IBS has ruined my life.

[Afternooninthepark]

I know that sounds melodramatic but I have had it for 22 years and long to gain some of normality back in my life.
I’m 47 now and it started one day in 1998 whilst I was at work (when I was 25) I had to suddenly dash off to the loo with an upset stomach and my digestive system has never been right since. I did get some relief for a year whilst pregnant with my son 15 years ago but apart from that it’s never gone away and I would say it’s gotten worse over the last few years.
Last year I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy with biopsies and a CT scan and thankfully nothing was found to be wrong with my digestive system, biopsies came back clear also.
Yet, on an almost daily basis I suffer from gurglings, growling, rumblings, indigestion, burping, pain and by the end of the day I usually look 6 months pregnant and the pain from that can be unbearable. The rumbling guts are even waking me up in the night. I’m scared to eat and eating is now a chore and never a pleasure.
I haven’t eaten dairy for 15 years, I tried the low fodmap diet under a hospital dietician 3 times yet get very minimal relief from that even though many people swear by it. I’ve tried all the over the counter IBS meds yet still suffer almost daily (peppermint helps to a small degree).
I would say I am IBS-mixed, but my main issue is this constant activity in my digestive system and gas, it’s as though everything ferments inside me and never seems settled.
I am at a loss and am fed up to the eye balls with it.
Any sufferers out there, any advice, I get nowhere with my gp and the gastroenterologist says it’s ‘just’ IBS, he can’t help me and to basically just get on with it!

That's awful. Have you had allergy testing done?

I feel for you as it's a horrible thing that people who don't suffer from it really struggle to understand. My husband has it for most of his life and has only now found something that helps but he had to fight tooth and nail (as we found something that worked but they stopped making it and the only other medicine was hospital authorised only due to cost) he takes cholestagel. I also suffer after getting serve nerve damage from a c section. We found that amitriptyline works for nerve damage and has stopped my ibs. Do imoddiums help when ibs hits? If so your Gp can perscribe loperamide which is what imoddiums are so it's much cheaper and your not constantly trying to buy it

Have you had a Sechat scan? I also suffered from "ibs" for many years and eventually sent for a Sechat scan last year which showed that I have bile acid malabsorpsion [ BAM]. Mine is due to having my gall bladder removed about 12 years ago.

I am now on medication for life and it has made things so much better.
I would ask for this test to be done to rule it out as many people have this but are misdiagnosed with ibs.

It ruined mine as well for 20+ years.

After breaking down in my GP’s surgery (not my normal style) because I could no longer bear to eat, she referred me to an amazing Gastroenterologist.

I was cynical, because I had seen numerous people over the years, but he was very thorough and spent ages talking through the issues.

He diagnosed that my Gut Biome was almost certainly shot to pieces and prescribed these.

It took a month for them to work, but I have never looked back. I do now avoid Gluten because I have recognised that it can irritate me, but I was only able to recognise that once things had started to calm down.

If you decide to try them go to the Precision Biotics site. They offered me three months for the price of two on the Alflorex

What alternative therapies have you tried?

Kinesiology was amazing for me.

Also cutting out gluten made a huge difference.

For some people fruit will set them off.

Have you ever gone zero sugar?

Finally yeast overgrowth is a real thing. Cutting out sugar plus a good probiotic can help.

Thank you everyone for your replies.
aquamarine1029 I have had kinesiology, the Yorktest and a hair sample test (all poo-pooed by my gp) and unfortunately they didn’t help me. I would like my gut biome checked though.
ipchill I have asked my gp for amitriptyline after doing some research but she won’t prescribe it, she wanted me to take Sertraline which only exacerbated the problem! As I only have ibs-d a few times a year, I do t take Imodium that often.
toomboom As I only get diarrhoea a few times per year the gastroenterologist didn’t suggest a sechat scan, I don’t know if the ct scan would have found any issue with the gallbladder? I’ll have to ask my gp.
inmylifeIlovethemall I really want to take probiotics but so scared they’ll exacerbate the issue. I would really like to have my gut biome tested.
pippapegg I’ve had so many over the years, kinesiology, Bowen technique, homeopathy, hypnotherapy, reflexology - cost me a fortune! I don’t eat gluten or fruit but still have issues. I really, really need to give up all sugary foods and take a probiotic but worry they make my symptoms worse but I suppose this lockdown is the best time to try!!