What the heck is going on with my bowels? Long. Detailed. Possibly not for the faint hearted.

[OutDamnedWind]

Sorry, this is a bit of a stream of consciousness...

The current sorry tale started on Easter Sunday with an unflushable monster of a turd. Honestly the most dense thing I have ever known. Put it down to a few days of over indulgence.

However, since then, things just haven't seemed to be normal. I swing between soft and sloppy (though no diarrhoea) and hard and painful and everything in between.

Currently feel like I'm constipated, but I currently have a horrendous cold that means it hurts to push, so not sure if it's that.

I constantly feel like I need to poo, and that I'm never cleared out, but I don't know if I'm just at a point where I've forgotten what 'normal' feels like, IYSWIM.

I am constantly full of wind. Very gassy, hefty farts, but don't often smell. Except for a few days a couple of weeks ago when they were horrendous

A coupe of times at the start (in days when I felt constipated) I tried laxatives (the muscle stimulant kind) and while it did cause some movement, it didn't feel like it had really hit the spot/cleared me out.

I have been really quite bloated throughout, and at times really quite sluggish and tender. I've tried to keep my water intake up, and get plenty of walks in, which seems to give minimal help.

My diet probably isn't ideal, but also isn't terrible, and certainly hasn't changed in any noteworthy way.

If I'm being honest, I've probably always been aware that my bowel movements might not be normal - problems with constipation as a child, then later on issues with bursts of unexplained diarrhoea, though that was at university, so in hindsight diet/alcohol intake probably played a big part! Pooing has always played a far larger part of my life than it should do!

I'm at a point where this is constantly playing on my mind. Most of the time I'm going maybe 3-5 times a day in small amounts, then go a couple of days with nothing (though feeling like I need to).

I recognise I probably need to see a GP, but I do get quite anxious and emotional about seeing them, so like to be as prepared as I can be.

if you've made it this far!

So - my questions - What sort of things might they investigate, and what sort of questions could I expect? Does it sound like something that needs looking into? Is there anything I should be trying first at home?

Thanking you!

Thanks all.

Glad to hear colonic irrigation perhaps not great. Happy to give that one a miss

Currently barely eaten over the last couple of days - 2 potato waffles and some garlic bread since Froday to be precise This is probably not helping things, but all over the place with this bastard cold virus thing.

dame phew - I thought I'd come across as suggesting or even recommending them...and I really wasn't...

I have IBS too and it sounds just like me. I am more on the constipated side though, and its infuriating as I get so bloated. I am slim so when my stomach swells, its really noticeable on me.

I am going through a flare up at the moment. And why, because somebody posted on here about cheese on toast, my absolute favourite, except that I know that I should not eat any bread whatsoever. But, the craving got the better of me, and now one week later I am still battling. I didn't go to the loo for 3 days, and since then there is nothing to write home about either. I try not to take stuff but I will have to take a Movicol tonight as I am so uncomfortable.

I stopped eating bread and swapped to lactose free milk and it is usually a lot better. I have pasta every now and then, but wouldn't be able to have it regularly. I was diagnosed by my gynae and he picked up the ibs whilst I was having a sonar done, you could actually see my bowel pumping in its spasm. The pains I get are very much like a period paid, low down in the stomach. The gynae prescribed Librax which I take each evening now. He seems to think that it is brought on my stress, which would fit in perfectly to my life, having a relationship breakdown around the time it started. You mentioned that you get anxious, is this generally or just about going to the doctor? Maybe that's when it began around Easter, was it particularly stressful then...?

If you look on support groups for IBS you will see all sorts of advise on what you should and shouldn't eat. I have to be honest and say that I disagree with a whole lot of that advise, what they seem to think is a wonder cure, just make things worse for me. I cannot eat beans at all, although they high fibre, I get stomach cramps within 30 minutes of eating, the same a bread. Bananas and most fruits are also no-no's for me. I get so frustrated about how limited I am as to what I can eat, that I just go without sometimes, which also isn't good as I have dropped a bit too much weight now. But, in my defence, if I don't eat, I don't have pains.... .

