Any help appreciated!

[Amelia24]

I have been suffering for the last 3 years with what I have now accepted is IBS. I had many tests carried out, colonoscopy all to no avail..!

Sometimes my symptoms would vary but nothing untoward!

So to the point in hand...

I left the UK to work abroad jan 2013 initially the build up to leaving was stressful & I was full of worry & to say the least my tummy was a nervous wreck..! However shortly after settling in bowl movements became regular I was able to start eating normally again without concern & I felt much better in myself..

A year and a half later I'm back to square one! There have been no significant changes in diet nor have I been worrying yet I am so much more uncomfortable than I've ever been, bloated 24/7 & can't seem to go to the toilet, the complete opposite way around from my first bouts of this awful condition!

If anyone has any advice or can help I will be eternally grateful! I am a 24 year old flight attendant who spends most of her time in the sky with irregular eating habits!

Just wondering if anyone is in the same or has heard of my situation!

[Drina]

Have you tried the FODMAP diet? Works wonders on me. It is tough to follow - but when you are desperate you would do anything. Try it out. From what I get here it does not work on everyone; but works on me. Good luck!

[tansy-ann8]

I have lived with it for many, many years and to be absolutely truthful you just learn to live with it. I have seen gastroenterologists, had colonoscopies (plural), endoscopies. Tried all the diets (hardly practical with your employment anyway) and they haven't made the slightest difference, and after all the difficulties of living with the diets for heaven knows how long! It comes and goes, it changes from IBSd to IBSc - you bloat then you don't. Truly I have had the lot - I now try to manage it -by eating as normally as possible - even onions! yes I know, people saying NOT onions, but everything in moderation, small normal meals. I take Ranitidine at night, to avoid to much acid, and during a flare up I take Mebeverine, it controls the action of the intestines. I do not overeat - even when eating out, small meals and normal food, not too many snacks. Try to avoid too much stress - difficult during take off and landing I'll grant you. Good luck Amelia 24 - you will learn to manage it and you will have days when you ask for help - been there. Just eat sensibly and no overeating.!!!!!

[ElkaAnn]

I agree with Drina. I had tried many things for my IBS, and the only thing that really helped at least 80% was the low-FODMAP diet. It may be challenging at first, but well worth to get through the challenging phase. I felt better after just a few days of the diet. I suggest trying it for a few days and see how you feel.

[Hidden]

I agree with Tansyann I've had chronic IBS for 12yrs,I've had every test available,no end of Gastrologist ,Fodmap diet eliminating food, now I'm under a Proffessor of Gastrology all to no avail.Also I've tried lots of different medication.I have an Underactive thyroid and lately I've been told that might have something to do with it we will see.One thing I would say to you is stay on this site there are a lot of people out there with the same problem you may find some help.Sorry to go on.Good Luck to you.

[Linley]

Hi! Amelia24.................may I start on a positive note, well done to you for taking a job in the air and not letting the anxiety of IBS take over you. I know I could not do it. I agree with fellow sufferers comments you should eat regularly and little and often but I don't know how you would manage this with your job. Something else I suggest you think about is are your symptoms worse when you are menstruating? If the answer is yes it may well be a good idea to get a Gyna to check you out as it is well documented the affects that long haul flights have on the menstrual cycles of female cabin crew, also from personal experience some gyna conditions have similar symptoms to IBS. Wish you well!!

[jensw]

Hi Amelia24

Well im the same with IBS (M) a bit of both lol I tried the fodmap and goodness its crap.

Im sorry but it made me a hell of a lot worse.

It took me mths to get back to normal such as it is.

I eat small meals and low fat as to much of anything isnt great for me.

this way i get what i like but less ( even though i bake and struggle sometimes)

We can but try.

Anyhow drink plenty of water and small meals often.

Good luck sweet

[counselink]

Amelia...So sorry you are going through such a bad time, but I don't want to make any assumptions about what's going on now. IBS is a relapse/remit disease, and many people do move between having diarrhea and constipation as symptoms during the course of their disease experience. Having said that, before you jump to the conclusion that your current symptoms are just another iteration of IBS, I think that you should check with your doctor, because there are other conditions that have the same symptom profile that you have now, including ovarian cancer. Now it is unlikely that that is what you have, but since you have symptoms that are new for you and without a recent history of other bowel issues, it is a good idea that you check with a doctor before diagnosing or treating yourself.

I do not mean to scare you or to be negative, but living with chronic illness makes both the patients and the physicians liable to overlook other possible reasons for symptoms sometimes, so it is up to us to be our own best advocates as much as we can. I wish you the very best.

[JackoI]

A GP is your best port of call first, that's who I run to all the time. Better to be safe than sorry.

Also, ive a friend who used to be a flight attendant and we got talking and I mentioned my IBS and he said, although he doesn't have it that now, after quiting it he has to go quite often.

Not irregular, but sometimes more than 3 times a day (over the average). As you'd be eating a curry at 2 am in the morning then a breakfast at 6, it would be irregular eating habits.

Also, IBS remission is very common. Most people have good and bad times with it. Some people, like me, have it daily eg A bad morning and then a good evening.

But, others can go for years, over a decade, without anything then have a flare up for years and then it go away again. It's chance which one you get.

But a visit to a GP would be good to get stool and blood test to rile out bacteria / viral)/ parasitic infections. And to see thyroid and organs are working good. U also had a coeliac test done using my blood test.

All the best.