Ibs sufferer

[Pezz]

I am in agony with IBS I am on medication from my doctor I get very bad flatulence and diarrhoea making me very stressed it seems to be running my life. I would appreciate some help thank you. Just want it to go away 😦

[patientj]

Hi Pezz. Sorry to hear you're feeling so unwell. I can sympathise. How long have you had IBS and what medication are you on?

There are plenty of things that can help IBS. Dietary changes are one such thing (see patientj.wordpress.com/good... for some ideas), plus there are various medications you can try.

IBS can often be made worse by anxiety or stress. It can even be triggered by a life event. These are issues that a counsellor or therapist can help you address as well. Do any of these things apply to you?

Alternatively, there is such a thing as bile acid malabsorption (thesensitivegut.com/2016/02... which can also cause the symptoms of IBS.

[Pezz in reply to patientj]

Thank you for reply my doctor gave me Buscopan and Mebeverine I also take silicolgel I do get acid reflux. I am so fed up with it all just wish it would go away I have suffered most of my life with it. I do get stressed and anxious all my doc does is gives more pills.

[patientj in reply to Pezz]

If you're also getting acid reflux, I think there's a strong likelihood that anxiety is a major factor. Anxiety can cause a number of issues that affect the natural functioning of the smooth, autonomic muscles in the body. These include the intestines (where food could get pushed through too quickly, and which the mebeverine tries to slow down) and the sphincters. If the sphincter between your oesophagus and stomach doesn't close properly then you might get heart burn as the acid rises up. After several years, I've recognised that my IBS is affected both by anxiety and depression and I can predict when I'm going to have a flare up as I start getting minor acid reflux first and this is at times I am slightly anxious.

You can get medication to help treat anxiety, but I think it is better to learn to manage it, and at least learn to recognise your other bodily responses to anxiety before you start taking meds which might mute these. For instance, I might gnash my teeth more when anxious, get a knotted feeling in my chest, or feel my muscles tense up. Unlike you, I've not had IBS all my life, but looking back, I remember suffering from many other things when I was a child that, with hindsight, were probably symptoms of anxiety.

Some people say mindfulness is a good treatment for anxiety. I found this too passive for me, but doing some of the mindfulness exercises, and learning to be more aware of my body, helped me to realise how anxious I was all the time. At the same time I have also been seeing a therapist to discuss all the complex issues and thoughts that run through my mind. It took me a long time to spot a relationship between my IBS and anxiety, but in all honestly, seeing a therapist has seen the biggest breakthrough for me in improving my IBS. I'm even now eating pizzas again, after staunchly avoiding them for the last three years because of the wheat.

However, I leave room for the possibility that your IBS might be caused by something else. Has your doctor explored other infections that could possibly lead to your symptoms for instance?

[Pezz in reply to patientj]

Thanks you for the information. I am really fed up with this ruling my life.

[Worry-not]

Hi I was very similar to yourself. One week I was fine the next I thought my life was over. I spend a lot of time driving and the urgency to go the toilet especially in the morning was in bearable at times worrying if I'd make it. Or the embarrassment of having an accident in my pants. I also suffered with in believable back ache on the left hand side. I done the usual stuff and seen my GP. Like most of the posts on hear I see mebeverine tablets are always prescribed. All these tablets are a peppermint oil based tablet supposedly aimed to calm the bowel and remove the urgency to go the toilet. As most people on hear have said they don't work. I was then referred to the hospital and seen a consultant. I've had endless scopes and samples took from the bowel and nothing. I was prescribed a tablet called amitriptoline and it was then my life came back on track. Basically how it was explained to me is that within in the bowel is a chemical called 5tx or 5ht and if this chemical becomes in balanced then Ibs can be the result. Amitriptoline is taken of a night and you do feel very tired the next day. If that is no good like for me I have been put on nortriptoline exact same but tiredness not as bad. It works for me but it might not work for everyone. I do still occasionally get the urgency to go but usually after rich foods. I was told mine is called stress related Ibs so have a look and see if you are stressed. But a useful bit of information is Ibs is used all the time as an umbrella for we don't know what the problem is. I hope you find a remedy that works.

[panther1]

Hi Pezz.Sorry you are feeling rough. I was diagnosed with BAM Bile Salt Malabsoption only yesterday after years of being diagnosed with IBS, then coelaic, also vit d and B12 deficiency and lctose intolerance. Ask to have the Sehcat scan which will tell your consultant if you have BAM or not. It might be that I don' t have IBS but BAM instead as it seems to have similar symtoms. I have yest to start the medication for this so can't tell you anything more

I wish you all the best

[MeganG]

I keep saying this on here, so sorry if I seem to be on a bit of a rant but IBS is a term that refers to a reactive gut. U are reacting to something you are eating. Stress also makes IBS worse as it is your weak spot.

The drugs and herbal treatment will help (I use peppermint tablets from Holland and barett) but you need to work out what you are reacting to. Ask for an allergy test and while you wait 10 years for it, try a food diary and an excision diet where u cut out all the common causes- gluten, diary etc and then reintroduce.

Hope this helps x