Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

How to avoid a default IBS diagnosis?

2 replies

Caerulea · 09/05/2024 10:47

So, I've had ongoing stomach (as in whole abdominal) issues for years that come & go. Usually arrive for months then go for months. Pain & sometimes bloating, lots of burping & painful trapped wind (relieved by burping). My body has a strong physical reaction to pain - it manifests like a bastard.

Never suffered diarrhea or constipation to speak of till recently.

Had repeated bloods (all clear inc CA 125 & another tumour market), endoscopy (couple of years ago, showed 'angry spot', told gastritis & no further action). Told prolly got GERD/GORD few years ago. No inflammation, allergies. FIT test clear of blood. Calprotectin test currently in.

Around the start of the year I got diarrhea & it's been on & off since. Random things I eat (seems to be no pattern except soya protein burgers are agony as is over-steeped tea!) cause crazy pain in upper, mid or lower abdomen which can be crampy or burny. Sometimes immediately after eating, sometimes hours later or the next day. Stools can be pure liquid, fluffy, solid with mucas, just mucas. Or a combination of all or totally normal. Never any visible blood. Colour varies.

And the noise of my stomach is insane, I can feel the gurgling like a baby kicking.

So! Different GP put me on a two week response for a colonoscopy. She thinks it's highly unlikely to be bowel cancer & is likely to IBS. She's curious about the fact my mum was diagnosed with adult onset T1 diabetes (after the same surgery nearly killed her by misdiagnosing it as T2 - nice work guys), so there's some autoimmune disorders on the maternal side.

I was expecting a call with a date for the colonoscopy but am actually getting a phone call tomorrow morning that 'might take up to an hour'. Assuming I'm not doing my own guided colonoscopy using household items I guess this is to see if I'm worth booking in.

What do I say to avoid being fobbed off with IBS without further investigation? No issue with it being that, but want to be sure it's not Crohns, BAD, BC etc etc, the possibilities are endless.

I'm 45 & currently getting pretty paranoid about eating & sick of being in pain for no obvious reason. I'm also not keen on constantly worrying I'm going to soil myself!

OP posts:
crumbpet · 09/05/2024 14:32

You tell them all your symptoms. Your family history in as much detail as you can. And you express that you're concerned something other than IBS is going on so if that's their diagnosis you need them to explain exactly why

HooverTheRoof · 09/05/2024 14:44

I didn't get anything other than an IBS diagnosis until I cried infront of the GP. Then I got an endoscopy that found a hernia. They did apologise...lay it on really, really thick when they call you and don't give up would be my advice.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page