IBS-D to IBS-C I can't win😭

[Chlowildish]

Hi I'm Chloe, 18 & new to this. 4 years ago I began experiencing IBS-D and was put on Imodium (Loperamide) with codeine each day as the only way of stopping it, however a year ago I found that it had turned to IBS-C as a result of this and the only thing that would shift it is Dulcolax (Bisacodyl) except by working I got violent diarrhoea and sometimes sickness but it was the only way to shift it however I now have to take 40 of these as opposed to the 2 on the box to go, I'm in constant agony and if I don't I get impacted and bloated and sore, the dosage went from 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40. Please note I do NOT have an eating disorder it's all just because I get constipated, I'm a 5'1 female who weighs around 6st 11lbs - 7st 1lbs and used to weigh 14st 6lbs.

[Chlowildish]

I've also tried fybogel, macrogol, buscopan, mebeverine, colpermin, colofac, peppermint stuff, wind-eze etc

[Lisahelen]

Personally i would suggest you lay off the tablets, especially that many!

Try to eat more roughage, fibre, cereals, fruit, veg and drink more water to see if that helps.( they will probably make you feel bloated initially).

If not you need to see your gp to find out why this has happened.

How about trying glycerine suppository instead, it is faster and has less internal body impact. But dont use too frequently because the body becomes lazy and realises you are giving it a very good helping hand so why should it bother making the effort, which maybe what has happened where the tablets are concerned.

[Hidden]

There is absolutely no way that you should be taking that much medication for any condition

It could be that you are intolerant of sone food groups and you could do your own intolerance tests

Leave one food group, like dairy, out of your diet for at least 2/3 weeks keeping a food and symptom diary to see what changes there might be

[Jilly24]

Leave the Codeine alone - this is VERY constipating - just stick with the IMODIUM as per directions on box ONLY!!

By the way - what is IBS-D and what is the difference to IBS-C - I just know it as IBS!! Could it mean IBS -Diarrhoea and IBS-Constipation - if so most people have both!!

Hope you feel better soon without the Codeine!!

[VA80]

Hello

This may not help everyone but a few years ago I was suffering from constant stomach issues from bloating to cramps to constipation to diarrhoea and no two days were the same. It was very hard to live with and very upsetting. The doctor told me I had IBS and to try eliminating one food at a time, e.g. Gluten, dairy etc to see what worked. This made no difference.

I then went to the health food store Holland and Barrett (in the UK) as they take a blood sample and test it for you. The nutritionist said it could be a number of things but also asked if I ate atificial sweetener. I did, (on a very regular basis), as I was trying to lose some weight and thought that diet foods would help. He then told me the first piece of advice he would give me would be to give this up, especially aspartame as it is a chemical which is not supposed to be ingested in large quantities and has an extremely negative effect on lots of people. I was eating it all the time -

Sweetener in my cereal and in coffee/tea

Diet coke, sprite etc

Cordial (most of the full sugar ones also have a percentage of sweetener in them now as well). In fact the only cordial I can find in tesco without sweetener is Ribena full sugar.

- low fat yoghurts (SOoooo many of them! Even Activia low fat which is supposed to be good for your gut)

- flavoured water!!!!!

- some fresh orange and apple juice

- some cheap ciders and flavoured beers

- some full sugar soda e.g schweppes tonic, lemonade and supermarket own brands

-lucozade sport

-sugar free chewing gum and mints

-lite hot chocolate drinks

The list goes on and on and on.

It is also in several medicines that are sweetened, e.g. Lemsip and I have also heard it is in Imodium (how ironic seeing as it is supposed to calm diarrhoea!)

There is also sweetener in some of the probiotic drinks we are constantly being told will settle our stomach for the day ahead, e.g actimel

It takes a while but I started by checking every label and avoiding all artificial sweetener. These have many different names but common (in the Uk) are aspartame, Sucralose, saccharin etc.

Overnight my problems disappeared! My stomach literally returned to being calm and normal for the first time in years and I have been fine ever since.

I also told my mum and sister as they had worse problems than me. My mum was diagnosed in 1985 with IBS and had always just "managed" it. They both were cured as well by cutting out sweetener. My sister had been at the stage of giving up her job as a fitness instructor as her stomach was so bad she couldn't get through a class. The sweetener in the lucozade sport she was drinking at every class was causing it.

This was all in 2007 and since then I have told many people who have not believed me at first but once they have seriously checked all labels and tried it, they have been amazed.

My mum said it made sense for her, at the lowfat diet industry started in the 1980s and that is when she started getting IBS. Also it often seems to be women who have more issues and in my experience more women than men buy these products. The only man I ever helped by telling him was my brother in law who was in agony and on a diet before his wedding. He had been stocking up on low sugar products and this was what caused his pain.

I have also read recently that stomach issues in children have increased massively since 1990 and researchers are trying to find out why. Every child I know is constantly being given low sugar juice, yogurt etc as their parents think they are healthier. Before the 1990's no one drank low sugar juice etc as a child.

I believe that the food industry know the risks of sweetener but make far too much money from it (one tea spoon of sweetener is a tiny fraction of the price of sugar).

This is well worth trying, it has changed my life. If you are worried about weight gain, I found I lost weight by eating more natural products and regular sugar when I feel like it.

I hope this helps someone!

Vikki

[Rozzy46]

Dear Chloe, you poor thing I can imagine your desperation and how you're eating less because of the constipation - I'm the same. I think others have given you good advice about cutting out codeine and sweeteners and reducing medication - but I think you maybe are also caught up in a loop of anxiety about your gut, making you even more anxious and then getting more symptoms - a vicious cycle. Try deep diaphragm breathing, relaxation, small regular meals, no sugar, no gluten, ground flax seed, gently cooked food and most importantly sleep. Your body needs routine to get back into a rhythm but it's helpful to try and identify underlying issues as well. What triggered your IBS D in the first place do you think? I suggest you follow the ideas others have given you as well as trying some of mine for a few days and then if you're still concerned go back to your doctor and ask for further tests or to be referred to an IBS specialist clinic if there is one in your area. You're not alone!