Sick and tired of being sick and tired

[Lainy01]

Hi. Does anybody else get absolutely sick to death of trying new thing after new thing to try and cure their ibs without much success?

I have had ibs for nearly 14 years. I have tried evey diet going, loads of supplements, which have cost me a fortune. I've paid hundreds of pounds for private comprehensive stool tests. I paid a lot of money for advice from a functional medicine practitioner for a month.

I actually think I am depressed with it all. My motivation to do anything is very low. I drag myself to work everyday and have to really force myself to even do the house work at the weekends.

I usually go to the gym every day before work but im even thinking what's the point as I haven't had that good sense of wellbeing for a long time.

Most of the time I am feeling hugely frustrated and angry with it all.

I feel like I have lost the fight but the thought of another 14 years of this makes me feel like I cant cope.

I know I need to refocus and start telling myself more positive things.

I think I will start to focus on one day at a time rather than overwhelming myself with the thought of years.

Apologies for the self pity party but I find it helpful to use this site to offload my frustration.

Thanks for listening.

[karenkoala]

Totally get it ! I'm a long time sufferer too and going through a bad flare up that's lasted months. Tried a new GP who has done numerous tests, decided to put me on an elimination diet following intolerances that were revealed through a blood test. This made me worse than ever, horrendous stomach bloating, pains, acid feelings, pains in chest through to back and I can't seem to get back on track. Started to go back to my "normal" diet but I'm very up and down, very depressed and very over it! I also seem to get weird feelings in my head/headaches when my stomach is feeling odd which doesn't help my anxiety!

[feelgood41 in reply to karenkoala]

Hi I have just been diagnosed Diverticulitis after waiting 2 years since asking about diet after colonoscopy. I wish I had known sooner, asI always thought I had IBS. I think now they overlap/. I do know some triggers but am interested to know how you got a blood test to find out your intolerances. Did they do a separate coeliac test or was that included also Gluten. I don't want to exclude gluten at this stage as I feel I would have known before if I had coeliac which means no gluten. However I have been told that you can become coeliac at different stages in your life.I am thinking of going on the Fodmap diet. but am trying at the moment to use my old diet before all this reared its ugly head and see if there is anything new to discover in the way of triggers. Also I am going back to my Slimming Club where I lost 2 stone many years ago. I am still on target but when I exceed the 3-4 lbs I seem to get trouble. It seems like your body is telling you off!

[missymo]

Does anyone else get bloody in the stools with excess diohrea or constipation?? Very scary!! I have a colonoscopy booked for thursday@! Dreading what they.l find!

[JBaird1952 in reply to missymo]

I’ve had this and it looked like a lot of blood in the toilet, was told I had an anal fissure which though worrying healed itself , the fault was the constipation I suffer with IBS, it is pretty scary but stool softeners helped.

[Hidden]

Hi Lainy, I had food poisoning back in 1996 which then followed with a diagnosis of IBS as following the bout of food poisoning I started to get very constipated and had a lot of stomach cramps. I was sent for a Colonoscopy and Endoscopy before being diagnosed.

Although the past few months haven't been the best I have a feeling that raw vegetables may be a big problem as I had been eating a lot of raw carrots but have just about stopped eating them i.e. only eating them very occasionally. Since almost stopping them my symptoms have improved. Although I have got a gastro appointment on 8 August, I am feeling better at the moment, still some pain but not anything like I've been having, but I am not cancelling the appointment as you can bet if I do that then I will be bad again - sod's law!

Please do not give up the gym as exercise is actually my saving grace, particularly for the mind. If I didn't exercise then I wouldn't be in a very good place. Back when I was 39 (I am 57 now) I went to the gym and did 2 1½ hour session and one 2 hour session a week and was so fit and I hardly knew I had IBS. Therefore, going to the gym is a very good thing - I have also been told that yoga is very good but I haven't got round to going to a yoga class - unfortunately it's a time issue as by the time I get home from work it's time to cook and eat!

Best of luck but please do not give up the gym.

[feelgood41 in reply to Hidden]

I too realise that stopping exercise video and swimming (through minor health issues) has made a big difference. I started yoga chair exercises a fortnght ago and it has given me more motivation to stop the syndrome. Any exercise is good I am also going back to swimming this Tuesday. Give yourself a talking to and try relaxation techniques. Good Luck

[Hidden in reply to feelgood41]

Thank you for your reply and exercise is something that I'll only give up if my body gives up - rue the day that ever happens as I will be like a bear with a sore head! I love keeping fit and the more I do the better. I know I ought to try relaxation and yes, I do need to give myself a talking to. Best of luck for you as well.

[feelgood41 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks I have sent away for a diary that works with my Slimming World Club things. I have always thought writing each day a chore but this is apparently a better method. I am a target member and am consistently at the three pounds over max. so will starts again in earnest.I will do cold turkey on choc cakes biscuits, I want to shift 10lbs to be what I was 17years ago. At my age (wont admit yet!) it might be difficult but we must see. Am intending to do cold turkey on choc, biscuits and cake. The diary arrives on Monday-Tues but will write down from today. Will give it 6 weeks and then decide if I want to do FODMAP at the same time avoiding things I know to be triggers of IBS. Thanks for your reply. Do keep in touch

[Lainy01 in reply to Hidden]

Thank for your encouragement. I really appreciate it and it inspires me to keep going.

[miserable85]

I completely understand. I unfortunately cannot have any type of corn products.. Hf corn syrup, corn syrup, corn starch, etc.. It completely shuts my bowels down until I mag citrate.. So for me even eating becomes a panic.. I never know what else is going to cause excruciating pain.. No sesame seeds, nuts (no diverticulitis is what the dr said) but for over a year I have been in pain everyday with a VERY limited diet and all my dr does is type my symptoms on her computer and send me home. Multiple drs, can't even count the amount of er trips to sever ers in the area.. Still no answers. Finally have an appointment with a GI doc.. But thats not until November 2nd! All I can say is hang in there. I know it is rough and this makes quality of life pretty much zero. But we can all get through this!

[Lainy01 in reply to miserable85]

Thank you. I really appreciate your understanding.