Consultant has told my GP I have IBS!!!

[Mumfordnsons]

Afternoon everyone, I have received a telephone consultation with my GP today and she said that the consultation has suggested that my bloating comes from IBS and can I be given laxatives!!!

I am not denying that it's highly likely that I have IBS but just to be given laxatives, I'd love to see how that will manage the constant pain.

Does anyone else have the 2 in conjuction, how do you manage it? I've been reading up on FODMAP diets, it seems like hard work!

[JeanOsborne]

Was your consultant a general gynaecologist or a endometriosis specialist from the BSGE list ? Also what are your symptoms?

[sarahgregory]

Hi, I was diagnosed with IBS but gyny thinks my symptoms are 2 fold and that I might have endo as well. I am doing the low FODMAP diet. All the consultant gave me was a link to the Stanford University site re the diet. This was very basic and after lots of googling I found the Monash University had an app which was a lot more helpful and in more detail. My bloating and stomach pains I associated with the IBS is definitely a lot better so it was definitely worth doing. At home it was quite easy to do and just adapted a basic meal I used to make for family and then added things for others eg mushrooms and onions just to their part and added other low FODMAP veg to my part. You do need to check all ingredients on things you buy as even through the Free From ranges may not have gluten or lactose they often have other high FODMAP ingredients in them. When doing the elimination part I did find it hard to eat out but that is mainly because I don't like steak which is low FODMAP so would make an easy option when out. After about 8 weeks on the elimination and it helping with the symptoms I was then referred to a dietician to steer me in the right direction with the reintroduction stage.

Ask away if you want to know anything else. X

[GrittyReads]

When I was finally given some decent treatment for my endo, the gynae that I saw at that time said that the 'ibs' that I had been fobbed off with for decades was probably all down to my endo. So I would take this info with a pinch of salt and concentrate on getting the endo removed.

As others have said above: is the consultant a specialist in endo and on the BSGE list? Have you been diagnosed with endo at all and has your GP - or anyone mentioned the BSGE specialist centres for endo treatment? Because if not, they should have.

Check out the posts on this site by Lindle, as she gives more info on how to access BSGE centres.

Take care.

[Mumfordnsons]

Thanks all, yes my consultant is on the BSGE, my endo was removed last year however he feels that I also have adenomyosis alongside the endo, but these are not contributing factors to the pain or bloating.

Symptoms include:

extremely swelling ( from size 12 to 16 in space of 10 minutes) not necessarily after ingesting anything.

pain which can vary from a dull ache to excruciating stabbing pain (predominately on my left size)

lower back pain (roughly round where my kidney's are)

nausea

hot/cold flushes and sweats

then month long constipation but diarrhea when on period.

Thank all