Any IBS sufferers out there?

[Twoweekcruise]

How where you diagnosed?
I've had a sensitive digestive system for years (18!) and have good and bad times but most days I have lots of activity within my guts:- gurgling, rumblings, sometimes a little pain after eating and most evenings I have lots of wind, bloating and discomfort. At Christmas I had a real flare up and felt bad virtually every day. It really gets me down, worries me and in all honesty has become a bit of an obsession!
GP hasn't been particularly interested on many occasions but I asked to be referred to a gastroenterologist, he agreed as I am aneamic (have very heavy periods) but he wanted to make sure.
I saw the gastroenterologist in Feb and he asked the normal red flag questions ie:- weight loss = no, passing blood= no etc. I was expecting him to then offer a colonoscopy (which I was dreading) but no, he said he was more than happy to diagnose me with anxiety and food intolerance induced IBS, he suggested antidepressants and I experimented with my diet.
I went away happy with that but keep worrying that was enough.

If you have IBS, who diagnosed you and how were you diagnosed?

Katkin14 has given a very comprehensive view of low-carb eating (LCHF - low carb high fat). I can't find any fault with low carb, if you acknowledge that carbs = sugar, which are very inflammatory in the body. It means that your blood glucose levels stay on an even keel (no spikes or crashes), and reduce the risk of Diabetes. For those who suffer from skin complaints or arthritis, low carb often gives a lot of relief.
As Katkin14 says, you might suffer "carb flu" for a few days while your metabolism adjusts, but once over that, energy levels increase quite dramatically.
I wish it had been the complete answer for me, which it hasn't, but I no longer get awful acid reflux, and dreadful bloating, and I will continue to eat low carb for ever.
It does take a bit of perseverance, and the Diet Doctor website is full of very useful advice and meal ideas if anyone is interested, and much recommended by low-carbers.
Twoweekcruise, you would need to eat plenty of good fats to prevent weight loss, I think, but it might be an idea to just give it a try for a week or two, to see if it suits you.
Minime85, I'd be interested to know about acupuncture - I'm currently seeing a private physio for an unrelated problem, and have had some acupuncture for that - no idea whether it's making a difference, but this is an avenue I could pursue. He also does visceral massage which I might try - has anyone tried that?

I believe that can be a problem with some people who don’t have much body fat although there seem to be lots of slim people do keto from what I’ve seen in the forum. I guess you would have to make sure you eat enough fat if you don’t have stored fat to tap into. I suppose if you tried it and started losing weight you could stop.

Have a look at the 5:2 diet - the fasting part (not eating for 16 hours a day) can make a massive difference to IBS and related digestive tract problems.

Even if you have no wight to lose, having a long gap between food every day is really good for your body.

Cross post nanthewiser!

twoweeks I was fobbed off by GP's on and off for 10 years as my bloods were normal. I probably do have an element of IBs too, I can relate to the popcorn feeling in my bowel!
A feceal calprotectin is the test to ask for, I believe (don't quote me!) a score of less than 100 is IBs and over would be ibd. Good luck!

I feel ill all the time. I have a permanent background tummy ache and I regularly have intense abdominal pain that has me doubled over. I’ve had test after test and there is “nothing wrong”. My ovaries are fine. My uterus is fine. My tummy is fine. Blood tests come back normal. I’ve done food diaries and elimination trials. There is nothing wrong with me but I am ill ALL THE TIME. It’s exhausting. GP suggested it “could be IBS” and printed out the results of a google search about it. But really I have no idea...

yummy I’m currently 5 weeks into the low fodmap, I have the Monash app, their books and am on a Facebook support group but would love some support from a dietician but unfortunately my gastroenterologist isn’t a great supporter of it so I can’t get a dietician referral 🙁

short I’ve read great reviews about alflorex have been googling reviews of probiotics for a while, need to give it a go but scared incase things get worse!
nan and katkin I’m going to start investigating low carb, willing to try anything in my diet.
talking I already eat 10am - 6pm to give my digestion a break 🙂
queenio I’m going to ask for a calprotectin test next week.
fluffy it’s horrid, I feel for you

twoweek
Have you tried 22:2 a couple of days a week - ie one meal
just that letting your system hoover into the corners seems to help a lot of people
also, what do you drink when not eating ?

talkin no I haven’t tried that one. I usually drink, water, lemon water, peppermint or ginger tea.

This thread is really interesting. I don’t feel I can just go to GP and ask for these tests being suggested.

