I have joined this site looking for help with ibs, to begin it as never really been properly diagnosed but i have had a camera and they said they could not see anything, but the doctor says it is ibs I am sure it must be more then that the pain is unbearable.My typical symptoms are very bad stomach cramps, they can come on for no reason at all. My stomach always feels sore and tender to the touch, sometimes i have diarreha and then i am constipated,Worse in the morning when i wake, but also i wake up from my sleep with very bad pain, I have tried to change my diet, no joy, ive taken everything i can think of from buscopen , to colofac, alverine , peppermint, but nothing works, i am fed up up living on paracetamol, and imodium, i cry all the time as i really cannot cope, can anyone help me with any info, thank you ,I am female and 46 years old
Please help me with my ibs : I have joined this... - IBS Network
Please help me with my ibs
Hi Kazzah, sorry to hear you are so upset due to this. It sounds like you may well have ibs, the symptoms are familiar. It can be very upsetting alright, but i found that accepting this condition is the key, followed by learning your triggers i.e. food, stress etc. Then try and learn as much as you can about it. Every case of ibs is different, so in time you will find what works best for you, its trial and error really. The condition wont kill you but it can be upsetting when it flares up and can be very tiring and disabling at times, but please know you are not alone as you will see on this forum! Dont ever feel scared or alone as we are all in this together and help each other as best we can. Hugs, Nanabud x
Sorry to hear your problems. I agree with the reply from @nanabud below that it important to discover your triggers. I would start by removing ang processed meals. There are different ways of helping with this. Good luck.
thank you
Have a look at a low residue diet
Hi, I too have IBS and have suffered for years. About two weeks ago I read an article about Aloe Vera and how it is good for healing........ Well, I went to Holland & Barrett, bought the daily Aloe Vera drink, have just over a tablespoon three times a day and I feel it is helping. I am more frequent, reduced pain, feel better and for YEARS I had pain before doing a poo, whether it was 5 mins before or sometimes an hour before, but since taking this I have had no pain!!! May be a coincidence but it's a good one, if it is!! I always had pains before going, not since taking this and I have not had pain after eating, and I've been out for four meals eating what I wanted, including ice cream!!! Which ALWAYS gave me pain!!
Fingers crossed it lasts 🎉
Try it, remember it's the daily drink not the chilled one, it's on shelf in Holland and Barrett.
I was diagnosed with ibs after having my second son. My issue ms are burning/raging stomach pain, frequent nausea and vomit to name a few. I haven't been able to get my weight over 100 lbs in the last few years due to it. It's been frustrating living with this as a mother of 2 young children and a vibrant woman and also feeling like having the flu everyday...I have found that eating small meals, paying attention to how you feel after you eat things and cutting out foods that are overly processed, fatty or sugary. I have tried drinking Alison The past with varied results. I find that managing my stress levels is the only thing that helps with my symptoms. GOOD LUCK and you are NOT alone in this!
I am willing too try anything, im a single mum to so it is hard on my own so my stress levels are high
I know what you mean. I left a horrible abusive relationship and became and single parent. Dealing with kids and your own health issues can feel so overburden, I do understand that....when my stomach pain is really bad, like I'm crying because of it, I talk to it and tell it to calm down...I know that might sound stupid but it helps me..I reassure my stomach that it's ok and it's going to be better if it relaxes. I'm
A 3rd year nursing student in Canada ...I believe that all of the medicine In The world can only do do much and that ibs has more to do with how people cope with their stress....as a mom, I've found that youtubing bellydancing videos and practicing bellydancing has helped me more with ibs than I could have imagined....long story short, you are a single mother, I'm pretty sure that you are doing your best, for yourself and your kid(s)...you are a person just like the rest of us..try to not be overly hard on yourself about things and realize that you are doing a great job with what you are doing. I'm
Not sure what to say for you exactly that might be the right thing for you to fix things, but having others that can relate definitely helps reduce the loneliness and isolation that these health issues can create.
Alison = aloe...sorry
Try the FODMAP diet which is a diet which helps you to find out which foods are affecting you. Check out the Monash University website to read about it then get their app. Cut out gluten and lactose and all foods apart from those shown on the green traffic light system on the app. Then gradually add back in foods by type as described in the app. It is a long process but well worth the effort as it has helped thousands of people on this forum.
You could also get a self help course from ibsaudioprogram100.com
Which is self hypnosis on 3CD's aimed specifically at IBS sufferers.
Both the above have helped me tremendously after suffering with the complex condition for 29 years since I was 40. I now rarely suffer pain at all, take only occasional Imodium but no other meds.
You can also get an 'I can't wait' card to help with toilet access and a RADAR card which opens disabled toilets throughout the country. Always carry spare undies and wet wipes etc which gives you a bit of peace of mind and will help you feel safer so you may actually never need them.
