Anybody else suffer like this?

I have had stomach pains and a groaning stomach for a month now I'm truly atthe end of my theather , tried all the usual .

Does anyone else feel there are two parts as such in the stomach and a strange dead- pins and needles feeling (weird )in the top of my finger? Do feel peppermint sometimes helps.

Can anyone recommend ( or rather let me know what suits) as we're all different regarding anti depressants for ibs ?

Many Thanks

[shaughnessy]

Pins & needles (parasthaesia) in digits needs investigating tam. My stomach doesn't 'grumble' since I dropped dairy. best of luck

[Hidden in reply to shaughnessy]

What could the (dead) feeling in the finger be? Given up on Gps to be honest!! What do you have instead of dairy

Many Thanks

[shaughnessy in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tam, DO NOT stop going to your GP, you need to get to the cause of your problems, my GP's are useless too but their job is to help you, be assertive! Has taken me six years to get all the tests I needed. 'Dead' feeling could be functional, like a trapped nerve in your neck but can be a sign of low Vitamin B, a common problem with digestive disorders, low thryroid or coeliac. PS I'm not a doctor although I am a health professional, my knowledge has been gained from living with these issues myself. I'm coeliac, going gluten free helped me a lot but I would always have a few off days a week. By going completely dairy-free, on 2 probiotics a day, much better. I use Alpro almond milk, Pure Olive oil spread, actually delicious, Violife cheese (ok in cooking) & Vitalite for baking, all available in big supremarkets. Sign up to My supermarket. co.uk, they e mail you when the products you like are on offer 'cos these things ain't cheap. Have a look at Hugh Fearnley Whittingstalls cookbook 'Light & Easy', 99% GF, 100% DF, some cracking recipes & some online but I bought for £5 from Amazon. Good luck!

[patientj in reply to shaughnessy]

Thanks for the book recommendation. Just gone and purchased it. Love HFW but I did need a break from all his recipes calling for dairy ingredients in his more recent books!

[Hidden]

Thankyou so so much . You have restored my faith in human nature , haven't read through it all yet but some excellent advise and thankyou for your time and effort just wish the Gp's were as helpful !!

[Lorna0712 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tam

I know that I'm lactose intolerant rather than dairy intolerant and that means all the lactofree products have helped me. Failing that (i.e if I'm out for a meal) I use a lactaise tablet/drops so that I can eat without suffering.

Keep going with the GP, I had a rubbish one so I moved surgeries and I now have a good one who referred me on so I get some specialist help.

Also, have you looked at the FODMAP diet? I bang on about it here as it has really helped me. If you don't know about it use google and look for Monash FODMAP as Monash Institute are the people who devised this.

All the best

Lorna

[patientj]

Funnily enough, there are actually two parts to the stomach!

As for antidepressants, these will vary from person to person, and it will also depend on what you want to use them for. For instance, amitriptyline is used in small doses to help manage the symptoms of IBS. However, if you think your IBS is caused by anxiety or depression, other meds can help target that. My GP put me on citalopram which I've been on for about nine months now and still debating whether they are helping me or not. However, a friend who is a GP said she though sertraline was better.

If you do think your IBS is caused by some depression or anxiety I would also encourage you to see a therapist to help you get to the bottom of the issues behind it and learn how to cope with them.