Spurred on by the poo thread, I think DH has IBS. How do I get him to do something about it?

[ShowOfHands]

I apologise if you've just had lunch.

We've been together for 10 years and he's been like this as far back as I can remember.

I'll try not to be too graphic.

He veers from constipation to desperate, need to go now, loose poo and he can not go for a day but then need to go several times in an hour. He has days when he says he doesn't feel empty and keeps going but can't get rid of the feeling. He also has stomach cramps alongside all of this and it can smell dreadful.

I don't know if there's some relation but he has migraines that seem to be food related and when he has a migraine, even a headache actually, he has an upset stomach.

He doesn't help himself by sitting on the loo for hours reading I'm sure.

Does this sound like IBS?

He Will Not go to the doctor. He is ashamed.

What can I do?

It does rather. I don't see why he doesn't want to do something about it. DH had it and it was agony.

He got rid of it by changing his diet - he went gluten-free for a period of time. Now he is much much better but can't drink red wine anymore.

Is your DH stressed? That was my DH's trigger.

I have IBS and when I have a flair up it does sound similar to that

Is he bleeding too? If so he needs to go to the Doc!

He's not stressed but he's quite anxious generally. It's just his way. He is a police officer so works odd hours and is working in a stressful environment which probably doesn't help. He sleeps badly too.

He is sometimes doubled over in pain.

We had a housemate at university who had IBS who described every single visit to the toilet in great detail and kept offering to let us feel the 'compacted matter' in her stomach. It was vile and dh refuses to be like her (his only basis for reference). He's just embarrassed.

No bleeding no. He has in the past bled and seen a doctor who said he had piles and told him to eat more fibre. They flare up when he's constipated but otherwise no blood.

Oh dear SOH. It really is agony (well according to DH). I don't know what to say. DH ended up having a colonoscopy as the pain was so bad they worried he might have a tumour (FIL had colon cancer). Not sure that would help encourage your DH or not

I suffered from IBS for many years & the pain was horrendous. Although stress was a trigger, I found that changing my diet has helped tremendously. I avoid too much sugar/chocolate/junk etc, and find that lots of bio yogurt & linseeds (either on cereals or in bread) really help.