Bowel changes - IBS?

[maeve84]

I know no one can diagnose me, but I guess really I’m after people’s experiences of IBS and opinions on whether my symptoms fit this?

I have, as long as I can remember, always had an urgency with opening my bowels. To be honest I thought it was like this for everyone! For me normal has been going most days but with a solid, bordering on constipated type stool. For the last probably 6/7 weeks I’ve been having much softer stool which have sometimes been very difficult to clean and some days having to go several
times throughout the morning. Between these types I have also had days where either I haven’t been, or if I have been them it’s been small hard pieces.
I’ve had both a fit test and calprotectin test which were both negative. The GP says it’s most likely IBS and basically sent me in my way with a list of OTC meds i could try.

I thought I had got things under control with diet changes and adding some live yoghurt, but the last couple of days have been bad again.

Does this sound like IBS like the GP has suggested?

Has anything changed in your diet or lifestyle at all these past 7 weeks? Stress can be a big trigger, it is for me. I have IBS after years of back and forth with the GP, my experience is a period of time where I poo normally once or twice a day, all fine, then periods of weeks were I need to urgently go and it’s a lot softer

I had surgery for something else approx 4 weeks ago, so was probably a little anxious about that when this started, but I wasn’t worry all day long or anything. Stress has always affected my bowels, in acute periods of anxiety (eg when my dad had a heart attack) I’ve had this happen as a one off, but never for such a prolonged period. I guess the trouble is now I’m worrying that it’s something more serious so I’m trapped in a bit of a viscous cycle!
I can’t think of anything that’s changed dramatically diet wise.

Sorry to hear that. When you go at the moment is it always urgent/soft or is it just sometimes? Have you tried fodmap?

Just sometimes. In between I can have a day or so of what is normal for me.

I haven’t tried fodmap. I struggle to keep weight on (this isn’t new, I always have) and so didn’t want to do anything so dramatically restrictive unless I really have to.

Hm, I’m sorry I haven’t been more help, IBS (or any tummy issue) is frustrating in that it could be a lot of different random things. Your health anxiety won’t be helping you either. Here if you need to vent or ask about my experiences

Thank you!

Coming back to write stuff down in the hope it makes me feel better. Not much change really, except obviously I’m paying much closer attention to my bowel movements! Still mostly soft and messy, always in the mornings. In the evenings I seem to go the other way and have had a couple of instances of small dry poo. Worryingly these have been quite flat and sometimes ridgy which has sent me in to a panic.

I’m going back to gp tomorrow but am feeling very scared :(