New to IBS and confused HELP!

[Mooseylou]

Hi all. I've only just joined this group and wondered if I can get some advice. IBS is new to me. 

So this is now week 5. I've had back cramping lower stomach cramps sometimes feel like period pain. Waves of feeling sick. And bad wind! 2 weeks ago the doctors did a positive pregnancy test. I am on the pill so was very shocked. 3 days later I came on my period (I was currently on my 7 day break) they did a scan, blood test and another urine and all was negative. They are totally baffled as to whether I had a miscarriage or was it a false positive. I still have the cramping feeling sick, wind and very very tired. My stomach feels big! Keep thinking have they got pregnancy wrong but it's impossible. IBS is now being mentioned. They just left me with try cutting food out. But i don't know where to start. Any advice and how long do you cut each food out for to see if it helps. Also do my symptoms sound like IBS? Would I wake up feeling sick or would it just be after eating? Confused! Someone said I should ask for a blood test to rule other stuff out. Help!

Thanks.

[patientj]

Three questions:

- is the pain relieved when you go to the toilet?

- do you go to the toilet more or less now?

- have your stools changed recently?

Those are some of the main criteria for IBS, although it can easily be used to describe other unexplained bowel problems. You could equally be suffering from what some clinicians refer to as functional bloating - that would certainly explain why your stomach feels big.

In the UK, NICE recommends that blood tests are taken to rule out inflammatory disorders and coeliac disease before IBS is diagnosed.

As for 'cutting out food' I'd suggest first of all keeping a food diary to see if your symptoms are associated with any foods in particular. If there doesn't seem to be any correlation it could be something you eat regularly (wheat or lactose for instance) or more complex (e.g. FODMAPs). So if you find yourself in that position then try cutting out wheat for a week or two and then milk and milk-containing foods (you can get lactose-free milk which tastes exactly the same as normal milk). Other common dietary triggers are foods like onion and apple and some other fruits.

If you're still having problems then I'd recommend speaking to your doctor asking for a referral to a dietician trained in the low FODMAP diet - FODMAPs are sugars that are found in a number of foods that the body can't digest but bacteria can leading to gas and bloating.

One final question - apart from the shock that you might have been pregnant has there been any other big events or illnesses in your life recently?

[Mooseylou in reply to patientj]

Thanks so much for getting back to me. There hasn't been any big events etc when this started 5 weeks ago. 

The pain doesn't go after the Loo. I seem to have very runny stools in the morning which will be 2 or 3 times. 

I will call the doctor tomorrow to ask for bloods doing. I presume they would know what for based on my symptoms. 

Thanks for the advice on cutting foods out. Gives me somewhere to start!

[Hidden]

If you haven't done already and if you haven't already had this procedure speak to the doctor re having a Colonoscopy and Endoscopy - I wasn't diagnosed until I'd had both procedures.  I get stupid amounts of wind which is very frequent and smelly at times, very embarrassing.  I am suffering at the moment with mine; I have a constant stomach ache, just like when you have an upset stomach and feeling very lethargic.

Agree with patientj in that you may be suffering from another condition which is similar to IBS.

Best of luck