IBS Just getting worse

[cheshirecat48]

I have had IBS since the age of about 32,and am now 58. Over the years it has come and gone in various flare ups from light to unbearable. Its used to seem to come on in the evening,and settle out by the morning. Medication tried over the years: Buscopan,Codine,and this last year or so Fybogel with Mebeverine.( 1 sachet Taken at around midday) It seemed to help,but now all it seems to do is stop me from being constipated. This last week or two has been the worst ever for me. Both in the morning and evenings,as soon as I got to the toilet and everything goes,the pains start.I am really at the end of my tether now. Repeated visits to the doctors yield nothing new. Also I've had 2 visits to the hospital for internal inspections,but nothing was found. The doctor suggests anti-depressants only. Please give me some hope.I am trying to hold down a 30 hour job,but coming concerned I might have to go on sick.My income supports my wife and I. I feel let down by the Doctors and the NHS.

[pansieh]

I am similar I have had all the tests possible now on buscopan but have Dr appointment on Thursday he suspects slight depression . I am female age 70 and have diarria on and off for 30 years .sometimes I have a good spell ie meaning get a week ok then all starts again . I get really stressed as I am my husbands Carer as he had major stroke 13 years ago . Good Luck

[cheshirecat48 in reply to pansieh]

Dear pansieh, Thanks for taking the time to reply. Stress seems to be a main contributing factor in bringing out the cursed I.B.S. ! And your situation is so very stressful! Although you don't know me I send you my warmest wishes,and my heart goes out to you! I hope you have family,or people who can give you a little rest-bite. You need some time for yourself as well. H

[djbdkd]

there are 3 major directions to inquire:

1) sibo - try xifaxen / xifaxen + neomicin for ibs-c

2) low fodmap diet - with personal adjustments

3) habba syndrome - treated with cholyseramine. (just because i put it third does not mean it is less worth investigating)

please investigate and try them. hope for the best, truly.

[cheshirecat48 in reply to djbdkd]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, and your tips! I will look at what you said. Why oh why does the N.H.S. not offer better patient care? What about some of the things they stuff money into. But not good care and advice for I.B.S sufferers! More must be done!

[grahamrupertrules]

hi

iv had ibs 20 yrs+ so i can sympathise. Have you tried Fodmap diet.i found after many years after taking Mebeverine before meals ,was making me worse! i,v stopped them altogether.i take Buscopan when in pain but keep off codeine as it is bad for ibs sufferers. heat pads/water bottles, a little ginger wine and paracetamol seem all to help. im now having ibs about 3 days a month in stead of 2/3 days a week so a big improvment. i think i sometimes trigger my ibs by eating something with onion or veg skins so have to be more careful. iv been so much better since i stopped eating any bread at all. have you had the lactose test? no no foods for me are onion, mushroom, prawns,most green veg , no more than 2 tea/cofee a day and no gassy drinks.

a little wine helps i find but beer doesn't as a a rule.

yoga helps some people. it has helped me a t times. walking good for ibs as it gets the colon in to a rythym.

hope something here helps. dont give up!

REGARDS

Gff

[cheshirecat48 in reply to grahamrupertrules]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, and your tips! Worried about stopping the Fybogel, then I'll get constipation. Cutting out coffee completely and reducing my intake of tea. Trying peppermint tea and other herbal teas. Unfortunately,I do like a beer to relax me of an evening.....I'll cut that down also,and try that ginger wine. Thanks again! H

[grahamrupertrules in reply to cheshirecat48]

hi

i dont see a problem with taking fibregel. i use mormacol for same purpose. try letting the beer settle for a while before drinking .letting some of the gas out. i use a big glass for a small can which seems to reduce the bloating.

im now at avg 1 day a week and not bad ibs so great improvement.

spicy foods and stress bad triggers so trying to avoid both.

good health

gff

[cheshirecat48 in reply to grahamrupertrules]

Cheers,I'll try that! Good health to you!

[marthaalice]

Have you looked at your diet. Your story sounds similar to mine. I have cut out wheat and it has made a massive difference. This weekend I was away and did have normal bread and I have been suffering ever since ! I also cut out caffeine and replaced it with peppermint tea. These two things have made such a difference to me. I also have found eggs really upset me. I can eat eggs in things such as sauces etc but not on their own, I get pains, rushing to toilet etc, followed by constipation and bloating. Sometimes the reaction to foods is delayed so you lose sight of what has caused a problem, I urge you to look at your diet. I resisted doing that for years and tried every medication known to man but controlling my diet is the only thing that works for me.

[cheshirecat48 in reply to marthaalice]

Thanks so much for your reply! Have cut out coffee,I was drinking far too many Expresso choc at work. I work in a cafe and we get drinks for free. I am doing peppermint tea. I hate it but....I have never been really able to pin it on certain foods. I am not using milk,but soya milk instead. I'll also cut down on eggs. What bread (if any) do you eat? Its so hard to cut out bread. I have been eating wholemeal or brown "thins". Thanks for taking the time to reply. H

[marthaalice in reply to cheshirecat48]

If I do eat bread I eat gluten free bread, it's not bad toasted but mainly I eat oatcakes or ryvitas in place of bread. Ginger tea is also good if you like ginger instead of peppermint, in my own experience and many others on here cutting out bread is the one thing that seems to make most difference, I have porridge with almond milk and flax seeds, (great for constipation) for breakfast. Oatcakes or ryvitas with advocado or suchlike for lunch and then normal dinners such as chicken, rice and salad for dinner. I eat lots of yogurt and fruit, almonds, everything really apart from bread, it has helped me greatly, I am not cured but have quite a few good days, and if I get bloated I know a few days of concentrating on eating the right things will get me back on n track. I also take a prebiotic but not convinced that helps but doesn't do any harm.