Good luck. Keep positive if you can and keep your eye on this site which will help you on your way.
thanks, like i say i will try anything , i will look at the fod map
I too tried the FODMAP.... It was excellent. Even more so that I discovered that once I worked out what caused me havoc... I then started doing my own test on wine, in particular trying different grapes. For the last 12 months I've been mostly in control. For me the worst part isn't the urgent need for the loo, but the spasms, and rectal pain. It's so bad and only had attacks when I've been out in public., and twice I've blacked out for a few seconds. The pain freezes me physically. I'm beginning to recognise the in set, but I'm still not quick enough!! I keep telling myself that it's just a blip and it could be something worse. It helps keep me in check.
have you tried colloidol gel ??
Hi,
You say you've had a camera investigation, was that up or down?
Have you been told about the low FODMAP diet? This isn't a fad, all NHS dietitians are trained to advise in it and it's helped loads of people on here myself included. You have to cut out some major food groups all in one go, see if there's any improvement and then try adding them back in one at a time to try to identify your triggers.
Rosie
camera was up, i never have any bleeding or anything just pain, especially in the morning it is worse but it also wakes me out of my sleep, i do not find my doctors helpful either, hence why i am here for advice
Okay, so camera up means no coeliac or Crohns disease which is a start.
I suggest you go back to your GP - or a different one if you don't find him/her helpful - and ask for a referral to an NHS dietitian trained in the FODMAP diet.
Best book on it is by Patsy Catsos called 'IBS-FreeAt Last'.
Someone else has given you the info about Monash Uni where the diet was developed, the app from there is brilliant.
Until you get yourself a bit more sorted, something you can do straightaway is to cut the prime suspects from your diet, i.e. wheat, barley, rye, the onion family, lactose and stone fruit.
Hi
I can empathise with you. Have you tried either keeping food diary to see which foods are aggrevating your ibs, or going on a basic food plan either Dr Oz detox plan (which is proper food not supplements) or following the fodmaps diet for couple of weeks then start to reintroduce food item one at a time after that.
I am going to try the things people have suggested on here see how i go, thanks for your help
I am so sorry to hear that.when i was reading what you put it sounded so like me accept i just have constipation.i feel like you do too its been going on for ages for me too.x
Have a look on internet for information on the FODMAP DIET. There is some contradictory information but take your time, you will gradually get the idea.
I'm on stage one at the moment, and enjoying the challenge, mostly. It is definitely helping.
First of all try and stay calm as I might just have the answer for you: if your Ibs is not food activated and is caused by anxiety/stress then there is an over the counter antihistamine tablet called Phenergan which has cured me after 40 years of total misery. You take two 25mg at night and one every night thereafter. I was a bit zonked after the first night but I have been able to go out , eat out, meet friends and generally I have a normal life again instead of doping myself with diazapam , Imodium ,buscopan . My g.p says if it works then go for it . I'm on Prozac for depression and a cancer drug but I can honestly tell you that this little pill has changed my life. If you decide to give it a go if the person at the pharmacy asks you why you want it just say it's for travel sickness. £7.99 for 56 tablets. Worth a try and it worked for me from day 2 and I'm now into my sixth week . I wish you luck and let me know how you get on if you do try it.
Shona
Thanks for that shona.i have never heard of it before.can we get it in this country.sorry i dont know where you are from.how does it help with ibs pain do you know.thank you again.i will get some if i can.xx
Hi there, I live in Scotland and Phenergan can be bought over the counter. It's an old fashioned anti- histamine which has a sedative effect. After 30 years my life has turned around and I can eat like a horse , meet people, go places without all stress and anxiety the ibs gave me. I have to say that my ibsD is not food related but due to anxiety. It costs £7.99 for 56 tablets and if you can get it in your pharmacy tell them it's for travel sickness. My g.p has given me the thumbs up to using it as it isn't interfering with any othe drug I'm on ( letrozole and Prozac) and if this helps to go for it.
You can get it from pharmacy2you by post.
Two on the first night , then one every night thereafter. You might feel a little zonked on the first morning but that passes. I wish you luck and hope if you try it it works for you
Shona
I forgot to say that I used buscopan for the tummy pain and Imodium for the diarrhoea . I was also on diazapam and a sleeping pill every night. I don't have to use any of these now and that's been nearly 7 weeks since I started it.
Thank you for that shona.i will find out if i can get it.im very pleased your alot better.xx
Ahh............Kazzaz....if its any consolation, what you describe is really a typical string of IBS complaints, When I first got this 30 years ago, The pain was actually much worse than it is now, had a Doctor come out to me, Wow!! lol....................By the late Eighties and nineties, many people were suffering this, I didnt have many tests, Doctors looked for other signs of a more serious illness then, before referring to any camera Work, which , anyway, was in its infancy then.
