Positive experiences in treating tortuous/redundant/super loopy long colon?

[alwayshope111]

When I had a colonoscopy, the colonoscopist remarked that I had the longest large colon he'd ever seen and that it was very loopy. I've been doing research on it and it turns out that, while it can show no symptoms, it can also be rather painful and act like IBS. I think it's possible that I have both IBS and a very long colon, or perhaps my symptoms are just indeed down to the colon.

I was wondering if anyone here also has this type of colon, and if they managed to alleviate IBS-like symptoms?

My main symptoms are a mixture of IBS-C and IBS-D, nausea and really bad gas pains, no matter my efforts on the low-FODMAP diet.

[Melinaplum]

Hi Lumidna, thats what my surgeon said to me after my colonoscopy! He said I have a kinky bowel! I have the same symptoms as you IBS-C/IBS-D, Im going to google it now, thanks for the info but does that mean we are stuck with these symptoms!🙈

[alwayshope111 in reply to Melinaplum]

Hello Melinaplum, good to hear from another like me. Apparently it's quite a rare thing so I'm having trouble finding the exact info I want.

I've read that drinking LOTS of water (like 8 glasses) and eating lots of fibre can help, and that some people manage to alleviate symptoms. Lemon water is important too, because our colon is so long and twisty it takes much longer for food to get through and our instestine ends up absorbing toxins from the waste! The lemon water helps to flush those out.

I must admit I haven't been putting these things into practice because I find it difficult to drink so much water throughout the day because it aggravates my reflux. But maybe my reflux will get better if I follow those steps.

In rare cases, the colon will get so twisted that it completely obstructs the flow and you need surgery, but unless that happens they don't tend to do surgery.

I'll let you know if I find anything else+have any change in symptoms once I put things into practice.

[Melinaplum in reply to alwayshope111]

I dont drink enough water, that is one of my problems, my family are always saying “ how much water have you had today??” I forget and would rather have a brew, but I think I must try harder, when I had my 2nd colonoscopy, they struggled getting the camers through, it was agony, I was on my knees at one stage, my son watched “ Embarresing bodies” on C4 a while ago and a woman had an operation to shorten her colon as she had the same problem as us, im tempted to ask my Gp, but I know he will say keep on the FODMAP diet🙄

[alwayshope111 in reply to Melinaplum]

Sorry you had to feel that, my most painful part was when they pumped in a bit of air, my inner intestines must be really sensitive. I think if after a while, you've tried everything you can and it still doesn't improve, it may be worth talking to your doctor about the possibility of surgery. I imagine there are risks so we would have to weigh the benefits against them. I think I may do the same if I don't improve after 2018.

[Hidden]

I have recovered from IBS.

Yet specialists examined me and said:

My colon was longer than average, which was why I had digestive problems and constipation

My epiglottis (the muscular flap that closes to prevent food and fluids from going down the windpipe) didn’t close properly, causing reflux.

And for a while I believed this. My fate had been sealed. I believed there was no IBS cure, and that I had to live with it. And I wasted a lot of time believing these “facts”.

There can be real physical links - but if you get stuck thinking that a long colon is THE reason for your IBS, it means you have no room for hope, experimentation and recovery.

Have you been tested for Candida and Sibo? Whatever the length of your colon, this could be behind some of it: sickofibs.com/ibs-symptoms/...

Hope this helps you and anyone reading this,

Alison

[Sonnypoppy]

Hi I also have a tortuous colon so the hospital said. Other than that nothing else shown to worry about. I have discovered fennel tea helps with trapped wind and bloating. Plus I have a lot of gurgling noises from my stomach. I have been back to Dr's since and been told to go on the fodmap diet which makes me more constipated. I only get pain after I have defacating the pain lasts for hours. I have no problem going I just feel that I haven't emptied my bowel fully! I am back to the Dr's thurs, I want to be reffered to a specialist. Wishing you good luck.

[Ashweb901]

Me too - "impressively" extra long colon. A slow, long, redundant transit. Bowel movements currently once per week. Wishing I had a solution. I also likely have pernicious anemia, But that's another story. Most recent consult with integrative nurse practitioner says no gluten, eggs, dairy, corn, peanuts, sugar, as they are inflammatory. That's a lot to ask. Mag citrate powder daily worked for a while but not anymore. I take probiotics. And just recently added digestive enzymes.

Keep me posted on anything that works for you.