I still carry polos everywhere though and for a really long meeting will have a pencil case, plastic tissue packet - just something I can rustle/make a small noise with which should cover up any noises.
I've no idea if that's helped you, but that's what I did, and I did actually pass my maths O level. Good luck at the GPs, she's certainly not alone.

Holland and Barrett sell charcoal tablets.

I used to push my stomach out before a gurgle came, that would help.

Also what does she eat before exams, maybe a banana right before she goes in?

Thanks pepper . The polos are a brilliant idea, as is something to make a noise with - I'll definitely suggest those to her.

I have a noisy stomach as well, as did my DM - but not with the same bloating etc, and not to the same extent. I remember exams being very stressful as much because of the noises as anything, and I would have to take loads of snacks with me to eat before each exam and during each break. It still rumbles away during meetings or quiet times eg at the cinema, so I suspect it's a hereditary thing, though now that I'm a bit older I just say excuse me, or make a joke of it. She's at that really awkward age, and it's obviously just become a massive issue in her head - poor thing.

What is her diet like? My IBS disappeared once I started low carbing. I had no idea that carbs were linked with IBS - I'd started low carbing to lose weight. So it was a very unexpected bonus.

Thanks Girl - will go down to Holland and Barrett tomorrow. She just eats whatever she can face before exams, but it's the ongoing quiet time in class which is causing her to panic most at the moment.

Her diet hasn't been too great tbh - and I suspect that's part of the problem. She's been reducing her processed carb intake over the last couple of days and has promised me that she will stop eating so many sweets and crisps - I'll come home from work to find she's been down to the shop with her pocket money, and because she is so slim she has not taken her diet as seriously as she should have. It's a bit of a wake up call for her, although I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Definitely worth cutting out wheat/dairy/sugar maybe, one at a time, see if it helps. Wheat or dairy are often the culprit with IBS.

Ah, didn't know about the diary, thanks. Will try cutting out these foods and see how she goes.

Has she had a coeliac test?

DD1 has just started having this problem, almost 13.

Watching with interest but I'm trying to get her not to worry about it too much as I think it will exacerbate the problem.

I have a bit of a rumbling tum so I get it but I excuse myself like a pp but thats not easy when you're a shy teen.

My mum has IBS and swears by Windeze tablets for a noisy/gurgly/bloated tummy.

Is she drinking enough water? I get a rumbling stomach sometimes, usually mid morning. A big glass of water stops it straight away.
I don't mean to make light of her condition btw. Just suggesting that having water in her system might help. And I do mean water, not tea or Coke or other fluids. Probably not fizzy water though as that may irritate her system.

all the stuff above is very helpful- as an aside, does she like any exercise? I find yoga and pilates and even skating, helped my Ibs, and help lower anxiety, stave off depression, make you feel more in control/in touch with your body. as part of an holistic approach.
I suffered ibs many yrs, cutting out all refined carbs helped, exercise, gradually grew out of it. it has now returned, possibly because of being on pain meds and funily doing a low-carb diet was to lose weight but has made the ibs almost totally diminish. hope she feels better soon. I found warm/hot baths helped in a flare up and even making sure you stay properly hydrated helps too. mint tea helped with stomach cramps a bit

The ibs diet is called the FODMAP diet. There's loads of info online. Basically you eliminate all the things that can possibly cause ibs flare ups for 8 weeks then you start introducing the food types back in slowly to see which one/ones give you issues. I was recently told about this from a mumsnetter and I am already feeling so much better! It is is restrictive but that the very restrictive part isn't for long and then you know what foods exacerbate it.
Acidophilus or other probiotics are really good too and helping the gut act normally. Try her on them in the form of a tablet supplement because the the drink ones contain lactose which you have to eliminate on FODMAP in he beginning.

Probiotics (a good one, not something like Yakult/Actimel) are really worth taking. You should buy one that's kept in the chiller cabinet, as this keeps the good bacteria alive. And certainly if she's ever taking any antibiotics it's worth taking probiotics at the same time.

Get back to the GP.

I have ibs (currently well controlled). When it was bad I was put on Mebeverin and it did nothing at all for my mostly diarrhoea ibs symptoms.
GP changed my medication to spasmonal (can't remember how you spell it) and it really helped.

If she gets a lot of cramping in her bowels she might need a different medication to stop that.

These probiotics have worked wonders for my sister's IBS. Quite expensive unfortunately but very high quality. Cutting out high fibre foods also helped.

No-one should ever have an IBS diagnosis without being given a coeliac test first - a significant number of people who think they have IBS actually have undiagnosed coeliacs.

As an aside, I used to have problems like this. When my DS1 was diagnosed coeliac 2 years ago, I went gluten-free with him, and all these problems disappeared like magic (I had a coeliac test first, which was negative). But DON'T go gluten-free without having a coeliac test first, that's very important.

Thanks again everyone, this has been a brilliant help - these suggestions are all fantastic

I think it's going to be a case of trial and error - we really are in the very early stages. I'll talk to the GP about coeliac as there are 2 people in my extended family with it.

SirChenjin - if you have relatives with coeliac, then it really is important to have a coeliac test for your daughter - undiagnosed coeliac causes all sorts of awful health complications. The initial blood test is very straightforward. Don't let your GP dismiss the need for a test - many are ill-informed about coeliac and still have the outdated idea that there must be severe weight loss and anaemia - not at all true. Please get her tested asap, for her sake.