But you have been found so far, to be clear of anything more than IBS, and for that, you should try and use that as a calming message, that your suffering tension and spasms due to either stress and spicy foods.
Most of us get depressed with this, and very tired, one case, I read recently said an attack of IBS, is like your body doing 2 hours of work out each day.
If i have an episode, First thing in the morning is always worse, sometimes having to go at 5.30am before going back to bed and having to go again at 7.30am. Its because food is being passed through the intestines to fast, its not being digested properly, hence the bloating, the wind, cramps you can almost time every 30 minuted with me anyway. paracetamol will help pain, dont take to much, or you will get constipation. Dont mix different remedies, Mebeverine works for me with a mild attack if caught early, i not its the Buscapam that my hospital said they use for some patients with nervous stomachs, if they already stressed. peppermint is not as good as it used to be, especially if you, like me suffer acid reflux, which Im on Omeprozele for. Colofac, is virtually the same as Mebeverine, dont waste money on stuff which is made up of the same components. You must first try to calm down, ask doctor for a light sedative, it will also help relax the smooth muscles of the intestines which is the cause of all this discomfort.
Dont change diets to quick, just as bad, and keep to the well known advice little and often. IBS patients need to eat every 4 hours, Not skip meals. One of the most common triggers is not eating enough during the day, and then having a huge plateful at night, that puts immense strain on an empty tummy with disastrous results. Drink plenty, mineral water, not fizzy, plain meals until it gets better, Scambled egg on toast is what I have, and chicken soups. I cant eat fried eggs, or poached.
Its very hard to stop worrying about the condition, Touching your tummy and feeling every grumble and pain, actually makes it last longer, my own doctor told me it can be a vicious circle, The more you worry about and make yourself to aware of it, the harder it is to get to calm down. rest and plenty of sleep will help.
Hope you start feeling better soon, Also gentle exercise helps, stress at work if you do work is something else, it was the cause of my IBS. You need to look into any changes to work habits or type of work you do. Good luck, you are not alone:)) Mike x
Agree with much that has been said on here, I used to have terrible
pain also and always had to go to the loo during the night and next
morning you feel washed out. My feeling is Fodmap is very good
because it gives ideas on foods that could give you a problem. Try
eliminating and it may be you will gradually reintroduce and see
where your problem area foods are. I bought the book and did it
myself because at the time you didnt have the option of GP help.
Also Im taking Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar one dessertspoonful
in warm water with honey, just to take the edge off, I take this for
bloating. I take this before meals and so far so good.i have also
started taking Windeze, its for stomach cramps which I put down
to trapped wind. I dont take them often just when necessary, but
they feel they work well.
I know how bad you feel but try and weather the storm and bit by bit
you will gradually feel better. Its not easy especially if you are alone
but to be honest I never told my husband anyway. Of course he knows
I have ibs but he really wouldnt want to know the detail, and its only
people who have it can really understand and sypathise. One last thing
its important to keep up fluids and a walk can do wonders to make
you feel better.
Big hugs ((((()))))
I have been off work now for 3 months as it as been so bad, im long term sick now, i do have a lot of stress in my life, today for example it is really painful, i woke at 4am with pain , then on and off, seemed to settle, i have just ate 1 slice of toast and it as hit me with vengance bad craps and my stomach looks 9 months pregnant, diaroreah now and cant keep off the toilet, ive been out and bought aloe vera, i am going back out now to buy something for stress, i am taking buscapen paracetomol and imodiam,to be honest i do not know which way to turn, i just want the pain to stop, i can cope with the bloating and the sickness but not the pain.
It isn't a surprise to many of us that you felt so much worse after eating toast, as I said in my earlier response, wheat, barley and rye are amongst the worst culprits for causing probs. Try eliminating them along with lactose and see if you get some improvement. Have porridge for breakfast made with lactose-free milk.
When I got my bloated stomach, my wife is hoping Im going to make history by having a baby, because I often look 9 months gone, in fact, Being a Guy, I sometimes liken myself to experiencing a PMT episode.!!
I find That I only really know my IBS episode is really over, once My tummy has shrank, and is no longer a hard rock. My doctor years ago, used to press on my tummy in different places, it was uncomfortable, but, their was no obvious pain or anything he could pinpoint, Most of this bloating is caused by the gas, a gastroenteritis, says in a journal, that 90% of IBS symptoms and pain and discomfort is due to gas, which is why my wifes nickname for me is "windy Mick", Sometimes even in bed in normal times, I get a of of wind, depending on what I eaten the day before normally. It should be noted, that there is a distinct difference between men and woman's IBS. Men are most likely to suffer loose, or bits, while woman tend to get constipation, but that's not a rule, But studys show that trend, that woman get constipation symptoms. But having had a Barian Meal Xray once, I can vouch for how awful it is, thats why you need drink plenty. Toast is good, without butter, but, see, the gut is so stressed, and will always will be, that sometimes eating something will trigger what is called the child / toilet response. Long term sufferers like me, have this, and on normal days, Once I go at say 8am. If I have my breakfast say at 9am. 30 minutes later it will cause me to visit, then Im ok for rest of day. In IBS episodes, all sorts of times I can go one after the other, and thats what's causes me being emotional, tired, no interest in anything, and just want to curl up in bed.
