Not the only one?

[RLH90]

Hi I'm a 24 year old female with ibs-D but have never been sent for any tests apart from blood and stool samples. I suffer badly with morning diarrhoea every morning, bloating and sometimes cramps. So far I have been given a list of tablets to help : mebeverine, dicycloverine hydrochloride, buscopan, colpermin and codein, various shop bought prevention tablets and none of them helped. Have been taking 10mg amitriptyline at night and at first it was AMAZING I NEARLY CRIED WITH JOY until the third day on the tablets I had a very bad bout of Diarrhoea at work (4 times in 30 mins)

I tried taking 1 Imodium at night with the amitriptyline for the last 2 nights and it worked a little too well to the point I was constipated and bloated. Have given my body a rest from both tablets today and the diarrhoea is back with a vengeance.

Is there anything anyone has tried to help ease symptoms?

Have had ibs for two years and am starting to feel alone 😔

Has anyone tried the FODMAP diet and did it help?

[Hidden]

Yes use FODMAPS now and have done for two + years. It helps loads of people on this site so do try it. Get the iPhone app and eat only the green Traffic light foods plus go gluten and lactose free for 6 weeks then try adding back in the groups of foods as shown. It is very easy to follow and has fantastic results if you stick at it. I have IBS for 39 years and now have no pain at all, no bloating and take no medication whatsoever other than Imodium very occasionally if I choose to eat something I know I shouldn't.

If you don't feel like going the whole hog with the diet initially just go gluten and lactose free to begin with and see if it helps.

Best gluten free bread is definitely Genius as some of the others have fruit juice in them. Replacement milks are many such as Koko (coconut) which I like the best and is very versatile but there is also rice , almond, oat and soya. I personally can't use anything soya as I find it causes me enormous bloating but it may not be the same for you.

Good luck.

[RLH90 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks I have an appointment with the Doctor today so I'm going to ask her to refer me to a FODMAP dietician . I've already written a list of low FODMAP foods that are ok to eat and I will do anything to feel normal again at the moment I can't even take the dog for a walk because I end up having to run home to use the loo.

[Hidden in reply to RLH90]

As it will probably take ages to be referred to an NHS dietician why not try the App you can get started on it immediately. It's by the Monash university who are the research team who found it and it is continually updated with new foods as they test them. It is very easy to follow and is with you all the time when shopping eating out etc. it only costs just under £7 so cheap at the price and oh so worth 100 times its price !!😀

[RLH90]

Went to the doctor and she wants to retest for a thyroid problem because my eyes didn't look right. I said about FODMAP and she had never heard of it so she got it up on the computer when I told her the website and I said I was going to try it and didn't think I needed a dietitian, she agreed so I'm all good to go 😊 thanks for your help I will definitely download the app I'm just struggling to find things I can buy with it. I suppose that will come over time. Thanks so much I really hope this works!

[Hidden]

I think that you should ask the doctor for a gastroscopy and colonoscopy to rule out any other problem that is affecting your gut, like diverticulitis, Crohns, colitis etc

Also until you have had a consultant'so diagnosis of IBS I don't think you should start any diet so that your gut can be assessed properly

[Katie-IBS]

Hi , ibs is so annoying and I can understand how you feel. I am 19 and I have had ibs for about a year or so. My symptoms are bloating , cramping pains, stomach making noises, feeling sick etc. I have been to the doctors on several occasions regarding ibs and i have been given different tablets such as buscopan and mebeverine to try and relieve my ibs symptoms. All the tablets I have been given for my ibs haven't done anything apart from buscopan, which helps with the cramping pains.

I haven't tried the FODMAP diet but for the last month or so I have been including wheat and gluten free products within my diet such as soft cheese and yogurt as the month before my ibs was a nightmare espically the bloating. Since eating wheat and gluten free products within the

Last month, the bloating I was getting which was quite bad and annoying, has improve a Lot !. I am still trying to control my other symptoms as well through.

[RLH90]

I went to the doctor again to ask for more tests and she said they weren't needed but I can't lie so far the low fodmap diet has completely changed my life 😄

I don't have any morning episodes now and have not felt this good in such a long time I don't even get the bloating anymore! Low fodmap is the way to go I could not be happier!

[RLH90]

Bad news 😞 my ibs flared up this morning badly. Third week on the low fodmap diet and everything was going so well! I don't get what could have changed I had no anxiety or problems at all but now back to square one 😓😭

[steven_s]

Hi RLH90

Dont give up, i am always eating something which i think is ok, only to find it is not, i suffer from IBS M/B, i went on holliday and thought i was fairly good, but my stomach and bowel dissagreed and for the past week i have been in agony.

Back to square one, pickmyself up, dust myself down, start again.

Your not alone