First Post. IBS D sufferer for more years than I can remember. Getting significantly worse over last 6 months. Male 53.

[Martg]

I`ve been attempting to control IBS D with Immodium Plus Caplets and Buscopan for several years now. It`s now becoming much less effective over last 6 months making it difficult to leave house, particularly in the morning. Typical morning can involve anything from 3 to 6,7,8 or more visits to the loo. First visit is usually what would be described as a normal stool/motion, thereafter becoming increasingly urgent and soft, only warning is usually stomach cramps. Even after this I continually feel the urgent need to go even if there is no motion, I feel I cant take the chance. Anyway, I`m back at the consultant and today I had a colonoscopy which they said was normal, now awaiting MRI of Small Bowel after which I`m sure I`ll once again be diagnosed with IBS D and then back to square one, what to do? On this site there are so many interesting tales of what works for some people that maybe all hope is not lost. I`m keen to try something different but I haven`t a clue where to start.

[Tummypain]

This is horrible. I was like that for many years, though not quite as bad. Over the past few years I have also had a bad rash on my neck . Doctors blamed all sorts of things and I was given many creams. A few weeks ago my daughter said she had seen an add for A 2 milk. Read about it on the Internet . The rash has almost gone and all I can say about my tummy is wow. I must worn you though it can be hard to find.Good luck.

[Hidden]

The low-FODMAPs diet works particularly well for a lot of people. It isn't a diet-for-life (initially it's very restricted and makes you wonder what on earth you're left with to eat), but it does allow you to identify which food groups are giving you problems (if foods are indeed your triggers). If you want to give it a go, go to the website for Monash Uni (in Australia) where the diet was developed, there's a very good smartphone app you can download from there and I also highly recommend a book by the American dietitian, Patsy Catsos, 'IBS- Free At Last' which gives a good plan to follow whilst doing FODMAPs and lots more besides. Be wary of getting info from any other websites as many are outdated and incorrect.

It's also worth asking your doctor for a SeHCAT test for Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM) as this presents with exactly the same symptoms as IBS-D and is easily treatable with colestyramine.

Other tests which you may not have had are SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and fructose and lactose malabsorption. Candida also causes the same symptoms but, as it's not a recognised condition in the medical profession, you have to get this done yourself. candidatest.co.uk is a reliable site for this.

Roz

[Lloyd1]

Sorry to hear of your plight and you are right to feel at a loss because the solution more often than not is trail and error.

I find using aloe Vera gel, pro and pre biotics along with additional excercise and the odd buscopan gives me a pretty normal stomach .

Good luck Lloyd

[Salti]

For me it is about diet. Try the FODMAP diet. A miracle for me. Took the York Test for food intolerances and with that and FODMAP I feel a million times better.

[Hidden]

Sounds just like me - and happily I seem to have almost found my answer after 26 years of suffering the last 3 years of which were horrendous. I can't recommend the FODMAPS diet highly enough. Do give it a try you will find loads of info on this site just by searching using that name. If you can't find it come back to me and would be happy to help.

[dotty423]

This is awful. I too have similar symptoms and am having coelieac tests and others at the moment but I know food is my trigger so am sure I'm going to try the FODMAP diet. Reaasuring to hear that it has worked for other people. Try keeping a food diary in case it is a particular food that is causing your symptoms. Apps are available for this purpose. Good luck!

[Trekkiegirl]

I also have severe IBS-D. There are several medications on the market which can help, and also dietary and lifestyle changes. Personally, I take a combination of mebeverine (colofac), amitriptyline and omeprazole, plus vitamins/minerals and a probiotic. I also cut out all dairy products (my gastroenterologist said it was very common for people with IBS to be intolerant to dairy, and that it was fine to cut it out provided you find other sources of calcium). I use fortified soya milk. Wholegrains are also a no-no (consultants usually advise IBS-D sufferers to use processed flour, ie white bread, white pasta etc), as are vegetables with kernels on (like sweetcorn and pulses), fruits high in pectin and sugar, and caffeine and alcohol. Some people (not me luckily!) can also be gluten-intolerant without actually having coeliac disease. I cut all of the above out of my diet, am taking moderate exercise, and also practise relaxation techniques such as meditation. See what your consultant says, but personally I'd start with the meds and cutting out dairy (if you haven't already). Good luck!!

[Linedanceing in reply to Trekkiegirl]

I am going to try some of your suggestions thank you

[sapiens42]

I take Codeine in addition to Immodium and Buscopan

[Martg in reply to sapiens42]

Does it work effectively?

[sapiens42 in reply to Martg]

It does for me

[Gastroman]

Try Gastro Aid Plus. All natural and it works on D.

[Hidden]

Hi

To control my diarrhorea I am on a strctly dairy/lactose free diet - and it works for me.

If you find lactose is a trigger you must also watch medication in tablet form - ie ibuprofen can be found in liquid gel capsules

[1tomorrow]

reading your story is like looking in a mirror although only been suffering this curse for four years your symptoms are mine to a tee.

my health care professionals showed very little interest after suffering the indignity of a barium enema and being told you have ibs good bye apart from being prescribed citalopram as a mild antidepressant to combat anxiety and lopermide to help ease the end results i have had no constructive help from either the hospital or my GP in fact the consultant discharged me leaving my GP to deal hope you have more constructive results good luck

[Martg in reply to 1tomorrow]

In my previous experience your comments re Consultants/specialists ring true. My GP seems very understanding and did refer me back to specialist with both of us fully expecting another IBS diagnosis. I`m awaiting further visit to Consultant after recent colonoscopy showed as normal, he said that if above test and MRI of small bowel and blood tests are all normal he would like to refer me to a colleague who specialises in IBS ( he told me that as he is a surgeon he would be of no further help to me ). I know await this referral with interest. In the meantime I`ve decided I have to try something else to ease my symptoms and after a bit of research of the various options I`ve decided to try LEPICOL for a period of time and see what happens. I am also interested in the Low Fodmap Diet but although I will be careful with my diet I don`t want to make to many changes at the same time. The people at LEPICOL were very helpful and informative and I`m know awaiting my first delivery of there product. I`ll keep you posted on my progress, here`s hoping.

[Bevvy1960]

Hi - I can sympathise as I had similar problems for many years.....constant feeling of needing the loo, going several times in the morning and even afternoon, can't leave the house for hours etc etc. Finally, after all these years I tried the FODMAPs diet and since then have been so much better. It's quite restrictive to begin with but if like me you are already cutting out stuff thinking it's making you worse, then you are probably already doing some of it. I blamed alcohol, onions, dairy, fat etc etc, but never made any difference until I tried FODMAPS. I've suffered IBSD since 1986 and it has helped me enormously (I'm now 54). Incidentally, all my allergy tests were normal! however, I think I'm gluten intolerant (not allergic). The tests aren't foolproof - intolerant is not allergic but can still make you feel dreadfully ill. Please give it a try - FODMAPS - and very good luck to you.

[RB79]

Sounds just like me! It's such an embarrassing thing to live with even though so many suffer in silence. Reading some of these responses, I tried the Fodmap diet which didn't really make much difference. Also having to tell everyone you can't eat this and that becomes such hard work. Not much nice stuff to choose from either! I haven't used colofac for years and I must give it a try alongside Loperamide.