Still struggling with stomach

[Kate8433]

Hi everyone.

So I’m still having the on off diarreah and the feeling of being full and occasionally heartburn. I’ve just started seeing someone and I hide this from him because I find it embarrassing. I am bad for eating only half an hour before I sleep so I don’t think that helps to digest my food. I then sit up for hours after everytime I’ve gone to the toilet searching the internet for what it could be....always comes up with stomach or bowel cancer. I’m just living this scared life and don’t want tests incase it comes back with something.

The symptoms I struggle with....

Urge to go to the toilet unexpectedly (face gets all hot and I feel stressed)

Gurgling and weird noises in stomach

Diarreah or constipation

Stools that sometimes float

Can anyone relate to any of these?

Thanks

[BabsyWabsy]

Hi Kate,

I think many people on this forum can relate to all of your symptoms. Fair to say, we have all been there one way or another. You have conquered your embarressment enough to post on here, so that is a step forward. Maybe you can broach it with your new partner when you know each other a bit better? After all, everyone has bodily functions. You will find lots of knowledge and support on here. On another point, try not to be anxious because it does make it worse. This is well documented on here too.

BW

[Calli]

Hi Kate8433 don't live the scared life make an appointment with your GP soon as you can, you may not get a miracle cure but you may just get peace of mind, you almost certainly will have the unsatisfactory diagnosis of IBS but at least it would put your mind at rest that it's not anything worse, because stress and worry really do go straight to the bowel, you don't say how new your relationship is,new enough perhaps to be causing the anxiety that could be at the root of your current problem, I think you can take comfort from the fact that almost every I BS suffer will recognize your symptoms, your problems seem to occur at bedtime which would suggest that your relationship is at the stage where hiding your illness from your partner is becoming unrealistic, so creating the circle of stress anxiety worry = diarrhea perhaps without going into details you can tell your partner that when you become anxious it upsets your stomach to explain your loo visits and try to eat at least an hour or so before bed, and above all stay calm and stop looking online and second guessing because as you can see from all of us here these symptoms are everyday normal to us and like most of us you will find your coping mechanisms ,good luck let us know how you are doing .Calli

[Merth83]

Sounds like IBS-D to me. It's a crap diagnosis, literally, but you are soooo not alone and there are lots of ways to deal with it. I have IBS-D, reflux, sinusitis and anxiety. They feed off each other. Vicious cycle but I'm finally seeing some progress. None of the scripts the doctors have given me have helped. I ALWAYS carry Imodium with me at all times, and whenever I start to worry that I might be about to have the dreaded D or if it's already begun, I take one or two of them and they almost always help right away. The last few weeks I have started taking a calcium carbonate supplement at bedtime. Just half a pill. Got them over the counter at my local pharmacy. And since I began taking them, I have only had a few instances of bad BMs which usually followed some very poor food choices on my part. Otherwise, my BMs have been better and more "normal" than they have been in over a year! I agree with the person above, definitely don't be afraid to see a doctor and get a proper diagnosis. The sooner you become your own advocate, the sooner you will start feeling in control again!