Does this sound like IBS?

[ibsbelly]

I've been having tummy troubles for a while now, been to GP had various tests and scan done and he's ruled all my symptoms as IBS. My symptoms have mainly been bloating, left sided stomach pain and constipation/loose bowels.

For the last few days I have been really bloated. Yesterday I drank tonnes of water and this morning it seemed a little better.
Today I have eaten cornflakes for breakfast all good. For lunch I went for an afternoon tea. As soon as I'd eaten something I could feel how bloated I was and my waistband was far too tight. Since eating this I've had sicky burps, I've had to undo my jeans because they're ridiculously tight, I've got acid reflux in my throat, I also feel like I need to pass a lotion but I cannot go.

Does this sound IBS like?

'Pass a lotion' 😂

Did the tests include a camera test and biopsies?

No just blood tests and an ultrasound.

IBS cannot be diagnosed without camera test and biopsies to rule out other causes such as ulcerative colitis - IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion so everything else has to be excluded first.

Your GP is being negligent to "diagnose" IBS without those tests.

Thankyou, I was fine until I ate at lunchtime. I'm so bloated and feel a little queasy, I've necked some gaviscon in the hope it gets rid of the sicky burps and feeling of fullness.

I would really encourage you to push your GP for further investigation. I don't want to scare you but if you have something like ulcerative colitis, leaving it untreated could put your life at risk (eg bowel perforation) - even if you are finding ways to take the edge off symptoms.

I don't think I have the symptoms of that. I certainly haven't lost any weight! My symptoms seem to be more upper stomach rather than lower.
I will
Go back to my GP and ask for further investigation.

As a Crohn's sufferer that was found incidentally I agree with @swanling. You need to ask for more thorough tests.

Although I'm saying no UC but I do get a lot of mouth ulcers regularly which I did tell my GP about.

I've been having stomach issues on and off for a while and have put it down to IBS myself or a food intolerance.

I was just using UC as an example because sometimes people get confused about the difference between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and IBS.

As pp says Crohn's is another possibility and that can affect upper GI.

You're using the word stomach for most of this, but seem to be primarily describing bowel symptoms. The stomach organ is basically under your ribs - the squishy part of your abdomen that we confusingly call our stomach is where your bowels are.

Bowel obstruction can also cause discomfort or other symptoms in your upper GI system, because it's all connected.

I went to the GP a few months back and have only recently had an ultrasound of my abdomen which showed no abnormalities. My symptoms had also settled down.

I have suffered with reflux, heartburn and loose bowels/constipation for some time though. I'll get in touch with my GP next week and see if I can get an appointment to push for further tests. A few years ago I was down for a camera down to check in my stomach but the consultant decided I didn't need it after I was treated for H.Pylori and my symptoms went.

I have been getting pain on and off in my upper left stomach area, but yes your right my symptoms are bowel related too.

Persistent bowel problems really should be investigated with a colonoscopy at least.

Gluten intolerance is a possibility

This is what I've been wondering about. In the last few days I've eaten bread and pasta which I do tend to limit or avoid if I can.

I'm definitely going to get in touch with Doctors next week to see about further investigations. When I initially went a couple of months ago my symptoms were..
Upper left pain - eased on passing wind/bowel movement
Bad flatulence
Loose bowels most mornings then the odd day of constipation
Bloating
Frequent Mouth ulcers

I was surprised he ordered an ultrasound scan rather than some internal investigations.

Did the test your stool for calprotectin?

*they- your GP

No stool test was done.

The mouth ulcers in combination with your other symptoms concerns me about you being fobbed off without proper investigation.

Re bread and pasta, gluten is a possibility (and if they do a gastroscopy they could take biopsies to investigate that). But could equally be about inflammation or scarring. White bread and pasta or wholemeal?

Left side pain can be diverticula disease.
I agree you need more investigations but I'm in the same boat and know they just fob you off with 'IBS'

I tend to eat whole meal/seeded bread when I have it and pasta is just ordinary pasta not whole meal.

I remember making a point of saying twice to the GP at the appointment about the mouth ulcers being very frequent and he didn't seem interested. Passed it off as IBS and said we'll do an ultrasound just incase 🤔
I think I'll try to get to speak to a different GP if I can and use this thread to remind me of important points.

Have you had any allergy tests done?

Mouth ulcers along with your other symptoms are all signs of possible coeliac disease. I say this as someone who has coeliac disease myself, but my daughter is also coeliac, and bloating/altered bowel habit and mouth ulcers were her main symptoms.

I would say as a minimum you need a calprotectin test (if you have IBD likely your inflammation levels will be high) it’s cheap and easy to do. Also a gluten challenge followed by a blood test for celiac disease and probably a full blood screen.

To be honest, it does sound like IBS, though I would want the above tests. I’m not a dr btw- but I do have a lot of experience with stomach troubles. If your calprotectin comes back low and bloods clear, it’s v likely IBS. If everyone who had IBS had to have a colonoscopy to diagnose it, the nhs would absolutely never cope and it’s not necessary.