Sounds crazy, but how can a cold IMPROVE my IBS massively? Before the cold it's worse than normal, but then when cold comes IBS vanishes!

[Smiles-are-free]

Is there a clue in this about what's making me ill the rest of the time? I know it sounds daft, but it hasn't been a one-off thing. It happens nearly every time I get a heavy cold. It'll be very bad on my stomach just as im about to get sore throat, runny nose etc. But then when the cold really kicks in, my stomach behaves as if it was almost normal! Minimum pain, no diarrhoea or constipation, little mucous. Why why why?

[trishyb59]

do you keep a food diary, do you change what you eat when you feel unwell or take medication for your cold .

[bradybubs1]

That's interesting as usually before I have an attack of IBS I feel like I'm coming down with a cold as I start to feel all shivery, then the cramps, bloatedness etc. start!!!

[Sp1952]

perhaps if yr ibs is stress related the cold takes your mind off your problems because u feel ill

[PatV]

What cold remedies do you take? Maybe they have a positive effect on the IBS. I know sometimes a benadryl calms down my ibs pain. and sometimes a mucinex helps unplug me if i'm bothered by dried mucous in the bowel. vitamin C is great stuff, but maybe not for IBS-D

[Hidden]

Perhaps your immune system goes into overdrive when you have a cold and reduces your IBS symptoms at the same time.

[Hidden]

I've noticed myself that whenever I have something else wrong with me including a cold, my IBS symptoms diminish dramatically. I've had IBS with wind and bloating for a year now and I think it started because of me being stressed and anxious. In my case I'm certain it is psychological and unfortunately I can't see an end to it.

[TimBarker127]

I (almost) know exactly what you mean, and I've never understood it. In my case, the IBS seems to cure itself whenever I'm about to get a cold - I can consume all the things that would usually infuriate it (wheat, alcohol...) and still feel good. Unlike you, my IBS returns to normal if I actually get the cold. I like to imagine that the cells that cause my IBS are engaged in fighting off the cold.

[nfun]

I know this post is a very long time ago, but I have had the exact same thing happen to me the past few years. I have varying levels of IBS symptoms, but they always go away when I have the cold or flu.

Did you happen to find out what the cause was?

[Deronda77]

Got to add to this as well although it's an old post but I also find this. Could there be any connection if ibs was being caused by immune system and when you have a cold it focuses on that instead?

[Heca]

I have just noticed exactly the same thing ! I had very bad IBS 2 days before the onset of a cold, waking me at night with related stomach pain & reflux- then blissful uninterrupted sleep with a cold for 3 nights, no pain or reflux. Last night as my cold got better, my IBS-related reflux started to creep in again. There's something in this... the majority of our immune system actually lies in our gut (70-80%) and Peyer's Patches are 'immune sensors' : ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/211.....