And try to look for something to nibble on if you are out and about and got a bit of a hunger on.... its a bloody nightmare! Tried a sausage roll once day, I actually had to go and lie down the pain was so bad. Frustrating yes, but once you get the hang of what you should avoid, it does get a bit easier. Its just my willpower I yet have to master...

murphys why don't you try gluten free bread? There's load available- in all the supermarkets now - own brand and Genius - everything from rolls to uncut loaves to seeded loaves.
If you aren't coeliac then you could also eat oatcakes .

I've been gluten free for over 20 years. I don't bother buying cakes and biscuits that are gluten free as they often have loads of chemicals added but I do make my own now and then with Dove's Farm flour.

Thanks Polly, unfortunately I don't have as many options as you do as I don't live in the UK. Although a few places sell gluten free products, they aren't that widely available. I found some bread at a pharmacy, it cost a bloody fortune, and when I got home, its was completely green and mouldy. I tried a few other available options, but I really didn't like them enough to go out my way to find them again. I found some crackerbread which is wheat free, which are not so bad, but they are a bit monotonous..

I suppose there are many things I could eat, but I am on the grumpy side today ... my go to 'snack box' if I go out is usually cheese, ham and cucumber. There are just days when a toastie or a pie consume your mind..... its a mind things, its because I know I shouldn't have it that makes me want it more I think......

Luckily the Banting Diet is quite big here, so a lot of places offer carb free meals, so if we order a pizza for the family, I can get one with a cauliflower or courgette base instead of wheat. All these things come at a hefty price though unfortunately, being on a tight budget these days, does make it a little tougher.

See I really don't get cramps like that - if I do it is very sharp and sudden, I poo and it goes. Nothing 99% of the time.

I have self diagnosed IBS which I carefully 'manage'

My advice is to keep a diary, two columns, what you eat & how you feel

It's so individual but just to give you an idea - I have diarreah on waking then cramps/bloating/wind all morning. I found when doing 5:2 diet I felt a lot better on those days so what I do now is eat nothing all morning (just s couple of cups of hot water & marmite) then have a small lunch of Greek yoghurt, flax seed, walnuts & berries (luuuuuuush!) & normal family dinner. I also drink cider vinegar in water 3x per day because it's supposed to be good for gut flora.

Prob sounds weird to you but it's a matter of trial & error to find out what works I guess

So last night, was sat here thinking 'oof my stomachs sore again', and rubbing the sore bit wondering why it kept happening.

That would be the cramps, wouldn't it

Yes sounds like it. Something like a dull ache is what I have most of the time. Sharp pains when I have had something that I shouldn't have, or takes a while to digest. Or if its going to move through me at lightning speed, of which in my case is any combination of cheese and egg together.

You certainly need to see GP. Don't self diagnose it can be lots of things and blood texts can confirm eg crohns, coeliac disease etc. doesnt mean it is something to panic over bit certainly worth seeing GP. Agree about keeping diet diary and noticing symptoms. And then cut out foods and slowly re enter to see what happens. I have had IBS diagnosed for 14yrs. A good probiotic helps too.

GP appointment will be being made! Really appreciate everyone's advice, feel much better prepared for the sorts of things and questions that might come up.

murphys you've just solved a puzzle for me. Cheese and egg! It does the same for me yet for some reason I hadn't considered it was the combination that was the problem and I couldn't understand why sometimes I can't cope with eggs. Blimey. The day off work I had Monday after a cheese omelette for Sunday tea suddenly makes so much more sense. Thank you.

Plimsolls for a very long time I thought it was the bacon and cheese combination, as where I worked previously made the most amazing bacon, egg and cheese toasties. If I ate one, I wouldn't make 15 minutes before running to the loo. Then I cut out the bacon thinking it was the oil, and it continued... then the penny dropped when I had a breakfast with fried egg and cheese griller sausage...

I don't know why its that's combination, but it is definitely a no no for me.... although when I have had a constipation bout, I have been known to go and do the cheese griller and egg breakfast, but I don't do that anymore as the pain that goes with it isn't worth it. It takes days to get over it.