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Original poster

How do you manage IBS? It is ruining my life :(

26 replies

Rainbowwww · 30/04/2022 09:07

I have never had issues before. I do have anxiety and it has been quite bad due to stress at work. I'm having constant pains, cramping and urgency. I've had all the tests the gp can do but am being referred for a Colonoscopy. The pains are all in the left hand side, so the gp is suspecting ibs/diverticulitis. I'm so scared to eat now. Due to my anxiety, I hate going to the toilet anywhere but home. Please tell me how you manage yours. The other day at work all I ate was an apple as I was terrified I might need the toilet. I know this isn't right and my anxiety is feeding it but what do I do? I'd really appreciate any tips. I'm on Mebeverive too. Thank you X

OP posts:

Lunamoon23 · 25/02/2024 18:13

UtterPiffle · 30/04/2022 17:26

I suffer from ibs(d) and diverticulitis. Over several decades of severe ibs(d) virtually every day and diverticula attacks resulting in me passing out on many occasions, necessitating visits to my GP with concussion, frequent colonoscopies and an endoscopy, I found some info online that suggested that a small dose of amitriptyline daily could help with the ibs symptoms. I approached my GP, who was new to the practice and asked whether this was something she would consider prescribing. It’s been nothing short of a miracle, 20mg of amitriptyline each night at bedtime and my symptoms are fairly well managed as far as the ibs is concerned. I would thoroughly recommend at least asking about this. I did go through a short period of feeling really angry that this was never suggested by previous GPS, but now I’m just counting myself lucky that I found the info and my GP was more than willing to prescribe. If only the diverticulitis attacks could be similarly controlled!

@UtterPiffle i know this is old. And I'm hoping you're still active. I've been suffering terribly with ibs-d for a few years now. I've also come to think I also have diverticulitis, I get this horrendous feeling like all my bowel/intestines are inflamed. Sometimes I can lean forward from sitting back and i feel it almost squelch inside, and I get pain radiating into my groin and hip, it seems to be worse on the right side and it's reoccurred a couple times now, last year it happened around the same time, and I kept going drs. I lost 2 stone in 2 months. I couldn't bare food, had constant diarreha from my ibs-d but kept returning to the drs because I could feel something inflamed inside my lower right abdomen. They kept going back to gyno issues and sent me for an ultrasound which showed nothing but a small bowel hernia on the left hand side but they weren't worried about it. Ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, liver, spleen, bladder all fine.
I'm experiencing the exact same again, I've lost quiet abit of weight in the last month and can feel that heaviness in my right lower abdomen again.
I've got a telephone call with the GP Tuesday (I'm in the south west, UK) and I'm going to mention it then and ask for a CT colonscopy (I have a intense fear of medical interventions so the less invasion option is always the first step for me) and I'm worried it's infected and needs anti biotics but I'm for sure also going to mention the Amitriptyline for the ibs-d.

I also feel mad no GP has ever suggested this, they never even mention the low food map diet to me or triggers. I was simply told it's ibs and take buscopan.

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