IBS but not really - any ideas

[Wjdbxb]

I’m at the end of my rope with my bowel issues and wondered if any of you have experienced similar or can tell me what is wrong. (Have name changed but am a regular poster, not the poo troll of Mumsnet lore).

I’ve always had IBS to an extent, but things have gradually got far worse over the years. I’ve had to cut out various foods because I just can’t tolerate them, but it’s none of the usual suspects - I don’t have any issues with wheat, dairy or high fat foods. I cannot tolerate alliums or nightshades (aside from potatoes) and struggle with salad veg. This makes eating healthily difficult.

So, what seems to happen to me these days is that I will eat some food for lunch, but if I deviate from something very bland like toast or a cheese sandwich, I end up with diarrhoea 3-4 hours later, and it is visibly the food that I ate for lunch. Even if this doesn’t happen, I can smell the food that I ate within a few hours in my poo or (sorry) in farts. Its totally normal to be able to smell strong smelling food the next day when you go to the loo like curry etc, but I can smell individual components of anything in my poo that isn’t plain meat, fish, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes or dairy. If I have fish and chips with tartare sauce I can smell the bloody dill in the tartare sauce. I can smell the slight spices in the coating of a chicken nugget: it is ridiculous.

What on earth is this? I had a clear colonoscopy, I had a clear test for enzyme deficiency, I was told it couldn’t be BAM as I’ve had no gallstones or liver issues. What does that leave? It surely can’t just be IBS? Dumping syndrome could possibly fit maybe?

So as not to drop feed, I have an undiagnosed illness which causes intense fatigue and flu-like feelings when I’m tired, and all my blood tests are normal apart from 9am cortisol which is, without fail, way too long. Saw endocrinology and they say I haven’t got adrenal insufficiency although that would match some of my symptoms.

Possibly SIBO, it’s often overlooked.

I asked about this years ago (two different GPs) and last summer (specialist) and none of them believe in it (NHS) 🙄

I’ve have BAM and have never had liver issues or gallstones. BAM can arise for a number of reasons. Ask for a SeCHat scan

I have a long and tedious history of digestive issues, I found taking Solar digestive enzymes has made a huge difference, I'm sorry I didn't try this years ago.

Thank you. It drives me absolutely mad how ill informed so many NHS doctors are.

I already take digestive enzymes if I’m eating anything that I think might kick everything off - it’s hit and miss as to whether it works. Are this brand better for an particular reason?

Have you tried sticking to a super bland diet for a few weeks while taking supplements to boost your gut bacteria, and then very gradually building up? And do you avoid foods that cause fast transit like fruit juices?

I also have BAM and have never had liver or gallstone problems

If you have the means you can buy a SIBO test online through a testing company - it's a faff to do though and relies on you doing it correctly.

Garlic and onions are two big causes of IBS according to the FODMAPS research OP, I'm the same and can't eat alliums. I also find that stress makes everything much, much worse, the more stressed i am the more different foods seem to start affecting me. I take the Holland and Barrett multi digestive enzyme tablets and find they help.

not all digestive enzymes are the same
Zenwise (amazon) and pure encapsulations ultra with betaine hcl were both game changers for me. And experiment with taking more than the recommended dose, I take 2 before a meal.

not sure if it might helps but my experience of IBS is def stress related. Didn’t realise as it was just daily life but made a life change and my gut got better. My daughter has coeliac disease, however symptoms were variety of digestive issues but as it is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune reaction in the gut, so whilst you are regularly eating gluten it was never specifically linked to when she had gluten as the inflammation was always there, so only figured out by blood test. worth doing if you haven’t had an IgA and TTG test to rule this out.

i believe there are companies who can analyse your stool sample to look at bacterial composition so you take the right bacteria to fix your gut microbiome, there are some experimental studies of fecal transplants which sound gross but have had surprising good results from memory!

This is basically my life - I very rarely eat anything that should cause problems so eat a very bland diet. I take Symprove every morning and have done for years. It helps (in that things are worse if I don’t take it) but not enough. I then try to introduce a tiny amount of something I’ve cut out but the reaction is bad even for a very small amount.

Thank you. Coeliac disease has definitely been ruled out by blood test and biopsy. I will look into stool analysis.

A candida overgrowth in the gut is also a possibility.

It can cause diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, gas, abdominal pain, nausea, and cramping. Plus, in some cases fatigue, brain fog, headaches, joint pain and if it’s invasive candidiasis - fever and chills which sounds like your flu like symptoms.

Antifungal meds may help if it is this. But, disclaimer, I am not a healthcare professional.

This article was interesting about testing of enzymes. I’ve ordered the bio Kult ones to try for similar but not as severe reasons https://www.thetimes.com/article/45caffc6-a996-4863-8c94-efed4179d003?shareToken=44fbca4f4402841bc731cb18bd6d1c15