I am going to look more into the carb thing. I’m trying the fodmap. Thanks for this thread OP 😊

Re acupuncture I would tesmend a fully qualified acupuncturist who specialises in it. I find it hugely helpful for the IBs symptoms but also the anxiety that I’m now plagued with due to the IbS

I'll let you know how it goes OP. I've got 4 weeks supply just now. I worried about it making things worse but it might get worse then much better so I'll ride it out for the 4 weeks anyway.

I related to this description of IBS. The never knowing what is going to trigger it spoke to me. One of the reasons I took the plunge with alflorex.

mini I’m going to look into acupuncture or something similar as my anxiety is sky high and that doesn’t help my ibs at all!
short thanks for that link I love Nadine used to watch her on This Morning many moons ago. Let us know how the probiotics go. I really can’t afford them but would beg, borrow and steal if they worked and it meant I could feel better!

"after nearly forty years of problems, mostly unpredictable diarrhoea, I stopped eating gluten and haven't had a single problem since."

Almost exactly the same here. I stopped eating gluten 5 years ago and 90% of my symptoms disappeared.

I also react to tomato skins, oddly enough.

I really wish I knew my exact triggers. I've been diary free 10 years, have been gluten free for many months and 5 weeks into low fodmap and still not 100%. Tbh, I don't think food is my absolute trigger!

I'm fairly sure my IBS was mildly triggered yesterday by finding a jar of creamy sauce for chicken that had a sell by date of 2007. :( I didn't even open it.

FODMAP.changed mine and my DMs life. Well worth a go. Not that bad once you decide to do it. I can't eat even a little bit of wheat (though am not a coeliac having had a biopsy).

I’m currently on week 5 of low fodmap but it’s only helped a little tbh, even though I’m being very strict and following the Monash App religiously 😐

Oh yes, here!

I had ongoing symptoms of pain, loose bowels, bloat, odd pains on both sides , tight side near my navel, left side bit further.Tried various things nothing really helped

Had a scan, thinking it was my ovaries, they found a dark patch which was a gallstone . ( I have all the FFFFF triggers). I cut out all fats (I;m vegetarian so main fats were cheddar and crisps which caused the pain)

Before surgery I said the pains were right+left, had a colonoscopy+ endoscopy. They said it was Ulcerative Colitus.
Had the gallbladder removed then saw Gastroenterologist , a Sigmoid Colonoscopy and stool samples - they said it was Diverticulitus rather than UC.

I have cut out dairy to minimal and bread very rarely. I'm ok with rice .

I had the gallbladder out nearly 4 years ago now, still get the odd stabbing pain and a pinching pain on the left, so due to have another scan/ultrasound to see what's going on there.

The previous pain I had hasn't gone away on the left side. It might be the diverticulitus , but they need to rule out ovarian cyst (i've read up on the symptoms )
I have spasmodic pinching like someone is gripping my insides . Then there;s a soft thud , like when you're kicked by your unborn.
Horrible bloaty stomach
Daily loose bowels , usually first thing in the morning but can be in the day too,

I'm waiting for my colonoscopy on the 12th. I have a lot of mucous, sometimes blood, with a Fecal Calprotectin of >6000, so I was turned away from my flexi-sigmoidoscopy appointment, because they need to do a full colonoscopy anyway.

I'm planning to either cut out gluten or try the low FODMAP diet after my colonoscopy anyway, because I get severe migraines that are not resolving with drugs/Botox. But I'm hoping I'll get some information from this investigation to explain my bizarre bowel movements.

Hi there twoweekcruise

I was diagnosed several years ago after recurrent symptoms and negative test for gluten etc. I am convinced my IBS started during or just after I was on long term antibiotics for rosacea (which didn't work). Another doctor prescribed buscopan, also available over the counter, which I think help during flare ups. Always have a flare up on first day of period. IBS was fine on holiday when I took some period delay medication. Apparently progesterone slows down intestinal movement or something! I have tried everything, including things like colonic irrigation which I wouldn't bother with. My top tips are drinking kefir every day and reading a book called Gut which is full of good tips. Hope you are okay.

Thanks all. It's amazing how many people suffer with their digestive systems! I think so many things contribute. I definitely feel my hormones play a part especially now I've reached 45, I have a lot of anxiety too which really doesn't help. I've so many books, magazine articles on the subject, I'm on countless IBS forums and it seems what works for one doesn't for another, it's mind boggling! I've spent a small fortune on different foods, books, alternative practice s etc. As much as I really do not want a colonoscopy, I feel it's the only way I can move on from this obsession I have with my bowels ☹️

shortandsweet - what's the pro-biotics?

Alflorex