[cheshirecat48 in reply to marthaalice]

marthaalice, Thanks again for you info,and speedy reply! OK, I'm going to go for the porridge for breakfast again, and try the oatcakes/ryvitas for lunch! Its so difficult to get out of the routine of sandwiches for lunch! I thought yogurts and dairy where a no-no? Been looking at S.I.B.O. small intestine bacterial overgrowth. But has never been suggested by my Doctor... Can you recommend a webpage or book for food? Thanks so much for your help. H

[marthaalice in reply to cheshirecat48]

Someone else posted this link which I think would really help you healthunlocked.com/api/redi...

[alicemarsh]

You may like to try the Squatty potty it is a step device (not a potty) that fits round the base of the toilet that you put your feet on, it really helps reduce straining during a bowel movement. It mimics the natural method of elimination which is squatting position which we are designed for originally. I would recommend it for anyone with IBS - C and as your pain comes after a bowel movement it may help you?

Details are found at squattypotty.co.uk/ I think it will help a lot of people with IBS in general. Do not be put off by the slightly odd advert - its is a very practical device that I and many others have tried. Check reviews online.

[cheshirecat48 in reply to alicemarsh]

youtube.com/watch?v=YbYWhdL...(Not working as expected?) What do others think about this piece of plastic? Would you buy? **Edit** Try an upturned washing up bowl. Honest! see posts in this link. H

[alicemarsh in reply to cheshirecat48]

I agree I think the advert is silly and I dont like it at all myself - but if you look at the website its fine and has serious reviews. Anyway enough of this - I just want to help others nothing more nothing less... you can construct a similar device yourself out of books, or boxes to raise you into this better position - so no need to buy the device if you don't want to, just telling people. I really am not selling it ! Just spreading knowledge of what helps many.

[cheshirecat48 in reply to alicemarsh]

Thanks for your input Alice. My condition is not constipated (Normally) But it might seem silly-after reading up I tried a washing up bowl (which is in the loo) which my uses to rinse her hair, and I swear I felt a little better (just) after propping my feet up this last couple of mornings..........I'm gonna keep trying this.......I'm not telling the wife......Also this last 4 days have cut out coffee,and tea to 3 or 4 cups a day,replacing it with peppermint tea (79p for 40) Aldi........feeling a little better,but nowhere near normal.....watch this space.........H

[alicemarsh in reply to cheshirecat48]

Hi - I am glad it was of some help - that is good news, I hope you will find the things that help you. We are all different and finding the right combination of things will hopefully help, thanks for your reply. Best wishes, alice

[cheshirecat48 in reply to alicemarsh]

Thanks for taking the time and your input! Hope we all get some "Quality time" in between the bad. H

[alicemarsh in reply to cheshirecat48]

You are welcome. Good luck with everything.

[alicemarsh]

Oh please if you knew how much I have had trouble with IBS - I assure you I only want to help people. I have no links with the company and I am totally genuine I assure you. I am very sorry you feel insulted. If you knew me - you would know that was not my intention at all....

I was going to add going gluten free helps some people - there are lots of gluten free breads available in supermarkets too.

[Kimmiejo]

Mine is getting worse to or just different . I take inulation that is a powder I mix in water and Bodybiotics everyday which helps. I can't do meds as I am allergic to almost all pain meds etc. except Ibuprofen. I am allergic to alcohol so I cant do that either. I found out I am allergic to the berberine family which includes tumeric, goldenseal, oregon grape root, and anything that is in that family. I haven't gone the medicine route unless natural and I do acupuncture when I can it helped with the fibromyalgia part of me now maybe I should try it IBS wonder if it will help there. I always feel let down by doctors as they don't help me much. My gall bladder was sludged up and I went to a natural pathic doctor and she help me through natural tincture teas and a good diet. no surgery needed thats when i found out about oregon grape root and tumeric. I would try a kinesiologist acupuncturist and or a naturalpathic doctor they seem to help me more then any doctor.

[Luisa22]

cheshirecat48,

I went gluten free for a few weeks to see if doing that helped me. In the end it seemed gluten wasn't my issue, so on the 7th week I ate toast again. I was no different with it or without it.

But while I was gluten free I found one loaf which I bought at Morrison's and I think maybe Tesco's and Sainsbury's (& poss. other stores) might have it too. It's called "Genius" gluten free bread. It does have some seeds but not heavy on the seeds. That was about the only gluten free bread I could handle. The rest didn't taste nice at all. I am not crazy about that genius loaf but it's edible. It is MUCH nicer toasted than plain.

It's a small loaf, plastic wrapped. I never ever ate plastic mass produced bread, but had to give it a try.

There's a gluten free bakery online too who deliver, and theirs are more Artisan breads but I warn you they are not cheap. £16 for 4 white baguettes. I imagine they freeze okay for storage. This is their website

mygfbakery.com/collections/...

The one problem with that is the only bread they sell is sourdough, and I can't eat sourdough. My gut hates it.

It's OK perhaps just for one if you don't eat much bread, but you would have to keep your loaves separate from the family bread or you'll go broke!

(oh dear, I'm sorry, I only just noticed. I have replied to a 6 year old post.)