Hi I've just stumbled across this forum and to be honest it is a welcome relief to see that there are people out there suffering the same.
I've been recently diagnosed after suffering with ibs d for nearly a year. A holiday abroad seemed to trigger it.
The tablets they gave me which I have to take twenty mins before meals do nothing and I didn't really want to have to go down the Imodium or loperamide route as I am also trying for a baby and they are not recommended. Can anyone else suggest anything? I feel so on edge all the time that I am never fully comfortable unless at home and I don't want to live like that. Thanks in advance!
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cl1986
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Sorry to hear you're suffering and the meds aren't working. I assume you're on mebeverine? That didn't do much for my IBS, either, but there are several other medicines you can try. You should go back to your GP and ask to try an alternative treatment. See the NICE guidelines for some additional details of things your doctor could prescribe - nice.org.uk/guidance/cg61/c...
You mentioned that a holiday probably caused your IBS. Did you get food poisoning? Sometimes, after a bout of gastroenteritis, the gut bacteria are imbalanced. Some people take probiotics to help restore this balance, but I think only the really expensive ones have been shown to have any sort of effect (VSL#3 and the cheaper Align).
Another way to tackle the consequences of this bacterial imbalance is to try the low FODMAP diet. This restricts your intake of certain foods that your body can't digest but bacteria can. It is believed that the bacterial digestion of these foods draws more water into the gut leading to diarrhoea. Some people suggest trying it out yourself, but as you are trying for a baby I'd definitely recommend speaking to trained dietician to see if the diet is okay for you. You can get these through the NHS, but you may want to think about going private as well.
Finally, stress is a great compounding factor in IBS, and if you're scared of going out because of it, it's only going to make things worse. Look back through some of the older posts and people will list a load of ideas about how to manage going out of the house. However, it might also be worth seeking the help of a counsellor, maybe even one specialising in CBT, to help you build up your confidence.
One thing is you are not alone. I've had ibs-d for years now. I use Imodium as my emergency. I have tried things over the years and diet and finding those triggers is important. Understanding and listening to your own body will help with this. I agree with @patienj that probiotics may be your answer. Ring Symprove as there team is very helpful. Good luck.
I had diarrhoea constantly on returning from a holiday to New York many years ago. Nothing I did helped. I went to the GP and I had contracted a nasty bug and I had to get antibiotics to sort it out once and for all.
I had a glass too many of wine last night and am setting off on a car journey for an hour and a half, I can already feel the stress of wondering if I'm going to make it without having to find a toilet en route as my stomach is already churning. I will be taking a dose of silicolgel half an hour before I go and that usually sorts out my problems. I'm eating out for lunch celebrating my parents 50th Anniversary and shall have another spoonful an hour before eating at the pub as I'm also worried I'll have diarrhoea after the meal. Its mostly stress and anxiety with me that causes my IBS and so I have to manage mine through pre-empting with a dose of silicolgel at flashpoints and making sure that I have a survival pack with me of plastic bags, immodium just in case it gets really bad, and wipes. I have never had an accident, always made it to a toilet in time but just having that stuff with me helps me rationalise that I'm okay and help me get to a toilet in time. Being prepared always helps. If I start to feel my stomach churning I use OM exercises deep breathing and OM-ing focuses my mind away from my gut and also I try and get near a window and get cooler. Then I can usually settle my stomach and complete the journey or get to the next toilet opportunity. I've had to do this on the trains lots and most often made the complete hour journey home without having to get off and find a toilet. Sounds crazy perhaps but it really does work for me in most instances. I hope you find your solution soon. Its too miserable to live life around IBS. Also if you become pregnant, it might be that you'll have some respite from IBS D as pregnancy changes can cause constipation. I remember that being the case for me, especially in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. And of course, you will have to be careful about what medications you take when pregnant - you'll probably need to see your GP to establish what you can / can't take.
hello..may i ask about the silicol gel ..you said pre-empting by taking silicol gel ..does that mean it will make you "go" so that your gut will be empty ??!
I'm asking coz i've just received samples of silicol gel from my relative and i have ibs-d ..so is it really for diarrhea or constipation ??
Hi there. I use it to treat or prevent diarrhoea flare ups. Not for constipation. In other words if I feel I am likely to feel anxious about a situation causing diarrhoea then I take it such as before the lunch out that I enjoyed today without any issues plus the journey home. If I hadn't have taken it I would have worried about having an upset tummy and being caught short on the way home. Hope that helps.
All great answers above. Silicolgel has helped my husband a lot. You can get it from boots. If you have tried probiotics, food map, keeping a food diary then have a go with silicolgel.
Some people I gather also try Mothers apple cider vinegar with success. Everyone is different but I must say that stress is the match to the touch paper. If you can work on your stress then you should be able to have more control of your ibs.
Diet. I cannot touch rice it starts a flare up. Bread the same, that is a really bad one, cut it out. Try and work out which foods set you off. Before you eat anything look at it and think if you fancy it. Listen to your body and what it will tell you. Try a diet of just steamed veg for a few days, I always find that very calming.
I forgot to add I find if I have sugar that too starts an attack. I ate a piece of cake yesterday, (could not refuse as was a birthday). The sugar content, and of course wheat started me off and had to take Spasfon which calmed things down. So cut out sugar too.
HI, I agree with what others have said on here. My body has changed i.e. when I was first diagnosed I had IBS C - I still have IBS C on occasions with a lot of pain but I now also have an urgency to get to the toilet but don't always pass much - I also tend to get nausea although am never actually sick. Diet is a huge part of it as is stress so what I am going to do is go on an exclusion diet as well as I've just purchased Davina McCall's book on how to go sugar free in 5 weeks. I've read the introduction and have looked the recipes, it's certainly one for me and is so much healthier than the way I eat at the moment. Check out foodintolerancesolutions.com/ - this is where I have located the information needed for an exclusion diet - it's really good. I will be reporting on here how I get on but not until later in the year as I'm not going to embark on it until I have got back from holiday - not easy to watch your diet when away.
Re diet, I had a Panini a few weeks ago when out to lunch with a friend and had cheese and onion, boy did I suffer - onions are not good and this is for many IBS sufferers.
Best of luck to you in whatever you find works for you as we are all different.
Presume that you've had a colonoscopy to rule out any other bowel disorder
Have you tried your own intolerance tests to see if there is a particular food group that cuases your symptoms, like dairy ?
hi. have you tried BUSCAPAN? Its only reason is to relax the smooth muscle walls of the intestines - research it and it will give you details, side effects if any. maybe this will give you an idea? good luck.
Hi everyone I just want to say thank you for all taking the time to reply, it is so appreciated.
I am going to go back to the doctors to ask for tests as they have just gone on what I have told them so I'd like more certainty if they can offer it. They prescribed me mebeverine. They also believe I have endometriosis which causes me a lot of stress and pain and I am sure this makes my ibs worse.
I've started doing a food diary so hopefully that will help me come to my own conclusions. I have a lot of onion so after reading this I'll defo try and cut those out and give garlic tablets a whirl. I'm willing to try anything.
I took loperamide last night and today I feel so much better. I never knew how much my ibs affects my mood so I'll certainly use that on my really bad days.
Thanks again for all the messages. I can't tell me how much you guys have given me positivity that I can make this better xx
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