Seeking any advice please.

[jensw]

I'm a woman in her late 40 and I have had IBS (A) for a long time

I've had lots of different tests done over the years and was told it was just I.B.S

I have managed for years with me cutting out foods and alcohol.

So self planning on foods and lifestyle was needed.Sometimes weeks being really bad over weeks a little better.

I have managed to acquire some conditions over the years which are reflux and high blood pressure and on going conditions.

I'm not keen on hospitals as I spent a long time having blood test and so on a few years ago but about 2 to 3 years ago I started having a lot of pain under my left boob

My GP convinced me to go to hospital again and just have another look so I did it and was told it was just I.B.S and she couldn't understand why I get pain under my left boob.

She mentioned about doing the FODMAP which I did do the previous year which made me very ill and I only have a limited Diet before I went to the hospital so now after doing the diet i have lost more food groups.My food is pretty boring but i do my best and eat small but regular.

I'm unable to eat high-fibre as I have IBS (A) which is diarrhoea and constipation so toilet too much with high-fibre.I try to find a way of doing my diet myself which can be hit and miss.

So with the pain under my boob and more in my joints and lower back i had more test done in early 2014 and in early 2015 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia as winters are really bad adding more pain.

Then 6 months later I was diagnosed with C.F.S & M.E which came about as i asked the dr why i was still getting pains in my hips plus lower back.

Well i still have pain under my left boob the bloatness is quite extreme and now thanks to my new conditions ( Yes i seem to be collecting them) I don't seem to be able to regulate go to the toilet, food not doing anything different and bloating and burping all the time.

I do have medication for reflux as well as IBS and high bloodpressure and I drink plenty of water and eating healthy.I don't go mad with the wheat and dairy.

So if anyone has a suggestions of how to help me with this because I'm exhausted with it and it's extremely limiting to my life.

I've had children so it's a bit like that but at least that in a few months you have a child. This has been going on way too long now I'm struggling with the doctor I think he just doesn't know what else to do now so any suggestions please.I have tried the peppermint oil which I had a very bad reaction to and my stomach is super sensitive just to add insult to injury. I usually know within a few days if i can keep taking them or not.

My pain is quite extreme and I'm at my wits end, so what to do.I tried the dr again and he gave me Bascopan and after 2 days im struggling with these.( I usually do 2 to 5 days depending on the reaction)

I'd really would like some type of solution or ideas, suggestions please to get back to my "Normal"

[shirlygirly]

Have you tried oats, I know that they are fibre but quite gentle in the stomach. I have a couple of lists of foods, one uf I have C and one for

D. Peppermint tea I find very comforting after meals but its trial and

error really. Good luck.

[jensw]

i have tried oats as i would rather not take extra tablets,i found that they bung me me and i have to drink even more wate,

Peppermint tea was tried before i tried the peppermint oil tablets and again a no go,

I am a funny onion lol thanks for the info thiugh and trail and errors seems to be the way now adays lol

[BettyA in reply to jensw]

Do you use psyllium husks (or powder) mixed in with 8 oz of tepid water every night... This does seem to help a lot of people be more regular. Just an idea. Some people complain psyllium makes them bloat, but I think that is a very small price to pay compared to some of the other 'stuff' we go through! Good luck.

[Montykat]

have you ever tryed slippery elm food. you can buy it in a powder from any health food store then you mik a few teaspoons with warm milk or soya milk/dairy free alternative and drink. Its very soothing and healing on the stomach lining...its original use was to give to those who were convalescing and couldnt digest food properly. I think its around £4 a box

[Hidden]

I remember after an op getting a special yoghurt with all nutrients in from my pharmacy.Why don't you have a chat with your pharmacy as they do have a great knowledge and understanding of problems and might have some ideas you could try.

Good luck..

I am just going back to a stick blender for thick veg soup to see if that helps my digestion

Hather

[sg25]

Hi. Firstly, if you havn't already, cut out onions, leeks and garlic. You can eat the green part of a spring onion so thats useful when cooking as nearly everything seems to require an onion. Also garlic oil can be used which gives the food flavour. Despite cutting these out I was still getting symptoms on certain days. After some thought I suspected it could be red wine as it was happening with regularity after weekends when I had drunk a couple of glasses. Since giving up the onion family and red wine, can still drink white thank goodness, things are I'd say 80-90% improved. Good luck, definitely worth a try.

[Jmcgrath]

Hi don't know where you live but I go to a Chinese Doctor who is a qualified doctor and practises in Chinese herbs and acupuncture. Her name is Doctor Jieng and her number is 0114 2662015 and runs a clinic on Wednesday and Saturday's in Sheffield on Glossop Road. I was diagnosed by her in 2001 with ME whilst doctors struggled for over a year to find out what was wrong. I spent 2 years off work however doctor Jeing got me back and cured of symptoms. I also suffer from IBS which started when I was 30 had it for 2 years and then it appeared to stop however I am now 53 and it came back 2 years ago. I have gone back to her with reflux and problems which are getting complicated from the IBS and possibly pre menopause and having some good results. It is not hugely expensive around 60 for herbs and accupunture. Give it a try if you can afford it you will be amazed how she can help!!!

[Hidden]

I have been reading the book - GUT the inside story, by Giulia Enders. It gives some good insight into how the gut works etc. Basically it seems that once our gut flora is out of sync then it can cause us all sorts of trouble/problems. I suggest that the pain you get under your left boob is where your problems lay and you may have an overgrowth of bad bacteria in that area.

I have been told that nutritian4health.co.uk do a blood test (finger prick) to find out what you are allergic to (or intolerant to) which will go a long way to helping and then you will need to cut that out and take probiotics to balance your gut flora. The chemist in our local Boots is from Europe and she says IBS is very rare on the continent as it is treated with probiotics. She cannot understand why it is not treated in this country.

This is where we are at the moment and looking to go down this road. Hope this is of some help.

[patientj]

IBS, reflux and high blood pressure are all conditions that are brought on or exacerbated by stress and anxiety, and from the sound of your post it sounds like life and your illnesses are stressing you out. I think I've also heard that there could be a relationship between fibromyalgia and stress, too.

Dr Nick Read works for the IBS Network. He used to be a consultant gastroenterologist and then became a psychotherapist. He has written several illuminating posts (like this one thesensitivegut.com/2015/10... about how, in his clinical experience, stress, anxiety and trauma can all be triggers for IBS (not necessarily the sole or only cause), and how therapy led to his patients overcoming their IBS.

I feel I'm starting to become a bit of an evangelist for his point of view. I've been working with a therapist recently to overcome some other issues and through this I realised that my IBS started after I left university when I lost the structure and the long hours of university life. I've been anxious for years and only realised it now. So I would suggest if all other medical and dietary interventions are failing you, maybe counselling and therapy might offer an attractive alternative way forward. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.