Hi, I am a female 41 and you have my fullest sympathy, I have the same symptoms as you and have had for over 30 years, for the last few months these symptoms are everyday and i am waiting for a referral to check for Chrohns etc.
Like you I have never found the trigger that causes it, one day I can eat a curry and be fine, the next week same curry and i will be crying in pain and god help me if I am not within 15 mins of a toilet! Even so much as a cocktail sausage did it last week! It has got so bad for me this last week that I am eating roughly a banana a day and have lost a stone in weight in 9 days, in my desperation i read about the FODMAP diet, spoke to the GP about it this morning during an appointment for help! and she said she has seen massive success and the only thing to date that has improved the symptoms for IBS sufferers. It's very restrictive and you need to study it carefully as the oddest things are not allowed but mainly its Lactose and Gluten, onions and garlic. Its not a diet for life however and you are meant to under dieticians instructions re introduce things, my GP says she will refer me to a dietician for help with this.
I don't think all of the medical professionals understand how painful and debilitating the illness is, and to be honest every GP I have seen for the last 20 years has told me its IBS live with it....but never tested me for anything else, so I am happy to have found someone who wants to help. I have been on the diet for 3 days and although its not an instant fix I am less gassy and bloated and hopefully with time I will improve but Its definitely worth a try for me I think.
I honestly know exactly how you feel and I do hope you find something that helps you, as god knows there isnt a medical fix. Big hugs xx
thank you, i am trying to get a gp appointment but my gp says well its ibs you have to put up with it, i did ask for a referal to a dieticion with no joy, but i am seeing my health trainer tomorrow to see if they can help. thanks everyone
I'm so sorry you are going through this. Did they look at your entire colon or just part of it? IBS can actually do that. I had it for years and didn't know it; then suddenly once when I was under awful stress it flared up. Now I am 55 and it has calmed down. The only thing that helped me was activated charcoal, but that is not something you want to take all the time because it can absorb nutrients. It is not uncommon with IBS for it to fluctuate- go from diarreah to constipation, even in one day. If you are flaring up for the first time the way I did, it might calm down; I know it seems like forever. I hope you feel better soon.
You sound very stressed and that does not help - I have only recently joined this forum and, for me, it has been a revelation to find out that there are so many other sufferers out there and it has really put my mind at rest.
Try Colofac slow release from your GP. Try a wheat sack or hot water bottle heated up and held against your tum. Ask your GP for anti-depressants if you feel really low
read as many of these posts as possible and you won't feel alone anymore
good luck
What specific tests have thou had or done?
Hi Kazzazz.
It looks like you have had a lot of replies but here is my advice too:
Sorry to hear about your ibs woes. I have had IBSD badly for 6 years and seem to be finally winning the battle. ibs can have a number of causes but my top tips would be:
1. Ask your GP for lactose & fructose breath tests to see if you malabsorb these 2 sugars. I malabsorb fructose and once I discovered the trigger it has made a huge difference. You might want to google fructose and lactose malabsorption.
2. Look into the low FODMAP diet on the Monash uni and NHS websites. It is extremely effective in 70% of ibs cases. It is a little complicated to start with though and I recommend the Monash phone app. The NHS can put you in touch with FODMAP dietician.
3. Read a book called 'Gut' by Gulia Enders. It is really informative and well written, and can help you understand what is happeneing.
4. Keep the diet low fat, low sugar and low caffeine. These all worsen ibs symptoms once you have them.
5. Drugs are only a small sticking plaster. You need to find out what is causing this.
6. As with most things in life, exercising and keeping fit helps.
Good luck, and there is a way through this. J
thanks james : )
I suffered from IBS-C for 5 years. It was ruining my life. The pain, gas, and constipation was unbearable. I went to the hospital 4 times in 2014 between October and March. I started taking mushroom supplements and the IBS-C is totally gone now. I have waited 6 months to make sure that the IBS symptoms are actually gone and I stopped taking the supplements and within 3 days I had that stabbing pain in my abdomen meaning that I was going to have an attack. I took my supplements again and have not a one ounce of pain since. I did a youtube video about what I use (I don't work for the company or get any sort of money from them I just buy the supplement on Amazon). If you put in "My IBS is Cured! This is what I did!" you will see my video on what I exactly do. I hope this helps 
D.M.
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