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?

No I haven't had any of these done, as far as I know they're not available on the NhS so was going to look into getting it done privately.

Did your daughters symptoms come and go? I can go a couple of weeks with no issues then it seems to flare up again.

I am going to request that test is done, just to rule it out. I had a blood test done that was 'satisfactory' but I'm going to ask to see the actual results as I know from previous tests on another family member what they said was satisfactory was actually a high marker for cancer that was brushed under the carpet.!

Perimenopause perhaps? I had similar issues throughout my late 40s. Digestive issues and mouth ulcers can be (lesser known) symptoms of declining hormone levels

I'm peri menopause age and my periods have just started to go a little haywire amongst other things!

Speak with another GP and ask for stool samples to be done- FIT and FC tests.

I had your symptoms (minus the mouth ulcers, but with extreme fatigue). GP told me it sounds like IBS, but we have to exclude everything else first. My GP asked for two stool samples - one to check for blood in poo and the other to check calprotectin levels. It’s come back with high calprotectin levels and blood in stool (I was shocked at this as I couldn’t see blood in stool or when wiping) so I’ve been sent for an urgent colonoscopy. Not sure what your GP is doing, but please ask for them to check your stools to be on the safe side.

Definitely ask for a test for coeliac disease. Your symptoms are consistent with it (says a medically diagnosed coeliac). You can have a simple blood test for it which is pretty accurate.

I started this thread because after todays flare up I'm wary that my symptoms are being fobbed off as just IBS.
Thankyou all for your advice and im definitely going to make sure I get checked out more thoroughly.

Most mornings within 5 minutes of waking I urgently need the loo. This can go on for an hour or so. I have been quite tired the last couple of days even though I've had some leave from work. Today though I woke feeling refreshed for once and normal BM and was not bloated at all!

I think this was tested for when I recently had my bloods done but im going to ask for a copy of them.

It's a diagnosis of exclusion.

It might be IBS, but nobody can say that when it hasn't been adequately investigated to rule out the other possibilities - several of which can be life threatening if left untreated. Which is more expensive for the NHS than performing adequate diagnostic tests at an early stage.

She was ok as long as she didn't eat gluten. The bloating and tummy troubles would start within maybe half an hour of her eating something like pasta/bread. The mouth ulcerscwould start the following day.

Agree with others. You need calprotectin and may as well do a FIT test at same time.

it’s just a stool test and then further tests such a colonoscopy or gastroscopy ordered.
My digestive system is awful w reflux being main symptom but the meds give me awful wind so I’m mainly treating it with diet and also had h pylori which was treated recently. I’ve had cameras up and down this year, ultrasound scan, smell bowel biopsy - the works! My calprotectin was really high but the didn’t find ibd or anything else. It then went back down to normal so the whole thing is bizarre!

*small bowel 😆

My GP did allergy tests. It was a few years ago but might be worth asking?

One symptom I didn't realise I had was a bumpy rash on the tops of my arms that was rough. Turns out it can be due to a wheat allergy.

I know, I’m literally going through it myself.

10-20% of the population is thought to have IBS- if every person was sent for a colonoscopy for diagnosis the waiting list would be so huge, people with the actual life threatening illnesses would surely suffer the consequences. Other tests can be done first to see if a colonoscopy is required.

OP- did you do a gluten challenge before your celiac test? I was initially tested and then had to be retested because my consultant wanted me to eat at least 2 large portions of gluten (bread of pasta basically) every day for 2 weeks before the blood test for the result to be valid.

No I didn't do the gluten challenge test. Since starting this thread I've been doing some reading and my symptoms do seem to fit with Coeliac. The only thing I've stopped eating that I figured triggered my bowel issues is overnight oats made with yoghurt. I used to eat quite a lot of yogurt and within an hour of eating it the left sided pain would start accompanied by the persistent bloating I always seem to have.
I've come to bed earlier than I wanted to because now the awful wind has started and I'm sure my DH thinks I'm some kind of animal when I start to let rip, never mind the smell!!

How old are you OP? I've found my tolerance to certain foods has changed a lot as I've got older. If I went for afternoon tea I'd have stomach ache/bloating - for me it's the cream. Have you kept a food diary to see if you have symptoms after particular foods?

I can't eat bread, cream or weetabix without problems. Weetabix in particular gives me sharp pains and stomach pains.

Perimenopause/menopause also impacts how your body processes foods. So it could also be that.

Not quite sure why you are so confident that you are the only person posting from experience. You are giving "advice" that could put people's lives at risk.

ODFOD 🙄

I’ve literally suggested the OP goes back to her Dr to ask for more tests. Suggesting that not everyone who had IBS needs a colonoscopy is going to put zero lives at risk. Get a grip.

This quote is taken from guidelines of The British Society of Gastroenterologists, which suggests that a colonoscopy for IBS is unnecessary unless there are alarm signs (such as weight loss and bleeding). Updated in 2021:

• There is no role for colonoscopy in IBS, other than in those with alarm symptoms or signs,or those with symptoms suggestive of IBS with diarrhoea who have atypical features and/or relevant risk factors that increase the likelihood of them having microscopic colitis (female sex, age ≥50 years, coexistent autoimmune disease, nocturnal or severe, watery, diarrhoea, duration of diarrhoea <12 months, weight loss or use of potential precipitating drugs including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proton pump inhibitors, etc) (recommendation: strong, quality of evidence: moderate).
• (My bold)

So many of us have IBS, that referring all for a colonoscopy would overwhelm the clinics, as already stated above.