Over the last 6 weeks, I've noticed a dramatic change in my 'IBS' symptoms. In the last 3 weeks, things have got a lot worse and today I'm barely able to work. I've got fairly severe pain in my lower left side, urgent and constant need to go to the loo and have what you might call 'loose stools', really, really really bad nausea which is so bad today I can't eat and has been there on and off for the last 3 weeks - so that I've lost 9lbs in weight.
The pain and nausea wake me up in the middle of the night. I also feel the urgent need then to go to the loo. I've also had recurrent really bad pain in my lower spine and upper spine - the same kind of pain I had years ago when I got meningitis. I feel really really ill and exhausted and as if someone is twisting a red hot poker in my lower left side. I look very pale but I feel cold and shivery and don't have a high temperature.
The symptoms - especially the nausea and pain - are worse after pooing and sometimes slightly better after eating - although eating isn't an option today, I feel SO sick. I tried to eat this morning but just felt worse but last night when I ate, I felt better then.
I've also monitored my stress levels across the last 2 years and there's absolutely no connection between symptoms and stress. In fact I had a stressful event early last year and I felt totally fine then whereas over the last 3 to 6 weeks, as the symptoms have got worse, I've felt otherwise relaxed and happy and calm with nothing else going on that might make me feel ill.
I was diagnosed 2 years ago after an acute flu-like illness and after all the red flag symptoms I had had been investigated. Nothing 'bad' was found, so I ended up with the IBS diagnosis.
I put myself on the LowFodmap diet and was able to manage stomach pain OK just using relaxation methods. I was permanently constipated from then on - but still 'regular - I guess because of a low fibre diet and I just got on with things.
I've been back once to my consultant about a year ago when I had lots of blood in my stools, more pain and felt really ill but he just said it was possibly a virus or IBS.
So I've tried to think of the current symptoms as 'just IBS' but it's never been like this before. I've never before had such nausea and loss of appetite. My bms (sorry TMI!) have changed dramatically from hard pellets to skinny ribbony, foul smelling and urgent. I've had a whole week of not 'going to the loo' at all at times, recently and then not being able to get off the loo and 'going' several times.
So is this just a new development of IBS - or does it sound like something different? It feels nothing at all like a tummy bug as it's gone on so long now and seems to be getting worse again, after seeming to get a bit better.
I can't get a GP appointment for 2 weeks and the consultant's secretary hasn't yet got back to me about an appointment with him but I don't like seeing doctors as they get really patronising and put it all down to IBS.
So whilst waiting for medical appointments, I thought someone on here might have had similar symptoms and if it just sounds like IBS - then that would be very reassuring right now.